Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-10

amply demonstrated by this start the build
ing was enlarged by the addition of about
as much space again, constructed on thor
oughly modern principles. The naval off,
GERS claim that the best work cannot be
done under these circumstances, and they
are therefore the more proud Of what has
been accomplished in view of the compare
lively adverse conditions surrounding the
installation and development of the plant
Modern machinery requires modern sur
roundings in order to do the best work,
and this has been well proved by the diff
culties encountered at the navy yard, where
several efforts to introduce later devices
for the handling of great masses of metal
have been met with obstacles in the form
of architecture intended for much earlier
day and for far different uses
More Liberal Appropriations.
One Of the chief difficulties in the way
has been the indisposition of Congress to
make provision for entirely new buildings.
An appropriation for REPAIRS is far easier
to obtain than one for a new construction,
for it seems an impossible task to persuade
the committees in charge of the budgets
that the old structures are not all that the
work demands, while they may be forced
to admit the need of new roofs, etc Just at
present over 100000 is being expended in
the construction Of two new roofs that were
1t not for the fact that the walls on which
they are to go were built in the most solid
fashion in the beginning, it would hardly
be an economical proceeding
The last appropriation bill, which took
effect on the 1st of July, contained, in addi-
ton to the provisions for the construction
of guns and projectiles for the navy, two
items representing the sole efforts to en-
large the plant. and yet, although better
work can be done under the conditions so
resulting from these improvements, it is
doubtful whether the product Of the yard
will ever be larger on this account. One of
these items was an appropriation of $4,000
for remodelling the brass and iron foundry,
the building running perpendicularly to the
main gun shop al the north end
This structure was one Of the Oldest and
most incomplete in its equipment in the
yard, although some Of the most important
work was done there. Its wooden roof was
constantly catching fire, and within the last
year there have been several serious blazes
that have severely taxed the capacities of
the yard fire service. The cupolas and blow
ers were out of date and there was almost
no provision for carrying heavy weights to
and from the various parts of the foundry.
What IL Being Done.
The work of remodeling the building is
now under way, under the supervision of
Lieut.. ]. H. Moore, in charge of the bureau
of yards and docks. at the yard. The work
consists of the addition Of a second story
to the walls and the construction Of a new
iron roof, in addition to the location of new
cupolas and blowers, blow engines, iron ele-
vators, swing cranes and fine travelling
crane and runway. The work was started
at the west end, formerly occupied by the
iron foundry, and will be prosecuted there
until it is absolutely necessary to attack the
brass foundry end. when the foundry work
will be stopped for about q month.
1t Is Lieut.. Moore's hope to have the
foundry in full running order again before
the close of the winter. A contract for the
iron work of the roof was let to the Boston
Bridge Company for 81, 400, but all other
work in connection with the Improvement
is done by days labor. One Of the best