New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-02

as TO who will finish the work There Ia a lot Of
repairing TO be contracted for soon. the jobs in
Guiding new roof on the blacksmith shop. which
Will amount to about $50 900; a new roof on the
storehouse. tin to take the place OF the present
slate covering: two sections of the main sea wall
are also TO be contracted for as well as a section
OF the Whitney Basin retaining wall. and other
smaller jobs. The work on the new shipwright
shop was ended yesterday and Building No. 40
is so near completion that the contractors will
turn II over TO the authorities at an early date.
THE DISPUTE OVER THE COB DOCK CAUSE
WAY.
There is every prospect now that work on that
causeway which was to connect the mainland
with the Cob Dock will he delayed indefinitely
Not long ago there was a fuss over lot Of
dummy bolts" which it was discovered by an
inspector had been used in the fastenings of the
framew ork, and the company which had the
made satisfactory explanation and or
dered by the Secretary TO go ahead with the
work. Then the available money for continuing
operations gave out and there another de-
lay. which ii was hoped would be ended when
the cash available under the appropriations
which took effect on July !. came into play
The present delay is caused by the fact that
Mr.. Willis. Commissioner OF City Works or
Brooklyn. and Secretary Herbert are having
dispute over the number of openings to be left
in the causeway to accommodate the tidal flow
Last January Alfred T. White who was then
Commissioner of City Works. wrote TO the Secre-
tary, complaining Of the deleterous effects on
the health of the city which would follow the
completion Of the causeway according to the
plans of the Department. asserting that the
stoppage of the tidal flow would make the water
in the canal stagnant. The subject was referred
by the Secretary to the Bureau OF Yards and
Docks. and the civil engineers reported that
under all circumstances the Board considers
it right and advisable that in the completion OF
the causeway it be made less injurious to the
city's interests by constructing openings with
valves closing against the return currents, ana
recommending that large number OF openings
he made Soon after this report had been mace
the Secretary ordered the immediate completion
of the causeway with thirty-one openings Mr.
Willis who had assumed office at the Time mace
an emphatic protest against the small number
If openings and the Secretary. in letter dated
last Saturday. said that his Department had
done all it could with the means at It's disposal
and was unwilling to suspend WORK on the
cousav,av any longer on 50 uncertain and i'm
nroba BILE an idea as the appropriation by Con-
gress of a sum sufficient TO cover the cost OF
cutting additional culverts
The Secretary says that the SUBJECT is not
material one TO the Government, but concerns
closely the preservation OF the health or the city
of Brooklyn, and he therefore thinks that the
CITY might very properly appropriate sum
suficient to enable the additional culverts to he
placed and if this can be done within reasona-
lilo time cav within ten or twenty days the Work
on the construction OF the causeway will be sus-
nended for that period" Commissioner Wills Is
opposed to an appropriation by the city or money
as suggested by Mr. Herbert he mas turned the
case over 20 the Mayor and the Corporation Coun-
sci and the latest phase of the affair is the prop
ability that an appeal will be made to the tnited
States courts. IT Is thought that in this way the
work can be stopped until Congress meets and an
annropriation can be made sufficient to construct
the large number OF culverts called for by MT
Williss ideas of what the health OF the city de-
mands
VISIT OF ENGINEER-1N-CHIEF MELVILLE
Engineer-in- Chief George W. Melville made
visit to the Department Of Steam Engineering
Yesterday on tour Of inspection which was part
" undertaken in connection with the new engines
for the Chicago. In company with Chlef Engi-
neer Farmer and Master Machinist Howatt he
went through the shops, and furnished surprise
for the local officials by his intimate knowledge
of the details Of the work and the machinery IN
the buildings. His visit will probably be ended
tomorrow
to the Civil Service Commission asked Whether'
in the opinion of the Commission, forenen' iead-
ing men other men in charge and mechanics EN-
ployed at navy yards are embraced Wltnin tns
Icxec,,tiva order Of June 10 last extending the
classified service. The Commission has repneo
that the classes named are embraced IN the TIES
ident's order and subject to the PROVISIONS Oh
The Civil Service laws and rules. The Commas
sion has entered its minutes the Following
resolution: . c..
Whereas The enforcement by the Secretary
Of the NAVY OF regulations governing the EN-
ployment Of labor at navy yards having peen
shown to be highly useful. and II being important
that they should be given stapiilty lhuePelu,enr
of changes of Administration. and 1t appearing
that the examinations and other tests OF nthess
provided by these regulations are based on the
principles that personal fitness should prevail
over recommendation. and that political influence
should be dsregarded. il is 49,,
Resolved That these regulations be ana lneH
are hereby adopted as the reguatlonts 81 ' hy
Commission. under the authority conferred py
Clause of Rule l."