The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-09

The Texas, to which a mum Der of acci-
dents has occurred since she was
launched, lies alongside the Cob dock in
the Brooklyn navy yard, submerged to
about five feet above her water line.
About 9 o'clock this morning the main
Injection valve on the star board side near
the midship line ana about IA feet below
the water line was showed In from the
force of water and the engine rooms were
quickly flooded with dirty, black, muddy
water. The ship soon began to settle
and Captain Class, who is in command of
the Iexas. ordered officers and crew to
"quarters" and did everything possibls
to save the snip from as much injury as
possible. At the time the accident oc-
Cured there was only i've feet of water
under the ship, and she soon rested on
the muddy bottom. This was at low
water, but at high water this forenoon
there was between five and six feet of
water above the line at the stern, ana
about Is Iches less at the bow.
Wrecking tugs were Immediately sum.
m oned aud three of them were soon
alongside pumping the water out of
engine ana boiler rooms. At IL O'Clock
a diver was at work examining the side
OF the ship in order to ascertain what
the extent OF the damage was. Captain s
Class, Lieutenant Kelly and Engineer
Moore, as well as all the other officers
of the ship, when seen this morning,
could rot be induced to talk ond gave as
their reason that it was against the rules
OF the nsvy.to do so. All inquiries were
referred -telGe#A4eAere- Sferrd, who ~
commandant of the yard.
The commander said; 81 know very
little as vet, about the accident. but you
can see for yourselves how the ship lies.
She is resting easily on a muddy bottom
ana we have no apprehension Of any fur
ther damage to her. The principal dam-
age which she will sustain will be from
the dirty filthy water which will tempo
rarily jnjure engine and machinery. They
will not be materially injured, however,
and after a thorough clearing will be as
mate the amount and exact cause until
the diver makes his report and even after
that until the ship is raised. She will
come up easily as soon as the leak IL
stopped" Further than this the COM
mander could not or would not give any
information in reference TO the matter.
When the Texas was launched she was
known as the Hoocoo of the navy. her
sectional cross beams were not strong
enough, some OF the plates of the bottom
were too thin and there was too much
At the beginning OF this year defects
were found by t.snd OF inspectors
In the byd raulic turret operating appe-
ratus, and she was again ordered to Nor
folk for repairs. Many other minor de-
Iects were found in the vessel from time
10 time. and the cause OF these was thst
he bottom of the vessel was too weak to
stand the machinery.
During her trisl trips defects In con-
truction were noticed 90 freely that wRs
he named the Hoodoo. In Der preliml-
,sry trial the condensers billed with
mud and the blowers for the enigne room
lid not work properly. One OF the most
erious defects in the ship is her conden-
ers, which lack capacity for the develop
nent OF full horse power. Her engines
we're supposed to develop 5000 morse
,ower, b ut they fell short 200 horse power