The San Francisco call., 1897-10-26
Many I'm proVements Needed
at Port Orchard and
Mare Island.
ESTIMATES FOR THE WORK
SUBMITTED.
Better Facilities for Housing OFF,
GERS and the Repair of Battle
Ships Are Urged.
Special Dispatch TO THE CALL

ews, Chief of the Bureau of Yards and
Docks of the Navy Department, has SUBJ
mitted most interesting report 10 the
Secretary OF The Navy. He says:
1.-The only drydock on the Pacific Coast
capable of taking a battle-ship is at Port
Orchard Puget Sound. As that is about
900 miles from Mare Island yard, at which
are repaired the vessels OF the Pacific and
Esiatic stations, 1t is thought that this
yard should have a second drydock. and
that large enough to take a battle ship
Owing to insufficient storage room large
quantity of very valuable and much
needed lum Der is exposed to the weather.
A large lum ber- he'd is needed; estimate,
$2S, 900.
"All the coal for construction and re pair
and yards and docks bas upon delivery
to be hauled upon hill back of buildings
81 and 80 and dumped down twenty-four
feet to the yard level, then as required for
use loaded in carts and hauled to the
shops-a constant expense. Then there is
danger from fire. 1t is now proposed to
erect four steel cylinders, forty feet in di-
ameter by fifty long, through which will
be track for car. connecting all princI-
pal shops; estimate, $43. 600.
"The communication between the yard
and Vallejo is by means of a steam ferry
boat. and slip has been built out from
the yard front for its accom- mod alton.
This slip interrupt. the tide and causes
eddies. with consequent deposit of slit 1t
will be very great improvement 10 the
wafer front and save much trouble in
dredging to cut the slip so that none of 1t
THE appropriation now available will
about complete the quay wall north OF
the ferry slip. An appropriation is now
asked for continuing the wall south 20 the
drydock; estimate. $4,000. The boatshop
is overcrowded, and II Is des red to con-
struct 4 shelter roof for boa between
buildings 81 and 50; estimate $I4, 800. Tie
construction and repair department Is
mucn in need OF q shop for plum bers.
timers and painters; estimate, so 500.
The oiihouse Is not large enough 10 hold
all the oils required at is supply yard.
To extend il sufficiently the estimate is
$500.
"A bath house on piles at the edge of the
tules Tor the men and boys OF the Inde-
pendeDce and wHshhoues with proper
drying apparatus Is essential to the health
ana comfort of the men on board; esti-
mates $162I and $1,000 a new wharf 10
lN6 P-oUU. or
the improvement, extension ana rara RS
of sidewalks and roads; estimate, $1,000
Building 25 in Dublin now occu-
pied by civil employees whose duties re-
quire their residence Oh the island. is very
old and really unfit for occupancy. 1t
should be pulled down and in its place
erected suitable apartment house for
eight families; estimate $40. 600.
MANY of the junior officers on duty at
the yard have no quarters assigned them
and can only secure them at great expense
to themselves and much inconvenience to
the Government over IN Vale 10. They
have no compensati ion allowed Tor quar-
teIs. and frequently have 10 rent the IN for
a year or more, when they may be de-
apartment-house should be erected for
them; estimate. $780,
'tThe electric light plant is barely sur-
ficient or the present needs, but not suf-
ticient 10 light the shops at night. There
is no relief for the dynamos or engines in
case of accident. To increase the plant
the estimate is SIS 000 The yards and
docks shop needs some additional tools,
and which would effect great saving of
expense; estimate, $3.50"
Matthews says concerning the naval
station at Puget Sound, Washington: !:
There should be an electric light plant
at this station for lighting ships in the
estimate. $9800 The wafer system com
prises a spring with pun pin g-house. from
which the water is forced to the 100, 000-
gal on wateT-tanks on top of the hill A
supply pipe leads from that to a little be-
|. low the quarters. 1t is desired to extend
il to the dock and new shops now under
construction, also to supply ships at the
wharf; estimate, S4D07.
This station is absolutely cut off from
all telegra phic communication except to
Seattle and from thence ny boats dis
tance of about fourteen miles. BY putting
in line from the station to Port Biakely
We can connect with the Postal Telegraph
Conn pany wire, which is recommended /;
estimate, $4,000. Steam capstands are
needed for the drydock; estimate, $6325,
The Bureau of Steam Engineering wishes
repair-shop; estimate, $4,000. To CO M
plete the fencing about the station $l3,-
600 will be needed To continue stun D.
ing and Gearing the ground, mainly as a
precaution agalns: forest fires $4,000 A
plies to and taking from ships is a great
need; estimate, $2S00; a small oilhouse.
Sl75; quay wall, S25, 0O0"
Japonstai Island, Sitka harbor, ALASKA,
which was orig naiiy set apart for maga-
zine and ordnance purposes, is now used
| almost exclusively as coaiing station.
| The wharf Is much in need of extensive
repairs. Five thousand dollars is asked
for. He submits the following detailed
estimates from the several Yards and sta
| lions for works and i'm improvements tor the
next fiscal year as follows:
| Mare Island, Cal - Lumber storage
| shed, construction and repair No. 1,
| $26. 900; lum mber-storage shed, construc-
on and repair No. 2, $13 800; coal storage
shed, $4,000; coal cylinders, $4,000;
moving back ierry slip, S800)o; gate and
guards house, $500; extension of freie hit
shed, $4,000; extending quaywall, $40. ZOO;
shelter for boats, ls.300; plum bers', tin
ners' and paint shop. S22. 500; house for
civil employees, $4,000; apartment house
for officers, 3O,OOJ; bathhouse at receiv-