The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-17

WASHINGTON. Jan. 15.-Special.-E. O.
Matthews chief OF the bureau or yards
and docks of the navy department. In MS
annual report TO the secretary OF ths
navy gives a general summary or wnat
will be needed during the present year
for carrying out his plans at the Puget
sound naval station.
when this station was purchased.
saws Mr. Matthews, sit was entirely COW
cred with heavy mass or underorusn.
vines. ferns. etc. In addition TO the large
standing and fallen trees. To render IL
safe from the great forest fires which
frequently rage, particularly in july. Au-
gust and September, II Will be necessary
20 completely clear on all thls unaer.
growth and many OF the old ana least
vigorous trees. This work has been com
rnenced, but II will be necessary 10 con-
tinue Il for safety; $1,000.
"A wharf at which vessels needing re-
pairs may lie and repairs be Effected
an iron one is proposed, though II would
be very much more satisfactory to bulld
ono OF concrete walls. uled IN: SooUo.
much needed 1900. The low land near
head of drydock should be properly
drained and filed in; 5000. In the con-
tract for the drydock at this station, the
brick discharge culvert only extended 70
a pofut abreast the entrance TO the dock,
which causes great trouble from scouT-
Ing; II is very necessary to run 1t out TO
the end of the nlled-ln land, so taat IL
will discharge into deep water; s5i43.6Z.
"At present there are 40 accommoda-
lions for Officers ord@ed temporarily 10
the station, and considering the isolated
posltion. K IS desired TO erect an apart
rnent house. where junior Officers and
those there temporarily may be accom-
modated; $1,000"
Mr. Matthews states that during the
wear an effort has been made 70 keep
the buildings. drvdocks, wharves, etc. In
repaIr and prevent decay. but that IL
was only by the closest and IN most cases
an unwise economy that the appropria-
ton was made 20 hold ont. Following IS
a summary az this work done at the Pu-
get sound station:
'sF.jye houses have been erected for
offlrers and an office building. A road
way has been built 70 them and sewers
have been laid.
''Dredging-A channel 100 feet wide has
been dradged from the entrance 70 fhs
dock for 4 distance Of 30 feet. and from
thence widening at an angle % y de-
grees on each side OF The axis of The
DOCK a depth % thirty-siT feet at low
water has been secured.
''DTvdock-Duriug the month o. Noven-
Der. 1856. ell Of the constTuction work
proper was comDietec but NoNeinoer ~
the e7fferdam gave waT nooding the
dock ard carrying a great deal - loose
material into the dock. From that time
the contractors were busy removing The
deHris and repairing ne damage done.
ftrsfI re assembling OF the boavd for
testing the dock on TIE 9th q April The
Fork vas then tested by docking the r.
s $ Monterey tE-ice-once az each err.
re Ho~k stood the test well hHt Z was
foana that q number Of minor fittings
were r9t fn accordance with the contract
s,3 snec{acatlors ard crack devel-
oDa5 IA one % the DS4mD castings. These
dsfe~ts are r0w being reu1edted.
"a norton of the wooden pile wharf n
s~r,rsf ~ the station has been reDaires
T-.s grounds are gradually being cleared
ua a
the danger from f~e
The total expenditures FOR tire year at
TIE P,sge, sound STATEN were tisl - q. O,
which s1ss 81 81 were fer yard improve
-ns-ts g ~ 81 for repairs and pressrvs-
fiera and S3s-2.s3 for general r1slnten-
arce The expenditure under repairs ard
rrezervatlens are classified as fc2oWs.
Yard buildings. 50 So 0fnceFs' quarters.
s72 q. whaTves. bridges landings and
boats 2-s2 p. fences au1 walls 500; heat
tng apparatus E459s water. gas ard elee-
sx4a GzaL RAILS miscellaneous rsnz4H--