New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-26
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD
THE TEXAS PLACED IN DRYDOCK AND
REPAINTED.

ALI. WORK CEASED IN THE SHOPS YESTERDAY
REPAIRS THAT ARE UNDER WAY.
mo bell ring was the order OF the day at the
Navy Yard yesterday. and with the exception OF
keeping up steam. all labor in the big shops
and on the ships was suspended for two days
This will not interfere materially with the fitting
out OF the ships. days delay more or
less does not count for much at present II not
being considered that there is any urgent neces-
sty for getting the white feet to sea on schedule
time. The chief incident of Importance was the
docking Of the Texas In Drydock No and Civ.
ing her a cleaning and painting She is now
ready to be fioated again. and will probably leave
the dock In a day or two. The ship was deco
rated with c. .fstmas greens yesterday her
trucks the ends or her yards and her bow being
adorned with small fir trees. Christmas dinners
were served or board all the ships To those on,
GERS and men who were on board, but as MANY
as could be spared had been given shore leave
I and there was not so much work for the cooks "a
might have been expected. The officers who
were prevented from going ashore were consoIed
by the visits Of commiserating friends. and the
wardrooms were extremely pleasant places dur
ing the growing hours of the afternoon. The
sailors, also. were far from being lonesome and
the canteens did lively business
lhf. DilDO REPAIRS.
One feature of the day was the entire cessa.
ton OF work on the big drydock no one being
on duty one man who kept a small pumn
going to prevent too rapid increase of seepaes
water in the excavation in front of the caisson.
Work will begin again promptly at 7:3O this
morning. however. and there will not be an.
other stoppage until the task is completed, I'm.
less something unforeseen happens. The fact
-,
shut Off from the apron is regarded as proof that
the original leak has been stopped and "a the
row of piling beyond the wing wall shuts of tn.
flow which caused some trouble in the excava-
ton, there Is every reason to believe that when
the present operations are ended the dock will
be as tight as could be desired
There is possibility. however that II will be a
rather uninviting place for some time as after
the repairs are completed, 1t is proposed TO
lengthen IT. considerably. This will involve
throwing the dock out of commission for some
time but 1t will increase ito usefulness greatly
as 1t will be possible to take two ships out of
water at the same time and make repairs on
them without inconvenience
Work on the Iowa, the Massachusetts, and the
Brooklyn has gone along steadily In the week
Just ended, and the ships will be ready for sea
early next month. The Dolphin is almost ready
them apart for transportation to the ship. which
Is In the stone drydock has been well advanced
WORK ON BUILDING NO. 10. 1.
The repairs to Building No. 13, which was
damaged by fire some time ago, have been
pushed TO the point of getting a roof on the
structure. the original walls OF which were NOT
materially damaged. and work on the interior
OF the structure has been started. Building No
ii has been turned over to the uses Of the Civil
Engineering Bureau, and will be used for a
general shop. This was formerly used by the
Construction Bureau. No. - having been the
ordnance shop. The new coal shed In the rear
Of the drydock pumping house has been com.
pleted and put to use. about fifty tons Of soft
coal having been dumped the brick pave.
ment. The greater part Of the stone piled I'D on
the launching ways when the seawall was torn
away for the drydock entrance has been cut
up into paving blocks and as a result, the
yard Ii rapidly taking on the clean and ship
shape appearance It should have had lons
ago.