The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-18
ACTIVITY At
THE MAYNARD
Large Force Of Men Kept
at Mare Island.
READY FOR DEWEYS SHIPS
WHEN VESSELS RETURN THEY
WILL RECEIVE REPAIRS.
Tribute to the Skill Of California Me
chanics in the Construction
of Many Launch
Engines.
READY FOR DEWEYS SHIPS
WHEN VESSELS RETURN THEY
WILL RECEIVE REPAIRS.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

VALLEJO, Sept. 17.-Despite the fact
that the war is over there is still a large
force of men at work on Mare Island
The names of over 1850 men are carried
on the rolls, and in some departments
this force is being increased. The yes
sells undergoing repairs are well adj
vanced, it being the evident intention of
the authorities to have them all cleared
up this fall so there will be nothing to
interfere with the repairs TO the ships
of Admiral Deweys squadron when the
situation at Manila permits their return
to the United States.
In addition to the repair work and
the building of a tug for the Puget
Sound naval station, orders have been
received to build ninety-siX launch en-
gines, which will be used in launches
in all parts of the world. This order,
which has been given Mare Island in
preference to the Eastern yards, is a
high tribute to the ability OF Mare
Island mechanics.
The work on the famous old Hartford
is going ahead favorably. The new shoe
is in place and fastened to the dead
wood. The propeller has been placed on
the shaft in the last two days and is
all secured. The new rudder will be in
place within a week.
The engine beds are in position, near
ly ready to receive the machinery. The
boiler saddles are also in place and the
work of hosting the four boilers INTO
the ship will begin tomorrow. The
boilers are now lying alongside the
dock.
The training ship Adams is now prac-
tically finished, with the exception of
the battery, which has not yet arrived
from the East. There is no definite
knowledge as to when it will CONS.
Quite a force of men are busy on The
Hnic i,1o odds
desired the ship can be placed in COM
mission within ten days, ready III all
respects except the battery About
eighty men are employed on the Ranger
and are making good progress. A big
force is scaling the snip below decks.
The beams for the new hurricane deck
are in position and a portion of the steel
deck has already been laid. The engine
beds and foundations for the boiler sad
dies are already in place and the ma
chinery will be hoisted on board as soon
as the dredger moves away from the
big shears. Up at the steam engineer
ing department the men are putting the
valves and other fittings on the bell
erS.
The new corrugated iron bulkh cads
on the Yorktown, which are to replace
the old wooden partitions, are well adj
vanced. The new spar deck has been
laid and the gun beds are in place.
The new masts, which are about COM
pleted, will be stepped next week. 1t
is believed that the natty little gunboat
will be ready for commission in about
a month.
The work on the new tug for the Port
Orchard station is going ahead at a
very fast rate. Nearly all the plates are
fitted, and they will all be riveted dur
ing the next week. The steel deck
house is well along, and the work of
laying the wooden deck will be COM
menced this week. The transverse bulk
heads are riveted and the foundations
foI the engine and boilers are nearly
ready. So far as the construction de-
partment is concerned the tug can be
launched early in October by which
time the steam engineering department
will probably have the thrust and tail
shafts and propeller in place.
Captain Charles S. Cotton, the new
captain of the yard. will report for duty
at the end of this month and Commo-
dore j. c. Watson, the new command
ant, will arrive during October. Com
mander j. B. Brice, who has been act
ing as commandant since the death of
Admiral Kirkland last month, re-
ceived orders to-day ordering him to
return home as soon as Captain Cotton
reports as his relief.