New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-25
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD.
THE OREGON AND THE IOWA ARE AN
NOUNCED TO GET AWAY 81
WEDNESDAY.

CROWDS OF VISITORS STILL coNrINuE-PINHS
FOR Rebuilding THE SIMPSON DRYpocN
AND THE WALL RUNNING TO THE
STONE pocK-MoRE BUILDINGS
TO lie ERECTED.
With the berthins space Mt the yard full OF
warships and the crowd Of visitors so great
! that the use Of the cob Dock ferry has been de-
ried them it is a matter OF no small amount Of
labor for patriotic citizens intent on seeing the
ships and all the points Of interest In the resef-
walton, TO carry out their programmes Inc
| walk around the Horn" as the trip 10 the COD
| Dock bv way OF the causeway is called. Is long
aud rough and the short cut requires the cross
ing of the two cassons Of the drydocks There
are few. however, who Will go The long way
| around. and all during the week there has been
a steady stream Of sightseers humping and
stumbling across the narrow fOotpaths. The
fact that the Iowa and the oregon did not sail
last week according 10 the plans. was taken
advantage of yesterday and the usual Saturday
crowd was IN attendance. Several schools and
organizations have visited the yard, large
number OF Odd Fellows of the uniformed rank.
and the Elwell Cadets. the organization OF the
! Orphans Home connected with Plymouth
| Church. being among them In the last few days
II is now announced that the big battle ships
will get away by Wednesday. and rs one ~ the
GOLFERS has already sailed FOR the brazilian
port which will bc the first stopping place ~ the
| warships IN, programme Is perfected for the
voyage The dcsertions from the two ships have
caused a lot Of trouble. but there have been
many enlistments at the yard. and the ships will
go out with comparatively full complement rolls.
made up mostly Of long-term men. The work Of
| .bsfr lie 4
completed. and the minor repairs and changes
are not Of nature which viii take much time
PLENTY OF WORK ON THE INDIANA.
The Indiana is still in the big drydock, and
! the others are occupied by torpedo boats II tx
! not expected that the Brooklyn viii come 10 the
! yard until the two westbound vessels get away.
! for the good reason that there is no place where
| she can be tied up Work on the eship Is
going ahead rapidly. Her decks are being
calkcd. plates have been placed forward and
| aft under the muzzes ~ the big guns. her en-
! gine-room is being overhauled and that 10 n Job
| which hes been sorely needed. AZ the motive
! power u the vessel not in good shape
| There r. a lot Of work 10 10 done on board the
big ship before she will be ready for sea
There is stIlI some uncertainty about the date
| Of the Chicago going into commission. The
! work on the cruisers interior arrangements
| has been delayed 10y the failure Of the General
! Electric Company 10 keep up to its agreement
/ as 10 time, and this causes n delay all around
| Electricity plays SO important a part In the
! management Of modern warship that the lack
OF proper wiring and connections ia too great
! point to be overlooked The Auantas engines
still in large part in the machine shops
and work this cruiser we'll as the Chicago
|
out OF the way
| REBUILDING DRYDOCK no. ..
Perhaps the man with the heaviest burden Of
all the department heads In the yard Is the
chief Of the yards and docks department, Cap
tain p. G. Asserson. lie is hard at work on
| plans for the enlargement and practical rebuild
! ing OF drydock No .. the simpson dock. which
has been the mainstay Of the yard since the big
dock broke down. The alterations Will include
an increase OF width Of about twenty feet
| enough TO let the dock take in the largest YES
sels OF the Navy The sill and inner and outer
| aprons at the entrance, which are now Of wood
are 10 be replaced by a solid stone flooring
| and side walls and abutments Of the same ma
terial are to be constructed. This work will be
| started as soon as the rush OF ship work is
over and carried through with as much speed
| ming from the gate Of the stone dock TO the gate
! OF the Simpson dock is TO be rebuilt and divers
! have been at work for the last ten days on the
| foundations for this big job The wall will be
| similar 10 that built year ago at the coal
wharf Two other large sections Of sea wall, Of
| concrete and masonry. are to be built. and one
or two pieces will be built by contract, one OF
these being already under way.
MORE BUILDINGS FOR THE YARD.
People who think that there are plenty OF
buildings in the yard will be surprised to learn
that eight new structures are to be built. some
OF them Of large dimensions. These will be used
as shops and storehouses. One building is all
ready partly up. tust in the rear Of the crema-
tory where the yard refuse is destroyed. This
| is to be used storehouse for the cement and
other materials and tools for the drydock I'm
provement. The total expenditures already au-
thorized under this head will amount to more
than a million dollars. and Will give employment
| TO a large number OF men. When the work is
| finished the appearance OF the yard Will be en-
tirey changed and places which are dust
| heaps In dry weather and quagmires when It