The evening times., 1899-05-27
ADDITIONS. TO THE
navy YARD GUNSHOP
Progress Of the Important
Work Now Under Way.
Another New Structure Soon to Be
Commenced.
Pattern building to be Practically
Reconstructed-Ol Ordnance De-
partment VIII BE Demolished.

Commander E. C. Pendleton, Superin-
tendent of Gun Factories at the Wash
ington Navy Yard, has under construction
an addition to the main gunshop. which
when completed will augment the factory
to almost colossal proportions. The build
ing now being erected is 2s5 feet long and
so feet wide, and is an extension OF the
shop to the south.
About July another addition to the
northern end Of the factory will be erect
ed which will make the total length OF the
building 937 feet. The new structure will
contain the machines for making big gun
breeches. which has hitherto been done in
separate shop, and will permit of u gun
being completed and made ready for the
proving ground under ole roof. The idea
for the addition was originated by Com
mander Pendleton, and his plans we're ap-
proved by the Ordnance Department ear. y
this year. The appropriation for the work.
which will cost about $4,000. will come
out of the emergency fund. 1t Is expected
that the southern addition will be COM
pleted about July or 10.
The old ordnance shop in which the
treech mechanism has hitherto been made
was erected many years ago and is now un-
fit to use for such heavy work. The foun
dation which 1t is thought was not Of the
best construction. has given away. conse-
Guently the building is beyond repair.
Commander Pendlston began the construc-
tion OF the addition about the middle OF
March, and after two months work has
the walls and roof completed. The model
of the building is an extension OF the old
shop. the outside wall being built uniform
with it. with the same abutment supports
extending to the top OF the first story. The
inside wall is made flush, however. and the
Objectionable projections found in the old
shop were done away with. The roof Is
supported by steel rafters and covered with
slate. This work will be extended over the
entire shop after the addition is COM
pleted. The old roofing was made OF
wooden rafters and covered with boards
and is very antique affair. The founda-
tIon for the new structure consists of
many nine-foot piles. heavily capped with
Potomac foundation stones and covered
with 100000 bricks. The gigantic steel
crane will be extended to run along the
entire building when it is completed. The
iron for this construction is being fur
nished by the Buffalo Bridge Company.
Commander Pendleton. with an idea Of
hurrying the work. however, secures his
material from any available and reliable
source.
When the building is completed and Civ
en- its coat of drab paint, the breech mech
anism will be placed in position. The
old ordnance shop will be used tempora-
rily as a pattern shop. in order to allow
the structure in which the patterns are
made to be remOdeled and repaired A
special appropriation has been made by
Congress for this work and will become
available on July /. The pattern shop will
be practically rebuilt. and the work will
consume about one year. After its COM
pletion and the pattern force and machin-
cry has been replaced, the ordnance shop
will be torn down.
The thirty foot addition to be erected at
the north end of the gun shop will be
commenced after July. The foundation for
this work has already been laid. 1t is
the intention to have the breech mechanism
for the big 12inch and l3-inch guns made
in this building