The San Francisco call., 1899-12-20
PENNSYLVANIA
ALSO REQUIRES
STONE FOR DOCK
Support Will Assist
California.
LEAGUE ISLAND WAS A LESSON
LEAGUE ISLAND WAS ALESSON

The San Francisco Chamber of Com
merce and the San Francisco Board of
Trade Will have strong allies in the East
10 IhIluence the Government TO build stone
COCKS Tor naval use in preference to tim
Der docks. The people of PENNSYLVANIA
strongly favor the construction of a stone
dock at League Island. The approprta-
ton Is for timber dock. There will be
an attempt TO have the law changed 10
MT the necessity. The same is true as con-
Germs the dock at Mare Island. Senator
PERKINS has already introduced a bill TO
nave stone dock substituted for the pro-
posed timber structure. The Pennsylya-
mans have had experience with a timber
dock and know whereof they speak A
timber dock was constructed at League
Island in 1891. In eight years the repairs
on that structure have cost $40. $50 Oh. This
Is at the rate OF over y9SO0 per annum.
This object lesson has had It's full eff
feet. The Pennsylvania delegation IN
congress Is unanimously in favor of a
stone dock. The newspapers of Pennsyl-
wanna are strongly advocating stone. At
tentlon mas been called to the fact that
the drydocks 10 be constructed at Boston
ana at portsmouth VIII be OF masonry.
1here are details concerning the timber
docks at seVelal navy yarus that REIN
force the observations OF the Pennsylva-
mans concerning the durability OF wood.
Some OF these are to be IOCna in the re-
port of Rear Admiral Endicott, chief of
DOCKS and Mnarves, and some are derived
from other official sources
Six stone docks in a period OF 179 years
have cost Sb6lS 80 for repairs, while seven
timber docks in period OF thirty years
have absorbed the considerable sum OF
S4S2 2i2 %. The average cost of a stone
dock for repairs per annum Is S37. The
cost of a timber docks repairs is over
$4,000 per annum. Figures are furnished
In detail for instruction and for verlfica-
ton as follows: The masonry dock at
Boston was built in 1893. 1t has cost
SiS2l II in siXty-slX years, an average an
nual cost of less than SIS. The masonry
cost for repairs in siXty-tive years the
sum of 1891 80, or less than Sl4 per annum.
The masonry dock at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard was built in 1851 and has cost slSl5
for repairs in forty-eight years, or less
than SIS per annum.
The timber docks have made a differ
ent showing. The first was built at Nor
folk in 1889 and has cost for repairs $751;
043 "a, or over $5304 per annum. Then
come the two timber docks built at the
Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1890. Inside of
ten years they have cost ssO2. .S42 IL. That
is at the rate of more than Sl6,S00 year
for repairs.
The reasons set forth by the Chamber
of Commerce and the Board of Trade of
San Francisco for urging the California
Congressional delegation TO work for the
stone docks are epitomized below for
they present the general considerations in
the matter completely: Concrete and
stone are superior to wood for strength,
durability, safety and cost of mainte-
nance. Changed relations with the great
countries lying on the west coast of the
Pacific will make the Mare Island dock
one of the most important in the United
States. The Pacific Coast OF the United
States should have every facility with
which to encourage, protect and foster
trade. The docks, equipment and plant
provided for the construction and main
tenance of our navy should be OF the most
enduring and substantial and complete
character. to be In accord with the COM
mercial Importance OF this coast