Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-26
NAVY YARDh IMPROVEMENTS
Increased Equipmenttof the Washington
Gun FsDtory.
Buildings Adddd During the Year
Meet Demands u the Service.

the Secretary of the Navy, makes the fol-
lowing complimentary reference to the
operations of the washington gun factory:
This important establishment Is still un-
der the immediate and efficient supervision
| of Commander E. C. Pendleton, U. s. N.
1t has been engaged in the manufacture Of
guns and mounts turret fittings and mis-
ceilaneous articles pertaining to the ord
| nance outfits of naval vessels. for details Of
which the report of the superintendent Of
the naval gun factory, herewith, should be
read.
During the past year many improve
ments OF an important character have been
made and the facilities of the establish
ment nave been greatly increased. Most of
these improvements were projected and all
were executed by the officer in charge, who
possesses exceptional talent for such work.
ana by whose untiring energy, ability and
excellent judgment they have been effected.
New Machine Shop.
"A new machine shop of first class con-
struction, fully equipped with the best ma
chlnery that could be procured, and cleo
trlcally operated. has been completed and Is
now In use for miscellaneous work, such as
mounts Tor small guns, torpedo launching
apparatus, etc. 1t is valuable acquisition
to the establishment The breech-mechan-
ism snop, one of the Oldest buildings in the
YARD mas, owing to its unsafe condition,
been abandoned, and to take the place
tnereof the gun shop has been extended $50
feet as its south end. This extension Is
now completed and in full operation and
the change is most beneficial. The gun
snop is also being extended forty-seven feet
at It's north end to give additional floor
| space Tor heavy guns under the 1OO-ton
crane The latter work is being retarded
owing to the difficulty of obtaining the re-
qulslte steel work. A new roof with steel
for its entire length.
The Notwithstanding machinery is COM
pleteiV installed but is not yet put in oper-
alton, owing to the fact that a new roof is
to be put on the building and it's walls rails
ed, 1t being considered inexpedient to begin
work therein until these alterations are
completed.
New Electric Cranes.
Ihe erecting shop has been remodeled
| new steel galleries put in and a 25-ton cleo
trio overhead travelling crane installed.
| Some fine new machinery has been put in
place IN this shop including a powerful air
compressor for operating certain tools by
compressed air
The quadrangle within the gun-carriage
SHOP has been graded and paved, and a
neat and substantial coal bin constructed
therein. The boiler house has been enlarged
and four additional water-tube boilers in
stalled, and all boilers therein have been
fitted with automatic stokers, giving ex-
cellent results and entirely preventing
smoke from the chimney.
guns and mounts has been completed and
is in use. Funds are available for It's ex-
tension, but the work is delayed on ac-
count of the difficulty of obtaining steel
for structural purposes.
AN additional overhead electric crane OF
10 tons capacity has been installed in the
east gJIn-carriage shop, thereby greatly
facilitating the handling of material. All
the steam cranes in the iShment, eX-
cept the one of 100 tons capacity in the
north gun shop, have been altered to be
operated by electric power. An additional
15-Ion overhead travelling crane has~been
ordered for the south gun shop.
The forge shop has been improved by the
addition of set of hammers for making
drop forgings, and by the installation of
two electrically operated jib cranes. The
use of coal for fuel has been discontinued,
and gas, made from oil on the premises,
| substituted therefor, the result being a
much greater output from the shop
Funds are available for putting a new
roof on the pattern shop, but delay is being
experienced in obtaining material.
"A new crucible furnace, in addition to
| the old one, has been established in the
| foundry, thereby increasing its facilities.
Railway Tracks ReIaid.
1.-The railroad tracks have been extended
and reaid with heavier rails The streets
| in certain parts of the yard have been
| raised several feet in grade, as they We're
| so low as to be in danger of inundation dur
! paved with paving brick, thereby adding
greatly to the condition and appearance of
| the yard. An additional landing for cars
| has been constructed, and a new barge for
| transporting them to the proving ground
| has been purchased, making two in all. as
| one was insufficient. Arrangements have
! been made whereby freight cars can be
| sent direct to the proving ground without
unloading. which causes great saving of
| time and labor
| THE building for the storage of patterns
| Is now being extended by the bureau of
| yards and docks.
Facilities stu Inadequate.
notwithstanding these improvements, the
| facilities of the gun factory are inadequate
| to meet the pressing demands of the ser
| vice and 1t Is imperative that further ex-
! tensions and additions be made by this bu-
| reau and by the bureau Of yards and docks,
| To begin with. much of the yard is below
| grade and it should be filled in and paved
where necessary and brought to proper
| level. The bureau of yards and docks has
| been requested to ask for funds to COM
| mence this work. The yard is now so
| crowded that there Is insufficient room for
| expansion, which must soon follow, and
| the bureau of yards and docks has been re-
Quested to take steps to acquire additional
| land and to estimate therefor The ma
| chine shop facilities must be increased. and
| therefore estimates have been submitted
| for:
| "ta} One machine shop for miscellaneous
! work. this shop to be erected on the site of
| the old breech- mechanism shop, which will
I have to be pulled down. as it is UNFIT for
| occupancy, and its site is urgently required
| for new constructions.
| "(b) A shop for tool making, this being one
| of the most important features of the estab-
| lishment; the present facilities are wholly
| inadequate, as the operation of nearly all
| the other shops depends to a great extent
| upon the preparation of proper tools and
| gauges.
| ''(c) A gunners' workshop and packing
| house.
| I'D A building to contain small machine
| shop for the instruction of seamen gum
| ners, and for the pipe filters and copper
| smiths of the gun factory. There are now
| no proper facilities for these purposes.
| 1.-THE seamen gunners are scattered
] throughout the buildings and shops where
| they cannot receive ouch supervision and
| instruction as is desirable, and tools in
| tended for manufacturing purposes cannot.
| at all times, be allotted for their use 1t is
| most essential that these men be carefully
| instructed, and an expenditure for the mr.
| pose will be money wisely applied The
! coppersmiths and pipe filters are now in
| <<HnNn