Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-11-28


The formal opening of Tie big dry
dock of the William Skinner IL Sona
Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., at
Baltimore, Monday was attended by
largo party from this city who left for
Bait mora 10 the morning at II o. clock
over the B. u o. Tho Delaware Con-
struction Co, OF this city built the
dock and the Wilmingtonians went aa
guests Of Alvin R. Morrison, presidsut
OF the construction company. After
reaching Baltimore the Wilmington
delegation inspected tina dry dock and
we're afterwards entertained on the
steamer Chatham where an elaborate
lunch was served. A large number of
distinguished guests from Washing ON
and crowd of 500 or more Ealtimor-
Guns were on hoard the boat and the
RECEIPT on lasted the entire afternoon.
1t was one of the most elaborate affairs
OF he kind that has heen given for
soma time. The Win 'ng ton pasIy re-
turned late in tho AFTERNOON, leaving
baltimore at ., IS. They were hold up
at Esmere, owing to the wreck on the
road further up, and after delay OF
over An hour were brought into the city
over the Philadelphia * Reading road.
Those in the local delegat on were Mr..
and Mrs. Alvin X. Morrison, Aims and
Harry Morr son, Miss Lizzie Carlisle,
Harry NJ. MoKnig, Dr.. P. W. Tomlin.
son, Miss Bessis Sedgwick, E. M.
Huopes and wife. Edgar Hoopes. Jr,
William Lawion. Mrs. j. Il. Martin,
Joseph Davidson and wife, Caleb M.
Steward ana wife, W. Scott Vernon, W.
j. Hoffman, Miss Bertha Wilson, James
Hawkins, Robert Rsyno dis and wife,
Norris Taylor, D. Albert Wood Charles
Smith, E. B. L. Sadtler, Pearl j. Talley,
William +. Metten, and Walter l..
Swanton of the League Island Navy
Yard, PHILADELPHIA Miss Nancy Nor :.
gan Groteolosa, Mr.. and Mrs. Dean
Osborne and MIR. and Mrs. Fau.ett Of
New York.
The william Skinner & Sons Ship
building and Dry Dock %. OF Balti.
more City is one of the largest 10 the
country. IL is capable of docking any
vessel OF GOO feet in length and 10 feet
beam with draft of 22se feet The
basin of the dock is constructed of tim
Der supported on pilings, and the en-
trance is of granite masonry backed
wi h Portland cement concrete. The
gate is a steel caisson, giving an OPEN
ing of 70 feet s inches at the low water
line, with a depth of water on sill Of
22l5 feet.
Six 36-inuh valves in the caisson will
let the. water flow into the dock, and it
will be emptied by three 36.inch CEN
trifugal pumps, with a capacity Of
l05, 600 gallons of water minute. The
pumps will empty the dock in 90 min
utes. centrifugal Inch pump will
care for the Leakage. Three 800 horse
power water tube boilers will furnish
steam for the engines OF the main
pumps, for one auxiliary tubular boiler,
for the drainage and caisson pumps,
| for the draft fan. for washing the dock
and Tor fire protection. -ss
Ia constructing the dock, the chief
difficulty was with the masonry and
concrete work at the entrances, where
an excavation was made Sc feet be ow
low water. The excavation was IA feet
wide and 16i feet long Concrete FILL
ings protect the sides and head of the
dock.
The Delaware Construction Co. has
been highly complimented in shipbuild
ing circles everywhere upon the success
full completion,of the immense dock.