The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-12-18

tends TO extend the road so as TO make d
complete circuit of the yard. 1t pesihs
operation at 6 o'clock In the InorIihs aug
runs every nine minutes until IL o'clock
at night.
Laying Heavy Concrete.
An idea of the extent of the improve.
ments now under way may pc optalneu
from the fact that for some time past an
,veranc Of a cubic yard of concrete mas
been laid at League island every minute
Of the working day.
The greater portion of the material Is
be,ng placed in a new dry dock "hlch 10
c,o i,ninp special attention just now from
: tortenant Chambers, the civil engineer,
who is pushing the work ahead as 1ast as
evisting conditions WIN permit. Fh!s 10
a eingle item, and illustrates the work
that Is being accomplished.
The government will eXpend Sl.2G0.WO IN
.bn construction OF this dry dock, Which
work. in the opinion of Lieutenant Challl-
MRS will require at least eighteen months
tn complete and which Will make II
eventIalIy the finest dock in tho world.
ono new feature will be the operation
electrically of the pumps ana capstahs
weber heretofore steam was employed.
The 1900 feet extension to the now sea
wall, now in course OF construction, IS
not one Of the least important features
oe the new improvements OF this great
naval SIdllLIl III "HA ''a'''N
complete.
Lieutenant Chambers has entirely rear
ranged the plans for the reserve basin. as
the back channel is officially termed.
The lieutenant c~ontemplates such con-
struotion as VIII surround the western
end Of the Island with piers, docks, con-
struction shops and wharves. This will
make every ship directly accessible to any
loading point. reducing the time and cost
of handling to the minimum.
The Reserve Basin.
Tho reserve basin Is to be used for lay
ing 10 ships in reserve or in commission.
This basin will be especially valuable, be-
ing the only fresh water basin at any ma
val station in the United states. wherein
the hulls of vessels cannot foul. When
completed,'' says Lieutenant Chambers,
ut will be possible to lay up the whole
navy in the basin"
well known: it Is interesting to touch a
little of the social life, There is but a
small community at League Island.
Eight cottages facing the river front
modest affairs, but dainty and home-like
and just a handful of rather retiring
people who make their homes In the cot
takes or on the vessels.
1t is n small community, but an inter
est.ng one. There one finds one of the
most distinguished admirals of the Amer
lean navy, commanders OF important de-
partments. officers Of the navy's finest
craft and some Of the fairest, sweetest
women of the land.
Besides Admiral SlGsbee. there are a
the station Commander r. G. Denug OF
the steam engineering department, Com
mander A.. Reynolds of the ordnance &c
partment, Commander ]. C. Caldwell o
the equipment department, Naval Con
structOr l.. Banl1son. who Is the on
bachelor resident Of the island, and o. d
Norton, surgeon.
These, with their families, form tn
only permanent community at Leagu
island. Each new vessel hat come
brings with 1t new men to infuse ney
life into the community, but the islam
life in its social aspect Is largely con
fined to the cottagers.