Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-13
NAVY YARD ESTIMATES
REcoMMENDATIoNs IN REPORT
PORT OF ADMIRAL ENDIcoTT.

Rear Admiral Endicott chief of the
naval bureau of yards and docks, has sub
mitted estimates for expenditures for i'm
provements at the Washington navy yard
during the next fiscal year. They aggre-
gate $685. and consist Of the following
items: To extend paving. $4,000: to extend
grading, $4,000; storage bins for perish
able materials. $1,000; purchase of land.
$161 ,SI2; coal storage plant, building No.
III, improvements. $4,000; additional
latrines, 5000: locomotive and crane
house. s61,747; new foundry building Ito
cost $500. 100. 100000: tools and machin-
cry for yards and docks. $1,000; model stor-
age building for construction and repair,
$4,000; improvements to store house for
guns and mounts. $1,000; quay wall, $50 600;
new floors in north and south gun shop and
east gun-carriage shop. $4,000; railroad
bridge and tracks. $4,000; new roof for
ordnance foundry, 5000.
The estimate for land contemplates the
purchase of two squares on the water front
lying between 18th street east and the
navy yard boundary.
Land Greatly Needed.
This additional land" Admiral Endicott
says. us greatly needed for the location of
railroad storage tracks and to secure addi-
tional water front for the use of vessels Wis
iting the yard. AS the channel Of the river
Is being improved 1t Is expected
that a larger number of vessels will
be ordered to the yard than has hereto
fore been the case. This land can be pur-
price, but 1t will undoubtedly increase In
value very rapidly. The quay wall in front
Of the old part of the yard was constructed
a good many years ago and is not Of suff1-
cient depth to retain the back filling and
admit of dredging the channel in front OF
the yard. The entire wall should be recon-
structed in accordance with modern prac-
tice.
I'm connection with the new power plant
recently constructed at this navy yard 1t
was necessary that large supply Of coal be
stored for operating the boiler plant. 1t
was believed that the ground would sustain
the weight Of this coal, but upon trial 1t has
been found that such is not the case. and 1t
becomes necessary to ask an appropriation
sufficient to drive piling over the area occu-
pied by the coal. This is an extremely i'm
portant item as the successful operation of
the power plant depends upon the storage
OF coal at this point"
Admiral Endfcott says the appropriation
of $4,000 for railroad bridge and tracks L.
necessary to comply with the act Of Con-
gress requiring the elimination of grade
crossings in the city of Washington. The
railroad which now enters the navy yard
at the northwest corner is to be shifted so
as to enter along the water front from the
east. When that change Is made 1t will be
necessary to construct a drawbridge over
the marine railway slip at the southeast
corner Of the yard.
The new foundry building is regarded as
being imperatively needed. Admiral Endi-
colt says the present foundry is inadequate
and altogether too small. A great deal of
money he says, is unnecessarily expended.
owing to the lack of modern foundry IA
cilities and equipment. The corrugated roof
on the present ordnance foundry, 1t is stat
ed, abs deteriorated to such an extent that
it is necessary to entirely renew 1t, Admiral
Endicott says. It is necessary as matter
of safety to the lives Of foundry workers
that an absolutely water-tight roof be pro-
vided, as a few drops of water falling on
molten metal might cause a serious ex-
plosion.