New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-09-20
NEW DOCK IN DANGER
c.TF-IN At NAVY YARD.
c4-.nyoys Measures Necessary to
Protect the Work.

-F,eT
nor ascrion with dock !, according to ex-
This viii not be surprise to those
he followed the work. but will be a
~ extreme regret 10 those who are in
IS IN the 7veIl-being Of the yard The
..o.,-s the Williams Engineering and Con-
- ro-nnsuv. are facing a problem which
- and knocked out some ambitions per
-, years ago. Just as II stands now the
sI - sheet piIing on both sides Of the
nun - for : hundred feet from the head Of
-. +s N q EabbIy condition and the walls
- hf- boIe show a decided tendency to come
= q. an early date. The earth on the
"a outside the piling has begun 10 cave
,,irg -7e foundations Of a small build
-, L.,o-rinr 70 the steam engineering depart
=. ,biie on the west side there are grave
-. that additional protection will be required
=, -. bie brlck building No. 131, one of the
-. If the construction and repair depart
- sl,ons and storehouses, as the ground
.,ose - its foundations shows signs of settling
.bis building rests on piles. and when the earth
,r-,o-+ starts to 90 they may save IL, but it
soss MT seem possible 10 do so If the movement
assumes any magnitude
with great rows Of iron beams forming the
outer line Of piling driven in bodily toward the
centre NJ the dock from eight to fourteen inches
~ one side and almost as much on the other,
v4tb steady streams Of water flowing into the
rar4-r from both sides as well as the head end,
With wooden sheet piling. now admittedly too
sso-- ana TOO light. driven 10 a depth utterly
ira5aeuste TO keep out the flowing mass Of
ouioksand underlying the whole earth formation
n fbs site. with not more than fifty men at work
where there should be two hundred, and with
s-sa5v purl7nE falling 10 keep the excavation
in ANYTHING like q condition of dryness, it seems
&c 4he DEPARTMENT Of yards and docks had
another elephant on its hands, while the con-
t-scfu-s unless they are able TO Withstand the
proosssss Of destruction, which are now becom-
fnr u1alevolertly active, stand TO lose large
rn Of MONEY The loss 10 the government is
sso z matter II be reckoned with, as the ser
yi,es Of the dock viii be sorely needed before
mg
The present contractors succeeded the George
spearin Company about six months ago. and
considerable lacking up" from the department
has been necessary 10 get the work as far along
as II is. and now there is every indication that
The opposition IF nature TO the work outlined is
100 serious 10 be overcome. except at the hands
Of men skilled in handling just such emergen-
uss L is understood that conference VIII be
held in Washington this week regarding the
DOCK as The attention Of Secretary Metcaf
has been called 10 the danger TO the yard build
ngs as well as to the delay in the work
COMMANDER HALLS CASE
The detachment Of Commander Reynold T.
Hal from the bureau Of steam engineering and
his assignment back 70 Newport News is the
subject OF considerable comment among those
n the know" a. the yard. and the bulk Of it is
distinctly favorable 10 the commander. There
were rumors that the change was made owing
10 excess OF expenditures on the machinery of
ne new collier, the Testal but there is an IN
osrcurrent OF opinion that the woodpile conceals
a entirely different African In connection
win he Testal il may be remembered that the
original estimate = the cost Of her machinery
vas $4,000 for labor and material, while on
april O. this year the total amount expended
end required amounted to over half z million,
ne difference being approximately SS5,ooo.
age part q which is accounted for by in
-Gsssec cost Of labor due 10 q 10 per cent
Increase Z the wages Of mechanics not long ago,
F" recent additions 10 the of time of the men,
"neh now includes fifteen days vacation with
KY and ether causes. Another source Of ex-
pense Is revealed on visit 20 the collier by one
Na0 Knows engines, for she is engined as if she
were batrleship instead OF freight boat. and
ven Known New York engine builder. in COM
Nsorng on this. said That is like trying TO
'1s champagne On a beer income
NE runlor be true that the finances Of the
e4 are the cause Of Commander Halls re-
i seems strange that no charges have
made against his administration, either in
-'91s o. judgment or engineering skill. and
- % lar as is known, he has had no opportu-
- defend himself. These facts lend color
'oea that there are other and deeper hid
causes for the change.
MEN FOR THE FLORIDA.
IVA Constructor Baxter has no easy row
N connection with the building Of the
e--Snlp Florida, work on the patterns for
under way. When the Connecticut
-. --lo commission. two years ago. there had
Deen heavy inroads on the trained men
r.. - Dulit her and now the question Of or
ks Z new force is becoming important. II
n,ps LET out by The Army and Navy Jour
ks, SI what the government has lost by
H.. 1sprlVed Of these trained hands and the
sra.t-,'s LOT breaking in green men TO highly
q, 80, 1eo work cannot De estimated II is
tz,,ss he loss TO the government Of men
iss ." oatueship construction: there is a
e,,, "ieh accustomed 70 work under the dis
eop,,. -su methods obtaining in a navy yard.
l,b,-- 'Ors are not slow in testifying to the
OF that training in the construction
liz, 'uesaip. and II is not 10 be expected
s,,s- VINO have found good places In private
ia - going TO leave them to build the Flor
| a. Ihe likelihood Of being laid off again
90 o. as that work is completed
h,zr, Snlps al the yard, the Scorpion is prac-
psOsr., .e@oy FOR sea. the Dubuque is rapidly ap-
D. me stage where she may be foated,
hauling Of the Mayaower has been be-