New-York tribune., 1908-09-28
THEIR WORK WASTED
CONTRACTORS LOSERS.
Digging of Nary Yards Drydock
.Suspended-Cost Increased.

In accordance with the intimation given on
September 20 that a consultation Of ofhclais
would be held regarding Drydock 4. at the navy
yard in Brooklyn, the legal end Of the Navy
Department Solicitor General Hanna, was a
visitor at the yard on Wednesday and Thursday
Of last week, and had a long consultation Win
Senator Frawley and Mr Williams, of the Will
Jams Engineering and Construction company
the contractors who are at present in charge OF
the work. The result Of his visit Is that the
contractors have practically new JOB on their
hands and the $4,000 or so which they have
already spent is practically wasted.
In this connection 1t has been recalled that
when the present contractors took charge OF the
work. IN April last, the very things which the
contracting company has now found it necessary
to do were outlined and shown to be necessary
by the departments civil engineer in charge OF
the yards bureau. One of the most eminent
civil engineers in the country has been called
in by the contractors in advisory capacity
and it has cost the concern considerable money
to find out that Civil Engineer Gregory knew
his business better than they did. careful and
complete inspection Of the work was made. All
excavating has been stopped. and complete
new line of twelve-inch sheet piling is to be
driven 70 a depth of twenty five feet below the
bottom Of the big hole before IT be resumed.
The present inner lire Of piling will be removed
or sawed off level with the dock floor In the
mean time the sagging of the ground at the east
side of the dock has continued TO an apprecia-
BILE extent, but it IS not expected now that It
will extend far enough to cause any more dam
age.
BIG INCREASE IN COST.
It is announced that the expense Of the dock
Is to be increased by about 100000, and 1t is
TO be lined with granite instead Of concrete as
originally provided for. Increased length Is
provided for, in anticipation Of an increase in
the size of battleships and the latest figures
show that when completed It will accommodate
a vessel forty-1ve feet longer than ships Of
the Delaware class. There will be an addition
Of two feet six inches in the depth Of water
over the sill and the depth the blocks
will be thirty-one feet.
The fact that the department is in receipt Of
news from the Atlantic fleet indicating that
there will be much work required on the big
ships when they return home after their target
practice on the ranges in Guantanamo Bay, at
the close Of their world -girdling cruise, lends
additional Importance to the question OF facill-
ties for docking them at the largest naval sta
ton on the coast.
While this work has not so far developed
serious character and so far as general condi-
ttons prevail the deterioration has not been so
extensive as was expected the fact that the
ships have had no overhauling since they LETT
Hampton Roads except to a limited extent on
the Pacific Coast is accepted as indicating that
every inch of dock room available will be re-
ouired when it comes TO cleaning ship.
At the New York yard to-day there is only
one dock which can be depended upon to do It's
work and that is the old granite structure
No / The concrete faced dock No. ?, was
pumped out last week.. but to-day has fourteen
RI
reo,,ired prompt attention and the Lame duck
iz living I'D to its name, while No. 3. the big
u-ooden dock from which the cruiser Baltimore
was Aoated on Saturday morning. is not so sta
b1e that close and frequent inspection can be
avoided.
NEW STEAM ENGINEERING HEAD.
Captain wythe NJ Parks reported to the act
ing co'1nandant Captain James D. Adams on
SATURDAY. to assume charge Of the bureau OF
steam engineering, and Commander X I. Han
will start for Newport News probably the latter
mart Of this week Comment regarding this
change Of places has by means died down
and is likely to crop up again when work on the
bie collier ves.al is resumed At present moth
ing is being done on her engines, and Captain
Parks is not expected to go ahead with it very
rapidly until the financial tangle IN WHICH II Is
involved is Strengthened out.
Rear Admiral Goodrich is on his way to Spain,
having sailed on the Mauretania Wednesday
last He will represent the United States at the
celebration of the hundredth anniversary of
the siege Of Saragossa and in his absence Cap
tain Adams who was examined for promotion
to the grade of rear admiral last week. will be
in charge Of the yard. with a strong probability
that when Admiral Goodrich retires, next jan
uary, he will be made conmandant.
Passed Assistant Surgeon Charles H De Ian
cey. on the staff of DR.. Lung, at the naval hos
pital has been summoned before a retiring
board after an examination at the hands Of
Surgeon Philip Leach, OF the receiving ship
Hancock; Surgeon ]. S. Taylor and Assistant
Surgeon c. F. Sterne, OF the naval hospital staff.
The board decided that he suffering from
an acute form of monomania, after complaints
had been lodged against him of unprofessional
treatment of accident cases brought the
emergency station under his supervision.
Quarternan Ffnlayson OF the yards and docks
force mas come to the front as horticultural
expert in connection with the garden of one of
the naval hospital surgeons. The doctor takes
great pride in his flowers. and in discussing
them with the quarterman received the inforna-
ton that lilies would grow better in pots than
In the open ground, and that additional beauty
would be developed if they were cramped for
space. or root bound" In order TO make sure
that they would be properly root bound the
Quarterman, it is alleged. suggested that some
cement be mixed with the earth in the pots, and
this was done. Those who know how cement
acts when it is wet will understand what hap
nened to the doctors lilies when liberal supply
of water was poured into the pots. and sug-
advice given In horticultural journals are not
tho