New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-03
NEW NAVY YARD WRECK
DRYDOCK NO. 2 DAMAGED.
Shifting Quicksands Still Trouble
Engineers.

Once more have the shifting quicksands which
underle the site Of Drydock No g. in the navy yard
in BROOKLYN. wrought havoc with the structure. the
wreck this time being at the southwestern corner
Of the excavation.
A settling Of the earth noticed late Saturday
afternoon but little attention was paid TO n. on
Sunday n had increased % such extent that one
OF the civil engineering staff the ward remained
on duty all day and well into the evening Yes
terday tho result OF the slip manifest IN mass
Of wreckage where there had been a heavy plat
form and braces Of t2-inch tinbers. inside row
Of iron sheath ping which has been twisted out OF
shape torn apart and thrown away inside the line
Of the dock excavation
Previous slips have affected the wooden pilng
chiefly and this Is the first time the iron wall
left the southern end of the dock by the Spearfn
company. which gave up the first contract 70 build
the dock. has been damaged. Hundreds Of heavy
wooden piles have been driven the western side
Of tho excavation AZ the southern end a founda
ton for extension Of the concrete wall Of the
dock and this latest slide gives every appearance OF
having carried not only the iron wall. but the
earth and It's plng bodily toward the centre OF the
excavation.
Not the least serious phase Of the situation IS the
manifest danger 10 the buildings Immediately ad
iacent the big hole in the ground. short time
ago the earth at 4th and Dock streets had sagged
such an extent that dangerous crack in the east
end wall OF Building No. 20 made necessary the
removal Of part Of the cornice of the building and
the larger part OF the end wall Of the building
has had to be removed At the end of this build
ing and the Morris avenue and Dock street sides
are roped of spaces and danger signs. with the
streets IN places showing breaks more than foot
in width between the paving stones. Dock street In
place having broken into a series Of terraces
sloDing toward the drydock
At the extreme southern end Of the excavation.
where the heavy cable towers and dredging ma
chinery located the earth has begun To fall
away within three feet of the railroad tracks on
which the great towers rest. Heavy dredging
scoops timbers, iron and other wreckase are here
piled into the cavity. Beyond the towers. and out
side the southern fence OF the excavation. Morris
avenue. between 4th and 5th streets the southern
side Of which is occupied by the big central power
station of the yard. shows in its northern half
the side nearest the drydoCk a marked slope
toward the dock, the gutter line being for
distance fully foot below the level Of the south
eTn side.
The big brick and concrete sewer which cuts
diagonauy across the southern emu of the dock in
closure Is broken and wrenched not only inside
the inclosure, but after it leaves 1t and continues
across Dock street. The pressure Of the sliding
earth has been great at this point that for a
distance Of fifty feet the iron wall OF the dock
and the braces of twelve or fourteen inch timber
placed against it have been tilted UP. so that it
is downhiII walk them TO the eastern
edge OF the trench.
The contractors engineer in charge Of the work
is inclined to minimize the effect Of the slump.
buI the Wreckage OF the end OF the excavation,
the evident spread OF the effects OF the moving
sands and the fact that digging is still being
carried in the eastern half OF the dock. thus
affording plenty Of space into which the earth
may fall. give other engineers a different idea
to the outcome of the work as at present planned.
The chief Of the Bureau OF Yards and Docks
made a hurried visit the dock last week. but
there we're no signs Of this latest slide. Just how
the department will view the developments OF the
last two DAYS is matter In which the contractors
are deeply interested, IL is known that the de-
partment is anxious to have the dock completed. i
At present, however II seems that not only will
the work be still further delayed. but that the
will have a good bill to pay for out
side repairs for which the excavation Il respon-
sible.