New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-16
No. d. the "Hoodoo." at Last
Approaches Completion.
AUTHORIZED II YEARS AGO
Big Basin Will Take Widest Ship
That Can Pass Through Panama
Canal-Cost S2,750, 900.

There was rush Of dirty brown water
chorus of steam whistles and rev
smiles OF satisfaction at the navy yard III
Brooklyn Yesterday afternoon. The occa-
sion was the first entry OF water INTO
Drydock No 4. the ''hoodoo dock which Is
so near completion that IL is hccing iioooed
/ &c allow the removal Of the stone wall ana
earth bank between the big basin ana tlhe-
water. The rope raising the gate in the
sluiceway was pulled promptly at O'Clock
by Mrs. F. r. Harris, wife of the civil en-
gineer under whose direction the work mas
been brought TO its present state.
The first flow of water was witnessed bS
Rear Admiral Lcutze. the commandment OF
the station: Rear Admiral Hollyday, chief
of the Bureau of Yards and Docks; group
of officers from the yard and ships ana
representatives of the contractors the hui
brook. Cabot 6 Rollins Company.
The big dock was authorized in 1870, out
work was not started until 1902 Wheh
George =. Spearn began the construction OF
what was intended TO be a basin 94- rect
long by 100 feet wide and 80 feet deep, built
OF concrete on foundation of pilins' Inc
ordinary difficulties of construction we're
greatly increased by qucksand, when
PARTLY wrecked the work itself and endan-
gered the surrounding buildings, and Mr.
Spearin gave up the contract after drop
ping about 100000
The Williams Engineering Company 100"
4. I'D. after considerable delay, and in turn
was forced TO the wall by the shifting nat
IRE of the foundation soil, and the present
contractors took hold on a different basis
OF payment, and with a different plan OF
work. which was the result of studies by
Frederick Il. Harris, civil engineer. To re-
move the danger OF quicksands undermine
ing the structure, pillars of reinforced con-
crete were placed at 3O-foot intervals under
the floor space of the dock, and bonded to-
gcther, and on these the structure was
erected. leaving II so that the whole earth
sUbsoil could be washed away to bedrock
and the dock still remain In commission on
its concrete pillars.
In January. 1910. a revision OF tho entire
design increased the size Of the dock to 100
by 10 feet. and - feet depth over the sill
adequate to the reception Of vessel 6S'
feet long and los feet beam, or about 5000
tons displacement. These dimensions CORE
sponded Ia those Of the widest ship that
can pass through the Panama Canal locks,
and allow for considerable increase In the
size Of United States battleships. the maxi
mum at present being represented by the
Wyoming class, 5S2 feet long, % feet beam
and 1000 tons displacement
An expenditure Of about s., $50 o0 will bc
represented when the dock is ready to take
a ship out of water. and so far the struct-
IRE has cost ten lives, with a minor casualty
list OF about 300 men, some of whom have
be en- permanently disabled. At the present
rate of flow it viii take about day TO FIJI
the dock 10 the line of the first Of the altar
steps, when the gate will be closed and the
wooden bracing at the sea end removed.
Then water will be admitted until il reaches
tide level, when dynamite and dredges will
clear a pathway TO the channel and the
caisson gate put in place.
1t is estimated that II will require about
81 900 900 gallons to fiji the basin, and three
or four days flow will be required.