Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-02-19

box-like cribwork of that section.
which was pumped almost dry, sky
ward like the rising of a huve ele-
vator. the thrush of water from Sec
ton forced in seward. The crib
bling OF Section was forced off its
foundations, sinking as it fell. The
submarine explorers found yesterday
that the anchor piles of the third sec
ton had not moved, and that the
fear that the entire bottom had fallen
away was unfounded.
washington is still to be heard from,
and future action will depend much
on decisions made by the navy higher
up there. In the past, however, the
bureau of yards and docks has acted
entirely on the recommendation OF
Admiral Cowles, and the navy engin-
GERS here, and it Is safe to assume
that the same course will be followed
in this instance. If the engineers and
the contractors are satisfied that a
drydock can be built on the present
site. there is every reason to believe
that Washington will concur. In that
case the alternative of floating dry
dock will be abandoned, and the finan-
cial loss from the recent accident
considerably reduced, as the work al
ready done will count for partial
value.
Commandant Hopeful
Rear Admiral Cowles, commandant
of the naval station, is much encour-
aged by the results of investigations
as to the cause of the wreck and the
extent of the damage done
From what the divers tell us, and
from what appears en the surface,
things are not as bad as they might
be.n said Admiral CoWlesf this morn
ing. ut now appears that Section 2,
the section that was being pumped,
was the cause of the whole trouble,
and that the bottom under the other
sections did not fall away as was at
first feared. When the pumped-out
section was forced upward, it was
forced outward as we'll tearing the
cribwork of Section 8 from its founda-
tions. and causing it to sink. The
divers say that the piles under that
section are intact, however, and 1t
looks as though the problem could
be solved by giving the notion more
weight. Section 2 was like tight
box, while Section was open to the
sea, and Section / was practically
open, as we have been chipping the
faulty concrete out of it for months.
The cause of the damage then, is con-
fined to Section 2. A thick layer of
concrete above the piles before it is
pumped, should serve to hold IT down.
We had from eight to ten feet of
concrete, with the tops of the anchor
piles extending four feet into the
mass, and if thicker and heavier
layer of concrete is poured under
water, the weight should be sufficient,
TO prevent another upheaval.
"The first notification sent to Wash
ington," continued the admiral, was
cable which sent to the. secretary
OF the navy Monday night, telling of
tn disaster. Yesterday morning the
bureau of yards and docks cabled for
information, and last night, when we
had something definite to give out, /
wired the latest news to the bureau.
Up to this time (noon) we have had
no further communication with Wash
ington."
Admiral Cowles said that he did
not know that any board of local Off
GERS would be appointed to make an
investigation. the drydock being the
contractors property. with a govern
ment lien upon it to cover payments
already made. In the previous eases
. F..