The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-03-06
STATUSOF DRY.
DOCK WORK
SETTLED
Navy Department Reverses It's
Position and Contractors Are
Relieved of Responsibility
Special Engineers Board to
Submit Estimates on Mobiles
Plan for Completion Of Big
Project.
(From wednesday Advertiaer.l

The Pearl lIarbor drydoek is emulat-
ing a Kaleidoscope, in that every turn
presents new point Of view.
shortly after the drydock ''blew upn
il was announced by the navy depart
ment that the construction Of the dock
in the same place and in accordance
with the old plan would be proceeded
with, Then Alfred Noble, the leading
drydock expert Of the United States,
came and made an examination, and
recommended change in plan, but not
in location.
For many months the two PROPOSE
lions have been under consideration by
the department.
Ready to Obey Orders.
About a month ago II was announced
that the Noble report had been turned
down, and the contractors were ordered
to proceed with the construction of the
dock in accordance with the old specf-
feations. This the contractors accord
ingly proceeded to do, resulting, inei-
dentally, in the wrecking and sinking
of the dredge Geo. y, Denison. After
the contractors had been at work under
these orders for couple of weeks, new
orders were received from the depart
ment to stop the work and await fur
ther orders. Telcgrsphic news Of this
last phase of the situation was received
last week. The last mail now brings
further details of the status or the mat
ter, the following account being from
the Washington Post:
Complete RaveraaI
Complete reversal of the navy de-
partment's policy in the construction
Of the drydpely{ " Pearl Harbor, Ha-
wabi, has haenldegided upon through
the appointment OF a special board Of
engineers TO submit estimates for the
completion Of the work under the plans
Of Civil Engineer Alfred Noble, of New
YORK. From these estimates the de-
partment will decide whether to pro-
seed with the work under contract or
handle the drydoek construction itself.
The members Of the board are CT.
VII Engineers L. M, Coy and j.. X. Har-
RS, the former stationed at the Norfolk
navy yard and the other at the New
York yard. They have been instructed
70 take mp the work at once and com
Plete y with the stmost dispatch, IN
1870 1hot VuhhtTuctlOn ulOng the new
lines may be begun at the earliest pos
sible date. ~
Entire Floor Was Lifted.
Work on the Penri iIarbor dock had
proceeded satisfactorily under the gov
eminent s eontraet with the san Fran
cisco Bridge Company until February
| ~ when the entire concrete floor OF
the structure was lifted by tremen-
dous sIbsurface pressure At that time
the contractors complained to the navy
department that the plEns for the dock
were not suited to the conditions as
they had developed At their request
an expert ON the foundation conditions
was sent TO Hawaii, Engineer Noble be-
| ing selected. HIS report was TO the cf,
feet that the plans should he changed
to meet with conditions that had de-
| veloped
Changes Plans Of Two Weeks Ago.
Two weeks ago the contractors
were. ordered TO proceed with the work
on the first plans, but yesterday this
order was revoked by the new decision.
The total contract for the dock. which
viii be 1000 feet long, involves approx.
mately $3,200,000, large part Of which
had been expended when the floor be-
came raised q year ago.