Evening star., 1938-09-11

actual vessels can begin. completion
Of the new basin is regarded as OF vital
national importance, in view of the
great naval and merchant marine
construction programs now in prog
ress.
Capacity of the existing test basin
at the Washington Navy Yard long
has been overtaxed and naval ofhcers
have made no secret Of the fact they
wish the new basin completed at the
earliest possible moment 50 design
work on new ships may not be de-
layed.
Work Delayed During Summer.
The Navy Department is repre-
sented as being especially pleased with
the rapid progress made by the con-
tractors, the Turner Construction Co.
Of New York. under George F. Ferris.
field construction superintendent, in
view of the fact that there was a
delay Of nearly three weeks during
the summer due to jurisdictional
dispute between three unions over
the right to move a new type Of struc-
tural concrete form.
The dispute, which resulted in a
walkout, delayed construction of the
arched concrete roof over the long
model basin. This roof, 1.188 feet in
length, now is approximately so per
cent completed and is going forward
at the rate of go feet week. A total
of $50 feet of the roof is in place and
tomorrow the movable roof form which
resulted in the labor trouble will be
moved for pouring of the first unit
of go feet in the second half Of the
roof.
The bottom of the basin has beer
completed and the walls Of the basir
buildings are going up following thu
roof construction, which Is a self-sup'
porting vaulted type.
The entire project now is approx
mately IS per cent completed, it i
estimated.
Plans Started In 1888.
The Carderock project had beer
advocated BY the Navy Department
for years. The Bureau of Yards ane
Docks began the preparation of de-
tailed designs for the plant in 1888 an'
plans and specifications were completed
in 1885. Congress appropriated $4,000,
900 in the Naval Appropriation Ac
of 1898 and a contract was awarded
to the Turner Co. on August 3, 1897
Work commenced nine days later. I
was scheduled for completion in July
1899.
An additional $500,000 for enlarge
ment and improvement Of the origina
design was made available by Con
gress this year in a deficiency appro
priation act and the date for com
pletion was moved ahead to October
1899.
| The construction work is being su
pervised for the Navy Department b
1t. Comdr. Hugo Carl Fischer, Nav
Civil Engineer Corps, who on Januar
28 of this year relieved Comdr. L. T
Combs, Civil Engineering Corps, VIII
was in charge during the early de
velopment Of the site.
On 106-Acre Reservation.
The plant occupies = naval reserva
ton OF approximately lo6 acres ad
joining Conduit road miles west Q
Cabin John, Nd, and will include 4
once and administration building
shop building. laboratory building
boiler plant, filtration plant, sewae
disposal plant, basin building an
other facilities for a self-containe
unit.
The office building will contain com
plete drafting and computing room
Photographic laboratory and museum
in addition to the administrative ia
cilities. The shop building include
machine shop, woodworking she
for the manufacture and fitting o,
of working models, and provisions Il
future dry-kiln.. The laboratol
building will house equipment IN
machinery for testing and researc
purposes and the additional installl
tion of q 1000, ,0o0-pound compressio
and tension testing machine is und'
consideration. -
The basin building proper houss
. hish-speed towing basin approx
matsly a test wide, 10 test desp "a