Evening star., 1939-05-22
Torpedo Plant
And Navy Yard
Work Pushed
Model Testing Bosin
May Be Finished
By Mid-June

Final phases of a S5,000,000 expan-
sion and modernization program at
the Washington Navy Yard and the
Alexandria Torpedo Factory now are
under way in anticipation of a new
program which will be launched
after July l, when funds will become
available from the 1910 Naval APP
preparation Act.
The Navy Department also is
looking forward to the delivery of
the David w. Taylor Model Test
ing Basin at Carderoc, Me, which
is to be turned over by the con-
tractor, the Turner Construction
Co.. about the middle of June, &C
cording to George F. Ferris, con-
struction engineer.
Foundation work for the ST ,400,0
gun assembly shop in the western
section of the Navy Yard is nearing
completion and erection of struc-
tural steel will begin about the mid
die of July under separate con-
tract, recently awarded. Bids will
be invited next week for the third
unit of the project, the superstruc-
ture.
A 1865 900 ordnance storehouse, in
the eastern half of the yard, prob
ably will be completed about the
middle of August, two weeks or more
ahead of the contract date. Erec-
ton of the steel framework is near
ing completion, brick walls are being
laid and pouring of the lower con-
crete floors has begun.
Car Ferry Project.
Under recently awarded con-
tract, the Diamond Construction Co.
of this city is having the steel work
fabricated under subcontract for a
tide bridge car ferry float to be con-
structed on the water front south OF
the gun park at an approximate
cost of $4,000. This project will per-
nit the shipment of loaded freight
cars by water from the local yard
and is expected to reduce materially
handling costs on delivery of guns,
gun carriages and other naval equip
ment manufactured at the local
yard.
All outstanding contracts at the
Alexandria torpedo plant will be
completed by June 30, according to
the present schedule. The most
important job now in progress there
is the installation of electrical dis
tributing systems to provide power
for the new machinery to be in
stalled in a thorough modernization
program. Funds for equipping the
plant are contained in the new sup
ply bill.
Test Range Is Submerged.
The Alexandria plant, idle since
the World War, is expected to begin
turning out torpedoes for the feet
within two years. A test range in
the lower Potomac River, near Piney
Point, now is being resurveyed by 1t.
Comdr. Swepson Earle, former
Maryland State conservation COM
missioner, as part of his active duty
at the Naval Proving Ground, Dahl
gTen, Va. The course originally was
laid out by Comdr. Earle during the
war.
The electrical contract is the fifth
awarded in connection with modern
ization of the Alexandria plant. An
appropriation of S1,5O0,OOO for this
work was made available in the 1899
appropriation act. 1t is estimated
that the entire rehabilitation pro-
gram, including machinery and
equipment, will cost $2,750,000.
Will Provide Facilities.
The testing basin will provide badly
needed facilities for design and test
work essential to rapid progress of
the naval and merchant marine
building programs.
The contractor now is completing
the final phases of the buildings,
roads, walks and rough grading
around the buildings. The terms
of the contract do not require COM
pletion until the latter part of No
vember. The Navy Department,
however, has been anxious to gain
occupancy Of the basin structures
as soon as possible and, despite a
jurisdictional strike involving three
Of the unions engaged on the job
last summer, the contractor was
able to cut more than five months
from his allotted time.
The Navy Bureau of Construction
and Repair will Immediately begin
the installation of machinery and
testing equipment-a job which is
expected to require a year or more,
chiefly because of the delicate task
of laying rails on opposite sides of
the main basin to support the high
speed towing carriage. These rails
must be laid with great accuracy,
conforming to the curvature of the
earth, it was explained.
Many Novel Features.
The basin buildings involve a
number of novel features of con-
struction, including a hinged arch
concrete roof of a design which won
an international award and precast
artificial stone exterior units of an
unusul type.
One of the final contract items is
the laying of road surfacing on the
short unit connecting the road sys-
tenn in the building area with Con-
duit road, thus making the new
structures accessible for the first
time to the general public.
Appointment Of Dobie