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TAE Marine REVIEV/ 17 mation from all railroads who owned ore docks as to the cost per lineal foot, cost per 1,000 feet B. M. and cost per Girard, Pa., and became one of the original partners in the Girard Iron Co. In 1878 he left Girard, going to Brier Hill and becoming associated with Governor Tod's sons in the Brier Hill Iron & Coal Co., of which he became general manager, and has continued in that posi- tion up to the present time. He is also interested in BUTLER JUST BEFORE LAUNCHING. several iron ore mines on Lake Superior ranges. During the past 10 years, Mr. Butler has been very active as a representative of Bessemer pig iron interests in negotiat- ing large sales and has rendered service of the highest value. He is regarded as one of the best informed and ablest pig iron salesmen in the country. His friends tell many stories illustrating his shrewdness and hustling quali- ties. For example, a few years ago a large purchase IN THE SLIP AFTER LAUNCHING. of pig iron was to be made at Wheeling. A number of salesmen started for Wheeling via Pittsburg. Mr. Butler was with the other salesmen at Pittsburg, but mysteriously disappeared before evening. His companions enjoyed a comfortable night's rest at Pittsburg, and when they ar- rived in Wheeling the next day, found that the order had been,placed. Mr. Butler had traveled on a freight to Wheeling the night before. A HAND TESTING PUMP The Dake Engine Co., Grand Haven, Mich., manufacture a hand testing pump which is shown in the accompanying il- lustration. This pump is for use on steamboats for the test- ing of boilers. It is simple, durable and _ efficient. The maker states that many orders are being received for it, and that the users express perfect satisfaction with it. CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF DOCKS ' AND WHARVES.* The harbors of the great lakes are lined with docks or wharves for shipping of all classes of merchandise and products, and the purpose of our investigation is directed towards wharf or dock front, disregarding the super- structures and machinery necessary for loading or un- loading the respective kinds of freight. Docks and wharf fronts, almost without exception, are of timber and pile construction. Standard plans of dock fronts have been received from several railroads. They are more or less alike, consisting of a row of piling driven from three to five feet on centers to a depth below dredging line along the front of dock. Usually two wales or fender streaks, but sometimes only one, are placed horizontally on the outside of such front piling. These fender streaks have the double purpose of distributing the pressure from dock- ing boats over the front piling and holding such piling in. position by means of anchor rods, which run back to a horizontal timber placed back of another row of piling called the anchor piling. This is driven parallel to and from 12 to 20 feet distant from the dock front. In soft bottom, it is necessary to place still another parallel row of piling 12 to 20 feet farther back and connect with it tie rods to the second row. In the rear of the dock front, sheet piling usually consisting of two thicknesses of plank, each three to four inches thick, is driven to a depth below © dredging line, and in order to hold it in position, strips are placed horizontally between the front and sheet pil- ing. This sheet piling is for the purpose of making the dock front tight and permitting a filling to be made level with top of dock front. Dock fronts are usually capped longitudinally with one or two pieces of 12x12-in. timber. The fender or wales are, of course, subjected to their principal wear from docking boats and should be of hard wood. CUpinions differ so widely and radically as to minor details of construction, and, for instance, the relative val- ue of this splice and that splice used in wales, caps, etc., that it is of little value to express-any personal opinion in regard to the same. All plans submitted and consequent- ly, the docks in use have that great fault that the matter of later maintenance and reconstruction in the event of the piling becoming decayed, are not considered. The lower wale or fender, as well as the anchor timbers, (dead men) for anchor rods, should be placed so as to have their tops about on the water level. This méans, of course, additional expense in first construction, but it virt- ually perpetuates the life of dock. Piling will decay in from six to ten vears, according to its kind, above water line, and it is then onlv necessary to cut off the piling and build up with timber. 'The cost of such dock construction at the present time is about eighteen to twenty dollars per lineal foot com- plete. The cost per 1,000 feet B. M. of lumber in same :s about $28. The cost per lineal foot of piles in place is from 18 to 25 cents, according to the kind of piles ased. whether soft or oak. For reasons already stated refer- ence to dock and wharf construction, has been avoided. This applying equally well to corners, angles, etc., in the dock front. They must be constructed to suit the occa- sion and no typical plan of any value can really be sub- mitted. The ore docks of the great lakes are one type of dock which must take a prominent place, and, having nothing in common with the foregoing dock and wharf fronts, are the only other division of the subject to be considered. Ore docks are nearly all alike as regards general construc- tion, but this committee endeavored to get specific infor- *Abstract of report of committee of the association of Railway Superinten- dents of Bridges and Buildings.