impossible to place the granite capping on about 85 per cent of the wall, because the piling would not stand the weight of the capping. The contractors stopped work, claiming that the Government had not correctly informed them of the character of the ground on which it was proposed to build the sea wall. The Government claimed that they did not guarantee any absolute information on this point. Because the contractors stopped work the contract was annulled. Estimates was made of the amount of work already done on the contract by the contractors; settlement was offered, and was refused by the contractors, who are now suing in the courts for an adjustment of their claim. The new power house is now completed, both as to the building and the installation of the plant, and it is most necessary that the sea wall around the power house be completed at once. It is considered that in this work it will be necessary to drive a new line of piles just outside of the present sea wall, topping the piles with rubble and stone to prevent any further motion of the sea wall in that direction, then place the capping stones and make the inside fills. It is estimated that to complete the 859 feet of this work will cost $50,000. For one wharf as per attached blue prints--- This wharf is needed to complete the station ship basin as shown on drawing No. 2698. The present wharf is not of sufficient capacity to accommodate the present needs of the Naval Academy, it being necessary to berth the reserve torpedo group based on the Naval Academy on the northeast bank of the Severn River in a slip which forms a portion of the engineering experiment station. This slip has no tidal flow, and the conditions both summer and winter are unfavorable for the service. and in the summer it is necessary to house the crews of the group in canvas tents, which would not be necessary if more docking facilities were available. Attention is invited to the necessity for concrete construction. not only because it is the cheapest construction when length of service is considered, but because it is the only construction which is in consonance with the architectural character of the Naval Academy. And no new construction should be undertaken unless it is of this type. 66 $125,000.00 The CHAIRMAN. Now, there is one other matter that is a matter of importance. Please turn to page 63, Building and grounds, Naval Academy. For the purchase of the necessary land for the location of the Naval Academy dairy at some point in the vicinity of Annapolis," etc., $100,000. Now, Captain, we would like to have you explain that to us fully. Mr. TALBOTT. You think that is an explanation of the typhoid conditions down there? The CHAIRMAN. We have all heard about that; it was submitted at the full committee hearing. I would like to know how much land you are going to purchase with that $100,000. That is rather extensive farming $100,000 for land for milk purposes. Capt. GIBBONS. The origin of the dairy at the Naval Academy is due to the fact that we had a typhoid epidemic the year before I arrived there, and the commissary said he was unable to get a supply of milk, and recommended having this dairy started, and the money for starting it borrowed The CHAIRMAN. $40,000 Capt. GIBBONS. $40,000 was borrowed from the fund of the midshipmen's store, and under authority of the department this dairy was put up; but the most unfortunate thing was the selection of the site. They put it up on a natural park just beyond the academic group; that is, there is the academic group proper, and then the marine barracks and hospital. In that direction [indicating], on the southwestern bank of the Severn River, they put up this dairy and proceeded to make this beautiful park into a cow run-into a place for the cows. The CHAIRMAN. Now, just at this point, you have expended $40,000 borrowed from the mishipmen's store? Capt. GIBBONS. Which is to be returned. The CHAIRMAN. Yes; out of the profits. Capt. GIBBONS. The first agreement is that they are to sell milk at a certain per cent below the certified cost price until they are able to pay this sum back, when it will be sold at the cost to produce. The CHAIRMAN. Yes; now, you have about 100 or 125 cows at the present time in the dairy, you have two-is it two or three?-silos of 200 tons capacity. Capt. GIBBONS. I think there are three silos. The CHAIRMAN. I was under the impression that Admiral Cowley stated three. Capt. GIBBONS. There are three silos. The CHAIRMAN. And, reading the statement over last night, I am made to say that there are two 100,000-ton silos. Mr. HOBSON. That would make them pretty big silos. The CHAIRMAN. Well, now, how much land do you propose to purchase? Commander COLE. Three hundred and two acres. The CHAIRMAN. At what price per acre? Capt. GIBBONS. I do not know. The CHAIRMAN. Is there anything else out of this $100,000 except the purchase of the land? Capt. GIBBONS. Improving the buildings. Mr. HOBSON. This provides for that. Capt. GIBBONS. We expect to reestablish this dairy on the other side of the river. There is another site, but I do not know that we can get it. Mr. TALBOT. Do you mean Remson's farm? Capt. GIBBONS. Yes; Remson's farm. The CHAIRMAN. Can you put into the record of this hearing what you expect to pay for the 302 acres of land, and what buildings you expect to put on it? Capt. GIBBONS. Mr. Remson asks $100,000 for the land; but we think we can get it for less than that. We only say that we want extra land. This place would be ideal, because it would join up all the land we have there and put all the utilities on that side of the river. Mr. HOBSON. Could you not condemn that place? The CHAIRMAN. Condemnations are very expensive. Capt. GIBBONS. We condemned one farm. I think this man would sell for less. Mr. TALBOTT. He has been to see me, and I told him it was nonsense to expect the Government to pay any big price for his land; if he would treat with the academy on the basis of the proper value of his land, perhaps they would take it; but we would not commit ourselves to him or anybody else. He came up to see me. I think he has got a $25,000 mortgage on his land. Capt. GIBBONS. I know it is mortgaged. Mr. HOBSON. How much of a mortgage is there on it? Mr. TALBOTT. I think, $25,000. The CHAIRMAN. Now Captain, I want to ask you what is your detailed consumption of milk. Can you put that in the record? Capt. GIBBONS. Yes; we can put that in. The CHAIRMAN. You can also put the cost of it in? Capt. GIBBONS. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. And I would like to have you also give us a statement of the yearly consumption, because in certain months you do not have as much consumption as in others. Capt. GIBBONS. No; and then we make butter. The CHAIRMAN. Then, I want you to put in what your consumption of butter is, and the cost of that at the average market price. The statements referred to are as follows: 1. The brigade from October 1 to June 1 requires not less than 250 gallons of milk per day for drinking purposes and 15 gallons per day for cooking purposes. From June 1 to October 1, 125 gallons per day for drinking purposes and 5 gallons for cooking. The amount of milk consumed from October 1, 1911, to January 1, 1913, a period of 15 months, was 82,677 gallons. 2. The cost of the above ranged from 27 cents to 44 cents per gallon, making an average of about 34 cents per gallon for the period of 15 months. This milk was sold to the midshipmen's mess at 40 cents per gallon until December, 1912, when the price was 37 cents. There is no danger of having a large surplus of milk during the summer months, because the date of freshening can be regulated to a nicety. The cows are dried off during the summer preparatory to freshening some time in September. This is necessary, because a large supply of milk is required at the beginning of the school term, October 1. 3. Should a surplus of milk occur at any time it could be made into butter or buttermilk, the latter being a very nutritious article. Last summer a very small quantity of butter (not over 20 pounds) was made from the surplus milk. The total amount of butter consumed in the midshipmen's mess from October 1, 1911, to September 30, 1912, was 66,684 pounds, and cost $21,355.27, making an average cost of 32 cents per pound. All of this butter was Fancy Creamery," and was purchased in the open market. 66 Mr. HOBSON. I understand, too, Captain, that you would conduct it on a scientific line, producing your own forage? Capt. GIBBONS. That has been more of an advertisement, I will say, for the Department of Agriculture than it has for the Naval Academy up to date, because they have sent all their best people down there, and it is supposed to be one of the most modern dairy plants. Mr. HOBSON. I mean in the use of the fertilizer that comes from the droppings, and all those phases. Capt. GIBBONS. I am not very much of a farmer, but they tell me it is the highest grade of dairy farm. The CHAIRMAN. But so far as your present plant is concerned, you have only 6 acres for 100 cows? Capt. GIBBONS. Yes; although it is a very beautiful spot. The CHAIRMAN. But 100 cows do not get much grazing on 6 acres, do they? Mr. GREGG. But they have got other grazing, have they not? Capt. GIBBONS. No; we are using that other ground for raising fodder and corn. The CHAIRMAN. Well, the question that occurs to me and I want you to put in the record of the hearing your answer is this: You would have an investment in lands and buildings, with the annual interest that would be upon that as a charge, and then the operation of the dairy and maintenance, etc.; it seems to me that would make a cost of milk to the dairy which would be quite an item. For instance, to operate that farm and to maintain 100 cows during the year would be quite an item of expense; and then you take the interest on your investment of $100,000, even at a low rate of interest3 per cent that would make quite an item in the cost of the milk. I would be glad for you to set out fully in the record of hearings and in your answer what you may have to say on that view of the case. Mr. HOBSON. Assuming that they do not go into the commercial business at all. The CHAIRMAN. Well, I should not favor the Naval Academy going into it commercially. Mr. TALBOTT. The point is, Mr. Chairman, we should ascertain whether or not they could produce the milk for the same they would have to pay for it. The CHAIRMAN. That is what I am getting at. I asked him what would it cost in the market? Capt. GIBBONS. Paymaster Bryan, of the commissary department, claims that as it is now he can pay off that $40,000 and still give them the milk at 10 or 15 per cent below the market price for the same grade; he says "certified milk." Mr. HOBSON. The most prolific time of the year, when milk is produced at a greater rate per cow, is in July, is it not? I assume that they would use that in some way. The CHAIRMAN. They make butter. Mr. TALBOTT. It is the health of the place I am looking after. Mr. TRIBBLE. What are your farmer friends going to say to your getting in competition with them? Mr. TALBOTT. They do not care anything about it. The CHAIRMAN. I understand this milk has not been furnished by the local farmers of that community, but has heretofore been supplied from contractors in the State of Pennsylvania and shipped in. Mr. TALBOTT. And in some of it that was bought in the neighborhood, I am told, typhoid was traced to it. The CHAIRMAN. I understood from the statement of the Chief of the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, Admiral Cowie-or, rather, from the statement of Dr. Stokes, the Surgeon General-that with the investigation that had been made they had found impurities in the purchased milk, but that they had never found any specific contamination with typhoid; but that since they have had this new milk all bowel troubles Capt. GIBBONS (interposing). That is true The CHAIRMAN. And things of that kind had been reduced to at minimum. Mr. TALBOTT. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. But that the examination and inspection of the purchased milk had not disclosed any positive typhoid contamination, but it had disclosed careless handling and dirt, as he expresses it. Capt. GIBBONS. They inspected the herd from time to time, and found that they had tubercular cows; there was no compelling the owner to kill the cows, and he would not do it; the man who was supplying the academy would not keep his herd in modern condition. The CHAIRMAN. Yes; you said he had some tubercular matter, but we were speaking of typhoid. Capt. GIBBONS. The typhoid was the reason of the movement; they were stampeded on account of this big epidemic of 25 cases. The commissary claimed that the first thing they look to is the foodthe milk and the water. The CHAIRMAN. Now, I would be glad for you to put into the hearings the full statement of that matter, as to the amount of land to be purchased, the price at which it can be disposed of, the nature and character of the buildings that it is contemplated to erect; and I would like, if you could furnish it, to have also a statement as to the estimated approximate cost of operations. Mr. HOBSON. And the cost per gallon of milk. The CHAIRMAN. And the cost of your milk in the market, of certified milk, and what it would cost you the estimated cost to you under this program. You see, this can be set out in the record of the hearing, and you can answer it fully. Capt. GIBBONS. Yes, sir; the statement referred to is as follows: It is proposed to purchase 302 acres of land, at an approximate cost of $75,000, for the location of the Naval Academy dairy; this land to be in the vicinity of Annapolis, convenient for communication and for the transportation of dairy products from the location of the dairy to the Naval Academy. For the transfer to a new dairy site and reerection thereon of buildings belonging to the present dairy, the repair and alteration of such buildings as may be found on the land to be purchased, and for all other necessary purposes connected with establishment of dairy on such land, $25,000. The approximate maintenance of the proposed dairy, including the cost of the feed for cattle and labor, $65 per day. The last Board of Visitors to the Naval Academy were very much impressed with the establishment and operation of the dairy at the Naval Academy, the funds for the establishment of which were taken, by authority of the department, from the surplus capital of the midshipmen's store. They were not, however, satisfied with the present location of the dairy proper, which is on the extreme northwest of that portion of the Government reservation on the southwest bank of the Severn River known as the "Strawberry Hill Farm," because of the restricted area it is possible to allot the dairy on the southwest side of the Severn. In this opinion the superintendent concurs. Particular interest was taken on this point by the Hon. J. Frederick C. Talbott and the Hon. George A. Loud. It was the earnest desire of these gentlemen to obtain the insertion of an item in the naval appropriation bill for 1911, in the Senate, for sufficient funds to permit the purchase of land and the removal of the dairy to this land at the earliest possible moment. It is understood by the superintendent that this item has not been included in the naval appropriation bill in the Senate, and the following addition to the estimates for public works for 1914 is therefore submitted for the approval of the department. The particular plot of land that the superintendent has in view for this purpose is the farm known as the "Remson Farm," which is the property of Mr. C. E. Remson. This farm consists of about 304 acres and has the following advantages: (a) It is contiguous to the Government reservation on the northeast bank of the Severn River, a portion of which is already in use in growing silage and other crops for the use of the dairy. (b) There are buildings on this farm which can be readily altered to suit the needs of a high-class dairy such as that now maintained at the Naval Academy. |