Fort Norfolk History - 1874
Commodore Thomas H. Stevens took command of the Navy Yard Norfolk, Naval Hospital, and Fort Norfolk on July 1, 1873.
On January 5, 1874 A Survey on the furniture in the Gunners House at the Naval Magazine was finished.
Commodore William N. Jeffers, Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, directed An effort to dispose of all unserviceable powder on hand at the several Magazines. The Inspector of Ordinance made a personal inventory of the Magazine at Fort Norfolk and report the result in detail and separated the good powder from the unserviceable and condemned. On March 2, 1874, Commodore William N. Jeffers, Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, endorsed the report of inspector of Naval Magazine, Fort Norfolk, Virginia. He also stated “Please direct the Inspector of Ordinance to have the floor of shell house # 2, repaired - the work to be done by the men of his own department without increasing the force; and as there is now a bill before Congress to remove the Magazine, &c., the repairs are to be as slight as possible.”
Commodore William N. Jeffers wrote Commodore Thomas H. Stevens, Commandant Navy Yard Norfolk, on June 23, 1874: “As it is proposed shortly to remove the Magazine, it is not thought necessary to fit the lightning rods.”
Commodore William N. Jeffers wrote Commodore Thomas H. Stevens, on Sept 10, 1874; “The report of survey of the 7th inst, on the heating stove in the watchman's quarters at the Fort Norfolk Magazine is approved.”
Commodore William N. Jeffers wrote Commodore Thomas H. Stevens on Oct 21, 1874; “The Bureau is informed that the War Department has set off for the use of the Navy for Magazine purposes, a portion of Craney Island, as follows.
Beginning at a point on the high water line 190 yards north west of the western side of the ruined wharf, thence due north across the island, with right of way from wharf.
The Bureau desires that you will have the wharf examined by the Civil Engineer of the Yard, to see if it will bear reconstruction, or whether it will be best to build a similar wharf along side on west side, with an estimate of cost.
Also, probable cost of the a tramway, say 250 yards Long to connect wharf and Magazine.”
Commodore William N. Jeffers wrote Commodore Thomas H. Stevens on Oct 28, 1874; “The Bureau has received estimates of cost of wharf at Craney Island, which it desires modified to suit following specifications.
Total length of wharf 180 feet,
width 20 feet, with a 40 feet T, for 20 foot depth at extremity.
Piles of unbarked oak; knots, if any coppered.
Also estimate for cost of tramway with necessary embankment from wharf to Magazine, about 250 yards long, cross ties 2 feet from center to center, track 3 feet wide to carry 16 lb rail [iron not included] maximum load on car 3 tons.
The portion of the island transferred is, “beginning at high tide mark at a point 190 yards northwest of the west side of wharf on south side of the island, thence due you north to high water mark on north side, with right of way to wharf”. The coast survey is now making a detailed survey for the Bureau.”
Commodore William N. Jeffers wrote Commodore Thomas H. Stevens on Nov 9, 1874; “The Bureau has received your letter of the 6th inst, No 136, enclosing the estimate of Civil Engineer Asserson, No 58, for wharf, tramway and embankment at Craney Island, revised in accordance with its letter of the 28th ult.
As this as this estimate corresponds with the actual cost of a similar wharf constructed at the new Naval Magazine here, the Bureau approves it; and having full confidence in Mr. Asserson's ability and judgment, directs that the work shall be proceeded with without delay under his supervision, the expense to be charged to app “Magazine Norfolk” 1874 - 75. The estimates are not to be exceeded without the Bureaus sanction.
In this connection the Bureau calls attention to the following extract from a recent number of “The Engineer” October 23, 1874, concerning marine worms (limnoria terebramo). “The conclusion that the author arrived at are: (1) that when repairing timber structures, all timber attacked by the marine worms, especially, the limnoria terebramo, should be removed and not allowed to remain alongside the new work, as the worms migrate from the old to the new, that part of a pile nearest the old being always the first to be attacked; the author has found that the piles standing by themselves have always been attacked to a lesser extent then where several piles were together.”
Finally, the Bureau will advise you regarding the tramway iron as soon as it receives the chart of the ground now being made by the Coast Survey.”
Commodore William N. Jeffers wrote Commodore Thomas H. Stevens on Nov 28, 1874; “As application has been made to the Bureau by real estate agents to “handle the Fort Norfolk property”, in the supposition that it would be for sale as soon as the powder is removed to Craney Island, the Bureau desires that all parties making similar petition shall be informed that it does not contemplate vacating the said property as it has other use for the buildings even after removal of the stores to the new Magazine.”
Commodore William N. Jeffers wrote Commodore Thomas H. Stevens on Dec 11, 1874; “Endorsement on letter of August 31, 1874 - Asking for what disposition shall be made of loaded projectiles.
The Bureau proposes while removing the Magazine from Fort Norfolk to build on Craney Island an exploding pit, in which all such loaded projectiles may be exploded by electricity and the iron saved.”
More History
Back, 1673, 1775, 1787, 1789, Army before 1793, 1793, 1794, More 1794, First Fort, 1795, 1796-1800, 1801-1806, 1807, 1808-1811, 1812, 1813, 1813-1814, 1816, 1817-1818, 1820-1821, 1824, 1827, 1835, 1840, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847, 1848, 1848 Request, 1849, 1849 Transfer, 1849 Planning, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1852 Old Magazine, 1853, 1854, 1854 Changes, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1874, 1875, 1884, 1893, 1903, 1923, Next
Source of Information
J. E. Hilgard, "U. S. Coast Survey Carlile P. Patterson Supt. Craney Island Near Norfolk, Virginia From the Survey of 1862", July 25, 1874, National Archives, College Park, MD - Cartographic (RDSC), Record Group 74: Records of the Bureau of Ordnance, 1818 - 1967, Series: Red Number, 926b.
William N. Jeffers, "William N. Jeffers to Thomas H. Stevens", January 7, 1874, National Archives, Record Group 74 Records of Bureau of Ordnance, Letters Sent to Navy Yards & Stations, 1842 - 1882, Norfolk, May 1867 - Oct 1881, Box No. 16, Entry 3, 460.
William N. Jeffers, "William N. Jeffers to Thomas H. Stevens", January 16, 1874, National Archives, Record Group 74 Records of Bureau of Ordnance, Letters Sent to Navy Yards & Stations, 1842 - 1882, Norfolk, May 1867 - Oct 1881, Box No. 16, Entry 3, 466.
William N. Jeffers, "William N. Jeffers to Thomas H. Stevens", February 10, 1874, National Archives, Record Group 74 Records of Bureau of Ordnance, Letters Sent to Navy Yards & Stations, 1842 - 1882, Norfolk, May 1867 - Oct 1881, Box No. 16, Entry 3, 469 - 470.
William N. Jeffers, "William N. Jeffers endorsement", March 2, 1874, National Archives, Record Group 74 Records of Bureau of Ordnance, Letters Sent to Navy Yards & Stations, 1842 - 1882, Norfolk, May 1867 - Oct 1881, Box No. 16, Entry 3, 474.
William N. Jeffers, "William N. Jeffers endorsement", June 23, 1874, National Archives, Record Group 74 Records of Bureau of Ordnance, Letters Sent to Navy Yards & Stations, 1842 - 1882, Norfolk, May 1867 - Oct 1881, Box No. 16, Entry 3, 492.
William N. Jeffers, "William N. Jeffers to Thomas H. Stevens", September 10, 1874, National Archives, Record Group 74 Records of Bureau of Ordnance, Letters Sent to Navy Yards & Stations, 1842 - 1882, Norfolk, May 1867 - Oct 1881, Box No. 16, Entry 3, 1.
William N. Jeffers, "William N. Jeffers to Thomas H. Stevens", October 28, 1874, National Archives, Record Group 74 Records of Bureau of Ordnance, Letters Sent to Navy Yards & Stations, 1842 - 1882, Norfolk, May 1867 - Oct 1881, Box No. 16, Entry 3, 8.
William N. Jeffers, "William N. Jeffers to Thomas H. Stevens", November 9, 1874, National Archives, Record Group 74 Records of Bureau of Ordnance, Letters Sent to Navy Yards & Stations, 1842 - 1882, Norfolk, May 1867 - Oct 1881, Box No. 16, Entry 3, 13 -14.
William N. Jeffers, "William N. Jeffers to Thomas H. Stevens", November 28, 1874, National Archives, Record Group 74 Records of Bureau of Ordnance, Letters Sent to Navy Yards & Stations, 1842 - 1882, Norfolk, May 1867 - Oct 1881, Box No. 16, Entry 3, 20 - 21.
William N. Jeffers, "William N. Jeffers to Thomas H. Stevens", December 11, 1874, National Archives, Record Group 74 Records of Bureau of Ordnance, Letters Sent to Navy Yards & Stations, 1842 - 1882, Norfolk, May 1867 - Oct 1881, Box No. 16, Entry 3, 25.