The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-31

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Z HAIRs o. Tag VESSELS BgEr, III
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Now York Il ons Of the great ship yards Of the
wsxid- Il ID rapidly becoming the arst port N
- wor - u becsmihg the grestsst ship build
Ii1eG3 In the United States Our clippers astsnixh
Sknt nations with their neat and beautiful appear
ance, and our steamers have successfully competed
with the swiftest going mail packets Of Great Bri-
tan. Thus, in possessing large trade and fleets
Of vesse may be said to be ct the head Of crea-
tiea - far ~ commerce il concerned. for, in the
fsEhsst oerners Of the earth tho stars and stripes
Wsvs over New Yerk built vessels Tho history Of
commercial transactions generally arc full Of interest,"
but a especial i'm Is attached to the history
Of dip building in the Empire City, for IL may bs
said 70 stand without parallel. 1t is therefore,
with feelings of pleasure that We now lay before our
readers "the abstract and brief chronicles Of the
times In which We live" Our history is q COM
plsts oireumstaDces, time and space will permit.
The earliest New York ship builder, now known,
wss the grandfath her of DR. John G Chsessman, of
this city. But his operations were restricted to the
thea limited demand Of commerce, and what particu-
Lar vessels he ever did build is not known His son,
Tor, was also ship builder and wss burnt out some
tine In tho latter part Of his ife when al the books
and family records we're destroyed This was doubly
eqAate, Is the real history of their operations
would undoubtedly have constituted an important
part OF the history Of ship building in this city-
competing, ~ it would, its origin and progress for
many yess 1t is evident. however, that they were
competent and popular builders. Forman was once
offered. By Commodores Chsunoey and Decatur,
csntrasts for building al the government vessels;
but did mot accept tho offer, He, however, built
the United States frigate President, which proved
TO 10 The fastest sasr in the navy, and was taken
by the British when under command Of Commo dore
Deoatar. This vessel was launched in the year
1900. The ocossion was one Of great interest and
exoitsmsnt among the people; and thousands of
men, women and children, assembled to witness the
event.
The above date CSO0) was the beginning Of
ship baiiding era in New York. For, although NO
exact and definite account be given Of partiou-
lar txane stions in that line Of business at any time
previous, it u well known that until then tho ops.
rstions Of building confined to two or three in
dividuois-that no vessels Of any considerable size
Or Importance had then been buls by any ono and
that the launching Of craft Of almost any dsscrip
fiodeSaS an occasional, and, therefore. rare and
extraordinary event Even to . much later date it
was . prevailing impression that orders in thst
branch of business could be 20 we'll supplied here
~ in other cities Of the Union and to Philadephia
was awarded the palm aal others, in construct
ing large and sea worthy vessels.
After the Cheeseman's and their contemporaries,
kessrs. Samuel Ackerly, Thomas Vail, and william
(osnmonly called docsor) Vincent. came Henry
Ecaford, Adam, Noah, and Charles Brown; and seen
afterwaFd, Christian Bergh, Jsbez Williams, jacob
A. Westsrvelt, Isaac webb, john Allen, and others
efthslr stamp who formed the rank and Hls, estab-
kahed ahauaolves in several firms, and conducted
tAsir spers 0hs with so much skill, industry and
ttsliy, aa(kery sosn to secure TO New York name
md q = Among tho assion. of the earth.
Mr. Eckford, who had e~igrsted from Scotland to
this 6surtry, was man Of remarksb genius, and
has one Of the controlling spiris Of the age He
was most distinguished mechanic, an upright
and hsnersble brakeman, and . shrswd and saga
cisus politician; and by reason Of these qualities
and his pnsonal exsrtions, and an almost unbound.
ID inAusacs, great advantages were conferred on
tho ahirwsiehts Of the city, both in the form Of
gsvesA1heAtnAnd individual patronage. 1t was his
5S5 8 have New York ship builders sxcsl
$500 und hs would not withhold any means
I'D and suitable opportunity for en-
~ fsusn, especially the apprentices, with
2f nd rewards. To - great IN extent
GsstA0e this, that it is said Mr. Isaac Webb.
krsfwillian Il. and Eckford Webb, and
- his trade with Mr. Eckford, whom his
So srorsntioeship expired, was in possession
~ A. 6s1ki6h he had received during his term
~ s.SaS - Mr.. E., in addition to bis stipsn-
s;.~v go Dush asts Of generosity and f6sndship,
=. - ~ the master toward His apprentices,
,-.aWXh NTH . spirit Of emulation ~ we'll ~
-S1Esa1 ~ they would not only labor more as
I1.r~1vs ~ they would strive to improve In their
49, - t1ir muniGeent patron and teacher had
,.....-. ksm 70 do.
-AsfSS lated. Mr. Eckford was man Of ex-
sities and acquire nents, and exercised
!. posvsrf influence in establishing aad promot-
a. ~. Aip1 syildiDg interest in this city He
came 70 New York in the year 1896, snd be-
gan BY working for 81 rs per diem, in q boat
building -estabhshmspt In Dover street, in waich
employ hs remained fer seine two or three months
part ss IN S:s YsE
nneN61M After few years, he estsblished him
eelf In the ship building business on his own q,
count, in connection with one Captain Beebe. At
che commencement Of tho embargo, having been
quite suscesxui in business, he bought out his
Iosiats In 1877, the command ft1e Navy Yard
nj BROOKLYN was rendered 70 him BY the President
Of the United States. On arst coming into the
yard 70 assume tho duties aud responsibilities of his
ofhos, he observed pair Of horses in the smiths
shop, which belonged to the Commodore, and had
been stAt there for the purpose OF being shod he
ordered them to be taken away immediately, ad-
ding, % that the shops there for the vessels,
and not for the Oommodofe's horses and strictly
ssjoinsd Il upon them not TO do anything in the
shops without his orders.
u I81 carte blanche was presented to him BY
LIZ U1kv, fer the office Of Attorney General. But
1T wishing for anything in that way he did not 40
1ope the offer. In the month Of June, 1891 he
0iled Tor tinople, where be had been invi-
"a By the Sultan, to lake command Of the Turkish