Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-01-28
IRON SHIP BUILDING IN AMER
TCA

The Philadelphia Post, In the course OF
some general remarks upon the great advan-
tages enjoyed by the towns on the Della
ware, of which Philadelphia is the chief cen-
tire, says;-
Here there is iron and coal in abundance,
and the cheapness OF these staples is neces-
sary TO successful and large manufacture.
Nature has made Philadelphia the seat OF
the business, for around 1t are the inexhaus-
tible fields of iron and coal of Pennsylvania;
the material is at our doors. Tue fresh wa
ter of the Delaware Is another advantage,
and ii should be remembered that that great
ly influenced the Naval department in or
dering the United States iron clads to
League Island. Mechanical skilled labor of
the best kind is abundant, and wages are
cheaper than in other American cities.
But the F'ost falls into a most extraor-
binary error when it says that at present
'ninety-fve per cent. of the manufacture in
America, [of iron shipsl is carried on in
philadelphia On the contrary, the
building of ordinary sea-gong iron vessels
and iron river steamboats,, is now actually
confined to Wilmington, and Of the whole
number of this class built In the United
States, for the last ten years, but a very
small proportion have been constructed else
where.
Philadelphia has at present but a single
firm engaged in this business and that in a
very small way, being scarcely known out
side that immediate locality as an iron ship
building firm, and never having constructed
anything but some small river steamboats,. .
The Post still speaking of Philadelphia
firms says 1--WE may state that five firms have
at least 800, 900 each investedin machinery
and tools alone. These are Willinm Cramp
& Sons Reany, Son & Archbold, Pussy q
Jones, Harlan, Holingsworth & Co., and
Neafie & Levy"
Now of these firms, the Harlan & Iollinss-
worth Company, which has built more iron
vessels than all the rest Of the firms Of this
country put together, is u Wilmington CON
Germ and has no business connection with
Philadelphia except to build all the steam
boats that city needs. Pussy, Jones & Co.,
the firm which has undoubtedly built the
next largest number of iron vessels is also
located in this city, and they have recently
madc prepatations for greatly charging theiI
works.
In relation TO the value of the machinery,
that of at least one of the Wilmington firms
named In the Post $ list is worth over $3.50.
900, aud that of the other cannot fall fai
short ofthis.
| Otr h,i11ore nj M ., far tls
ocean commerce of the world and English
firms, and one of our firms at least has dem
onstrated its ability to complete these sue
cessfully. The Panama Railroad Company
recently wished to build fine large sea-going
steamer TO lily between Panama and point.
on the Central American Coast. They sent
specifications to the builders of the celebrat
ed Cunard Steamers, on the Clyde, and tc
the Harlan & Hollingsworth Company. The
bid Of the last named firm was the lowest ant
it secured the contract. The steamer, th,
Costa Rica was launched and sent away
from here about two months ago and gives
perfect aaiiafoatier.
We are willing to give 10 Philadelphia al
the honor for enterprise it desires, but whel
its journals claim that it is the centre Of tn
iron ship-building interest in the country W
demur. This city is beyond question, til
centre, and its limits almost iscludes the Gil
conference Of this business.
Reany Son & Archbold have probably er
gagged as largely in building iron boats as an
firm outside of Wilmington yet they al
$ no, located in Philadelphia but at Chester.
l. This leaves but two firms in Philadelphi'
+ one Of which has abandoned this bushes
! and the other has but recently engaged in