The New York herald., 1873-10-21
Unskilled American Labor Turning Out
Models of Nautical ArcbiteC ure.
THE FLEET ON THE STOCKS
An Unsightly Swamp Transformed Into a
Hive Of Happy Industry.
PROCESSES OF CONSTRUCTION.
Coal and Iron Traced from the Pennsyl-
vania Ore Beds Through their Several
Stages Of Manufacture Till They
Proudly Float the Stars and
Stripes on Every Ocean.

Proudly Float the Stars and
Stripes on Every Ocean.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 20. 1879.
The revival OF American snipbulldingl How few
understand its present significance or can tell you
what 1t means. The subject comes before the
reader so Unexpectedly that it takes him entirely
by surprise, and yet it Is one in which he, an
American, can well feel proud With those topics
which do not in these days fill the columns OF the
press the public generally remains uniformed;
and as shipbullding, since its revival. aside from
mere passing mention. has been one OF these
themes, the people at large little imagine its
present magnitude or the proportions 1t is ulti-
mately destined to assume. Suppose certain
locality which you remembered as swamp
should in the space OF two brief years
be made to bloom and blossom like a gar
den; suppose the air which once heard only
the cry OF the water fowl should within that time
be filled with the smoke Of noisy foundries capable
of furnishing employment for 1900 men and paying
out to them s3S,0OO per week. What would you
think Of fthiss In the fullest sense of the word this
is precisely what the revival OF American ship
building has done In one neignborhood which 1
will name.
Let US 90 to Chester, Pa. 1t is a ride Of but
tnree-quarters or an hour from Philadelphia. The
open country, dressed in all the spendors Of
autumn, will be delightful after the dreary mono-
tony OF town. We glide over section slightly
rolling, across graceful landscapes and slowly
moving streams. We nit past little Gothic
railway stations, very like the beautiful
boat houses OF which we can catch
glimpse away down upon the other side OF the
schuylkil and, actually before we are aware Of it
we have reached our destination. After brisk
walk OF twenty minutes through o sleepy old.
fashioned town, YOU confront scene to which no
other quarter OF our country furnishes parallel.
You about you suburban district, laid off and
built in rows of pleasant, tasty cottages. You
catch a view OF well dressed women and orderly,
respectable men. The women are for the most
part engaged in household cares, and the men ap-
parently come from one point. One thing you
notice particularly, and that is An immense
amount Of noise. 1t SOUNDS as II 100000 men
| were pounding upon q corresponding number OF
! resounding steam boilers.
IRON sHIPBUILDING.
| You are in the premises OF the Delaware River
Steamship Building and Boiler Works. The im-
mense clatter you hear is that Of riveting the sec
tions OF an American ship, funny thing surely,
and one which three years ago, except by the pro-
prietor OF the yard Mr. John Roche, and q few
Others was hardly dreamed Of You see river
front OF immense length and large area filed
midst OF a thriving, popuous town. This stands in
the near vicinity of Philadelphia and OF this fact,
as Pennsylvania, you feel proud 1t is within
three hours ride Of New York, Baltimore and
washington, and hence in the very centre Of
American enterprise and civilization. Here the
Delaware River is at the deepest and broadest
point Right over there are hills rich in their
MINES OF IRON AND COAL.
You can see the verdure growing upon the m
with the naked eye. Above them tower mighty
forests. The atmosphere is delightful, and winter
lasts only two months in the year. What better
circumstances than these could possibly exist for
the quick, rapid and. satisfactory construction OF
American ships Mr.. Roche asked himself these
questions two years ago, and straightway trans
formed a wilderness into a workshop Behold the
chlmneys towering upward Look at the geam-
ing fires. Listen TO the clang OF the anvils. See
those grand vessels going rapidly up IN the stocks.
View the streaming pennanrs OF those three beau.
tiiul barks riding the tlde and tell your neghbor
what you think OF 1t. Every portion OF those ships
was made in these yards. Their keels, their ribs,
their Doiiers their machinery, their cabins were
all constructed right here.
THE TRADE BEFORE THE WAR.
Contrast this with the conditions existing before
the war, when American shipbuliding was consid.
along the East River part OF New York you would
find the yards OF w. H. Webb with two ships under
way. Bell Brown would also be busy at two,
and Roosevelt Joice with two more. Their yards
were necessarily small in territorial extent, and
every case given out to great many different
contractors. Hence the various sections OF q ves-
many minor establishments existing under vary.
ing management The writer can cite one In
stance n which the copper OF vessel was put'on
by SIX dlnefent coppersmthing firms.
THE NEW MODE
Not so is American shIpbuiiding done at Chester.
Here, from beginning to end, from the time she
looms up an unseemy skeleton until she glides
away perfect ship, every part, every inch OF her,
is made right in this spot. When company needs
a hot IN RI Jo ia IN and har nrnp
tons to Mr. Roche, and up she goes as If by magic.
Notice, too, how pleasing are all the factories,
architectural point OF view. You are struck at
once with the tidness and harmony OF everything
about you and wonder at 1t.
The idea OF this establishment was laughed to
scorn when proposed to Englishmen, and sleepy
old Congressmen In Washington leaned back IN
"No, Mr.. Roche, we are very sorry but it really
can't be done.n
Yet this determined American went to work.
Let us see what he has effected. In a single year
he has built the Mistletoe, San Antonlo Garden
Ship 1877 snip 13s (Pacihc Mail line], Ship lse NAL
lory Incl. cathay, Miphon, ship i4l tod Dominion
The greater part OF these are already completed.
This growth Of American shipbuding In twelve
months is unparalleled in history and calls for no
these ships, OF their elegance, speed and comfort,
OF the men who built them note Will be made here.
after, while for the present 1t might be interesting
TO enter the shops and see
HOW OUR SHIPS ARE MADE
Let me take you TO the nOulu lOll. III Is Sltuateu
Just above the joiners' shop. II is more than 800
feet long, aud It's width Is proportionate to Its
length. It appears to be empty and deserted as II
1t had been constructed for the purpose storage
wnile its out-oi-the-way locality was such that 1t
could never pay. You see no benches, scaffoIding
or Tools No scraps OF wood iron, copper, lead,
zinc any other material involved In the construc-
| tion oil a snip. When you look over the floor you
| catch view OF nothing but space, and when you
! look above you behold nothing but sharp pointed
| roof All unexpectedly, however, as your eyes
| wander away In advance OF your feet. you
| behold man, the only Individual beside yourself
| in the room. He does not look up but keeps his
/ eyes fixed upon chart lying before him. At his
left Is large piece OF WOOD and at his right pair
| OF compasses. he IS really the ship builder. All
! the beautiful vessels (which we shall presently