Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-10-20
FIRST EDITOR.
Wooden Ship BuIldIng,

OUR sHIpBuIIDERs BUSY, THE FUTURE ENooURA-
GING. .,-, all. a,f "a
II is gratifying to know that, in the midst Of a
general depression in most branches Of the man
'dfacturing ihterests Of Wilmington; the present
and future prospeota OF wooden ship building is
bright and encouraging. 4i''iil rnp f.H.H
In by-gone years the sound Of the caulking
hammer and foot adze from the ship yards OF
the Bhrkes the. Kirkmahs, the Thstchers, and
the Moores was welcome music to our ears
and it was almost Incredible of belief that with
in the space of ten or twelve years. these busy
sounds should have been no effectualy hnshed,
and all the yards on the Brandywine and Christ
iana with but two exceptions closed, not be-
cause our mechanics were less skillful than
those OF other COUNTRIES but on account of the
Troublesome times OF the late rebellion and the
establishment of numerous yards throughout
the entire length of the Peninsula. on both bays.
A short ramble through the two remaining
ship yards of our city impresses us with the be-
lief that the hacyon days of ship building were
once more about to dawn upon us The only two
firms now engaged In building wooden ships
mere are those Of the jackson 4 Sharp Comps1,
nv, at the foot of Seventh street, aud Enoch
Moore Jr, at the foot of Fourth street. both
on the Christiana. The first employs
about 80 hands, and is superintendent by y. ker-
shaw and A. Burton, two we'll known and prac'
tical ship-buders. The other is personally super
intended by -Mr..Moore himself, with. Bennett
Matlack, ,an experienced ship builder, as foreman
of flie yard. - q"
Work in these yards, at the present time.is un-
usually active. and for good practical ship-car-
penters, ateAdy employment Is sure. =.
Within o short time past, the jackson Sharp
Company have overhauled and repaired the FOX;
I lowing vessels 20 -
Schooner ~ b. Wheaton, belonging to 'Phila-
delphia, rebullt. II
Canal Barges, Lady LoueliI. Mary Josephine,
and A. McReeuer, ali having been wrecked on
the Oliesapeake and Delaware Canal during the
recent ~. ,Gsotges food, oyerhaulsd and repair
the two msstsd schooner W,a Pigeon Of
Taunton, Massachusetts,, 800 tons burthen.
Thoroughly rebuilt. y tth ~ Rs"> IL,
- -Fhere uTe now either on the ways or Fin the
docks the following vessels which are underway
Schooner, Britain, $40, tons lburthen, belong
ing to Great Egg aarbor, New Jersey, being re-
Three masted schooner Ida BirchaA, 600 tons
burthen, belonging TO Toms River, New Jer-
sew. Having new deck frame and deck. put ini
1hecompany have also under why a new steam
Barge for Charles Warner x Co., Of the follow
ing dimensions .-103 fee over all in length, ~
feet inches beam, 6 feet inches In the hold,
and $50 tons bnrthen. The keel OF TINS vessel
is laid and the frame erected
The workmen have oninenced laying the keel
Of A three masted schooner which is l25 feet keel
"a feet beam, 10 feet hold and to be OF b2O tons
burthen. This vessel VIII be built OF the best
Delaware white oak, and lined With Southern
pine, -, la' LfH'l ~ 'n .'-H
: Besides all these already mentioned, the com
papy have contracted for the building OF two
barges next Spring, for the Pennsylvania Hall
road Company. .sdl -. .g.l.-i,..t.
In Moores shipyard the workmen are busy and
some difficulty is experienced In finding good
practical ship carpenters. The following named
vessels are either on the ways or in the dock
for repairS:
Tug boat, Col Beo,oa, belonging to the
| Churchman Brothers, is being overhsuied and
| repaired aud will be launched in few days. The
| Margaret PLater, a powder schooner, belonging
| to the Messrs DUPONT has heen oyerhauled and
| was launched Thursday evening, 49,
| Tue schooner Speed, one OF the wrecks OF ne
canal food at st, Georges,i is undergoing repairs.
| Besides these. MIR. Moore has on the ways q
| tug boat bnt partially built, and when finished
/ viii be for sale. II was commenced when ship
building was dullsr than 1t is now, in order to
1 give employment to the hands, and will be I'm
ished whenever there is sale for such boat; H.,
Altogether shipbullding ls looking up 10 WI
mington, and our buiidsrs, talk hopefully OF the
/ future. - ...l. a