Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-07-23
WIImegIOn. lnoe. sGlgiy2S, 1885


wumestvn. lpoe, All hiy2S 1885,
aos che Father of American ship |
bulldog.
The collapse OF John Rohch, though
unexpected by the country at large, is not
surprise to the legitimate shipbuilders
Of America, of whom Mr.. Roach wns
hardly one, He has always been a specp-
latiye hplilder7-on who depended more ON
hyoriiism and subsidies and sharp prac-
nee and great blowing than upon the
sound and square principle of giving
honest yg.lue in labor and materials for
money received, and it WIS forgone
concluaion among steady going men
OF the trade that the big bubble
oI business which he had blown
up and kept dancing with so
much puffery before the eyes Of the un-
initiated multitude must burst when the
forces which had inflated it were with
drawn. II may not be generally known,
but there are many who do know that Mr..
Roach started his dashing business ca
reer upon contract gotten through the
favor of the old Tweed ring in New York,
and he has been favored ever since, until
the advent of the present national ad-
ministration, with patronage that has
smaeked rather of political fayoritism
and the methods of the successful lobby
list than Of sound business principles
The Philadelphia Times of this morning
deals with Mr.. Roach's methods of bust
ness very clearly as follows:
John Roaeh has been the favorite con-
tractor OF the navy department for 20 years,
and much scandal has grown out of his
government operations. How far they
were Just and how far unjust, il is needless
now to inquire. Ii Is enough to accept the
fact, whether justified or not, that Congress
and the country long since lost faith in the
integrity OF the navy department, and the
advent of "a new administration called for
searching inquiry into the methods and the
honesty of naval contracts. 1t was not a
demagogical within Of Secretary Whitney
it was a necessity imposed upon him by the
country, and he could not disregard its
mandate.
Secretary Whitney was compelled to deal
with facts as they are. He saw that John
Roach was practically without competition
in obtaining great naval contracts-th is
he could always contract to do the same
work cheaper than even more experienced
ship-builders could do it. That fact logically
presented one of two conclusions either
that Roach could do the same work cheaper
than other, or that he could underbid then
and make up his profits by favoritism on
extras and deficiency in the standard o.
work. II is generally believed that Roach
could not do the same work cheaper thar
others, and II is as generally believed tina
favoritism in the allowance for extras or il
the acceptance OF imperfect vessels enabled
him to distance all competitors in dealing
with such naval secretaries rs Robson and
Chandler. p
The action of Secretary Whitney in put
ting the Dolphin to more severe tests THAI
We're common by his predecessors wa
doubtless the beginning of the fnancia
troubles OF John Roach. The Dolphin ha
been rejected; that rejection involves tn
probable rejection Of other vessels unde
contract with Roach, and the assignment o
Roach was doubtless the part of wisdom
even if a fair estimate Of his assets woul
make him solvent. His credit and his re
sources are in positive peril and he ha
taken the cautionary step Of assigning hi
property in trust for creditors until the in
tegrity OF his contracts with the government
shall be- verified
It is both amusing and exasperating I
see this man held ont to the world b
New York papers as "the father of Amer
can ship building" ''the builder of nint
tontlis of the iron steamers now flying til
American flag and similar nonsens,
We feel almost like apologizing to Wi
iningtonians over the necessity of reite
ating, for the information of such wilfull
blind journals, that the manufacture
iron boats lad been established in tn
city when Mr. Roach was hard
more than boy. The Harll
Il Hollingsworth Company's worl
dnte back to the year 1S3
period of So years before the purcha
by Mr.. Roach of the Chester plant of 4
moribund firm of Reaney Sons Il Arc
bold and the Pussy " Jones Coinpan,
works date back to 1852. The iron bol
constructed at these Wilmington var
were known all over the civilized woi
long before Mr.. Roach was heard Of as
shipbuilder and there is hardly ma
gable river, bay or sound of the wht
western CONT ent which has not been cl
time and again by the keels of Wilmii
ton-built steamers. II is hardly necess,
to add that when this father of Amerit
shipbuilders" started business Mt Ches
he drew chiefly upon Wilmington for
foremen and skilled worknen- men "
had learned their trades and shown I'll
worth here and without whose practi
services even the most liberal off,
favoritism could not have made
Chester venture success.
We do not like to hit man when Ii
down, but we cannot allow John Ru
to be held out to the world as 'the fat
of American shipbuildingn even
fair representative of American 81
without this word of prot
We regret the collapse of Mr.. Ro
chiefly ON account of the people
Chester. The Delaware River Iron s.
building and Engine Works is the Ii
of that furnishing city and its fall car
but prove terrible disaster to humid
of families and an irretrievable bio
the prosperity of Chester.
~
A fair correspondent objects to
Mother Hubbard costume ms "indehc
and compliments the people of Nor
for inn1lo1lrntinp IA warfare ngninst