Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-12-06
The sr1n Works.

HFSh w VEEAS.
The following is the statement sent by Captain
| G. G. Go:s to the members Of the city E:usnce
| Committee, referred TO in tho GAZETTE on Satur-
| day, which he asks them to consider when Coup-
Gil shall take action in relation to collecting taxes
on the property of the Potomac Iron Shipbuildinr
| Company:
Statement Of Work done Gy The Potomac Muptacipr-
| ing Co. and Virginia Iron Shipbuiidiny Co.
Inc Potomac Manu- :acturlng Co. commenced
| operations a. their works il Acxauira in the
| spring of 1881, putting in Vapor Fuel Furnaces
| Tor the manufacture of iron blooms. One OF these
furnaces was completed during this year and the
| manufacture Of blooms was commenced.
DurlRg the year 1852 two moro furnances were
| put In, and improvements and alterations were
| made. Two hundred ana sevcnty.fivc tons of
| iron was made to the value CT $4,000. Archie:
| claims that over $4,000 was expended on the
works.
In June Or July Of 1892 Goss and Sawyer
turned over to the Z. NJ. Co. contract 10 build q
threc-masted schooner for Capt. A. 4. Duncan and
| others. This schoone: vas completed IL DeceIr-
| Der ut cost Of over $4,000 ard employing from
| fifty to seventy five men during her construction
| The 1harvcs around Pioneer Mills were rebuilt.
bulk head put IN and filled in with earth at cost
| of some $4,000.
ship yard Eas lifted Cup, blocks laid launch.
| ing ways put in. derrick, steam box, stage polcs
| brow stage built block screws saws. lrenail ma
chimes, pIaGer, engines and other yard tools and
| building put up; all Of which cost f5 O0G
| In the spring OF 1888 a schooner was STATED
! for Capt. Anderson and others, and completed in
September employing some fifty men a:ld cost .ng
$4,000. During this tine & syndicate was
formed and purchased the plant Of the T. NJ Co.
| for $4,000 and the Y. l. S. B. co. vas organized
Two of the directors went to England aud visited
tho Iron Shiphuiidng ya'ds there &nG on the
| Clyde ascertaining the cost OF tools and ma.
chinery required for iron shipbuilding. Some
| wealthy capitalists had taken st,cS i'll the V |.
| S. y. CO. and it was expected that the company
would put in rolling mill and plant for building
| iron ships In the winter Of 1883 and 1854
! the engines were taken from tho Pioneer Mills
| (it having bsen asccttaincd that they were rot
| suitable for the present mode Of making flour or
| suitable for IN elevator which the company had
hoped TO put in) and taken over II the iron
| works, and granite blocks were pat in for the
foundation OF the engines and rolling mill The
| east wall of tho iron mill was removed and put
| up 80 feet towards the river and walls started
| and partly completed. Before this time freights
| began to decline and finally reached point so
low that there was no demand for sailing vessels
| Tor the foreign carrying trade. Iron mills were
| clo5ing up all over the country ard there were
| many failures among iron manufacturers there
was no demand for iron ~ u price that would pay
| for making
| This continued through the summer oI 1854,
| and in November It was thought advisable by the
directors OF the company 10 suspend operations
| until there revival in business and tho
| force that hai been employee at the companys
works was discharged and only two men were Ie
tanned.
| In 1885 and 1856 4 steam dredge was built IS
| tho works st cost OF some $50 900, and some
| thirty men were employed from July, 1883, TO
April 1856
This drcdgc would not have been built here if
the ship yard had not been fitted with launching
| ways and machinery.
| In March, 1856, the iron works were leased to
| a. L. Hams for making charcoal iron blooms, for
| which there was 8 small demand, with the cxpcc.
tation that it would lead to other and larger opcr
ations paving the way for putting in rolls. he
| lease with Hams having been cancelled by mu-
| tual consent the mills was leased to 0. r. Ford
Some 100 tons of blooms have been lnanufac-
turcd, valued at S5 900, and it is expected that
! the force will be increased. The other improve
ments made ON the works amount to some 50 900
and the amount expended and values produced
amount to 1912 600
1t has been the hope and expectation that the
shipbuilding interest would revive so that we
could induce capitalists to invest il this plant
here in Alexandria, and it has been our earnest
endeavor to keep the property clear from attach
ments aud to avoid litigation which would detc.
capitalists from investing here in an enterprise
which have faith to believe will yet revive, and
when il does we would like to be in 2 condition 10
improve it.
trust your nonors will meet this tax bill in q
spirit of fairness and we shall continue efforts
to bring business to Alexandria which your city
will be proud of and which will amply repay your
citizens for their long forbcarancc.
1SS2-Furances, 275 tons of iron ~ 10000
| Archer claims expended ............. $4,000
Schooner for Capt. 4. A. Duncan. 10000
| WharveS around Pioneer Mills. ) 600
Ship yard fitted up, &c............. 5000
1SS3-Schooner for Capt. AnGerson..... 10000
SS5.SG-Steam dred ge......... ............ 10000
$50 tons of blooms. ................ 5000
Other improvements ............ 5000
$4,000
Respectfully submitted
G. c. Goss,