Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-23
TO BUILD BIG SHIPS.
The Establishment of Huge Plant Begun
ut Newport News, Va.


The announcement that Coils p. Hunt
ington is building ship-yard at Newport
News, Va. which he claims will be the big
gest establishment Of the kind in this
country, has caused the ship-builders
of this city To open their eyes.
The first instalment Of the plan. dry
dock 900 feet long, was completed two
months ago. Other portions of the works
are being built or planned in this city as
rapidly as wise heads and skilled hands can
proceed with them. Primarily. this ship
yard is intended rs an adjunct 10 Mr.
Huntington's vast steamship and railway
interests. In addition To his Iranscon-
tinental railway line, Mr.. Hunting
ton is the principal owner IN the
Morgan Line of steamers and the United
States and Brazilian Mail Steamship
Company. which runs ships from New York
To Brazil. touching at Newport News. Be
sides doing new work and repairs for these
lines, for which alone Cramp x Sons have
built five steamships during the last three
years, the yards will build steel vessels
of every class. and after the first year will
figure "a a competitor for the construction
of Government war-ships.
The yard will be in operation by the be-
ginning of next year, and at that time
keels will be laid for two steel freight
steamers Of $500 tons each. The first por-
ton of the plant to be built will cost about
$500, 600. The concern will be styled the
Chesapeake and Ohio Dry Dock and Con-
struction Company, and, although {. b.
circuit is the president, the heaviest owner
is Mr.. Huntington.
The buildings will include a tool-shcd
$50 feet by 100; blacksmith-shop. $50 feet
10y 40; bending platform and furnace, 800
feet by 100; joiner, carpenter, and pat
tern-shop and mold-lOft, 300 feet by 60. and
sbrar or A r,,..biva llgt, foot Hxr
60. fitted with tools from the ship-yard ut
Newburgh, n. Y. which Mr.. Huntington
recently purchased. is already completed
and in working order. There will be
brass foundry. and an iron foundry will
probably be built later.
Henry Konitzky. who has been with
Cramp & Sons for fifteen years. resigned
his position as superintendent of conStruc-
tion last week. and will have entire charge
of the new ship-yard He Is now making
arrangements in this city for the purchase
of machinery for the works. and viii award
contracts for the first instalment, amount
Ing TO $4,000, next Monday. James
Younger, who came from }. W. IL
der d Co., of Glasgow. to Cramp d
Sons, where he has been superintendent of
the engineering department for many
years, has accepted a similar position IN
Mr. HuntngtOns establishment. and seyc-
TAI others 81 the D"St-kuoWn sNlp-buhuluE
engineers Of this city are going 20 Newport
News. When ready for work the yards and
shops will employ 1000 men. Mr.. Hunt
ington owns great amount of property
about the site Of the yards on the James
river. and It Is MS intention 30 build mp "A
model city of workingmen. Seventy-hye
houses for employees Of the yard. Will be
built at once. and others will follow
quickly.
II is expected that n large number Of
coal barges VIII be built IN the new yards
for the carrying trade from Newport News
and that a number Of steam colliers will be
constructed for new line that Mr.. Hunt
ington intends 10 establish, running to
New England ports.