The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-04-14
A THRIVING TOWN.
Newport News. Waits Growth with
in u Few Years Has Been Phenome
nal-A Great Manufacturing Place.


NEWPORT News, April 10, 1892. AL left
| Old Point Comfort and came toMthis
place yesterday, over the Chest ~ axe
d Ohio Railroad, and although | had
heard much about IL previous to com
ing. ] was surprised to find it town
of such great Importance. Thirty
years ago do not suppose there were
thirty houses in the place. but now
there are nice streets, filled with com
Portable dwellings, Rents. however,
are high, for the simple reason that
there are not sufficient houses to meet
the demand. Small frame stores on
the main street, rent readily ut from
| $50 to .l09 month.
| There is an abundance OF fish, but
| the prices are fully as high, If not high
er than in Wilmington. The same can
DO said Of meat and vegetables, and
white potatoes. which can be bought
| in Wilmington ut - cents a basket,
command that price per peck here.
There are no paved streets and even
! the main thoroughfares are covered
with oyster shells, the same as the
eauseway between Wilmington and
New Castle.
The town was founded in 1907, and
has become historical. 1t is located
upon the southerly point OF tho Vir.
ginia Peninsula, between tho James
river and the Chesapeake bay. II
stands upon level plateau, well ele.
waited above the waters OF the James
river. The waters in front oil the town
have sufficient depth to accomm odate
tho largest ships.
There is vast amount OF capital in.
vested here, Us is evidenced by an i'm
mense grain elevator, with capacity
OF 1900, 600 bushels OF grain from
which vessels are loaded for all parts
of the world. There are also several
large coal wharyes and very large
ship building plant, a description Of
which will write in another letter.
AS | stood 90 one OF the coal wharves
this morning had part Of the United
States ship Cumberland pointed out
to me, which still lays where she sunk
by the rebel ram Merrimac This for.
midable craft was, at the time OF the
secession OF Virginia, known as the
Virginia, and laid at Norfolk navy
yard. When the yard was captured,
the vessel was covered with iron and
turned into a ram.
There was Il largo knife, or arm,
placed ct the bow, and wooden veB-
sells were at her mercy. The Cumber.
land was one OF the victims, and al
though she made gallant resistance,
was actually cut in two and sunk
| Win Juo iidR ilSlLb. L llB mtItlln0t, Il s
the ram had heen named by tho rebels
came out once too often, and was sur
prised to find something that looked
like cheese box on n acow, waiting
for her. This was the famous Monitor,
designed by ErricsoTt, and the battle
which onsued between tho monsters
will never be forgotten by some of The
old residents who witnessed It. The
heavy shower OF shot and shell poured
on the rebel ram by tho plucky little
Monitor soon disabled her, and she
made her escape UP the James river
where she remained during the war.
Alter the war closed tho Old Domin.
ion Land Company bought the greater
part OF the ground on which this town
stands, large quantity OF which was
afterwards sold but this company
still holds 1900 acres. Much OF this
has been, and still is being divided up
into building lots, and it seems to me
that the surveyors are continually at
work. There is an immense hotel here
called the Hotel Warwick, which al
though plain on tho outside, Ia fitted
up and furnished In the handsomest
and hest manner. Vessels are almost
continually lying at the coal wharyCs,
heing loaded with black diamonds,
which are taken to almost all parts OF
the world.
AS this Is convenient port OF entry
hundreds OF oceAn steamers also come
here to repleilish their fuel, and In the
event of a war with o foreign nation
Newport News would he one of the
most important supply posts on the
coast.
Some idea of the vast amount OF
business transacted hero can be found
from the following, taken from the
Manufacturers Record;
he exports from Newport News
for February. 1891. Were S2,O3s, $50,
which was only s4lS,000 loss than the
exports from Philadelphia for the
same month. The value OF bread
stulis alone shipped from this port
during March, 1891, Wits $T65 O95, and
the cash value of the entire exports
for 1891 was Sl2.ol5, 74S."
This is doing pretty we'll for what
may lie called Il new town, the pupu
lation OF which does not exceed 0Gl
One great drawback to tho place is
the water, which III my opinion is an-
tit for use. A movement Is NOM on
foot to establish u water works, but
they will have 10 lie located some II
miles from the town, The surveys
have been made, and this spring, II
miles of lS-iICA wafer mains will be
LAID and 4 substantial pump house and
stand PHO erected. This makes II
probable that before another year the
people will haYe full supply Of pure
water. There is n steam ire engine
here, but IL puzzles Inc to understand
where the water could lie obtained in
the event of all extensive eontlagra-
ton. Itlerc is also an electric light
plant, and In a short time the streets
will all lie lighted 10y electricity. The
great influx OF people from the North
h given the town spirit OF pro
Gfess such US IL never before expert.
eneed.
y stranger secs many amusing sights
here, among them being the great
number of oxen that are used to draw
all kinds of vehicles The BEASTS are
used sinEly, and driven with reins and
Il bit, the same as horse. Yesterday
] saw man serving milk from AN old
cushioned vehicle, drawn by sedRto
OK, and from the deliberate manner
| that the animal moved, il Was a won
der TO me, ii tie route WAS as large as
some served by the Wilmington milk
men, when he would ever get through
| The mail from tho North arrives here
| late III the afternoon. and last evening
there was a string OF probably fifty
| men IN line ut tho p0stOhiee. waiting
| their turn to get up To the wiLduWanu
| ascertain II there were any messages
Tor them from friends OF home
| II reminded me of similar scenes
| during my experience in the army.
HE industries oil this place will be
the subject OF my neAt letter, and
| lilnlt description OF the largo works