The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-04-15
A THRIVING INDUSTRY.
The Great Ship Building Plant and
Dry Dock at Newport News-A Vast
Outlay of Capitai-Many Whining
tonians Here.

NEWPORT NEWS, April 10, 1882.
years ago Coils p. Huntington, OF
New York, concluded TO establish q
large ship building and dry dock In
some Southern city, and with that OBJ
ject In view visited a number of places.
He finally concluded that Newport
News was the best for his purpose and
purchased large piece OF land on the
James river. He first constructed a
large dry dock, which was opened in
April 1889 and the monitor Puritan was
the first to enter 1t for repairs. This
dock ia tho largest In this country. be-
ing over 600 feet long, and l20 feet
wide at the top, with capacity sufli-
cient for two large vessels.
When l visited it yesterday there
was large English steamer in for re-
pairs, but she looked small In this i'm
mense basin. There is patented ar
rangement at the opening to the dock
by which the water is let in, and when
| the vessel is safe inside all the water is
| pumped out in one hour and-a-half.
After the dry dock was completed
other buildings were commenced, six
| teen of which are now finished.
The first is the office building three
stories high and 40x200 feet Here are
an army OF clerks, each busy attending
to his duties. The pattern and Joiner
shop was the next visited, and in here,
the same as in all parts OF the works
the newest, most improved and finest
machinery has been introduced to IA
cilitate the labor of the men. This
building is 60X300 feet and is OF itself
hive of industry.
The next is the machine shop 100 by
800 feet, constructed of iron and brick,
and the managers claim that 1t is the
finest and most extensive place OF the
kind in this country. In addition to
the other machinery il is lifted up
with several powerful cranes operated
with hydraulic pressure. each OF which
can pick up pieces OF machinery
weighing 40 tons, and place them
wherever desired. These powerful
pieces Of machinery. which can DO OPP
| Grated by one man. are the result OF
| considerable study and experiment by
AlonZo Pennington OF Wilmington,
| who holds responsible position at
the works. All the other machinery
in the entire plant was fitted up by
Joseph Hopes, a former Whining
/ tonian. who ut one time WINS the pro-
prietor OF the Washington House, but
now resides here and il the millwrlght
for the entire establishment. Among
the large machines in this shop are
immense planners, drills, lathes and in
fact everything that the skill or in
| genuity OF man can invent.
A new machine for doing certain
kinds OF work, las been ordered at a
cost Of s25, COZ, and Will be in place in
/ a few weeks.
| Tho next building is boiler shop,
built OF brick, and l0Ox300 feet in size.
A large number of iirst.clas5 meehan-
les were bnsy in this department on
the three large boilers for tie steam
er FL Sund, recently. launched. These
boilers are the largest | ever saw and
Will weigh about 90 tons each.
The blacksmith shop is OF brick,
| l0UN300 feet, and contains not only
| large number of FORCES, but q vast
the heavy work is done by machines,
and there are hammers here that
strike blow OF many tons.
| There Is also tie benuing shop, COX
1871 feet; the ship filters shop, 60.320
feet; the blacksmith shop, l90x20S feet;
the pipe filters shop, 50x30S feet and
| the power-house 40Xl30 feet, where all
the power used in this vast establish
| ment is generated.
Ine steam Is conveyed from here by
| subways to the different buildings,
| whore 1t ID utilized. In addition to
| the other buildings there is n lumber
1 81
| which is packed with lumber. There
is also pump house. 43x60; feet II
paint shop, 50X60 feat; u two story
stable, i0xb0 feet "a time keepers house
5Oxi0 feet, and a lifting up shop 50xl15
feet. Nearly ali these buildings are
constructed OF brick and among them
all there arc but four OF frame. Zach
building is lighted by electricity, Which
Is generated by powerful dynamos III
tho works. Experiments are now be-
ing nude with view OF applying
electricity to some of tho machinery,
which will no doubt prove successful.
lhe eutiro plant occupies about IS
acres OF ground, about u acres of
which are COY cred with buildings. The
water frontage Is about half Il mile,
and the speciality OF the company is
the building OF iron and steel steam
ships.
Tho Ell Sud, which WAC recently
launched, is tie first vessel OF the
kind ever built in the South and the
successful manner in Which the worn.
WIS accomplished marks the com
| mencement oil II LOW era for that Sec
ton. She is over 100 feet long ard
will have carrying capacity of 5000
tons. Hundreds OF worklnen are now
| busy finishing her up getting her
engines in, etc. The Ii Norte is yet
on the Ways, but: IL is expected, Will
| be launched sometime in June. She
will be the same siNe MD proportions
as the FL sud, ami it Is rtImored that
Us 5ootl as the latter Is launched the
keel of iirst.class passenger steamer
| 800 feet long. will he laid
/ In the shlpyard there are two n.y.
dradlic travelling cranes each 120 feet
long, which have sufficient power to
| lift and carry to any part of the yard
about the entire yard is as perfect as il
is possible for human skill to make it.
About 1900 men are NOW employed
III the works, but MS they are con-
stautiy Icing increased by tho cree
ton OF new buildings it will be but
short time before that number is
doubled. over go, COO Il week Is paid
oGt in wages, the greater part oil
which is spnnt right ire the town.
Among the other large industries
are tho Warwick Iron Works, where
eastings OF tile heaviest description
can be Iuutte. and the Newport News
Milling Company. Several other in
| duStrial plants are contemplated for
wood working. and in making.
The location OF the piaco makes II
admirably adapted for manufacturing
purposes Us il has communication by
| rail- and water with all purts OF the
country and the World. NTH these
advantages, con- hined with tile manY
natural advantages. and the facilities
Tor oltailiing material, there is no
| doubt but that ere uany years New
/ paIf News will ittsapttp ft,n prpat man.