Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-03
NEW INDUSTRY.
Proposed Establishment of a Cellulose
Factory Here

thfy apoNc tne Shlpyard. which VIII
p'o5ably be built by. Mr.. Huntington
il conjunction with several English
capitalists. the Daily Press
stated that the city was on the eve of
great Industrial boom and that the
next few months would see steps take:
large industrial plant in or near New
port News. |
At that time information was in hand
concerning several large projects and
il is now learned that it is not
unlikely that a s250,0 coo cellulose plant
will be established here in the near flu
ture.
The concern which is considering
Newport News as the probable site for
it's largest plant is the Marsden Cellu-
| adjustments in operation. one at Rock
ford. ILL.,. and the other at Owensbor-
ouEh, NY.
This same firm has che contract to
| furnish the corn-p ith cellulose for pack
ing the coffer-dams of the battleships
i>elrSarge and Kentucky and the bat
tleship Illinois. which are in course OF
| construction at The shipyard. M.
Only last week. the Marsdcn people
shipped from Owensborough eighty tons
nf corn-pith for the Kearsarge and
| Kentucky. This is the first shipment
of this material for use in protecting the
valves Of a nan-ofwar.
In writing to MIR. Thomas IS. Henley
he manager Of the Marsden company
took occasion tn say: 1T is most APP
| rropri;,te that the hattleship named
Kentucky should have her coffcrdam ms
packed with Kentucky corn-pith We
expect when the co1ferdams or the bat
| tleshp Illinois are ready to receive the
cellulos". TO ship for that purpose corn
pith prepared at our Illinois rlant."
Mr.. Henley correspondent with the
manager OF this concern With references
.,, I cf.It, CT, Nf v>Io
some time ago and just twe,s- months
ago the latter was in the city looking
over the ground. ..'-
1t is understood that all preparations
to go ahead with the project We're we'll
in hand when the war interfered with
the comnany'S plans.
Within the past few weeks, hOWevG.
Mir. Henley has resumed correspond
ence with the gentleman referred to
and from the letters received by him
it is very evident that the M:,rsden
Ccllulose Company has not abandoned
the idea or locating at Newport News
Its officers realize the fact that Virginia
S TIL. proper place for their largest
plant and the next few months Will
doubtless bring out DEVELOPMENTS Of an
Interesting nature.
1t is reported that the Narsden Com
uanS secured the promise of the dona
ton OF a large tract of land here as the
| site fof their plan. should ii erect es-
4
| site was locked over by the manager OF
| the company on his visit TO Newport
News and practically accepted and II
| S quite probable that work on the plant
would now be I'm progress had not the
war between the United States q nd
| Spain nterfered- With the plans Of the
| these capitalists as well as others.
r.. IL who was the first to bring
.he wonderful aita;as :-s::e: sadyantages Of
Newport News Rsfors these ES1i fssR5a
feels sratif1ed oHer the outlook. from
The tone of recenk correspondence, and
| !c feels confidentNthat the plans once
| natured will develop something more
han rumor and gossip at no distant
iatc.
| The advantages of cellulose plant az
| one of the industries of Newport News
| viii be readily appreciated by all who
| nave the interests OF the city at heart
| i'ol some time there has been talk of
| n"re Industries and it is believed by
! we'll posted gentlemen that millions OF
! lollars of capital can be secured for
| ,is city and vicinity IL some capitalists
an be induced to actually invest their
money in 4 plant here.
| Mr. Huntington, of course. will do az
much for the city in future as he has
| IN the past if hts ordnance factory
md armor- plate plant plans material
some of the smaller capitalists to in
rest their money here Mr.. Hunting
ton is man who deals in millions
| md there are few who can follow him
when it comes to placing cold cash in
Industrial enterprises. Newport News
| s equally advantageous as q site for
plants valued at hundreds of thousands.
Nj. Huntington has invested millions
acre. So has the Chesapeake & Ohio
railroad. There are other plants worth
| thousands but few in the hundreds oe
thousands
What the city needs is more indus
| tries-no matter what their value nor
that their class. more industries are
| needed. and IL mon who have thousands
u hundreds OF thousands to invest see
capitalists of their own rating putting
heir money here in plants they will
no quick to take the hint and fall in
| line.
Therefore, it is to be hoped that the
Mnrsden Cellulose Company will no,
abandon its idea of locating here and
will finally decide in favor of Newport
News without delay. In this concern,
seven Of the thirteen directors are mil
| lionaires and among them may be men
:ioned such men as Edward Cramp.. the
hipbuilder; Thomas Dolan. president
II the United Gas Company. Philadel.
ohia; and George Pullman, president Of
the First Nationa! Bank, of Philadel-
phia.
Should these men become interested
/ in Newport News through their cellu-
more Of their money will follow in
other enterprises and it can be SAFELY
said that the establishment Of one in
dustry will lead to the establishment
of others. The discovery that cellulose
can be used as the principal ingredient
! in smokcless powder and varnish as
| we'll as many other compounds and
products opens the way to a powder
plant. varnish factory. and other fac
tories in which the cnrn-pith can be
used to advantage. OF course. this is
dealing in futures, but still 1t is a posi-.
| bility and any kind OF Il plant or fac
tory is possible at this peerless indus
trial site.
There is only one Newport News and
some of the larger ports on the Atlantic
coast nave discovered this already. One
of the officers Of the board OF trade of
New York. in his report made the
statement that what New York neeus
| IS Il Newport News.
Norfolk has been made to realize the
superior advantages of Newport News
and now her exports and imports are
not eGua. to Onc-half OF those at this