Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-31
FROM NEWPORT NEWS
JAPANESE OFFICIALS OF HIGH
RANK VISIT THE sHIPYARDs.
WORK ON The PROPOSED DRY-DOCK
The First ShOveIfuI of Dirt Was
Turned YeSterdny-It Means Much
for the City-Death of y. j. POWELL
Town Topics,

Special 1.-The Business-Men's Associa-
tion held a meeting last night especially
for the purpose OF considering the action
OF the sewerage commission in instruct
ing the consulting engineer who has
charge of the new sewerage construction
TO make connection from the main TO
the curb, the same to be at the expense
of the property-owners. number Of
speeches, pro and con- were heard, and
the association decided to meet again
Friday night in order to take final &C
ton.
Moses Redman and Fred Porter were
fined $40 and 500. respectively, in Hamp-
ton yesterday for selling whiskey on Sun
day.
DEATH OF ]. J. POWELL.
Mr.. j. ]. Powell, aged i3. died this
morning at l o'clock at his home, in
East End, from congestion of the lungs
The funeral will take place tomorrow
morning at II o'clock, at the Chestnut
Avenue Methodist church. Rev. L. 5.
Colonna, the pastor, will conduct the
services.
The next district convention Of the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union
will be held in Hampton, September Sth
when delegates from Norfolk, Ports
mouth, Berkeley, Hampton, and Newport
News, will meet for the purpose OF trans
acting important business.
Frank King. one of the negroes arrest
ed for highway robbery at the Briariield
road, was given n preliminary hearing In
the Bloodfeld Court yesterday afternoon
and sent on TO await the action Of the
grand jury. The other two highwaymen,
who are implicated with King in the many
robberies that have been committed with
in the past few weeks, will be tried to-
morrow.
JAPANESE OFFICIALS.
The visit to the shlp-yard last Saturday
Of the three high officials Of the japanese
navy, including an admiral, has given rise
10 a report that the Newport News Ship
Building and Dry-DOck Company may re-
ceive several contracts from the Japanese
Government for the construction of battle
ships and cruisers. Cramp & Son, who
built one ship for Japan are now so over
loaded with work for Russia and with
government and merchant work that they
will be unable TO take any more foreign
contracts for the next two years.
The first ship 10 tie up at the new pier
which has just been completed, is the two
master Watchful, which made a landing
this morning, and is now unloading coal
for a local yard From now on the pier
will be an important factor i'm the mer-
camille business Of Newport News.
WORK ON NEW DRY-DOCK.
Work on the mammoth dry-dock, which
Mr.. Coils p. Huntington will build at
the yard OF the Newport News Ship
Building and Dry-Dock Company at
cost Of 81, 000000, is about TO commence in
earnest and for the next year the great
basin will be under construction.
Mr. Huntington authorized the building
of this dry-dock some months ago, but
the war delayed the shipment Of mate
rial, and it was decided TO postpone the
work several months. The first shovelful
Of earth was turned this morning I'm the
presence of the ship-yard officials. and a
number Of laborers. and from now the
work will give employment to nearly 1000
men.
The dock now in use at the ship-yard
is the only one in the United States
large enough TO receive the big ships OF
the American line. In fact, it will take
anything ahoat in American waters ex-
cept the battleships of the navy. This,
however, will not be discontinued when
the new dock is completed When fin
ished, the dock started to-day, Will BE-
capable Of accommodating two of the
largest battleships aioat, one in front
OF the other. an important consideration
i'm the event Of war.
The plans for the dry-dock were pre-
pared by the general superintendent OF
the Newport News Ship-Building and
Dry-Dock Company. Hon. Walter \.
Post.
The basin will be 800 feet long, with
a breadth Of 50 feet at the bottom and
liS feet at the TOP The depth Will be
fl feet inches from the top Of the sill,
giving "a IA feet of water at low tide
The keel blocks will extend feet above
the bottom. enabling vessels drawing
- II feet of water 10 enter the dock
The entrance will be lO6 feet wide at
the top and 50 feet at the bottom, with
granite and concrete easements. A
gate like that Of the present dock, with
engines and pumps 70 empty and float
it out Of the way. will be a feature.
With these two dry-docks, the New
port News Shipbuilding and Dry-Dock
Company will be thoroughly equipped
to handle any of the merchant or war
vessels at any time. While no state
ment, Of course, can be obtained to that
effect. 1t is understood that Mr.. Hunting
ton has received assurances that his big
dock will be literally patrOniZed By the
In.