New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-10
A GREAT NEW SHIPYARD.
THE NETWORK sHIPBUTLDING COM
PANY'S PLANT AT CAMDEN.
srxprcrrp TO BE THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD
WORK BEING PUSHED ON 1T TO BE READY
TO BID FOR BATTLEsHIPs.


conden y T. July Q (SpeciaD-Work has started
Inn the huge plant which the New-York Shipoudd-
ing Company proposes 10 erect on the Delaware
River IN the lower end Of Camden, and adjacent 10
the northern boundary Of Gloucester CITY Inc
company headed by Henry c. Morse formerN Oh
the Harlan & Hollingsworth Company. OF winning
ION Del evidently means to push It's constructor
work ahead with all possible speed, for small
army of mechanics and laborers. with steam pile
drivers engines. derricks and all other neeoed
paraphernalia, is now on the ground IN pus'lns
activity This apparent haste is due to the com
papy's desire to have the plant In proper shape 10
permit Of its putting in bids for the construction Oh
,ha forthcoming batteships authorized by Con-
gress
The company's purchase Of the site from the
Manufacturers Land and Improvement Company
was completed a week ago after several months OF
negotiation All the activity has occurred since
then and what IS destined 20 be probably the
largest shipbuilding plant In the United States II
not in the world is now under rapid construction
The first thing be done. according to one OF the
officials. is the erection OF high board renee
around the whole tract and visitors are 10 be rig
idly excluded at present. This official was asked
for pictures OF the proposed buildings which are 10
aggregate more than a half mile In length
moi for 100" he said The firms with which
we expect to compete would give that much 10
know what We are going to put here
The site Of the new plant comprises over one
hundred ana twenty acres anu 10 "N"'i"NN -
son-st and Newton Creek. extending from the river
10 broadway The frontage on the Delaware Is $500
feet and there is a depth of forty feet at low
tide along the whole front Of the property This
obviates the necessity for any dredging save 'hat
incident 10 the construction OF bulkheads piers ana
other improvements. and was an important lac'or
in the selection of the site.
The location Of the new yard on this size
of the river is triumph for Camden and for those
who urge the maritime importance OF the DeIa-
ware Engineers Of the company made carefui eX-
animation OF every available location along the
entire Atlantic Coast prior 10 the selection OF the
present site the question finally narrowing down
10 that and one at Chester.
ADVANTAGES OF THE DELAWARE.
The report Of the examiners showed that the
paramount advantages Of the Delaware River at
this point were, briefly: That IT had fresh water
suitable depths for building any class OF shlps'
proximity to the homes of the expert shfpbuiding
mechanics reasonable land values and low frelgh'
rates from the great steel lumber and coal produc-
ing districts In the words of one Of the on1cias'
the location is ideal one for establishing SNIP
ward OF the first magnitude. The iand was Pui-
chased from the Manufacturers Land improve
ment Company and the city of Camden has granted
The concession that no higher tax rates shall be
levied on the property because or the improve
ments to be made for a period Of twenty years.
The new shipyard is designed 10 build all classes
of ships including great liners OF the sreyhouhu
vessels as large as any now aioat The plant VIII
no as modern and complete human ingenuity
can make il. the company purposing 10 erect DIS
large a yard exists in the world. "ltinh 'He
next few weeks il is expected that the loIce Vi
xrorknen on the operation will be increased 10 fuhy
one thousand.
The buildings 10 be erected will all be OF Steel
over seven thousand tons having already been pur-
chased for that purpose. The PottstoWh brluse
Company's works. at POttstown Penn were pur-
chased some time ago by persons interested IN the
shipbuilding company, and the buildings are H0"
being manufactured by that concern
OF the steel contracted for three thousand tons
have already been rolled and delivered at the Potts
town works About ten thousand piles nave oeen
purchased portion of the lot having been ALREADY
delivered. The balance are on the way ana VIII
arrive shortly Large quantities OF lumber have
been secured a part being in process OF unloading
and the rails for the yard tracks nave beeh
shipped.
The machinery will be of the latest and most APP
proved pattern, comprising everything Whlch hnaAes
nm the eouiprnent of a large shpyard. The greater
mart OF the machinery has been contracted for. ana
will be ready for delivery by the time the buildings
are In place.
PLANS FOR THE YARD COMPLETE.
The plans for the yard practically complete
md work on the wharves. bulkheads ana river
front in general will be pushed concident with the
erection Of the buildings
Randle until recently commodore of the Meet oil
the American Line. He is the first yice-president
and is TO be general consulting superintendent Oh
the whole plant. Speaking of the work ana us
plans. Captain Randle said yesterday; l expect
that by another year shall be in full swing. We
nave one of the best sites in the world for ship
building yards over forty feet or water at our
leverywhere- atom of mud, ana no swamp
anywhere We shall have one Of ne Fe aTgesS
whether of stone or wood is not yet settled; h..o
big? Yes, 1t does seem so but already mere ere
are ships over seven hundred ieeL long. ana pc
lieve that within ten years We shall see one 'Ou
sand feet in Length Wn 1ea naced 40 Sbreas of
each other, thing easily achieved 10 Vessel o.
housed and boxed The power for these propellers
win be obtained from engines Of ten thousand q
% aqd ne % not
Il am Convinced, and, indeed, go are most au-
thorities. that ocean travellers are not so keen
after enormous speed as they were al one t be
builders to-day is TO give fair amount OF speed
with the greatest amount of comfort. and this can
be 3pansd Of Sy the s Louis p6svey Sefect
and she is floating hotel IN other resRectLs U.s. me
OF course, there will always be some persons who
the caiibre Of the brain and persons of certain
peculiaries suffer from nausea in railroad train
or svo %Sf 6e shaking of the ship that has 50
10 do with the cause or seasckness.
BEAUTIES OF WATER BALLAST.
THE introduction Of water ballast has had much
10 do with Increasing the steadiness OF ships at
sea but absolute steadiness. even If 1t posi-
BILE would be anything but Improvement. II
would be a new danger. ship that gave no way
10 the waves would be constantly swept over. and
would be liable 10 be very badly smashed. one OF
the advantages OF the water ballast system Is that
so soon the captain perceives that bad weather
is coming he pump over the water to the
weather side, and while giving bigger resistance
he st allows slight lean TO the weather side,
without which he would be IN danger OF having mis-
side stove in. But the increased steadiness of ves-
sells has largely decreased their motion that
sickness to-day is almost unknown. I do not think
that so many as 10 per cent of entire passenger
list suffer to-day at all.
THE day for driving passenger vessels by cleo
trcity" continued Captain Rande, "has yet
arrived There are TOO many objections which
have not vet been overcome. i have letter In my
desk here from an engineer In NewYork. descTi5-
ing an electrical apparatus. but do not consider