Evening journal., 1899-04-03
SHIpYARDS ACTIVE.
PHENOMENAL BUSINESS ALL ALoN
THE DELAWARE RIVER.

ER AND FIVE STEAMSHIPS UN-
DER CONSTRUCTION AT THE
PRESENT TINlE-ALL SHOPS !
OVERLOADED WITH WORK AND
MEN WORKING OVERTIME.
Activity in the ship-building yards
along the Delaware river has reached
a stage Of unprecedented proportions
during the past few months.
From the Harlan and Ho,jingsworth
Csmpany's yards. in this city TO the
Cramps, In Kenslng.on, work is being
rapidly pushed in order to meet the
pressing demands fer higIh-c.ass yes
SETS.
Not only In new construction, which
Is far above the normal of past years,
lut in repair work as wen, have the
great plants in which this city and
PHILADELPHIA are 50 interested devei-
oped resources heretofore Thought TO be
unattanable. Steam vessels Of every
class and rig are being constructed,
iuom the small but powerful tugboat
to the mammoth battleship Maine, and
shlTp.ng men say that a new era in
building has arrived
Wcrk in the yard Of the Harlan and
Ho,-ingswiorth Company is progressing
lraItdV. The kee,s are laid and centre
keelsons up Ter the torpedOboat de-
stroyers Hull and Hopkins Early IN
the Spring the thir,y-lmot torpedoboat
destroyer stllngham will be launched
| Although the government has given
lseven months extension on her, she
will probably be completed before that
time. The steamer Ponce. for the New
York and Porto Rico Steamship Com
pany, has nor water bottoms up and
margin Plates in place and framing up
has been begun.
Now that the Nantucket has been
Launched. the San Juan, sister ship to
the Ponce, VIII be laid down on the
same ways, The steamship Maracaibo
lor the Red ID Line, has her keel laid
stem in place and frames are going up
These three ships are being buiilt under
the supervision Of John Haug The
now shin for the Winsor line. the
Fourth ship for that company which is
being built under the supervision of c.,
w. Wiley, viii be laid down this week,
as new ways have been constructed for
her and have been Nned up. The
steamship Kerahaw, sister ship TO the
Nantucket, had a successful dock trial
of engines on March IA. A new plate
and angle furnace. 60Xl50 feet, is being
laid down, and piles are being driven
for the construction of new wharf.
The other lower yards, the Pusey
and Jones Company. the Jackson and
sharp Company, the Enooh Moore and
Sons Company, and Roachs. report
plenty Of work. All are going over
time. Roach's is building three steam
ships. Four yachts and one fenry boat
and lately completed the fine American
tank steamer Atlas for the Standard
c. C5nE1ry, to run in the Mexican
service.
Summarized, the Cramps are build
ing for home and foreign use three
battleships, one steamship for the
Ward line, Cne FOR the Plant system
one cruiser fer Russia and three steam
ships for ule new CcC3ric Line; HIM
mans is completing contracts placed
before The firm assigned, consisting OF
a tug for the Staples C1al Company
and two barges for the American Gold
dredging Company; Neahe & Levy are
at work On four tugs. one pleasure
yacht for p. A. B. Widener, three tor
pedOboat destroyers for the United
States navy and one fine steamer fol
the York River Line.
such is the amount Of work on hand
exclusive OF repairsdn the Quaker City
The Cramps say unhesltatingly thai
they have as much as they can han.
DE. Their latest contract, placed by
John d. Spreckles, fer the new steam
ships for the Oceanic Line, VIII tax the
capacity OF the yard TO the utmost
Yesterday IL was stated al the office OF
the company that 1902 men are now
ca the rOls in an departments. Thi.
is the high-wator mark in the com
panys history.
Much Ct the work at Cramps a.
PRESENT Is in an embryonic condition
with the exception OF the Ward lin,
steamer Mexico, which will be launch
Cd Arc-l g. With the exception CT ths
Alabama. 81 per cent, completed, tn,
other warships are merely skelator
frames. Since the laying Of tn,
Names keel on February Is, little
work has been done on the vesse
proper All energy has been confined
10 bending the frames and in the as
sortment Of material Work on tn,
Russian battleship Retvlzan and tn,
Russian cruiser Nariag is being pushed
as rapidly as circumstances VIII per
init. Nearly all the frames OF thes,
vessels are in position, and with tn,
good weather now on much headwal
will be made.
significant feature Of the opera
ticns which characterized the latte'
part of 1898 and the beginning OF 1s9!
in Iocal slhipyards were the efforts
made by them to secure repair work
AS a rule heretofore this work has re
ceived little attention. The experience
OF the past Winter impressed on al
lhipbuilders that the business of re
b Placing lost propeEeTs and repairing
such damage as the Rhyn,and sustain
ed is very remunerative. and they will
endeavor TO meet this with Increases
e facilities.
Everything considered, the new yea
promises great things, and its end, il
a the opinion OF all who have studied tn
situation. Will see Wilmington one O