Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-05
NEWPORT NEWS.
PROPOSED ARMOR PLATE FAC.
TORY-AIR. MENTIONS Sue
CESSOR
Especial to virginlan-P ilot.)

Especial to Virgin!anPil
Newport News, Va, Jan. 4.-The an
nouncement that the State Senate yes
terday passed under n suspension of
rules the bill authorizing the Newport
News Shipbuilding and DrydocIk Com
pany to issue preferred as well as COM
mon stock and to establish an armor-
plate factory, comes to the people here
fraught with peculiar interest and sig
ni1Cance. 1t Is believed to mean the
actual beginning Of that much-tall1ed-
of plan to establish an armor-plate
concern here, and all indications go to
confirm this belief.
Inquiry at the yard to-day elected
the information that the bill was rass-
ed simply to put the company in a po-
sitton TO establish such factory should
1t see fit to do so; but the Inference is
perfectly reasonable that there is muoh
more to 1t than this. The fact that
the matter has been under considera-
ton for several years. the various Incl
dents OF the armor-plate manufacture
ing business, the recent visit of dis
tinSuished Congressman and of Corne-
Illus Vanderbilt. the present visit of Mr..
Hunting eafiFaselfy eIpaef- ef-th-s- yard,
and many other things point to the
ton Of this enterprise, which
will mean so much to Newport News,
which Will mean an addition of n third
or more to its population. the eXpendi-
ture of millions of money here. and the
inauguration OF a new era In ship
building, giving to this country for the
first time n plant capable OF building
and armoring n ship without having to
go OUTSIDE for anything. Should the gun
plant be established here, as has been
talked Of also. the plant could turn out
q ship complete and ready for commits
sion. Negotiations have been in pro-
gress some time In connection with this
proposed gun plant. but what the status
of the situation now is, no one on "tha
outside" knows.
MIR. MENTIONS SUCCESSOR.
The January term of the Corporation
Court begins next Monday. 1t is be-
lieved that before that date Judge r.
]. Barham will appoint Common
wealth's attorney to take the place
made vacant by the death Of the Ia
mented ]. X. NJ. Newton.
So far four candidates have been
mentioned for the office, all Of them
exceptionally good men and popular.
ell. C. Aydlett Ashby and c. w. Rob-
inson.
Col. Baker came here some time ago
from Woodstock. where he held the Of
flee of commemorative Attorney. He
was colonel of the Second Regiment.
Virginia Volunteers. during the recent
war. and is one OF the brightest and
best known men in the State.
Mr.. Mitchell Is one of the foremost
of the young lawyers of the city. hav-
ing won n solid reputation in the time
he has been here. Before taking the
law course at Washington and Lee
he was a newspaper man, having
driven the quill successfully in Ohio as
well as in the Old Dominion. He has
received the endorsement of the City
Democratic Executive Committee.
| MIR. Ashby IS also a young man
everybody in Newport News is young
and one of the ablest members of the
bar here. He is a brilliant speaker,
witty and immensely popular.
Mr.. Robinson is another OF "Oid
Rams boys" having graduated sew
eral years ago at Washington and Lee,
He has been prominent at the bar and
In politics ever since the city was In
corporated. and has hosts OF friends.
He Is best sknown in Tidewater Vir-