The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-06
C. P. HUNTINeToN's PLANS.
Description of His Many Big Under
tnIsiREs at Newport News.

tniSfREs at Newport News.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va, Aug. 6.-Mr, c.
P. Huntington's hobby-the establishment
! of steel plant in this city for the manu-
facture of the material used in the con-
/ struction OF ships at the sIi pyaTd-bids
| fair to assume definite proportions. Mr.
! Huntington, who is III the city on one of
! his periodical trips of inspection, said on
! Saturday. stated in The Times, that he
I had finally decided to build the plant. and
While ii would not be the largest establish
raent of the kind in the country it would
cost in the neighborhood of 81 eco ,000 and
would give employment TO large force of
men, He refused to say when the work on
the new plant would be started but posi-
lively asserted that the plant had been de-
,'ided upon and that it would assume def
rite shape.
The steel plant is to be located on the
lots directly in front Of the general Offices
of the shipbuilding plant. The plant Will
be built on both sides of the shiDyard
switch, so that material may be readily
handled on incoming and outgoing trains.
Mr.. huntington says that while no new
merchant marine contracts are definitely
in sight, some companies have asked for
estimates. and as soon rs the new dry
dock is ready for service he expects that
there will be q large increase in the repair
work of the yard. In reference to the bat
tIeships he said he would like to build all
five Of them, and thought it quite probable
that the company would bid on the cruisers
OF the Maryland class. He said this class
OF work was not very profitable, but it
served to keep the men at work and kept
the big force together.
An Important improvement 10 the ward
now contemplated is the erection of anoth-
er immense overhead steel travelling crane
When that is completed il will give the
yard building capacity for four more small
steamers or for two more of the largest
vessels in service. 1t will then have crane
room for sixteen ships, or eight the size
Of the Great Eastern.
Mr.. R P. Schwerin, Vice President of the
! Pacific Mail Line who is in the city. had
! 4 long conference with Mr. Huntington
| who is president Of the line, yesterday To-
gether they visited the two immense ships
now on the ways for this company. These
ships are OF Is, 50a tons displacement and
are the largest ships ever construct id in
this country. TIE first one viii be -eady
for launching in a month or two. and Mr.
Huntington expects 70 have one Of them in
commission inside Of six mon his.
In regard to the cotton mill project Mr.
Huntington had nothing TO say OF an en-
couraging nature. He Would not undertake
the establishment Of the mill on his own
hook, but would probably Le interested in
the enterprise If it weTc 5..<rte. here
The shipyard is now working ca con-
tracts aggregating s14 200, tGt, and expects
to capture some of the battleship and
cruiser contracts to be given out between
now and Christmas Between 5000 and
5000 men are now employed il the yard
and this number will have to be materially
increased as soon as the Arkansas and the
first Pacific Mail Liner go overheard
The immense new dry-dock. which will
represent an investment of 81 GEO, 600 when
completed. will probably be ready for serv-
ice by December l. This Will mean an in
crease in repair work, as the yard Will
then have dry-dock facilities fer handlfne
two of the largest vessels ahoat at the
same time or three smaller ones.
Mr. Huntington left for the North last
night