The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-09-16

nF all the works or man there IS
ia nothing of his handicraft so nearly
W human as the modern ship, especially
the leviathans of steel which are essen
TALLY floating hotels and contain all the
features of the skyscraper ashore.
The chief engineer, who is a pigmy
alongside of the giant engine with Its
1900 horsepower, gazes upon the whirl-
Ing mass of polished machinery with
pride. He sees life in its every move
ment and affectionately strokes the huge
pistons with oily waste. The majority
of engineers become so attached to and
proud of their charges that they ac-
tually talk to them as though they were
endowed with intelligence
The captain on the bridge, 40 feet
above the water line, also has CORE
spending regard for the ship, but with
him 1t is the whole fabric that receives
his consideration and the component
parts are not thought of unless there is a
breakdown, and even then he is inclined
to scold. not the engines, the boilers or
whatnot. but the ship herself as though
she were responsible for anything that
might happen to her apart.
This love of the ship is yet even strong
er In the smaller craft and the master of
the two-sticker that skips from port to
creeping along under the lea of the land.
loves his vessel with an affection that is
not always shared by anyone else, not
even his wife, and there are many mar
liners whose endearment toward their
boats is beyond the comprehensions of
only those who love the sea and its ships,
and they alone can appreciate the num-
berless things that are convincive that
every craft. be she large or small. pos
sesses individuality, IL not intelligence.
The building and repairing of ships Is
an industry of considerable prominence I'm
this country, and. according to tle last
census report. there are ]. 229 plants of all
sizes representing capital of S13l, a36,S43.
employing an average of 54.4f7 men. who
earn a yearly wage of 31,0o3.17 AMI
turning out annually. including repairing.
a product valued at So, 642, $40
OF these plants. 1,o12 are devoted to
wooden ships. and they represent a capt.
tai Of SIT ,523, 146. employing an average
of 1875 men, who earn Ss,607. $50 a year.
Though there are but A yards where
steel and iron ships are built and re-
paired, they are large and they repre-
sent a combined capita. of SIS, $50. $50, en-
ploying $4,000 men. whose annual wage is
SIG. 231, 81.
The United States government also has
great plants of Its own where it not only
builds its own warships, but where most
OF the repairs are made when the great
vessels get into trouble. and, incidentally,
IL might be said that in repair work the
government yards are kept busy. There
are nine of these plants. and the lavish
ness of their equipment is expressed In
their valuation, which Is set down as
S54 o91. OH. almost equal TO the total valu-
alton of the A private concerns, employ
ing an average of but 1890 men. and yet
having an annual payroll OF Sc, Do. 263.
There are 1o4 plants where are built
small vessels. such as launches. rowboats,
canoes. etc. but which are also counted
in the industry, though not one them
has an annual product of over $500 In
value. These plants employ an aver
age of six men throughout the year a-u
their capital is estimated at 3,131. with
a yearly payroll OF S1.I50
OF the shipyards of this country the
one of the Newport News Shipbuilding
and Drydock Company. located at the
mouth of the James River. Is the largest,
with 100 acres OF land and half mile
water frontage
Equipped with modern machinery
driven by electricity and compressed air,
two large drydocks. Quitting basin
eOOx50O feet. six piers. shear-legs OF 100
tons capacity. an electrically operated
IJ0-ton revolving derrick-crane. station
airy and floating derricks. the Newport
-akss n speciality Of repairing craft OF