Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-03-24
MANY FINE SHIPS TURNED OUT
Men war Butt Here Rank Finest of Their Respective Classes
in Uncle Sans Navy-Bg Freight and Passenger Liners
Something of companys Interesting History
Which Covers Period of Moi
Quite Twenty Years.

AN 1888, when Newport News
was a mere village, the New
port News Shipbuilding and
Dry Dock Company was organized and
the foundation was laid for what it
now Is, as It's founder, the late Mr.. Col.
lis p. Huntington had Intended IL ulti.
mately should be-the greatest shin
building plant on the Western hemis-
phere.
Mr.. Calvin B. Orcutt, OF New York.
was selected by Mr.. Huntington to
take active management of the details
connected with the vas- enterprise.
Under his immediate direction az
president Of the company the immense
shipyard conceived in the mind of its
founder as far back as 1885 WAS sue
ceRsfully completed before Mr.. Hunt
.ington's death.
This great plant of which its found
er was pustly proud, has grown stead
lily year by year, until today /, is I'LL
excelled among the shipvaI'ls of the
world In size, equipment and quality
of work produced.
The SUCCESS u. the plan. is in great
measure due to the ;ble icauayem emit
of its affairs by PRESIDENT Circuit, who
has been Nuptiring IE his work of lock-
Ing out for the interests nf the com
pany. The fact that Mr. circuit si:Il
retains the presiis.uv ~ The company
1s the stro lgest evidence vt haw faith
fully and wei Ds has served the cor.
pany.
Officers Of Yard.
The staff officers at the head of the
plant and the several departments
follows:
Calvin B. circuit, president.
Walter a. Post, general manager
A. H. Hopkins. assistant general
manager.
Leroy f. Boggs, private secretary to
the general manager.
NJ. V. ID. Doughty, consulting con-
structor on staff of the general man
ager.;
Homer l.. Ferguson, general super
intendent of hull construction.
James Rowbottom, superintendent
of machinery.
Joseph Weaver, assistant superin.
tendent Of hull construction
w. II. Ross, assistant superin tend
ent Of hull construction.
G. F. Bailey, chief engineer.
Fred P. Palen, assistant chief en-
gineer.
William GatewoOd. naval architect.
John 7. Nicholas, chief craftsman
of engine department.
Harold Norton, chief craftsman OF
the hull department
j. p. Loomis, electrical engineer.
+. j. Gauntlet, local auditor
Dewitt Crane, material agent
Frank Lee, cashier
Government Department
A portion of the main office build.
ing at the yard is set aside for the
use Of the government which has
stationed here a number Of officers
and about fifty inspectors and work.
men. who look after the government
work under way ut the yard. The
representatives If the navy dep1 1T.
ment on duty at The ward AT This time
are the following, in thu order OF their
rank:
Naval Constructor George II. ROCK
chief of department of construction
and repair.
Commander George B. Ransom, in
spector of machinery.
Lieutenant Com" ':Ger Victor Blue,
spector of ordnance.
Lieutenant Commander Ge,rgc Nal.
lison. Inspector of cuuipncn..
Assistant M I'll Constructor Hcl rs
Williams, ASS -; /; tie cl,lcf rf
the department. ht conservation and
repair
Chief Carpenters William Boone
and Haley. attached to the department
of construction and r.paic
Warrant Machinist Higgins acting
assistant inspector of hlachluery.
Work Started in 1al,
Work on tho plant of the Newp {
News Shipbuilding and Dry DOCK Com
pany was started in 1888 The site was
laid out and the late Colonel Carter
M. Braxton was given the c,intracr
for cxcavating the dirt on tho site
from the river bank tj WASHINGTON
avenue and using Tho dirt to make
land on the north side of the yard
Work was then stertc,l on dry dock
No. I, and the task of constructing he
old ship carpenters shop, which was
DESTROYED by fire last Chrh!mas day,