Milford chronicle., 1909-09-17
ShipbuiIding.
SECOND PRIZE BY ELIZABETH N. ALDRED.

About 1860 shipbuilding was one of the
most important and prosperous industries
of Milford. Now the work is still being
carried on but not so extensively as it
was then, probably because soon after
that time the railroads were brought
through Milford and as this was much
easier and quicker way there were many
who preferred to travel by land rather
than by water and also to send their pro.
ducts to the different cities this way, so
there was not so great demand for the
vessels that were builtat Milford.
All OF the shipbuilding has been carried
on along the Mispillion River and before
there was any village of Milford vessels
were built and launched on this river.
Builders by the names of Dreddey and
DuPree built and launched the first vessel
on the Mispillion, bat a man named
David West is thought to have been the
first shipbuilder in Milford.
AT that time the different kinds Of
boats were still in a crude state and it
would sometimes take a week to reach
the nearest city, but since then they have
been building better boats and steaslily
making faster progress until at the pre-
sent time Philadelphia can be reached in
less than a day.
The famous white oak of Delaware and
other lumber brought for many miles
from different parts Of the state was used
in building the vessels and other kinds |
Of sailing crafts.
When boat is to be built a draught /
is made of it first, then a small model is
tuilt on which the water lines are made
The water lines are not always the same
width on the different boats but are very
often made on a different scale Before
the ship is built all of the different pieces
of wood Of which it is made are assigned
to certain places, and if they are not put
in the right places when it is built the
boat will not fit together as it should.
The first thing that is done in the build
ing Of boat is to lay the keel. This is
in a number of small pieces which are all
joined together by grooves, after this the
ribs are put on and the boat is planked
n, so that now the shape of it can easily !
De seen. There are many other things to ,
De done before the boat is ready to be
aunched but the foundation has been /
made and the rest oft is finished on that. |
When the sides of the boat have been C
made long pieces OF wood supported by d
,oles are put under them and the boat
ests on these, these are used so that when Y
t is launched and the blocks are knocked f
rom under it, it slides off from these
ong pieces ofwood. S
When shipbuilding was most prosper g
US in Milford there were many firms
ngaged in the business and it has been +
aid that once there were at least twenty u
essels being built at one time. Some of
ne builders at that time were the Car q
sles, w. F. Reville, ]. H. Deputy, and K
le Abbotts. All of these men were ex- et
nsive builders, forty vessels being built
y Mr.. Deputy. There were many work. @
zen employed at the shipyards at that SO
nae and by giving them work many of
ie people of the town were greatly bene- W
ed, then after the days work had been
lished it was quite customary sight Jo
see persons going towards the shipyards co
th their baskets and bags which they
led with chips of wood that made ex- D'
llent kindling for them. sal
Now there are only two shipyards in
ilford, one owned by Mr.. William G. w.
)bott and the other by Mr.. Wilson "a
nyard, but at most any time there is a
ssel being built at one yard or the iai
ler. At the present time a large one wa
being built at Abbott's shipyard that Pu
to be seventy nine feet, three inchea 0e
ig and to be run by a fifty horse power In
ioline engine. The plans are also be- - .
made for much larger one that will W.
about one hundred and ninety feet SAT-
G. Both of these shipyards are in very 'a'
I'd places. They are near enough to -
town for the workmen to reach them uia
lily and they are situated on sloping nul
d which gives more advantages for the .
nching of the boats. wa
here are quite a number of people Ou'
ployed at the Milford shipyards and
lie shipbuilding is not carried on so
ensfvely as it was a number of years
it does not seem possible that the
n could do without it. Z