Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-12-17
WORK ON VESSEL VILE
BE Started AT ONCE
Two Merchant Contracts Have Been
Secured this Month, and Local
Plant Is Certain to Construct at
Least One Dreadnaught = Seven
Other Craft Now Building-Bright
Prospects For Future.

Official announcement was
made last night that the Newport
News Shipbuiding & Dry Dock
Company has been awarded
the contract for the construc-
ton of new steel freight
steamer for the A. Il. Bull &
Company, of New York, the craft
to be an exact duplicate of the
steamer Ruth. which was COM
pleted here for that company only
few months ego. While no price
was named, il is understood that
the vessel will cost between
100000 and $4oc,oo0
The new steamer is to he built of
steel throughout and will be about
317 feet long, 46 feet bread end %
feet deep. She will be propelled by
a single screw, driven by a triple
expansion engine of 1900 horsepower,
steam for which will be supplied by
two Scotch boilers. Her estimated
gross tonnage Is 3,125 and she will
have cargo-carrying capacity Of
about $500 tens. The designed sea
speed when loaded is eleven knots.
start Work at once.
Work on the new vessel will begin
at The shipyard at once and she is to
be completed about the middle OF
next year. Like the Ruth, this yes
sci will be built according to the
sherwood system CT longitudinal
shell framing instead of the perpen-
dicular system heretofore used at the
local yard and nearly all other yards
in snip construction. This system is
an entirely new ON
This will be the third steamer built
here for the Bull line within the past
year and one-half. She will be of the
regular tramp type and will ply in
the coastwise and oversee freight
trade
Since December I the local ward
mas landed the contracts for two mer-
csalt ships and is sure of getting
the contract for building the giant bat
tieshiD Texas. The yard officials ex-
pect that the announcement of the
award on the warship will be made
within the next week or ten DAYS.
The other ship contracted for beside
the ba'tleship and the Bull liner is a
Dig freight ard passenger steamer for
the New York & Porto Rican Steam
snip Company Two freight and pas
senSer steamers for the same com
pany. two torpedo boat ,.estroyers. an
OIL 'ank steamer and q freight and
passenger steamer fer the Old Do
min'on Line are ncw under actual
CONSTRUCTION at The sard
prosperous Time Ahead.
With the enc warship contract prac-
hcaliy secured and bright prospects
lot securing the contract for the giant
ba;ueshiD New York, the yard Is now
IN a more prosperous condition than
II has been in several years and
msns Additional men are 20 be en-
pioyed in the near future. The mer-
chant contracts received This month
are good ones and the announcement
OF their receipt by the yard. together
Win the anncrncenert that at least
one and probably 80 battleships are
TO be built here nzs been received
with general rejoicing in this city and
section and the effect. OF the GOOD
news l. noticeable in the Increase of
The business OF the LEGAL merchants.
General Manager W. A. Post. OF the
shiPyard. has not yet returned here
from Washington and at this time no
one here seems % know the exact
status OF the batticship matter in
congress However. reliable advices
from Washington say tina; there Is
net BE- slightest probability that con
gress VII appropriate the 81 900 .Ge0
necessary Ter the construction Of the
battiessip New FORK a. :he New York
nsVy ysrd and that In ali probability
congress viii direct the secretary Of
the navy 70 advertise for bids On the
New York AMI award tao contract 20
a private vsrd.
Stands Excellent Chance.
should hat be done there y every
rtascn 10 believe that The !cc7i yard
viii land the contract None q che
Other yards bid on The Tcxas bccau9c
~ be eiEhf-hour dsy ciauz@ In thc
hin passed bv congress and. - shcre
viii b No change 10 conditions when
BIDS on The New York are opened
there are n1nv Who tclicsc that th'
other ynrdwrHl uos bid IN fhc Scr
Yoik Tut even u they Do bid. the