The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1913-04-03
Interesting Letter From Dorset
ia, to His Parents.

Newport News. Va, March ~
Yesterday afternoon We went over
to Old Point Comfort and ! saw the
Fort again and the big guns We
took MIR Burge Mr. Mcqueen and
the Frenchman over 20 see the
sights. Did | tell you that We had
french engineer here with us2 lie
Is q member OF the Paris Company
u Warren Brothers, although do
not know what their company name
a. Mr.. Burge and Mr.. Mcqueen are
chemists. Saint Maeary is the name
Of the Frenchman and he is very
pleasant fellow aud speaks pretty
good English To-day we were taken
I through the shipyards which Is q
wonderful place They have ground
! ,oyering some ninety acres and at
! jrce nj haze work on hand TO the
I value of fifty million dollars, They
I are now employing some 6.00Omen
and their payroll amounts to nearly
I $50. 900 every week, Their plant
Z and equipment is valued at about
z 500, 900 600 and | never saw such
masses OF heavy machinery and iron
and steel. They have the largest
dry dock in the world there which is
about $50 feet long and nearly fifty
feet deep. They have the largest
crane also which Is capable of lifting
100 tons at time and in the ma
chine shop they have the largest
planer We saw number Of yes
sells both In dry dock and tied up
to a regular dock undergoing repairs
There were a number of ships In the
process OF construction from little
coasting steamers to big Pacific mail
line steamers. They already have a |
place picked out where they are go |
ing to build the new battleship, the
Pennsylvania, which was awarded TO
them a few weeks ago. and men are
getting the blocking ready for the
laying of the keel. Another interest I
ing sight was the battleship Texas I
which was launched sometime last 1
year and which is being completed 7
along side one OF the docks They (
are working on the tuTets and the
placing of the big guns. besides all
the inside machinery work. We !
were taken through by Mr. Mnn-
Vile, who is one OF the head ones, He
is interested in road building and 1t
was in that way that Mr. Sink got
acquainted with him. Last Satur-
day night we all went to see Officer
666 at the Academy OF Music and II
was exceptionally good Everyone
enjoyed IT, During the day the 9th
ers We're at Portsmouth and Nor
folk, but | had to stay here to pay
off the men. Wehad quite a little
rain the latter end Of the week and
were not able to do much, but today
is fine and we are going ahead.
Should we have good weather this
week we will come pretty near TO
up, and | think we will get
away by the first Of April But
where to no one knows. Possibly to
Baltimore and maybe right back up
north, as the work in Connecticut Is
supposed to start the 18th of April
and Mr.. Sink Is slated for that work.
As far as know | will go to New
burgh, although Mr.. Sink says that
he Is going to make kick to have
me come with him,
Our weather is fine and every /
thing is az enjoyable as ever. am 9
wearing the watch fob and also my /
Irish tie with the shamrocks on It. !
had q present yesterday from Chi
rago, a little growing shamrock q
plant and have II here in my room il
1t is awfully pretty and is doing very a
nicely. \
! will try and write a letter for h
the Journal describing Newport
News and the places to see around i
here.
- n ~