Evening journal., 1916-08-24
SHIPBUILDINC ACTIVE
ALONG THE RIVER
First Launching at Chester
Saturday Since Days of
Roach Supremacy
WILMINGTON YARDS
ARE ALSO BUSY

The first ship launching at Chester
since the days Of the Roach shipyard
will take place Saturday at the Ches-
ter Shipbuilding Companys plant.
This concern occupies the site of the
old John Roach shipyard in that city,
and has contracts to build fourteen
steamships. Six vessels are on the
ways, and one Of these six is TO be
launched. This concern was granted
| permission to build bulkheads,
wharves and shipways by the com
missioners of navigation at their last
meeting in Philadelphia.
Shipbuildng on the Delaware river
has been given an impetus through
the incorporation recently of the Sun
Shipbuilding Company, of Chester,
and the beginning of operations on
the S2,50O,000 plant the concern will
erect. The structural work on the
first big building. SOC feet long. so
feet wide and so feet high, is prac-
tically completed. This building is
in reality one section Of a massive
structure which will be the last word
in mill construction when completed.
It's sides will be OF steel sash prin
cipally, making it a daylight struc-
ture.
Progress is also being made on the
construction of the first block of
shipways Already an idea can be
had of their future size. The ship
ways will be in tier of five and Will
be located in front Of the main build
\ ing. Each will be 600 feet long with
a floor" running out SO feet or more
into the river. Each way will be
about 115 feet wide. The inland ends
will be elevated - or 10 feet and
it will be possible to build ships 6OO
feet long and with a beam Of so feet
on these ways.
Work will be started soon on wet
dock, where vessels will be taken
after launching to be finished. This
wet dock will be about 900 feet long
200 feet wide and 25 feet deep at low
water.
The main building. which will b'
in the shape Of a huge III" will b'
directly back Of the ways, one OF thI
parallel bars of the H" running op
I posite to the ends Of the shipways
This part of the building will be SO
feet by so feet The other side o
e the H is under construction. Thi
e connecting structure will be 300 fee
long and 230 feet wide. All thre,
will be so feet in height. A frame
work, 95 feet high. will be erected
! along the shipways TO support The
, tracks for a travelling crane.
Near the main building which viii
be occupied as a fabricating shop
erecting shop and mold loft, an all
compressor shop will be erected. Out
fitting and boiler shops will be bull
at the lower end of the yard. Th'
: wet dock, also at the lower end o.
the yard will take only a part of tn,
remaining river front, leaving room
for even larger shipways il they are
needed in the future.
Many improvements have been mad,
at the plant Of the Pusey & Jones
Company, In this city. When othet
Improvements now under way arr
completed, this yard will be one of tn,
largest on the river The first of sew
+ eral new buildings to go up has beer
started. II is a mold loft and puncl
+. shop and will cost $4,000. It will b,
20 feet wide and 800 felt long, of stee
and concrete construction. This con
cern reports good prospects and hai
contracts to build twelve good-size,
[ vessels.
b The shipyard of the American Ca
= and Foundry Company. of this city
; which builds wooden vessels exclu
4 sively, is busy one. More orders ar
4 on the books at the present time thar
I. for years past, II is said This yard 4
80 Ia In hn frsrr do
voted to the building of nothing excep
-4 wooden vessels
i The same condition Of things is no
+ ticed in the yards of the Harlan ant
; HOllingsworth Corporation.