The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-11
LARGE SH|PBU|lO|NG
PLANT At WEST POINT
Richmond Company Secures Charter
for $f,OOO,OOO Concern, to Make
Special Ships for Govern
ment During War.
TO BE GIGANTIC WORK
VIII Construct Emergency Wooden
Graft for Naval Service and After
War Will BE Converted Into Plant
for Steel Ships.

To build special ships for the rse
of the United States government dur
ing the war, Richmond capitalists
have secured a charter from the state
and operate plant near West Point,
Va. on the Mattaponi river. The
company will be known as the York
River Shipbulding corporation. and
will have capital Of 100000. At
the close of the war the plant will
be converted into a plant for :he
building of steel ships.
The work on the plant will begin
Immediately, and rushed with all
speed in order that the construction
of the ships might be gotten under
way. The exact location OF tire plant
is on the Mattaponi river at Il land
ing built about two years ago by the
Old Dominion Industrial corporation,
and known as Port Richmond Work
on putting in u spur track will be
put under way today by the Southern
railroad. ~
Virginia already has-ene of the
largest shipbuilding plants on the
Atlantic coast at Newl'ort News.
The new plant will employ about
/ 900 men. and will add much to this
state as a shiPetifle4iHs center farorr7i-
nent men in the business of ship con-
struction will have charge Of the
plant. which will be financed mostly
by -RicRIH end Hfeff"Fftese men also
have lumber and iron industrie.
within easy reach OF the new plant
which will make It's operation free
from delays or handicaps due TO
transportation by rail.
Warner Moore Is President.
Adolph Shelander. naval architect.
formerly in the government service,
and E. +. Baker. late of the Racine
/ Boat company Racine. Wis. will
supervise the ship consc, uction
Warner Moore. of Richmond. is presi-
dent of the company, and the other
officers are Crosby Thompson. West
Point. vice president; james Mullen,
Richmond, secretary: and Oliver J
Sands Richmond. treasurer The di.
! rectors are the officers. and T s
Winston, J, r. Paschalt. Pleasant
Reed. Of this city, and Thomas Hamp-
ton Washington.
Many points along the Virginia
coast were investigated before West
Point was decided on for the location
, Of the plant W e. Odds industrial
agent OF the Southern railway, and Mr.
Shelander made trips of inspection t.
points along the coast. but the deer
water at West Point. the accessible 5
of the site and low transportation
rates decided the selection. The plant
Will have two railroad ttons
with the Southern railroad from the
nearest point on It's main lines. EaicliG
Heights aud also with the IT opose6
road from ttrbanna Va
II is considered probable that Win.
ston & Co. Of New York. who will
construct the Crhanna railroad. will
have charge of building the plant oil
the shipbuilding company. Those in
terested in the project have conHec-
ton with firms owning large sources
Of materials which will go into the
construction OF the government ships
From considerable areas OF Southern
pine lands on the Atlantic coast
which is controlled by ]. r. PaschaH
and his associates, ample timber can
he secured. aad delivered by water
thus preventing any delay due te
shortages OF cars. IT is also said thai
the men control the Richmond Struc-
tural Steel COMPANY which viii furnish
all the iron necessary for the con
struction OF the wooden ships. which
viii be wanted by the government In
large numbers.