Evening star., 1918-03-31

Copyright, 1918, By Frank G. Carpenter.)
PHILADELPHIA. Pa.
0 HAVE come to Philadelphia to
write about the shipbuilding in
dustry. This has always been ono
" Of our chief shipbuilding centers.
and they have been making ships here
from the days Of William Penn until
now. The first steamboat which ever
carried passengers on the American
continent was built here. It was in
speed Of eight miles an hour between
Philadelphia and Burlington. That was
twenty years before the C1ermont. in
vented by Fulton, first ran on the
Hudson. Within four years after the
war of the revolution closed 162 ves-
sells were made in the Philadelphia
shipyards. and at the outbreak Of the
war of 1912 this place was leading the
country in shipbuilding. She construct
ed many ships during the civil war,
and today she is the largest shipbuild-
ing center Of the United States.
II you could climb to the top OF the
city hall tower. and, standing by the
statue of William Penn. look up and
down the Delaware river you would
see that 1t is dotted with shipyards
for length Of perhaps nfty miles. IN
deed 1t IL often called the American
Clyde, and within few months 1t will
be turning out steamers more rapidly
than the little river which connects
1 Glasgow with the sea-
The shipyards already cover some-
thing like thirty square miles. They
begin about twenty-five miles north Of
Philadelphia at Bristol. There. on the
old Landreth seed farm. the Merchants
shipbuilding Company has just estab-
1ished a fabricating plant to build ves-
sells for the Emergency Fleet Corpor-
alton. 1t has dozen ways already
completed, and hve keels have been
laid. The land promises to grow ships
, quite as fast as it once grew garden
seeds.
A little further south on the same
side of the river is the Trailer Ship
building Company. and then come the
great yards of the Cramps, who have
been noted as shipbuilders for gener-
ations- They have made the fastest
Of our American greyhounds and have
constructed many battleships and cruis-
ers for the United States Navy. They
launched tens of thousands Of tons OF
shipping in 1917 and their plant is
now one of the busiest of the country.
Still further south on the opposite
side of the river in Camden is the J.
H. Mathis Shipbuilding Company and
below it on the same side of the river
Is the great New York Shipbuilding
Company. l spent the day at the lat
on in this letter. The establishment is
now in the hands Of the government
ana 1t Is turning out ships as fast or
faster than any other plant in the
country. 1t has nineteen cargo vessels
In the different stages of construction,
and a new battfeship for the Navy, the
Idaho. almost completed.
Below the New York shipbuilding
Pennsylvania shipbuilding yard. which
launched more than $1,000 tons Of ship
ping last year. and will greatly in
crease its output in 1918. and still fur
ther south Is the New Jersey Ship
On the western side Of the river op-
posite these plants is the navy yard
at the lower end of the city of
delphta, and south of that just
where the Schuylkill runs into ths .,el.
aware is Hog Island. where the gov
ernment is erecting the largest fabri-
rating plant OF the world. The work is
being done by the American Interna-
fifty ways almost completed and they
run for about two miles along the
banks OF the Delaware. Its nrst order
Is for l20 fabricated steel steamers of
100000 deadweight tons,
South of Hog Island Is the town ~
Chester where are the Chester Ship
building Company and the Sun shin
building Company. and still further
soutn ~ Delaware at Wilmington
those of the Bethlehem shipbu!ldin1
Corporation. All Of these estabiish.
Hents are now owned or directed by
e,e United States government, and
their army of employees is working