Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-22
DOCK STREET SITE
FOR BOILER PLANT
Richmond's New Industry Larg-
est of Kind in America, Says
Charles NJ Schwab.
WILL COST ABOUT S4,OOO,OOO
Building Operations Will Be
Started at Once and Rushed
to Completion.
WILL COST ABOUT s4,OOO,OOO


as the largest plant OF its kind In
, America will be built by the Newport
News Shipbuiiding and Dry Dock Com
pany for the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration. and will cost approximately
100000 Between 1900 and 1000 me-
chanics will be employed in the plant
when it is placed in operation. Build
ing operations are expected TO be
started in the next few weeks. and. in
all probability, the factory will be
ready for operation by the end OF the
year.
Representatives OF the Newport News
Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company
viewed several sites in Richmond sug-
sested for the location of the new
plant and IL was understood unotn-
cially last night that a site had been
selected. The factory will be located
near the James River. SO that direct
water communication may be had be-
tween Newport News and Richmond.
1t intimated that the plant would be
located on Dock Street. and perhaps
on the site Of the old Trigg Shipyards.
FAILING SAYS PLANT WILL
BIZ LOCATED on DOCK STREET
T. =. Palen, vice -presiden. of the
Newport News Shpbuilding and Dry
Dock Company. who has been in Rich.
mond several days in connection with
the location OF the plant here. declared
last night that the factory would con-
sist OF a boiler shop. machine shop
and foundry. The plant will be or-
Grated both by the United states gov
ernnent and the shipbuilding company.
Construction costs will be borne By
the Emergency Fleet Corporation, with
the Newport News company generally
supervising the work.
Il have in mind the site for the
location OF the plant" said Mr.. Palcn.
but until negotiations are closed I
cannot announce the definite location
Will say this much, however: the new
structure is to be erected near the
James River, probably on Dock Street,
in order that direct water transporta-
tion can be had between Richmond ana
Newport News"
Building operations will be started
rs quickly as possible. Mr.. Palen said.
! Plans will be laid for the work as
soon as negotiations for the acquisi-
tion of the desired property are closed
No difficulty Is anticipated III securing
the necessary land, however, and there
is apparently no obstacles to preven;
immediate action. 1t is expected that
the new factory will he finished very
shortly after the end of the year.
WILL EMPLOY BETWEEN 1900
AND 1000 SKILLED OPERATIVES
The plant will represent an expcn-
dture of approximately $4,000 600. and
will employ between 1900 and 1000
skilled operatives when it is placed in
operation.
Negotiations have been under way for
several days for the land needed for
the new factory. Many other factors
were also considered in selecting Rich
mond as the location for the industry.
but officers OF the shipbuildng COM
pany anticipated little difficulty in OBJ
tanning the necessary facilities. In
quiry was made as 10 what amount OF
electric current would be availabl for
the plant, and members of the Ad-
ministrative Board were conferred with
yesterday.
Promoters o. the plant were told
that the city OF Richmond would do
everything within it's power to fur
nish every facility needed. and it was
pointed out that tie city could pro-
duce approximately 100000 kilowatt
hours of current in excess of it's re-
quirements. 1t was also reported that
officers of the Virginia Railway and
Power Company declared the traction
company could take care of the plant
if ii was located here.
The new plant will manufacture the
boilers for all ships now being built
at the various shipyards along the
Atlantic scaboard according to the
announcement OF DIR. Clarence l..
Owens. OF the Southern Commercial
Congress. who declared that he had
been authorized by Charles NJ. Schwab
| dircctor-general OF the Emergency
Fleet Corporation. to make this an
nouncement. MIR. Schwab said that the
plant would be the largest boiler fac
tory in America.
IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPAND
FURTHER AT NEWPORT NEWS
The Newport News Shipbuilding and
Dry Dock Company found it impos-
siblc to expand its plant sufficiently
to make possible the building OF boil
ers, it was learned last night and,
after careful study. selected Rich
mond as the most desirable location
| The matter is said tn have been laid
squarely before Director Schwab. and
he readily agreed to the location Of
the plant in this city.
Boilers Will be quilt in this city
and transported by water to the ship
building plant, where they can be in
stalled without any appreciable loss OF
time. Business men pointed out last
night that boats could travel from
| Richmond to Newport News in ten
hours or less, and that the boilers
could be placed in the shipyards al
most Immediately after they were COM
pleted.
! Richmond also provides more adc-
! quate transportation facilities for ma
terials and supplies at this time than
any other seaboard location. All ports
are badly congested by war activity.
which makes more difficult the trans
portatinn o. all materials.