THE DELAMATER IRON WORKS— THE CRADLE OF THE MODERN 



NAVY. 



By Holbrook Fitz John Porter, M. E., Visitor. 



[Read at the twenty-sixth general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, held in 



Philadelphia, November 14 and 15, 1918.] 



In the late thirties of the last century, when Martin Van Buren was Presi- 

 dent, Wm. L. Marcy, Governor of the State, and Aaron Clark, Mayor of the city. 

 New York was pretty much country above 14th Street, and the section called Green- 

 wich Village, extending from Hammersley Street (which later became West Hous- 

 ton Street) up to 14th Street, and from Washington Square to the North River, was 

 a thriving suburb. There were no street cars in those days, but stages plied between 

 the Battery and the village, carrying those who lived in the latter down to business 

 and back again every day. 



A pile bulkhead skirted the river front with here and there a wharf or pier 

 jutting out into the stream and ships tied up to these for repairs made by local 

 "engineers" and "machinists" who kept their kits at home. 



Among the former was James Cunningham, who lived at 387 Washington 

 Street, between Beach and Hubert Streets, and had made a competence at his work, 

 which he invested in ships of his own, some of which went around the Horn and 

 up the Pacific Coast as far as San Francisco. Then there was Adam Hall, another 

 engineer who lived across the street at 386, who worked with Cunningham. They 

 hired a little shop together and hung up the sign of "Cunningham & Hall" at the 

 corner of West and Laight Streets, where they took orders, did some machining 

 and blacksmithing, and kept their tools and supplies. Business thrived so that they 

 soon needed more of an organization, so they asked Peter Hogg, a draughtsman and 

 mechanic who lived a block above at 507 Washington Street, to join them. After 

 working together for some months and requiring more room, they decided to make 

 a larger venture and seek more commodious quarters. 



So in 1838, finding a suitable location at 260 West Street, between Vestry and 

 Laight Streets, they established the "Phoenix Foundry." Cunningham moved to 

 86 Laight Street around the corner so as to be on hand and superintend things. 

 Next to Hogg at 509 Washington Street lived William DeLamater, a bookkeeper, 

 and Hogg, knowing him to be a good man at figures, got Cunningham to take him 

 as cashier and confidential adviser for the concern, and his son Cornelius H., then 

 in the hardware firm of Swords & Company, as clerk. Hall moved around to 34 

 Vestry Street so as to be on hand if needed for a hurried job. The best mechanics 

 they knew were placed in charge of the men they employed. Alexander K. Rider, a 

 young mechanic, was given charge of the foundry, John McCurdy was made fore- 



