Newport News Shipyard - Early History
There have been few industries harder hit by mesothelioma than the shipping industry. If you worked for any of these companies in the past, make sure you see your doctor right away to learn more about that the risks of mesothelioma due to exposure to asbestos.
Collis P. Huntington built the Newport News shipyard in 1886. Huntington was considered one of the "Big Four" in the western railroad world, as he helped to build the United States' first transcontinental railroad. Born in Harwinton, Connecticut in 1821, Huntington got into the trading industry early, opening a store with his brother. He went on to open a business in Sacramento and later joined forces with other businessmen to build the Central Pacific Railroad. After this project was completed, he remained partners in this company, but also began working on completion of the Chesapeake an Ohio Railroad from Virginia to the Ohio River. The Newport News shipyard began as a place to repair ships, but went on to become a powerhouse shipyard in the east.
The Newport News shipyard is located in Newport News, VA and was originally known as the Chesapeake Dry Dock & Construction Company. Although built in 1886, their first ship, the Dorothy, wasn't delivered until 1891. Later that decade, they went on to build the Nashville, the Wilmington, and the Helena, which were three Naval warships that became part of the United States Navy during the 1900s.
Huntington died in 1900, but the Newport News shipyard continued to thrive. That year, the company's new board issued stocks and bonds to Huntington's family and then began major changes to great a larger profit at the shipyard for the company. They continued to build warships for United States Navy, and in the 1910s and 1920s, this shipyard built six dreadnoughts, an innovative new warship designs, and five (the Texas, the Pennsylvania, the Mississippi, the Maryland, and the West Virginia) of them serviced the Navy during World War II. For more in-depth information about ships build by Newport News, please see Famous Ships Built.
The Newport News shipyard prospered during the Great Depression due to smart management and the need for warships for the impending World War I. One of the most advanced designs was the aircraft carrier, which became feasible in 1910 when employee Eugene Ely fly a small plane off of the Newport News shipyard's cruiser the Birmingham. During the 1920s, this shipyard built 25 destroyers, and they played more with the aircraft carrier idea in the 1930s, before the United States entered World War II.
Most of the workers at the Newport News shipyard working before the late 1970s were exposed to asbestos, and this substance, in turn, caused many of these workers to develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related problems. During the early years at the Newport News shipyard, the effects of asbestos on the body was not widely known or studied. For more information about this lethal substance please see Asbestos.
Especially at risk of asbestos exposure were workers at the power plant running the Newport News shipyard, as well as some of the people working at the shipyard itself - welders, electricians, plumbers, installation installers, and those working with sheet metal. Also at risk are people who worked on ships built at the Newport News shipyard before this time, as well as the people who are still working on renovating, repairing, or demolishing these ships. See "Occupations at Risk of Asbestos Exposure" and "Products Containing Asbestos" for further information about the types of products and occupations involved with asbestos.
During the early time period at the Newport News shipyard, it is unclear when the shipyard officials first knew about the dangers of mesothelioma. However, it is clear that asbestos was used in a number of places in each ship, so almost every employee was exposed to this substance. When breathed in, asbestos fibers embed in the soft tissue linings of your major organs, including your lungs, stomach, and heart. This is very dangerous, as over time the scar tissue builds up. This will not only disrupt you body's systems, but it can also cause perfect conditions for cell mutation and cancer. Unfortunately, mesothelioma develops very slowly, so many of the workers who were there prior to World War II did not develop symptoms until many decades later. In fact, some are still developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related medical conditions. For more information about mesothelioma, please see Mesothelioma Overview.
The Newport News shipyard did a lot of good work prior during its early years. However, it was not a safe place to work, and workers were unknowingly exposed and put in danger, as were their families, due to secondary exposure. If you worked at the Newport News shipyard prior to the 1980s, talking to a doctor as soon as possible to discuss screening for asbestos-related diseases is vital to your health. In addition, see Mesothelioma Symptoms to learn more about signs and symptoms associated with this deadly cancer.
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