0 0 0 ▁tons ▁larger ▁than ▁any ▁iron ▁ship ▁previously ▁constructed ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁and ▁Cr amp ▁& ▁S ons ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁undert ake ▁a ▁substantial ▁upgrade ▁of ▁its ▁facilities ▁to ▁complete ▁them . ▁The ▁company ▁established ▁an ▁entirely ▁new ▁ship yard ▁for ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁vessels , ▁serv iced ▁by ▁its ▁own ▁black sm ith , ▁engine , ▁bo iler ▁and ▁car p entry ▁sh ops , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁providing ▁it ▁with ▁a ▁ 7 0 0 - foot ▁out f itting ▁wh arf . ▁Cost ▁of ▁the ▁real ▁estate ▁alone ▁was ▁in ▁excess ▁of ▁$ 2 6 5 , 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁Cr amp ▁& ▁S ons ▁was ▁obliged ▁to ▁incorpor ate ▁as ▁the ▁William ▁Cr amp ▁& ▁S ons ▁Engine ▁and ▁Sh ip ▁Building ▁Company ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁limit ▁the ▁financial ▁risk ▁involved . ▁Fort uit ously , ▁Cr amp ▁& ▁S ons ▁had ▁only ▁recently ▁built ▁its ▁first ▁comp ound ▁marine ▁steam ▁engine , ▁and ▁consequ ently ▁the ▁ship yard ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁install ▁the ▁vessels ▁with ▁the ▁latest ▁in ▁engine ▁technology . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁contract ▁called ▁for ▁Pennsylvania ▁to ▁be ▁completed ▁by ▁September ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 7 2 , ▁but ▁the ▁schedule ▁proved ▁optim istic . ▁A ▁short - l ived ▁ship building ▁bo om ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 7 0 s ▁made ▁it ▁difficult ▁for ▁the ▁Cr amp ▁ship yard ▁to ▁obtain ▁iron ▁pl ates ▁and ▁other ▁materials , ▁and ▁the ▁yard ▁was ▁also ▁affected