The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-09
THERE ARE MILLIONS IN IT.
~vr BETHLEHEM COMPANIES MD
I'm the 100 HIGH-POwER GUNS


RON THE 100 HI6H-POwER GUNS
., s.u Has . Plant and Can Mako the
n.,. IN Less Time and At $4,000. 600
80. Cost-The Senate Responsible for
Tho provision for Private Contracts.
w,su,soroS, Aug. a-Tho Acting Secretary
:, Mar Gen. Grant. has not yet approved the
" n the Board Of Fortincations and Ord
s.rse which recommends that contract for
aro hundred hlch.lower guns DO let to the
xn.tnl.hem Iron Company NJ prices aggregat.
~ nearly 100000. Gen. Grant Is much
sn,,led TO know what he had best do.
All ia true tho prices given In tho bids seem
.rs,tv high In comparison with the figure At
Sh,eb tho Government can build guns tn It's
Am shops" lie said this afternoon. but a
.rsst blundor has bsen mado by Congress-, ana
I don't see what we can do. We do
,ot make laws; We execute them. The
~ 4. mandatory. asit leaves the Secretary OF
War no option but 20 purchase guns at rates
-h,ch may be recommended BY the Board OF
rar,iscntions and Ordnance. Why Congress
.nrronrlatcd money for the erection OF an ex-
ss,.,,. pun.making plant At Watervlist
"a then directed the Secretary OF War
- nurchase guns Of private makers.
\. NOR. tbnn l can understand. 1t
!. not absolutely necessary that ! should mp
n,ny. tho rspor. Of the Board and proceed to
-, :. contract to the Bethlehem company. I
-, advertise for new bids for 100 guns or for
.ma,lsr number. and 1t IL tho advisability
a, doing this which row hive under cOnsid-
.,.,ion I shall not reach decision for several
days"
If(;cn. Grant will consult with the officers Of
.hs Ordnance bureau be will loarn that tho
.,onosed contract Is ono which should never
:. mnde. An officer OF this bureau. who 10
thoroughly familiar with every detail OF gun
u.tinc at Wntervle.t said to-day:
eve can build these 100 guns Mt WatervIeit
q, nm. 600 cheaper than the bidders propose 10
hnI,i them for. and We can build Thorn In ono
Mali tho time which they ask to do tho work In.
rince {, an, Fiagler made his estimate Of the cost
NJ run building at Watervleit. which was about
tvo.,hirds the bidders rrIces. We hhvc inves.
t,,.tod tho matter still closer. Tho first guns
which We built the Type guns. cost us about
Ai.oOO DER ton. including suporintendence.
r,ant maintenance VI buildings. and mschin-
sry-every,hlng But now that our workmen
ire trained and everything Is In good running
eond ton. so that We waste no time and make
NO false moves. we can build guns In quantity
At much lower rate. Careful computations.
based on actual experience. show that We can
trrn out complete and perfect guns In quantity
At 5000 rer ton. Compare this rae with the
figures riven by bidders. and you will see how
much money the Government Is proposing to
psy for the blessed privilege OF establishing a
private gun shop with private ownership"
Application OF these figures to tho proposed
gun contract makes startling showing Of tho
profit which the bidder expects to mako out Of
Che Government. The s-inch guns " elgh l4,4
ions apiece. md tho weight OF twenty-five
o. them would DO ass tons; AT $500 per ton
TIE lowest figures given BY tho Bethlshem
WI sT''I IN. and sSi :sea j, they build
gun wo weighs tons
;sS6S. The bethlehem COMPANY asks ST..
% ss' 9nsest sp 1s aad SSa Eet ISs
a!s eans would ( hs soo 1859 tons. costing
sun. shs Be.sIehem co@rapy as ks At it's iow
% nnrea Sl.4lS.s26. and at IT, highest u ,b3a.-
The teal S sHst o. IN 10y gnns or sl %
II built by tho Bethlehem Company at its
K. 81
t!empany, for quicker work. the cost will bs
ssst. TIN: 70 IS 5u sS'h hi tn;
~ 1" Gen. sevfn Tor 1S Ssans s
Jour N; sssra eve .r.ior. he Bsssi.hsm ccm
pany wants twice as much money and
i6s building Of tho guns in the Govern ment's
!sauiredi Il already In operatio1. The question
!Gr The war = Department to decide 10 very
Shall the Government be swindled out Of two
~ a N nriy
,xLsAsy. Aug. s;.Cone.essmsn Charles O.
factory was estabiishpd At Waterviiiet and Who Who
has been Its most earnest advocate In Con-
"TaE SUNS Washington despatch to-day
states the facts as l understand them. Tho
70 e. En va. In
Hog.e but the opposlton Welded on tho
committee on For,iications. that the eu money e
"uf 4. n9 Seed re s so & By Looking
knows Just how cheaply these guns can be
made At iss own factories because Il Is PRO;
that 10 Irics viii be paid aSnvs tho cost as OF
producing them in the Government factories.
ils eva was ths UNDERSTANDING In tho House
Tss su ss svhs ss 'saSS s
waseE!s mud the time roaairoa n Is m SHi.
longer. an surprised that the newspapers on
we Pacific coast. where tho Government has
snd In The central States. which ars eager 10
gese gun factory established at some OF their
great iron manufac,ories. have not taken up
"a is IN effect nm attempt 10 foros
no establishment Of the second rlaut
o. this point In Pennsylvania without
consulting tho wishes of the country The
loens between gun making by con, ract for tho
eroMt %, .! individuals md gun making BY tho
b discussed here. 1t is. furthermore, too
simple 70 require more than u statement OF
FOUND HER SONS BODY.