The record-union., 1892-02-17
GUN F0UNDRIES.
GENERAL FLAGLER FAVORS ONE
ON THE PACIFIC COAST.
Senator FELTON, Makes a Strong Plea
In Favor of Locating 1t at
Benicia.
Special 10 the REcoRp-uS1ox.

| Spec1al 10 the RECORD-UNI0N.
| WASHINGTON, Feb. Is. The Senate
| Committee on Fortifications and Coast
| Defenses met to-day and heard expert
testimony of Brigadier- General FIagler,
who is Chief of Ordnance Oft War De-
partment. He is in favor Of establishing
a gun factory for the army to be located
on the Pacific Coast, but is not in favor
OF a combined factory for the army and
navy. He thinks that the foundry ought
to be such a one as is contemplated by
| Senator Dolph's bill appropriating
| 81 COOS 600.
Flagler said that the board appointed
| two years ago consisted of competent
| officers, and he had very high opinion
of the good judgment of the board. The
! foundry. at WatervEet had not the capac-
| Ity for turning out the great number of
guns now needed for coast defenses.
Another foundry should be established,
| and 1t should by all means be on the
| Pacific Coast.
Senator Dolph read a letter from Irving
| NJ. Scott, President of the Union Iron
| Works of San Francisco, in which Mr.
| Scott stated his belief that his foundry
/ could furnish all steel forgings desired if
! given proper inducements.
| Senator Squire, Chairman of the COM
mittee read the following telegram:
SEATTLE, February 2d,
! Hon ". c. Squire: The Chamber of Com
merce of Seattle earnestly urges the location
/ at this point of the proposed Government
/ gun foundry. Iron and coal of excellent quail
| ity abound in this city, and mines are easily
| accessible from Seattle. The large part of the
| armament for the coast must be used ON Puget
! Sound, and the establishment OF q fOundry7
here would save the expense of tranSDorta-
! tion. California produces no pig iron and the
| location OF Il foundry at Benica would Involve
| great needless expense in the transportation
i
| Moss Bay Company, at Kirkland, on Lake
| Washington, is erecting q hrSt-ciaSS steel
! plant, on which S250,0O0 has already been
| spent, which Will be completed within year.
| Responsible parties guarantee a suitable Ioca-
ton on Lake W ashington for Government
| foundry. E. f. FURTH.
! President Chamber OF Commerce.
! Senator FELTON,, a member of the com
mittee, made statement, in which he re-
| cited that steps had already been taken
and the appointment of a board, which,
after careful examination and consider
alton, had concluded that d foundry was
needed on the Pacific Coast. Senator
| FELTON, quoted from their report as fol-
! lows: The board understands that the
! location of factory is fixed by law at
| Benicia, and submits an estimate of the
cost, based upon an actual experience, in
/ the preparation OF a site and the erection
| of the existing building at Watervliet
J The amount recommended is 81, ,4S4 600
4
! desire to say that even if the law does
| not fix the plant at Benicia it was
! the evident intention OF the trainers OF
! the law tnat plant be erected on the Pa
cific coast, and that it should be located
| at Benicia. Otherwise provision wouid
| have been made for the examination of
other points of said coast, which they did
| not. They were aware of the conditions
! existing on account of the configura-
| tion Of said coast, and that this point
/ more fully met the conditions required,
/ natural and artificial. for such purpose
| than any other, and for this reason they
were only required to examine the Be
nicia arsenal as the site. The board dis
! tlnctly suggests, among other sugges-
tions, these conditions, which are indis-
/ pensable for the successful erection and
| operation Of such plant.
First, proving ground, where guns
may be tested and where clear stretch
of level ground is needed remote from a
! tbicl<ly-settled community, where lives
would be in no danger. The factory
ought to be out of reach of the guns of
hostile ships of war; there should be first
| class facilities for shipment by land and
water, and there should be large supply
of water for current uses. Skilled and
unskilled labor would be in great de-
mand, therefore the foundry should be
| situated at or near q concentration of
population. Structural iron. would be
one OF the materials IN great demand.
Altogether, as much precision would be
necessary as in the case of the manu-
tacture of a large telescope
Mr.. FELTON, said that Benicia had all
these conditions, was admirably situated
| for testing the guns after manufacture,
and the foundry would be well protected
from ASSAULT of hostile men-of-war, etc.
| He moved that the bill introduced by
himself providing for the erection of a
! gun plant at Benicia, be substituted and
reported favorably to the Senate in lieu of
Dolph's bill providing for the appoint
ment OF an Army Board to examine and
report upon the most suitable site for the
erection of plant.
The committee will hold another meet
ing two weeks from to-day, at which time
they will make report to the Senate 1t
is probable that Senator Dolph's bill will
/ be reported fayorably.