The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-08-04
BIDS FOR BIG Guns
The Ordnance Bureau Of the War De-
partmsnt Has a Busy Day.
WESTERN FIRMS COMPETE
Liberal Appropriations by the Last
Congress for Coast Defense
stimulate Competition Among
the Manufaotories.

Washington, Aug. 3-This was q grea1
day for manufacturers OF war material,
and many corporations and firms were
represented at the war and navy departs
ments this afternoon when the bids were
opened for supplying large quantity OF
gun carriages, mortars. shot and shell OF
various sizes and kinds. Probably noe
since the late war has the ordnance bu-
reau OF the war department been able
to lay out SO extensive a programme for
one years work as Is now made possible
by the liberal appropriations made by
congress for the defense Of the coaste
Consequently there were many bidders
for supplying a large quantity OF ma
terial. raw and complete. included In the
first call for proposals. and II was q no
ticeable fact that In the list Of bidders
were the names of Arms mainly from the
west that have never before had business
relations with the war department. The
first bids opened were for supplying gun
carriages. There were twelve bidders.
American Hoist q Derrick company. 81.
Paul Weimar Machine company OF Ls-
banon. Pa: Bethlehem Iron company.
Robert Poole q Sons Of Baltimore: WI
ker company OF Cleveland: Cramp d
Sons, Philadelphia: John Dillogue. Cam
den, N. j.: Kitby Manufacturing COM
pdHy VI SltNttauut Msibah Asheihcothh8
company, Alliance. o.; Pond Machine
Tool company OF Plainfield. N. j.; South
wark Iron Foundry. Philadelphia; Mfiis
Tool company Of Hamilton. o.
The American Hoist Il Derrick COM
pany OF st. Paul bid sli 500 each for ten
carriages or more. deliveries TO begin IN
six months and continue at the rate OF
one every six weeks. The Southwark
foundry of Philadelphia. while fixing the
price OF one carriage at sl2.s6o. offered to
build ten or more at Sll 800 each and to
make the first delverey In Ave months.
so Il was difficult 10 decide between them.
For supplying spring return carriages
for i2-inch mortars there were II bidders.
Robert Poole n Sons OF Baltimore being
probably the lowest at s5.3S6 each for IS
carriages. deliveries to begin In ten weeks
and continue four per week. For supply
Ing steel forgings for the big guns the
only bidders were the Bethlehem and
Mdvale Steel companies OF Pennsylvania.
The fortifcations appropriation bill pro-
vided that in no case should the price
paid exceed "a cents per pound for these
I forgings. and the bids generally were
lust within the limit. The Bethlehem
company explained that only for the sake
of forwarding the desire Of the war de-
partment to make an experiment Of build
| ing big 16-inch guns did they offer 70
supply forgings at the price fixed by con-
gress, which would probably involve Q
loss to themselves. For supplying so sets
of Finch mortar forgings. bethlehem un-
derbid Midvale. the prices asked being
23h and 23 $40 cents per pound. re-
spectively. For finishing and assembling
these mortar forsings there was but one
bidder. the Builders iron foundry Of
D,a II n ~ fxrVvz
s3.7N to s3s75 per mortar. according to
the number ordered. They stipulated
they should be relieved from certain pen-
atty provisions In the contract. Bethle-
hcm was the only company that offered
to supply q whole mortar, forging and
all. assembled complete. At prices ranging
from s12. to 81. $50. according to tho
number ordered.
The American Ordnance company OF
Philadelphia and Thomas r. Lane. repre-
senting the Maxim " Nordenfeldt Gun COM
pany. were competitors for supplying six
pound rapid-nring guns. The former
asked t.66s each for Drisgs-Schroede
guns. plain. and s1.s5o for the parapes
/ mounts. shields. etc. The price Of armoP
piercing shell for the same was y77s per
| 100 common shells. The Maxim Norden-
feldt's prices were 81 sos each. and ammu-
4
| for common shell and $3.50 for canister.
For supplying deck piercing shells. the
Carpenter Steel company OF Reading.
Pa. bid from % TO 90 cents per pound and
the Sterling Steel company Of Pittsburs
90 cents. The latter concern declined to
bid on torpedo shells. for which proposals
were invited. on the ground that they
could not be made to come to the re-
quirements and refused to bid on them.
Midvale also bid on these deck piercers
and torpedo shells at prices ranging from
s14i to s1s4 each. For armor piercing shot
OF 9 TO 12-inch caliber. the Sterling COM
pany bid from Is to 90 cents per pound,
the Carpenter from "a to Is cents per
pound and Midvale from sss.15 TO s.oe.s
per shot.
In the case OF the naval bids. the prices
asked were generally higher than were
offered at the war department. probably
on account OF the absence Of the restric-
tion to "a cents per pound. but still they
were less than last years rates. Bethle-
hem was the lowest bidder for supplying
gun forging. at 81 cents per pound for
four FIVE and six-inch forgings and
% 40 cents for eight-inch. Midvals's
prices were q. a. % and q $40 cents per
pound respectively for the four sisss.