The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-04
BIDS FOR WAR SUPPLIES.
Opened at the War and Navy Depart
ments- Many Big Guns.

Washington City. Aug. 3-This was a
great day for the manufacturers OF war
material. and many great corporations
and firms were represented at the war
and navy departments this afternoon
when bids were opened for supplying
large quantity OF gun carriages, mortars
shot and shell of various sizes and kinds.
Probably not since the late war has the
ordnance bureau of the war department.
been able TO lay out so extensive q pro-
gramme for one years work as is now
made possible by the liberal appropria-
tons made by congress for the defense Of
the sea coasts. Consequently there were
many bidders for supplying tha large
quantity OF material. raw and complete.
included in the first call for proposals and
1t was noticeable fact that in the list
o. bidders were the names OF firms, ma,i,-
Iy IN the West. that have never before mad
business relations with the war depart.
ment- The first bids opened were for sup
plying gun carriages. There were Twelve
bidders: The American Hoist and Itr-
rick Company, of st. Paul: the Weimar
Machine Company. OF Lebanon, Fa-: tse
Bethlehem Iron Company. Robert Poo,e
a. Sons. of Baltimore: the Wiiker Conn
psny. OF Cleveland; Cramp g. sons. IT
Philadelphia; John Dialogue, OF Camden,
~. j.: Kilby Manufacturing Company. of
Cleveland; Morgan Engineering Company,
of Alliance, O.: Pond Machine Tool COM
pany. of Plainfield. ~. J.. and the South
wark Iron Foundry. Philadelphia and
Mills Tool Company. of Hamilton, o. The
American Hoist and Derrick Company, Of
ST. Paul. bid 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 ona
Carriage at .6bl. offered to huiid ten ~
more at sll 800 each and TO make the first
delivery in five months, SO 1t was aitl-
cult TO decide between them For supply
ing spring return carriages for the Finch
mortars there were twelve bidders. Rob-
ert Poole & Son, OF Baltimore, being prob
ably the lowest. at 1855 each for nifty
six carriages, deliveries TO begin in ten
weeks and continue four per week For
supplying steel forgings for big guns, the
only bidders were the Bethlehem and Mid
vale Steel Companies, OF Pennsylvania.
The Notifications appropriation bill pro-
vided that in no case should the price
paid exceed "a cents per pound for these
forgings and the bids generally were Just
within the limit. The Bethlehem Compa-
ny was the lowest on the lG-inch and III
Inch forgings. at $50 cents and "a cents
per pound, respectively, while the Mid
vale Company was the lowest for Finch
forgings. at z3g5 cents per pound. The
Bethlehem Company explained that only
for the sake Of forwarding the desire OF
the war department 70 make the expert
ment of building the big l6-inch gun ala
they offer to supply the forginss at the
price fixed by congress, which would prop
ably Involve a loss 10 themselves. For
<uDnivfur sixty sets of Ie-inch mortar
forgfuCs Bethlehem underbid Midvale, the
nrfres asked being rs and 239 cents per
Mound respectively. For finishing ana as
sembTlng these mortar forgings there was
but one bidder. the Builders Iron foun-
dry, Of Providence, X. l.. at prices rang
tnc. from e. 7sT 70 1855 per mortar, accord
ing to the number ordered. They stipu-
lated that they should be relieved from
certain penalty provisions in the contract.
Rethieheru was the only company that
offered to supply the whole mortar. forg-
ing and ALI assembled complete at prices
ranging from 81. 0oe TO si225a, according 10
the number ordered. The American Ord
nance Company. OF Philadelphia. and
Thomas f lane. representing the Maxim
Nordenfeldt Gun Company. were Compel
itors for supplying s-pound rapid-ilre guns.
The former asked ai.565 each for briggs
Schroeder guns plain and sle3e for the
paraper mounts. shields, etc. armor-pierc-
,nr shells for the same, s775 per loo, COM
mon shells. $50. canister, s275 for 70. The
Naxssy.- Nortienfeldfs were 81. SO each. and
arnrannstfon 500 per len for armor- pierre
ers $40 for common shells and $3.50 for
canister For supplying deck piercing
sheiis The Carpenter Steel Company. OF
Reading, Pa. bid from Is 20 20 cents per
Mound, and the Sterling Steel Company.
~ Tstttsh,ires 50 cents. The latter concern
declined the torpedo shells for which pro-
noaais were invited. on the ground that
.hcv could not be made 10 come 10 re-
ouirernents. and refused 10 bid on them.
sftdvaIe also bid on these dsck-piercer.
ara torpsao shells. at prices ranging from
ss, "a ,fss each for armor-piercing shot
OF 4 TO f2-inch caIihers.
Tn enc case Of the naval bids the prices
asked were generally higher than wer-
offered 20 the war department. probably
-, account OF the absence OF a restvfc-
80, so q cents per pound. bat stiiI they
,,-.~,r less thar, last years rates. bethlehem
vras ire lowest bidder for supplying gun
fnrrtnws. AZ So cents per pound for &
inch. 5-ineh and s-inch forgings. and -
...ss Tar s-gnch. Mi8yaie prices were =,
- * ara "a cents per pound. respective
\. for the faur sizes