The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-08-08
BIDS FOR WAR MAI ERIAL
MANY CONCERNS WILLING TO SUP
PLY UNCLE SAM.
Most Extensive Program Laid Out
by the Ordnance Bureau Since
the War.

Washington, Aug. 3.-Ths was a great
day for the manufacturers of war ma
terial, and many great corporations and
firms were represented al the war and
navy departments this afternoon when
bids were opened ror supplying large
quantity of gun carriages, shot and shell
of various sizes and kinds. Probably not
since the late war has the ordnance pu-
reau of the war department been able 20
lay out so extensive a program Tor one
years work, is now made possible by
the liberal appropriations made by con
sress for our coast defenses. Consequent
ly there were many bidders for supplying
large quantities of materials, raw and
complete, included in the first call for
proposals. and 1t was noticeable that in
the list of bidders were the names OF
firms 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 Y bidders.
The American Hoist and Derrick COM
pany of st. Paul, Weimer Machine com
pany OF Lebanon, Pa, Bethlehem Iron
company, Robert Poole & Sons of Balti-
more, Wilker company of Cleveland,
Cramp & Sons of Philadelphia, John ii.
Dialogue of the Kilby Manufacturing
company of Cleveland, Morgan Engineer
ing company of Alliance, Ohio, Pond Ma
chine Tool company of Plaintield N. j..
Southwark Iron foundry of Philadelphia
Mills Tool company of Hamilton. Ohio.
The American Hoist and Derrick com
pany of st. Paul bid s11. 800 each for 10
carriages, or more. deliveries to begin
in six months, ana continue at the rate
of one every six weeks. The Southwark
foundry of Philadelphia, while fixing the
price of one Garage at $l2.660, offered to
build 10 or more at $l,5N each, and to
make the first delivery in five months, so
it was difficult to decide between them.
For supplying spring return carriages
for 2-inch mortars there were u bidders,
Robert Poole of Baltimore being probably
the lowest at 50 1868 each for sc carriages,
deliveries to begin in 10 weeks and con-
tinue four per week.
For supplying steel forgings for the big
guns the only bidders were the Bethlehem
and Midvale Steel companies. The forti-
fications Appropriation bill provided that
in no case should the price paid exceed "A
cents per pound for these forgings, and
bids generally were just within the limit.
The Bethlehem company was the lowest
on 10-inch and 16-inch forgings at % $40
and "a cents per pound respectively, while
the Midvale company was the lowest for
12-inch forglngs at % 65-10O cents per
pound.
The Bethlehem company explained that
only for the sake of forwarding the desire
of the war department to make the eX-
pertinent of building 16-inch gun diu they
offer to supply the forgugs at the price
fixed by congress, which would probably
involve loss to themselves.
For supplying GO sets of Pinch mortar
forgings the Bethlehem company under
bid Midvale, the prices asked being % IL
and % $40 cents per pound respectively.
For furnishing and assembling these
mortar forgings there was but one bid
q l.
dence, r. l., at prices ranging from $S,7S7
TO $3.50 per mortar, according to the
number ordered. They stipulated they
should be relieved from certain penalty
provisions in the contract.
The Bethlehem was the only company
that offered to supply whole mortar torg-
ings. and all assembled complete, at prices
ranging from $1,000 to SIP, $50, according to
the number ordered.
The American Ordnance company of
Philadelphia and Thomas f. Lane, rep
resenting Maxim ordenfeldt Gun COM
pany. were competitors for supplying six
pound rapid-tire guns. The former asked
$1565 each for Driggs-Schroeder guns plain
and $3.50 for the parapet mounts, shields,
etc. The armor piercing shell for the
same was S1T50 for common shells and
canister and Sl75 for 50. The Maxim
Nordenfedt's were $685. each, and ammu-
milton $3.50 per 100 for armor piercers, SAC
For supplying deck-piercng shells the
Carpenter Steel company of Reading, Pa,
bid from % to 30 cents per pound and the
Sterling Steel company of Pittsburg bid
30 cents The latter concern declined 10
bid on the torpedo shells, for which pro-
posals were invited, on the ground that
they could not be made TO come to the
requirements and refused TO bid on them
The Midvale company also bid on these
deck-piercers and torpedo shells at prices
ranging from Sl41 to S194 each.
For armor-piercing shot of 20 Pinch
caliber the Sterling company bid from 2
to 90 cents per pound, the Carpenter com
pany from "A to 10 cents per pound and
the Midvale company from S67.75 &C
$209S0 per shot.
In the case of the naval bids the prices
asked were generally higher than were OF
fered at the war department, probably
on account of the absence of the restric
lions to "a cents per pound, but still they
were less than last years rates. Bethle
hem was the lowest bidder for supplying
gun forgings at 261s cents per pound FOL
four-inch, five-inch and six-inch forgings
and q 7-10 cents for eight-inch. The Mid
vale prices were q, q. 26 and % $40 cents
per pound. respectively, for the four sizes