Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-10

we understand the government has
the right to the use of the Harveyizing
prOcSs and that we would not be liable
for the payment Of royalty Hereunder.
For the faithful performance of the
work in accordance with this offer. we
are prepared TO furnish a good and sat
isfactOry bond TO the Secretary of the
Navy in the penal sum of one million
dollars. Yours truly.
y. w. GATES, President"
Proposition No. .:
we hereby offer to lease to the United
States government sufficient ground at our
South Chicago works for period of nine
ty-niue years, at rental Of one dollar per
2nnum. on the following conditions. name
ly that it Will erect thereon, within
period Of two years. a plant for the manu-
facture of armor plate of a minimum ca
pacity of five hundred tons per month. and
that IL purchase from US such basic open
hearth steel. of approved quality as the
plant may require.
Convenient TO this property we have the
most modern open-hearth plant that has
Yet been constructed, at which We are to-
day prepared to cast inEots Of one hun
died tons weight. and with moderate ex-
p-uditUre are prepared on thirty days
notice TO cast and handle ingots Weighing
one hundred and fifty tons each.
As the benefits to US would be consider
able In having this extensive plant es-
Jabushed in Chicago. we will agree 10
supply the steel ingots at $3.50 per ton
. payments TO be in gold on twentieth Of
month following deliveries on the gross
weight of the ingots. we allowing credit
of eight dollars per ton for the steel scrap.
This price Of $3.50 is for plain steel;
under the conditions oG this contract. the
government would no doubt supply itself
with nickel
The extra cost OF treatment in the open
hearth plant could be satisfactorily ar
ranged between an official Of the navy
department and ourselves Our plant
would be at the service of the navy de-
partment and we would render all the
/ assistance in our power giving the free
use Of our laboratories. etc. in experiment.
/ ing with other alleys. recognizing that the
art Of armor plate making is progressive.
Captain w. T. Sampson. chief of the
I bureau of ordnance. having examined our
\ plant. is fully informed as TO our equip
\ ment for the manufacture of open hearth
/ steel.
II is needless for US to suggest to the
/ government what IL Will cost to build such
/ n plant. as no doubt the department Off
/ Gals have posted themselves thoroughly on
/ this subject.
There are many advantages that the
| government would have in the location
I of this plant i'm Chicago. II would be
/ centrally placed for both the Atlantic and
/ the Pacific seaboard, and would have the
/ further advantage of being situated on
| the interior chain OF lakes Chicago be-
| ing a labor center. skilled mechanics can
/ be secured without difficulty, Goa. car Ne
secured from the Indiana and Illinois fields
by rail. or from the Ohio and Western
/ Pennsylvania fields by lake; or, what is
better for armor plate work, fuel oil can
be supplied in sufficient quantities from
the Whiting plant of the Standard Oil
Company, in close proximity.
Yours truly
J. ". GATES,
President.
Secretary Long this afternoon made pub
lie the letters received from the Carnegie
and the Bethlehem companies.
President Schwab Of the Carnegie COM
with all our facilities and experience we
cannot supply the government with armor
Of the quality we are now making, at that
price $500"
Referring to the testimony given by the
. company before congressional committees.
AR Schwab says: we trust you will be
able to satisfy Congress Of the Importance
OF such legislation as will enable you 10
negotiate with armor manufacturers to
secure NJ fair price the quality of armor
the government should have. If you were
IN q position now to negotiate with us. and
we could uot agree upon price. we would
be perfectly willing 10 have the price fixed
by arbitration-the arbitrator TO be men
skilled in the art
Vice President and General Manager
Sayre sets out the position Of the Bethle-
hem Iron Company in a long letter. he
says the company cannot bid within the
price $500 per ton fixed by Congress. The
first contract made by his company in 1887
was for S535.16 per gross ton. Yet this was
simple. plain steel armor, not nickel alloy
cd. face hardened, nor reforged as now
demanded.
In conclusion. Mr.. Sayre says that while
the company cannot supply the small
quantity OF armor required at prices ma
terially lower than those now paid, it still
stands ready to sell its plant to the gov
eminent below cost, at a fair price to be
fixed by suitable arbitration. II. however
Congress will remove the limitation on
price. he believes he can agree with the
department upon a fair price not greater
than that paid for similar armor by any
I'm l,o