The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-13
PUGET SOUNDNEED NOT BID
The Government VIII Give Arnor
Plate Contract TO the East
ar south.

Special Dispetch 70 the Post-IntsIiigeacsr.
WASHINGTON. Nov. fs-Senasor VIII
son is IN receipt OF letter from Lieut..
Chambers. recorder Of the special board
appointed BY the secretary OF the navy 10
investigate the subject OF armor plate and
the feasibility of establishing a govern
ment factory for It's construction. Lieut.
Chambers letter IS in regard 10 the request
for information concerning the proposed
aruor plate plant recently made b. ". B.
Dennis president of the Board of Trade.
of Port Townsend.
Lieut.. Chambers states thar the hoard is
now busy preparing description. plans. es-
Inmates and specifications for the proposed
plant. which viii 5< submitted TO the sec
Rotary OF the navy December /. The board
has no authority 30 locate such plant. he
says but Il is contemplated that soon af-
ter December J. tas secretary of the navy
Will advertise for proposals to furnish such
a plant as a waole. or any part or parts
thereof separately" 1t is also suggested
by Lieut.. Chambers that the best time for
Port Townsend 10 submit its claims will
posals.
IT Is worthy Of note In this connection
that the armor plant board only visited a
very few Southern and Middle Western
states In order 10 examine such sites as
had been offered. and utterly ignored all
sections of the Pacific coast, in spite Of tha
fact that Seattle. Tacoma. Port Townsend.
Everett and other points on Puget sound
had. through the Washington representa-
tives. given notice TO the navy department
that they would be prepared TO submit Of
fers of sites 10 the government at the
proper time and when they might be in
formed just what the government required
for its purposes. Il would appear from
this that in the selection OF site for an
Il
probability congress viii authorize TO be
tablished during the coming session. the
Pacific coast Is TO be wholly ignored. In
fact. one naval officer stated 10 the Post
Inteliigencer correspondent the other day
that the department would not think of
locating such plant on the Western coast
for the reason that very little OF its product
would be used by vessels on the Pacific
ocean. Only one more warship is contem-
plated for Pacific waters. and il is ex-
tremely probable that the construction of
this may be delayed for long time to
come. On the other hand. the Atlantic
squadron is 10 be increased. provided con-
gress will listen 10 the recommendations
Of naval officers, and an armor factory, if
constructed at all. should be located as
near as possible to the Atlantic seo0oard.
The two principa, competitors for the
construction of the arnor plate factory 1t
is understood will be the Illinois Steel
Company, located in that state, and rhe
Carnegie Company, which already has a
plant for making afnor plate at Bethle-
hem. Pa. The Carnegie Company ii is
said. will offer to sell its plant to ths gov
eminent at lower figure than any one
else could possibly construct similar
plant for. A third offer viii probably be
made by large iron producing firm for
the location of a plant near Birmingham
Ala Any one of these three places is deem
ed far more likely to BE- selected as a site
for the contemplated new factory than any
point on the Pacific coast In the opinion
of many officials in the navy department
the people of the Puget sound cities would
do Well not to build any hopes upon the
location Of the arrnor factory in their vi
cinity. for If they do. they are almost Ger
tain TO he disappointed.
Washingtcn's representatives. however
do not seem inclined 10 ahate their efforts
in behalf of their constituents on the
Sound. There are on file letters in behalf
OF Seattle. Tacoma and Port Townsend. A
letter from President ". b. Dennis. of
the Port Townsend Board OF Trade says
that city has more than one site which. il
= maintained by man familiar and con
versant with nssai tactics, would BE- me
most advantageous location for subserv-
ing the highest interests OF the depart
men; of the government and of all the
people" He concludes with the assurance
.ha, Port Townsend proposes 10 present
bids at the proper time.