The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-04-08
SAMPSON DOUBTS IT
ILLINOIS STEEL COMPANY SAYS IT
CAN MAKE ARM0R PLATE
Chief of the Naval Ordnance Bureau Re-
ports to Secretary Long - Thinks the
Company is Ready to Promise and Rid
for More Than They are Fixed for-Pre.
vious Bidders Not Expected to Show on
the three Hundred Dollars a Ton Armor
Deal Eattleship Iowa Wins Bonus for
the Cramps.

Washington, April 7.-Captain Samp-
son, chief Of the naval ordnance bureau,
IS preparing for the use of Secretary
Long a synoptical sketch of inspection
just made by him Of the five plants Of
the Illinois Steel company in Illinois aud
Wisconsin. Tomorrow is SGT as the date
for opening proposals for supplying the
navy with about 5000 tons OF armor
Of legislation of congress upon this sub
ject the outcome is awaited with great
interest by the entire iron industry Of
the country. as is evidenced by the num-
Der of inquiries that are coming daily
tc the department from all quarters. The
general opinion Of the officials of the
navy department is that no bids will
Je secured from anv of the established
3rn;or plants for supplying this arn1or
with:n the limit of $500 per Ton fixed by
congress. 1t is expected, however, that
the Illinois company will bid within this
figure and IN order to ascertain the ca
pab;lilles of the Illinois company, Cap
tain Sampson made a trip to the west
and his conclusions viii be laid before
the secretary in advance of the opening
of the bids tomorrow.
In substance, Camptain SIMPSONS
conclusions are that the Illinois compa-
ny, while speedily equipped for its pres
ent line OF business and endowed with
unexcelled natural resources, could not
=,
NOR plate within less period than two
years after the award of contract. In
this conclusion he takes issue with the
ccn1pany's officers, who contend that
they can begin their output within eight
months after contract.
The second vice president Of the Illi-
nois company, it is said, until recently
was principal salesman of he Carnegie
Steel company, and it is said to be large
IL upon the technical information he
has absorbed during his connection with
the latter concern that the Illinois compa
ny relies in its estimates OF cost of pro-
ductior and time of delivery of armor.
Camptain SIMPSONS report will show
that with the great store of rich ores
from the Meseba and other ranges the
cheap water transportation possible for
the raw materials and in view of other
considerations. the company itself is in
excellent consideration to undertake any
great work. But of TIE five plants Wis
;t:d by Captain Sampson, three being
in Chicago, one at Joliet, and one at
Milwaukee, il will state. is now using
the open earth process of making steel
which process is indispensable for the
production of metal fit for making ar
NOR. This is the plant in South Chica-
so, which. Captain Sampson will say,
is equipped with good furnaces and ma
chirery. The latter, however in his opin
ion. would require considerable addi-
tons to make armor in any sizes thick
er than about half an inch. There are,
for instance, no hydraulic presses such
es are necessary for moulding the big
plates and not sufficient power plant to
move the great masses of metal about
the works. Ali this should be provided,
bu.. in the opinion of the chief o. ord
nance( not in the time estimated by the
company'S officers.