New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-09
ONLY ONE BID FOR ARMOR.
OFFER OF THE ILLINOIS STEEL COM
PANY TO THE GOVERNMENT.
1T WILL. SUPPLY ALL REQUIRED AT $3.50 AND $40
A TON IF A TWENTY YEARS CoNINAOi i'
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PROPOSITION
FOn A oOvr.RNMENT PLANT.

FOR a GOVERNMENT PLANT
Washington April s.-The Navy Department re-
ceved to-day only bid IN answer 70 the auNci :
tisenent calling for proposals for SUPPLYING aoou'
5000 tons Of armor for tho three batte-shps ino7'
Wisconsin and Alabama. and this ono was 50 Nlesu-
lar IN form as TO be far Wide of the advertisements
The single bid was the Illinois steer company
Of Ch.cago and Il proposed to supply the sou tons
of arinor desired at $50 ton on CONDITION 'ha' II
re cevei a twenty years contract 10 supply al VI
the naval armor In such case arnlor po!ohu INC
5000 tons would be supplied at $40 ton The armor
was to be paid for In gold coin An ai'er'a've
proposition contemplated the erection OF az. arm"
plant by tho Government and fits supply with steer
by tho Illinois COMPANY, No awards have oeen
made and the whole matter will prooaDy Do re-
ierred TO Congress.
The ,ntcres, felt in tho result of today's bidding
was manifested by the number OF persons present
Lieutenant stone was there FOR tho Carnegie cum
p.1v Vice-Presidcnt Davenport and Messrs. Melgs
and McElvane for Bethlehem. President Hafrah anu
Mr. Perie for the Midvale Steel Worhs ChaiIes
Cramp for the Cramp Shipbuild!ng WORKS Wii!iain
p Palmer second vice- president OF the Illinois steel
Company; General Hyde president OF the ba'h lro'!
Works: ex-Secretary Herbert and gathering OF
naval experts from the Ordnance. Engineering ana
Construction bureaus.
In view Of the fact that the Congress- by an
amendment 10 the Naval Appropriation DILL hao
limited the sum to be paid for armor for the three
batte-ships to a maximum OF $500 a ton as aSaiiis'
about $50 a ton now paid, no surprise was eH-
pressed by the persons present IN the oecle'ai!
Office when Secretary Long, taking his place at the
head OF the table announced that only one od hau
been received which from the ILLINOIS steer
Company Of Chicago, a concern which now ioE the
first time enters the field Of competition for sup
plying armor Before the bid was read, Lieutenant
Stone for the Carnegie company, and Nice-presl'
dent Davenport, for the Bethlehem company pre-
scented 10 Secretary Long written statements OF
the reasons impelling these companies, which nave
heretofore supplied all the armor used by the Gov
eminent in building the Navy. to refrain from
submitting proposals in answer 10 the present au-
vertisenent. Secretary Long glanced at me OPEN
ing pages OF these papers. ana announced witHou
reading further that they did not appear, 10 De
frrs were laid aside without being read ior subse-
Ouent consideration. The proposals or me Hi,iois
Steel Company were then read by the 1"uSe ->"'0
In regard 10 a Government armor plant, the pro,
posa said in part We hereby Sler 70 0rnnd at
our South Chicago works for the period OF ninety sy
nine years at a rental Of 81 per annum on me lo
lowing conditions naey i neas w Mani for the
manufacture Of armor-plate Of a minimum eapacity
of 500 tons per month ana tnat VIII P,ae Of
approved quality as the plant may require. II IS
needless for 10 suggest TO the Government w.at
Il will cost build such plant as no oouot me r
Department officials have posted themselves NOR
.srhfere are many advantages that the Govern
noent would have in the location of this plant IN
Chicago. 1t would be centrally placed i0r pom
the Atlantic and Pacific seaboards, ana would nave
terror chain Of lakes. Chicago being LABOR sen
tire skilled mechanics can be secured Wth0ut UNI
Gny Coal can be eSu rom 1'T he Onto ana Wes
ern Pennsylvania fields by lake. or, what Is petter
for armorplate work fuel Oh San De Sepp n tba
STANDARD Oil Company, IN close proximity.