The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-04-09
ONLY 0NE BID
For Armor Plate COntraCt-ililnOlS Steel
Company Eaters FlOld Fur F!rst Tims.
AStSniShlnEIy Low Bld'

For AFmuF Plate COhtract-lllAhOlS steel
Company Eaters Field for F!FSt Time.
AStonishlngIy Low Bid,
WASHINGTON. d. C., April S,-ThC
navy department received to-day but
one bid in answer TO the advertisement
calling for proposals for supplylng
about 5000 tons OF armor for the three
battleahlps, Illinois. wisconsin and Al
ALBANIA. and this one was so irregular IN
form aS to be far wide of the advertise
ment, The single bid was from the
Illinois Steel Company, Of Chicago, and
It proposed to supply the 5000 tons OF
armor desired at $500 per ton. on con-
dltion that Il be given twenty-year
contract to supply all OF Ghe naval ar
NOR, In such case the remainder OF
the armor beyond the 5000 tons would
be supplied ut $40 per ton. The nrmoE
was TO be paid for in gold coin. An al
Tentative proposition contemplated the
erection Of an armOr plant by the gov
ernment and It's supply with steel by
the Illinois Company. No awards have
been made and the whole matter prob
ably will be referred to Congress.
The interest felt In the results OF to-
days bidding waE manifested by the
number OF persons present. Lieutenant
Stone WaR there for the Carnegie com-
pany; Vice President Davenport and
MeBHrS. Melgs and McElvane for the
Bethlehem; President HarrRh and AIR.
Peterie for the MIdVale Steel works;
Charles Cramp for the Cramp Ship
building Works; William p. Palmer, sec
ond vice president OF the Illinois Steel
Company; General Hyde. preSl0ent OF
the Bath Iron Works. eX-Secretary Her.
bert and gathering OF naval experts
from the Ordnance, Engineering ana
ConStructlon Bureaus.
In view OF the fact that Congress BY
an amendment to the naval AppropTi1 :
tlon bill had limited the sum to be paid
for aFInor for the three b0ttleshlpS 70 q
maximum Of $500 per ton. as against
about $500 now paid, there was no sur
prise expressed by the persons present
in the Eecretary's Office when Secretary
Long, taking his place at the head OF
the table, announced only one bid had
been received, which was from the I'LL
nois Steel Company, OF Chicago, cons
Germ which now Tor the first time enters
the field Of competition for supplying
the government Armor.
Before the bid was read Lieutenant
Stone. for the Carnegie company. and
Vice President Davenport, for the Beth
lehem Company, presented to Secretary
Long written statements OF the reasons
which compelled these companies which
have heretofore supplied all The aFmor
used by the government in building the
new navy, to refrain from submitting
proposals in answer TO the present ad-
vertlsement. Secretary Long glanced
at the opening passes OF these papers
and announced without reading further.
that they did not appear 20 be pro-
posnls. A negative reply being male.
the letters were laid aside without be-
ing read, for subsequent consideration.
The proposal OF tho Illinois Steel Com
pany was then read by the Judge nd-
vocate general, not in the usual 1hape
OF fliod in blank. which Is supplied
by the department. but in the shape OF
two typewriter proposals addressed 10
the secretary OF the navy.
Secretary Long this afternoon made
public the letters received from the
Carnegie and the Bethlehem companies.
President Schwab, OF the Carnegie
company, writes that they are unable
10 bid. az with all our facilities ana
experience we cannot supply the gov
ernment with arTnor OF the quality We
are now making at chat price 1aOOl."
afr Sayre. OF the Bethlehem company,
saws that while the company canno;
supply the small quantity OF arfHor re-
QulTed at prices materially lower than
those now paid. 1t still stands ready 70
sell its plant to the government below
coSt Mt \ fair price to he fixed by suit
oble arbitration. II, however. Congress
viii remove the Limitation on price ne
believes he can agree with the depart
ment upon a fair price not greater. than
that paid for similar NTnor by any otl-
or country in the world.