The record-union., 1898-07-17
WILL Be MILLIONS IN IT.
ANWATER-PIPE CON-
TRACT TO BE LET.
A Sacramento Firm Will Bid for
1t Against the Rest of
the World.

By last nights overland train Will
lam Schaw, senior member of the firm
of Schaw, Ingram, hatcher & Co., left
for the East. whence he will shortly go
to London Mr.. Schaw's trip is not for
pleasure, though it will doubtless prove
a very delightful journey.
The particular business that takes
Mr. SchaW to Europe is to bid on
contract that is probably of greater
magnitude than any of a similar kind
ever yet let to any firm. 1t is for man
ufacturing and laying 32S miles Of riv-
eted iron pipe, 80 inches in diameter
for what is known as the Coolgardie
Government water system in Australia
The bids for this work are to be
opened in London on the 21st of Au
gust, and there will be bidders pres
ent from all the great manufacturing
centers in the world. The work is a
stupendous one, and the bids VIII run
up into millions.
Mr. Schaw says his firm in this city
has been figuring on this matter for
nearly a year and he and his business
partners believe they are in position
TO compete successfully With any of
the great manufacturing firms of the
world Just before leaving the city
last night Mr.. Schaw said to Record
Union" reporter:
Despite the magnitude of this un-
dertaking the members of our firm here
in Sacramento feel that we are such
masters of the business of pipe maxim g
as to warrant us in going up against
the whole world on this Australian
proposition.
The manufacture Of this particular
kind of iron pipe, you understand, is
strictly a California enterprise. 1t or
iginated here, where so much portable
pipe has been required in mining, and
with our experience in its manufacture
and perfect knowledge of the business
We believe we can compete with the
world in this line. At all events, we
are going to make an effort to secure
this big contract.
You ask where the material is to be
procured and the work done? We'll,
these are matters that have yet to be
decided. 1t will be a part Of my mis-
sion to investigate the iron markets
of the East and Europe before submit
ting our bid.
"Of course, whoever gets the contract
will have to do the work where the pipe
is to be laid-in Australia 1t would
not pay to make the pipe in this coun
try and ship it there, for obvious rea
sons. 1t will take four hundred men
three years to manufacture the pipe.
If our firm succeeds in securing the
contract the money that will come out
Of it will come to Sacramento, even
though the work should not be done
here, and our city will be advertised the
world wI ha q
Sacramento contractl and undertaking.
The pipe is to be, as 1 said, 32S miles
in length, 80 inches in diameter and
the iron will be of varying thickness,
some 3-16, some Il and some SIG of an
inch. 1t is a great undertaking, but we
feel fairly confident of securing the
contract"
The Chamber of Commerce, at a
meeting held the other day, adressed
the following letter to Mr.. Schaw, ex-
pressive of that body's appreciation OF
himself and of the enterprise and pub
lie spirit manifested by the firm of
which he is a member:
Sacramento, July 18th.
Mr.. William Schaw, Director of the
Sacramento Chamber of Commerce
Dear Sir: Hearing that you will soon
leave home for an extended trip to the
East, and possibly to Europe, we, the
undersigned officers and members of
the Board of Directors of the Sacra-
mento Chamber of Commerce desire
to express to you our high appreciation
of your faithfulness and ability as a
Director and Chairman of the Stand
ing Committee on Commerce. Were we
permitted to speak to the many strang
ers whom you will meet during your
travels, we would gladly commend you
TO their consideration and confidence.
Your many years of active business
life in Sacramento, and the success
which you and your associates have
achieved, are the results of close atten-
tion and intelligent business methods.
We beg that you will gather all infor-
nation which may be useful to us; nat
urally much Of it will be in the line of
iron and manufactures in which your
good firm has taken SO many large con-
tracts.
We wish you continued success, and
shall hope for your safe return. Most
respectfully (Signed), D. A. Lindley,
President; Thomas B. Hall, Vice Pres
ident; A. A. Van Voorhies, Treasurer;
j. 0. Coleman, Secretary; L. +. Breu-
ner. r. d. Stephens. Thomas l.. En-
wright C. j. Ellis, Frank Miller, L. L.
Lewis, A. j. Bruner, W. d. Lawton,
William Land, H. j. Small, r. I. Bent
ley.