Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-15


tion for the guns they are designed to
carry, so that with even the vastly in :
creased power of modern ordnance
the 15-inch Rodman carriage is still
ABLE TO CARRY SAFELY
an eight or ten-inch breech-loading
rife. Of course the expedient is only
a temporary one, as the carriages are
very slow in operation according to
modern standards, but they would
serve very well in an emergency.
From the unofficial information re-
ceived here there has been a s-tis-
factory improvement in the health Of
both Admiral Sicard who is COM
manding the North Atlantic squadron,
and of Captain Sigsbee, who COM
manded the Maine before the explosion
which wrecked her. AS a result OF
his stay in the Gulf of Mexico, espec-
tally in the vicinity of Dry Tortugas,
Admiral Sicard contracted a case CT
malaria, which, however, disappear
ed after a few days stay at Key West
Mrs. Sicard is now at the latter place
in constant communication with the
admiral, and the latest reports from
her indicate that her husband has
entirely recovered his good health.
Captain Sigsbee's illness was OF
hardly more than a days duration
vii a,,t
and the latest advices received here by
his family and by the Secretary Of the
Navy show that he has entirely re-
covered
The Bureau of Ordnance of the War
Department opened bids to-day for a
large supply of armor piercing projec-
tiles and for 100000 rifle ball cart
ridges. The bidding brought togeth-
er number of the representatives of
the large steel and ammunition COM
panies, some of whom took occasion
TO give assurances that in the present
emergency the government work
would be given the preference over
commercial orders. The bidders for
steel projectiles, varying in size from
the eight-inch steel capped shot to
the 1000 pound shot, we the Mid
vale Steel Company. the B. Atha II
llngsworth Company, the Carpenter
Steel Company and the Furth Sterling
Company. The
BIDS VARIED ONLY SLIGHTLY
on the various classes of heavy shot
running from SIG each for the eight
inch shot, to s235 each for the 1000
Founders. The B. Atha Illingsworth
Company confined their bid TO the
eight-inch shot and shell, while the
others submitted their bids for the en-
tire order contemplated BY the War
Department, viz:
100 S-inch shot, capped.
149 8-inch shell.
4S2 10-inch shot, cappet.
4S1 10inch she'll
1.241 Pinch deck piercing shell
weighing SEQ pounds each.
935 12-inch shells Weighing 1000
pounds each.
The bids Of all the companies for the
800 and 1000 pound shells were the
same, namely s1S7 and 1926 each.
Although the department intends to
accept only one bid, or to divide the
order between the bidders, it afforded
satisfaction to the authorities to know
that such large supplies could be OBJ
tanned from so many sources on short
notice The Midvale Company offered
to begin deliveries in twenty-five days;
the Furth Sterling Company at the
rate of 1G1 per week after twenty-five
days: the Carpenter Company twenty
five per day after April s, and the
Atha Illingsworth Company in ninety
days.
The bids for rifle cartridges were in
two parts. 10000. 900 being standard
metallic ball cartridges with brown
powder. and 100000 metallic car
tridges with smokeless powder There
were three uAuSt VIZ lie GHIOu metal
lie Cartridge Company the United
States Cartridge Company, and the
Winchester Repeating Arms CompanF
The bids were the same in each case,
$3.50 for the brown powder cartridge.
and s2T for the smokeless powder car
fridge. One company offered TO de-
liver $4,000 at once, and all the offers
contemplated a delivery Of 100000
day after few days.
The bids for shot, shell and car
tridgas will be briefed and the awards
made within the next few days. as tire
War Department wishes the work to
begin at once.
4 CONDITION OF THE TREASURY.
Washington. March H. To-days
statement Of the condition Of the treas
ury shows:
Available cash balance so. 5s3. 7S4;
gold reserve. $3.50. 73s, 1870.
WAS UNINTEREsTING.
Washin gton. March 1.-THE pro-
ceeiings in the House to-day were
utterly devoid OF public interest. The
time was devoted to District Of Column