The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-30
BIDS ron ARMoR PLATE.
sites offered the Government by Ma
riOn, Ind, and Other Cities.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2S.-Among the
propositions submitted to the secretary of
the navy to-day for donating or selling sites
for armor plate plants were two from Ma
rion. Grant county, Indiana. Philip Matter
and Jesse ID. Wright offers to give 40 acres
of ground and the Philadelphia Land Com
pany offers to give forty acres of land, the
latter proposition being accompanied by an
offer to sell the government many addi-
tioaal acres as might be desired at $500 per
acre. Each of these bids carries with 1t an
offer of fifty gas wells. eighty acres of
leased land to go with each well. The gas
wells are subscribed for by wealthy and
public-Spirited men of Marion. These wells
will furnish fuel that would cost the gov
eminent $4,000 annually, estimating 10000
cubic feet of gas to be equal TO ton or
coal. AT the customary estimate or 3O'OOO
cubic feet to q ton of coal, the fuel thus
provided would be worth $lO00,00O year
About twenty-five propositions of all sorts
and descriptions Were opened py the secre-
tary of the navy. Tie secretary has no au-
thority to select a site, but he Will make
the offers that have been received the basis
of a report to Congress, showing what can
be done if Congress should decide to set up
the government in the business of making
its own armor plate. There is small pros
pect indeed, that Congress will do anything
OF She sort but if it should Indiana will
stand a good show of carrying off the prize.
Whatever happens it Is certain that the
sitions from Indianapolis and Anderson par
ties were expected
Many OF the proposals received by Sec
rotary Long were merely offers to do
nate sites to the government conditional on
the location of the plant. a number of
others We're for supply of machinery. There
were only two bids To furnish a complete
plant and only one of these named a fig
IRE The two companies now engaged in
the manufacture of armor for the navy did
not submit proposals. The Huntington, W.
Va Chamber of Commerce offered To fol-
low the specifications of the board and build
a complete plant for the sum of So 325, 905
including site. buildings and plant An
other offer to supply complete plant came
from the John L. Holland Torpedo Boat
Company of New York. but no figure was
named the company simply offering TO do
this for a sum of money, and within a
factory board in its report. This was ac-
cOHapanied by the expression of an opinion
that '.armor should be included in the con-
afruction contracts OF all vessels, by which
derstand the full cost of ships and the price
OF armor would be reduced and its delivery
expedited"
Another proposal that commanded some
attention was that Of the Rearick Engineer
ing Company, of Columbus. .. This was
a very complicated proposal 10 supply each
Of the numerous buildings, furnaces. boilers
etc, required as well as $50 acres of land
at sums specified in each particular case
a special po,lt in interest about this bid
was an accompanying offer from the Cham
her of Commerce of Columbus 10 donate the
sum of $4,000 to the government IL the
plant We're located in that city.
Offers OF sites for plant gratis. or for
a nominal sum Of money, came from Mus
keg0u, Mich; Youngstown o.; Escanaba,
Mich Duluth. Mimi; Ensley, Ala; Lo-
rfina, o.; Winthrop Harbor and Dock
Company, OF Chicago; Sheffield. Tenn; Pc