The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-03-09
HURRY ORDERS At GUNSHOP
Uandreds of Extra Men 10 Be
Put 10 Work.
NOW RUNNING DAY AND NIGHT
The Capacity OF the Navy Yard rs
tal,ltshmcnt Nearly Trebled.
GuIs for the Auxiliary Fleet Rap
idly Pushed - Ordnance Bureau
Orders Are TO "aush."

The great gun shops at the navy yard
which furnish all the large guns Tor the
battleships and cruisers of the American
Navy are buster than ever trying to turn
out gums as fast as the Bureau OF Ord
nance wants them.
The Yards have for year or more been
busy turning out guns for battleships
and cruisers now under construction in
the various shipyards of the country in
accordance with contracts already made
by the Navy Department and several
weeks ago the maximum force Of the
yard was put to work 10 hurry them.
With all this it seems that the Bureau Of
ordnance desired TO have the shops do
more. and notwithstanding the fact that
The maximum force OF 1000 men. most OF
them skilled mechanics. were strainins
every nerve under the direction of the
naval experts at the yard to finish the
work an hand. the Ordnance Bureau
yesterday sent word to +. 9. Pendleton,
commander Of ordnance at the navy
yard to push the work on the big guns
even more if possible.
Commander Pendleton Immediately is
sued call for about 255 extra men and
as fast as the men responded they were
put to work. Orders were issued for the
regular force al the yard to work in three
shifts Of eight hours each and under this
ARRANGEMENT the department viii turn
out about TWO and one-half guns in place
of every one that would otherwise be
turned out.
Fifty men were engaged late in the aft
la
shift The officials win not engage eT-
cry man that applies at the yard Tor
work Great care is used i'm their selec-
tion. This is done. first because IL takes
skilled fnachiuiSts Ia do the work at the
shops. and second all employees must pre-
sent recommendations from their re-
spective cities relative to their character
and who they are FOR il would not do 10
run the risk of employing those who as
spies" or paid agents might furnish in
formation to Spain, or who in order to
abet her would deliberately alter ma
chinery so as to ruin large and valuable
ordnance under construction. All men
taken on must possess in addition TO these
qualifications a mechanics certificate or
recommendation from their last employ
ers. which must be passed upon by the
labor board Of the yard.
In speaking to reporter for The Times
last night Commander Pendleton said that
three hundred additional men would be
required to bring the working force OF
the ward up to the size required TO com
plete the work at hand in the time set By
the Bureau Of Ordnance. He said that
hy tonight half that number would he oh
tanned for all Of the one hundred and
fifty men on the waiting list" had been
notified that the ward was in need Of
their services at once. These men have
passed the Labor Board and can enter the
shops and manage the large machines i'm
mediatelY.
Those that were put TO work last night
began on the 4. and G-inch breeCh-load-
ing guns which viii be used on the aux
iliary vessels of the type Of the St. Paul
and the ST. Louis. These are the guns
thar the Ordnance Bureau want compile
ted first and il was on this occount that
the yard was yesterday asked to rush
things.
IN addition to the extra men put on last
night an equal number Of the regular
force worked so that hundred men kept
things humming all night. The great
gun shop with its fifty massive machines
capable OF turning out the largest guns
required by The Ordnance Bureau, and the
large adjoining buildings, devoted to the
manufacture Of mounts and carriages for
the guns Of the former shop. and the
brecch department, were all busy. To-
night every machine in the place viii be
running. At the present rate of work,
Sundays included, all the guns thus far
ordered Will be finished in about two
months This is stated on information
furnished The Times by one Of the most
prominent officials of the yard last night
The eight large l3-inch guns. intended
for the Kentucky and kearsage are fin
ished and lie in the yard ready 10 be tow
ed down the river to be tested at the ma
val proving grounds at Indian Head.
Work on the guns intended for the
Chicago. Atlanta, Illinois and Wisconsin
Is also being hurried. and If these boats
are not finished by the time the guns
are ready. il is understood to be the in
tention OF the Government to place the
guns on auxiliary vessels or any Of the
incompleted vessels Of foreign nations
upon which the Government IS n,goti-
ating for an option. The guns for bat
tleships Seven. Eight and Nine. now un-
der construction by the Cramps. the Tn
ion Iron Works and at Newport News,
prespectively, are TO be ready in a short
time.
The mounts for the large 13-inch guns
mentioned above have not been made
They are Of new design. and unlike any