The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-12
TO BUILD BIG
GUN FACTORY
Mr., Carnegie's Plan to Establish One
at Homestead, Pa.
ALSO TO REVIVE SHIPBUlLOING.
lie Proposes to Establish an Inland
Pant IN Western Pennsylvania
aud Float lis Products Via the
Ohio TO the Gulf

Plans have boen completed and work
will, u Is stated. b. shortly be gun ny
the Carnegie steel Company for the cree
ton. at Homestead. Pa. Of what will
Probably be the largest gun factory in
the world. The recent war with Spin
gave an impetus 10 the building OF big
guns and armament for naval and coast
defense. Tho Carnegie people have con-
troll Of new idea in the manufacture
OF great pieces Of ordnance. which will
10 is understood. rovolutionize modern
warfare Recently tho Carnegie Com
pany purchased frontage on the Monon-
Fahcla river. just within the northern
limits Of Homestead borough The land
fronts 1000 feet IN The river and has n
depth of about 1870 feet on this It is
pronoscd 70 build ggn foundry and n
shin-yard
Three lines or railroad crtcr trc
Ground. They aro tho Pittsburg and
Lake Erie the Nononrahcfa division Of
The PENNSYLVANIA railroad and the r.nion
railway Tho last named g. n Carnegie
concern. and was built 10 connect al the
various plants ot The great steel COM
pauy.
CrNTRAL1ZfNG PLANTS
For several years the Carnegie COM
uonv has boon C-nfrali7lng ns rianfs
The famous Hot Metal route over the
Mon0ncanr'a river no Port Perry was a
part Of this scheme. Tho building n thc
? Hessomer railroad from Braddock %
Lake Erie ard connecting with the NJ
saba ore ranges hv 4 system OF Like
steamers. Was another mart Of tho
scheme rood now building from
Paddock 10 tidewater at Newport Ncws
or Norfolk Va. is also part ~ tho
great plan This line. Of which the Mon
ongahc1a Bolt Line rs 10 b. a part. will
make the Carnegie steel Comnanv indie
pendent ~ railroads for freight service
ard save n millions 81 dollars q year in
freight.
THE building ~ o Gun works 10 rival
that Of Krunn hls been n dream Of An
drew Carnegie over since he became n
power in flc stool world Krupp Is
rival Of Carnegie IN tho making ~ arm
or ana shin-u'atcs Now the steel king
proposes to meet him ON his own ground
and make American guns that will OUT
class those ~ his German connection.
The plans for tho structures have been
nrc.qred There wiN he four immense
hrrdines each fn frlt wide and about
100 fce' long The bviit-up gun will be
"a speciality OF the Carnegie people and
will be- buui under patents controlled by
the steel firm.
The plant viii emrlov about 1000 mon
when fn fuu running order and II is be-
Ueved there WIFI De work enough secured
from tho United States Government
lforc 10 kccn ~ running night and Gay
for several wears The great additions
10 the United S.atos navy and The pro-
posed coast dofonsrs which ore % be
strengthened by this nation will render
another gun foundry on the American
continent absolutely necessary for thcir
armament. and no other concern in the
rn.F 81 better ffte1 for entering the
field than the earn gies.
Tho shiD-yards &c is proposed % bul'd
win be- located M the lower end Of the
big plot Of ground II IS proposed TO
construct one OF the finest ship-yarda
in the world There. Tho Carneeies 10 @
creator business now I'm tho manufacture
Of ordinary ship plates than they do in
tho making OF amor plate. IN fact, ar
NOR plate as secondary feature Of their
business Thi. material has aN been
sold 20 ship builders along the lake or
son coasts TTlicht rates on this class
Of material arc enormous and the bis
steel comun- has figured that with the
Ohio river improved n win Doe possible
10 build ns bic hips in Piushure 9s
can Doe built anywhere else in the world,
but ~ course only the hulls OF vesS"'7
viii be constructed there.
Tho empty huu of The hic-c7t ocean
'ncr viii not draw more water than can
De comfortably furnished I'm The Mon
oncahola river GA amy Of the big rises
On which the coal boats get out - The
lower river. Tine average depth On the
pools the year round Is about twelve 20
fifteen feet. This. &C. IS estimated. will
ho enough % float any ordinory-slzed
vessel
s LOST INDUSTRY
The building Of ships is one OF the
lost industries OF western Pennsylvania.
Years ago. when that section was COW
cred with forests ship building was car-
ri.d on t0 great extent This was
long before the Nonouclhola Nlvrati0r
Comnan. had slack water'i 'he Monon-
eahell river yet some great vessels
wero built at the o'd Brownsville ship
yards above pi'tsbugg Du.irg The civil
war sra numbers OF cunboats were
rfe8 hrnt trare for Tire government.
The ffet.geHal Of the forests ended the
building ~ ships.
Shortly after the war ne ". II.
10 build iron boats owing 'o the great
cost OF mHfrriI at a tiiae the at-
.e-at Was f''n. Nw that steel IS
lower IN prize th.n 'roH was ever irtam-
ed OF being ID. tnat dme the possibility
81 building chips t1.ro las boon revived
The shio-yarIs viii bc iu operation I'm
another ycar ani ull employ n thousand
OF mo.e men.-Was h..rton Sar.