The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-11
70 BUILD HARSH|PS HERE.
Mcrans Will Compete for Big
Government Contracts.
PLANS ARE NOW PERFECTED.
Heavy Tools and Machinery Have
Been Added 10 Big Plant Con-
stnnuy During Past sixteen
MontLs--company II Fuliy Pre-
pared 10 Construct Any of Four
teen vessels Vow Authorized.

Before the end OF the coming year. prob
ably. Seattle will be known throughout
the civilized world as one OF the great
steel shlpauildng cit.ss Of the United
States within SIX months there - every
reason 10 5-l.svs one. II not more.
OF ,hs fourteen new wa-snips re-
Gently authorized by congress VIII
BE- rnde, onstsuetion In this city.
giving a'osds employment 20 from
l.sgo 10 s.ans si..ilc- ~orSmen. In
crssr'ng thu month pay roll % the city
by Appropriated. $4,000. AMI sdc'rs a.
.eas. s0cs 20 III permanent population
This, IN brief. IS the announcement
sanctioned yesterday oy ROBERT Moran.
president o. tho Moran Eros. Company.
a Seattle corporation which already pos
fesses the second largest steel shipbuild-
ing plant on the Pacific coast, and which
has already built three vessels for tho
United States government, including the
torpedo boat Rowan. the drrt actual fght-
ing ship ever suit on this Coast north
OF San Francisco.
Those IN the confidence % the Morans
have long known that -ftn Thorn the
Rowan was bis tho entering wedge ana
that II WAS their ambition 10 soms day
build al their plant IN Seattle the iarg-
eat warships the United States navy might
require. With that end In Wow for the
past four years. they have s;cadiiy bent
every energy to the Improvement Of their
already large and well equipped plant,
adding picce by piece the heaviest and
most modern machinery and spending .
small fortune each year 10 this manner.
although up 10 the present time the In
vestmcnt has been almost without return
By reason OF the fact that most Of the
new machinery Is but little required In
the ordinary business Of the company.
Time for Action Has Come.
Now. however. the officers Of the CON-
pany believe that the time has come for
them TO announce Themselves ns fully
equipped rivals Of the other shipbuijders
Of the nation IN the competition for the
business OF the government. With that
end In view orders have already been
placed in the East for the tools and ma
chinery necessary TO perfect the plant.
and within a very short time tire company
viii be ready 10 handle any government
contract II may obtain.
President Moran L. now preparing for
an extended trip through the East for
the purpose OF carrying out the details
sent he win personally select and super
wise the construction ~ some Of the larger
special tools required and make arrange
ments with the leading iron and steel
the raw materials needed. He Will also
visit the different navy yards and oh
tain from various sources the great mass
RI necessary Information as basis for
the prospective bids of his company
Not the least Important part OF Mr. Mo-
rams mission. Will ne to secure the services
come to Seattle and take charge OF tho
work IN case the Moran Company In sue
crssfui In obtaining one or more OF the
contracts from the government. The gov
az asx..& usiI -. .ytk
vessels before the hrst of the year.
Few persons In Seattle who have not
visited the Moran establishment have any
the plant Within the las, sixteen months
the company has expended Tor now and
Improved machinery and special tools re.
qulred for stecl shirhuilding not less than
$4,000. and the plant as u now stands
could not. probably. be duplcued for
less than t50e.0 900
The obtaining Of a contract for the
ships would mean tho immediate expendi-
ture OF 100000 more for additional equip
ment. and ultimately probably t5500o
would be invested IN tho plant,
The intention 81 the company 10 bid for
the construction of the warships men
toned explains two large purchases OF
Seattle tide lands recently made by the
Moran Bros Company To the sixteen
acres covered by the original plant four
acres more have lust been added. making
the compants grounds cover an area OF
front property not ntersectsd by streets
of alleys owned by any enc Arm or indi-
siduai IN the city,
Every aere q this land viii be covered
with buildings. Tor plenty Of room il
needed for the construction Of big war
shin Tho land has direct water front
age OF 1000 lineai feet
There Is now business enough for two
large shipynrsis on the Pacific coast" said
Mill u. Parry, assistant manager 81 the
Moran Bros Company yesterday. Here
t0fors every war vessel larger than a tor.
pedc boat built on this coast has BEEN
turned Out BY the Dnlon Iron Works 81
san Francisco We have decided how
ever. that TIRE time has now come for US
~ 50 20 the front and not only compete
With that company. but excel /, n paasi-
bic In doing work for the government
Every Prospect of sacer...
There arc many reasons why We
should smvcevd m this undertaking We
have ~ Seattle more railway competition
End shcrstese, lower treighs rates, whica.
terisis used must b. brought from the
East, Is an important factor AddSd 70
that confederation, Ne have cheaper coal,
cheaper luaber better climate Tor steel
shiphuildins and manifold other natural
advantages
n IL ,he pelicy % the Koverumsn, 20
encourage Shirhaiialnx, ara Y ths gov
ernnaent Il assured that ihrrn Is 10 he
composition out here h viii eyer spasa %
iis naval business @ this coaat. our en-
tfN wv WV Nttt4 VIII ttAFfFHNtft o. kff tNH
tasersst ~ slae Union lnan Works. as well
~ 10 shT iRtffrsts n the people n the
West ~ sVueYais I'D 20 the uf~ssui time
The government has allowed the haildtnx
~ hWi limited percentage ~ rs war
vessels en this Coast on erCopnt q the
Aeernee % at competition
IL r. eWr belief thai whFn Il IA under
~icnt shat there arV two fully eauirset
fNipeNiiaing plants on this Ccaet there
VII h. NJ Hesitation or the part % the
government 50 sivp tn them their rtehifa
share ~ ~ husiafsS That there are I've
such plants = undoubtedly vel under
stnea AZ Washington cray
THE capabilities u the f-nian Iron
Weeks Company have hesa pfesNf dime
and again. and when Chitf Constructor
fIichhafgt ~ the navy department visit.
"a seattle recently ne sn~nt q whale sav
IN golnS through euF own rlant and ~
came ! taink stiN satisfied a. 80 our
eapActly IN that direction.
'-rha fourteen vessels move authorized
hy congress include SIX armersd cruisers
thres protected cruisers ana Eve hAsfle-
shtyS 20 cost net 20 exceed 81 r63 ono IN
the aggregate. or these the SECRETARY
a.. Il aAfhm~fo.ss - ,~sEae 49,.