The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-31
hORANS Can BUILD
bATILESH|PS WITH AID.
Continued From Page One.
tie will be willing to make the much
smaller sacrifice asked we feel convinced"
OPPORTUNITY OF THE PEOPLE.

OF n E<OA Akks
The Chamber of Commerce has taken
hold of the matter of raising the 100000
In subsidy notes necessary to secure the
battleship for Seattle A special meeting
has been called for II O'Clock this morn
ing to start the work of gathering sub
stantiaI pledges from the business men.
President elise In discussing the move
ment last night said:
81 believe that we can put this matter
through. 1t is an important proposition
to the future Of Seattle, and the amount
Is not large when the benefits to be de-
rived are considered. No immediate pay
ment Is asked, subscriptions being given
In notes due upon the launching of the
battleship two or three years hence, and
see no reason why the entire sum should
not be subscribed in short order.
1.-The construction of battleship In Sc
attic Is in the nature of a public under
taking. and there is no reason why the
Moran Bros Company should carry
the entire burden. l have felt for some
In the fight they were making to secure
recognition of Puget sound as shipping
and shipbuilding center. and have been
willing to do my part In lending such as
sistance
'"rhe great point is to break down the
prejudice In favor Of the established GEN.
ters and to secure the construction Of one
starter to future contracts. An opportu-
nifty to get such a contract has now come.
and II il important to the people Of Seat
tie that 1t be not neglected.
TWO MILLIONS FOR LABOR.
"The immediate benefit that will come
from the battleship contract will be In the
81. 100000 expended here for labor. This
money will be put in circulation here. and
will benefit not only every business man.
but every person in the city.
''Of much greater value will be the adj
vertising that will come from circulation
of the fact that a sheathed battleship,
one of the largest fighting ships
ever planned. is under construction at
Seattle. A general knowledge of this fact
will result in a great increase In the ship
ping coming TO Puget sound. The aver
age merchant vessel now goes to San
Francisco for its repairs. but with bat
tleship under construction at Seattle, this
port win acquire new standing al a ship
ping and shpbuildins center Business
will come to Seattle that has never been
here before"
MAY SCALE TO LIMIT.
That Moran Bros Company will be
given an opportunity to scale their bid
down to within the cost limit necessary
to award battleship contract not the
slightest doubt now exists. Telegraphic
advices received from Washington yester-
day are to the effect that the board of ma
val construction will recommend that the
three contracts be given to Moran Bros.
Company. the Bath Iron Works and the
Newport News Drydock and Shipbuilding
Company, upon condition that they scale
their bids to within the limit This rec
concentration will he transmitted to the
secretary of the navy. but as Secretary
Long IL spending the holidays at his home
in Massachusetts,. and will not return to
Washington until "Wednesday. final action
will not be taken for several days yet.
Every logical reason, IL IN said, Is sup
porting the claim of the Morsns for ona
% the contracts. Their bid Is the lowest
OF the four under consideration without
taking into reckoning the per cent. diff
fsrentisl to which they are entitled under
the law. This differential gives them
margin OF over $4,000 as compared with
the three Eastern bidders with whom they
are in competition.
ONLY WESTERN BIDDER.
Another fact that. according TO a recent
decision OF Secretary Long, Is taken into
consideration In awarding the contract IL
the provision OF the law that one Of the
three battleshlps shall be built on tho
Pacsic coast. The Moran Bros Company
Is the only Pacific coast bidder on the
contracts.
The offer Of one OF the contracts 10 Mo-
rams IL regarded "a a foregone conclusion
The most important point 10 be passed
upon by Secretary Long IL the question
as 10 the limit 70 which Morans will be
asked 90 scale their bid II liz contended
that the Intention OF congress was 10 APP
ply the per cent direrential 10 the limit
upon the cost Of the battieship TO be built
on the Pacific coast. This would give Mo-
rams an advantage Of $4,000 over the fig
ures 90 which their Eastern competitors
scaled their blds III the other bids we're
cut 10 the exact limit, H.suo,eoo. Morans