The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-28
/ CONTEST ON WARSHIPS
Goyernmeat Competing with Private
Concern on Sister Ships.
4 ~
raE EIGIIT.HOUR DAY IS INVOLVED
The Navy Yard Operated Under the Law
while Contractors Can Work
Their Men Ten Hours.
raF EIdIIT.HOUR DAY IS INVOLVED
lsneclnl to Tho pnstN

Especial To Inc FoSt1
washington. December q. within
,Nort time the most interesting race that
has ever taken place between the govern
mont n the United states and a private
contractor will be inauguratcd, aud to
,cry large extent Il Is said, the future
history Of the shiphulldng industry of this
country depends upon the outcome.
The contest referred to Is between the
navy department., which has undertaken
n construct In the Brooklyn navy yard
the giant hattlcship Connecticut I'm com
mtlton with the Newport News shipbuild.
Inc company. to which has been gEvcA the
contract for the building of the Louisiana.
The Connecticut aud the Louisiana are
sister ships; In every respect down To the
smallest detail Of their construction. from
ihc massive turrcts, with their great u
inch guns, through their steel decks to the
smallest screw or rlVCt which holds In
Mace the steel plates which form their
bottoms they are tu be alike IN every par
ticular From one standpoint IL Is merely
A contest between the government and
prlyAtc parties, but some persons scc In IL
a war between capital and labor Capital,
fbyy SAN declared that the government
could not construct It's ships are rapidly
as private contractors, nor as chcHply, ow-
ing To the restrictions which lahoriug men
aud said to throw about government work
Labor replied that although the govern
ment Yards were said to be Handicapped
hv an eight hour system, with fifteen days
annual leave for their men, together with
Mehcr wages, the employees OF the govern
mont yards could accomplish I'm given
length of time more thAu an equal mum
Der Of men IN private snip yards working
ION hours day, The argument Is based
on the ground that eight houEs Is q proper
DAYS work and that men whose lahors are
limited to eight hours, by working more
willingly and more ChcCrfully, can accom-
pllsh moro than equally MS good Workmth
ieuur,l to labor ten hours per diem.
, congress at its last session authorized
the navy department To build one OF the
battleshps provided for Ia the last pnVNl
Apprupriutluu hill In u government navy
ward and allowed the secretary NJ the
navy the SIN " $4,000 Ia equip the yard
Tor the construction NJ the vessel The
act further provided that the secretary OF
tho navy should keep an accurate nc-
count NJ the cost Of Inspection aud IN
structiuu ot vessels provided for I'm this
act whether huit In government yards "r
hy contract, and report thereon tu con
Ercss at each session, the progress Of Wolk
and cost thereof, including the Inspection,
Of all the material going into tho coustruc'
tion OF said vessels, and, upon the colh-
plction thereof, 10 report full and de
JAILED statement showing the relative cost
o, the inspection and construction In gov
crlmtnt yards and by contract
COST NEARLY SIoo0.ooo,
=, pursuance OF nis act the secretary
Of The navy caused specifications to hr
drawn for the Connecticut and the Louisi-
ana and advertised Tor bids for the con
structlou Of ono OF the latter, the Newport
News ShipuuildnS company securing the
Contract ON a bid OF S3aQo,0Oo, Forty.two
months were allowed 10y the navy depart
ment for the completion OF the Louisiana