The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1902-01-02
THE COST OF SHIPS.
Can BE Built as CheapIy In This
Country ns In Europe.

Can BE Built as Cheaply In This
Country ns In Europe.
The advocates of subsidies to Amer.
lean shipping urge as their strongest
claim on the bounty of government
that the cost of building a ship IL
much greater in America than in Eng.
land or Germany. The United States
commissioner Of navigation. Mr.. Cham
berlain, in his report for 1901 quotes
b. N. Baker, president of the Atlantic
Transport company, on this point. Mr..
Baker claims that his company has a
contract at present for two ships with
Messrs. Harland g. Wolff of Belfast
of exactly the same size, dimensions
and all particulars as two ships they
have contracted for with the New York
Shipbullding company. Mr. Baker says
that the English built ships will cost
about $l,419.1 100 each; the American
built ships will cost a little over ST.
S46.S00 each.
Mr. Chamberlain takes Mr.. Bakers
statement On faith and thinks to prove
that the United States government
ought to pay subsidies on this account.
If these figures were true, it would not
follow that the government should pay
men for making sIch business blum
der But 1t will take more than the
mere statement by Mr.. Baker to con-
vince people that our shipyards cannot
build ships as cheaply as the British
can. Our yards have already turned
out several warships for foreign ma
tions and are working on more.
The North German Lloyd company
has had its steamship Maine rebuilt
by the Newport News Shipbuilding
and Drydock company at cost Of
100000. The Marine Review of Nov.
says, "It Is reasonable to~assume
that, could the Maine have been re.
paired in Germany or England at less
cost than that for which the work was
performed In the United States, the
ship would have been taken across the
Atlantic"
The German emperor is having his
royal yacht built in one of our yards.
Sir Christ phrr Furncss. the great
English shipowner. while on his recent
visit to this e uutry left orders In sew
eral of our leading shipyards for
twelve stcdmers of an average carry
Ing capacit'' of 5000 tons, to cost over
$4,000000 All this goes to show that
Mr Chamberlain has been grossly de-
ceived regarding comparative cost of
ships here aud IN England by men In
terested In getting u bonus from the
government.
Carpenter Shot.
Beaumont, Tex, Dec. 25. = w. F.
Steinman of the firm OF Whitney &
Steinman, architects and builders.
shot and killed j. A. Kinney, a carpen.
ter, who had been in the employ of
Steinman firm. The shooting occurred
when the stores and sidewalks were
thronged with people. The trouble
between the men grew out OF set
tlement for work done by, Kinney.
Alleged Robbers.
Charleston, w. Va, Dec. 25.-Gor-
don Atkins and Frank Thompson were
arrested at Scott, Putnam county.
charged with holding up and robbing
Postmaster Comfy. Deputy United
States Marshal Dan Cunningham
made the arrest after an exciting en-.
counter with the men. The postmas-
ter idenuted the men
GAINESVILLE. o.. Dec. 25.-Howard
Mills, miner living near Coaldale.
was scared to death about midnight
by some boys who rigged up ghost"
which, with the aid OF some thin pad.
dies with hooks to swing through the
air. was able to emit unearthly groans
and shrieks. Mills was confronted
with the machine while returning
hcme late at night. and was SO over.
wheimed with the terrific noise and
the suddenness of the apparition that
he dropped dead in his tracks. He was
q Btalwart man, At years Of age, and
Ma father Of six childrs1. !