Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-17
FORCE AT NAVY YARD
Statement in Reference to
Rumor of Reduction.
DEPARTURE OF THE FLEET
Certain Work May Be Transferred
to Other Cities.
TIC KEEP VALUABLE WoRKMEN
Labor Official Suggests That Gov
eminent Do Some Things Now
Given Out by Contract.
DEPARTURE OF THE FLEET
&c KEEP VALUABLE WoRKMEN


portion Of the United States navy to the
Pacific coast will necessarily cause large
reduction In the force Of mechanics and
the Atlantic coast it Is officially stated at
the Navy Department that there will be
no material change In the force now en-
ployed at the naval gun factory at the
Washington navy yard. In fact. the plant
at the local Washington navy yard is the
only one owned by tie government capa
BILE of producing the ordnance required
for the armament of United States war
ships. According to statements made by
officials of the ordnance bureau at the
Navy Department there is plenty of work
in prospect for the Washington gun foun-
dry for a long time to come. in the manu-
| facture of guns for the large and small
vessels now under construction including
the new battleships of the so-called Dread
| naught type.
1t was admitted at the department to-
day. however. that the Secretary was ia
! vorably considering plan whereby 1T
would be possible to retain the services of
some of tie more expert mechanics at
| the northern yards by the transfer to
! those yards Of certain work heretofore
performed at the Washington navy yard.
! That admission was accompanied by the
statement that such transfer would not
!
| ington gun foundry.
Transfer Of Woodwork.
! Rear Admiral Mason. chief Of the bu-
reau of ordnance. says he does not at
this time care to discuss for publication
the plans Of the department in this mat
| ter. But, after persistent appeals. he
! said that while it was possible that 1t
might be deemed expedient to transfer
| some Of the woodwork now performed at
the Washington navy yard to the govern
ment yards at Boston. New York and
| Philadelphia, in order to assure retention
OF valuable workmen. 1t might be accept
ed as settled that no part of the actual
work in the assembling Of guns will
be taken away from the Washington gun
foundry. In reply to direct question As
| to how such a course would affect the
| force at the Washington navy yard, Ad
miral Mason said that plenty OF work
would be LETT for that yard and that
there will he no material reduction in the
| force
| Rear Admiral Mason. as we'll as Sec
rotary Metca1f and Assistant Secretary
Newberry, take a deep personal interest
| in the work at the Washington gun foun-
| dry, and have taken occasion to urge
upon Congress the necessity of making
| liberal appropriations for that establish
ment The estimates submitted by the
| bureau for improvements at the local
yard include an item Of $4,000 for
| new foundry and necessary machinery,
| furnaces, etc.
From another source it is learned that
the Secretary of the Navy, with view
to keeping together the nucleus Of a force
| of skilled mechanics in the eastern navy
| yards during the absence of the battle
work incident to the fitting out of the two
scout cruisers. SO far as the ordnance of
| the ships Is involved, done at the Boston
navy yard. In the other yards having
the necessary plant, such as large lathes
and steam hammers, ordnance experts
will be employed in rebanding with cop
per the ammunition which has been ac-
cumulated for the past several years.
| That work will give employment to as
many men as the comparatively limited
appropriations on naval ordnance will
permit and 1t will not result in the reduc-
ton Of the present force Of employees at
| the Washington gun factory.
Wants New Foundry.
In his last annual report ADMIRAL
Mason. in recommending the construc-
ton Of a new foundry and other i'm
provements at the Washington navy
yard. said: The present foundry is
antiquated and entirely Inadequate in
size and unsuitable as a foundry for
such an institution as the naval
gun foundry. 1t is menace to the
health of the employees and the officers
resident in the yard in its present con-
dition. The loss TO the government
| every year by not having better facil-
| tiles in this regard would soon equal
the amount requested to properly pro-
vide for this portion Of the gun fac
| tory, ana it's increased products would
| materially aid in the output Of the
armament from our shops. saving both
in time and expense. 1t is the most
needed of all improvements recon-
mended, and it is urged that every eff
| fort be made to secure a suitab,e APP
| preparation for the starting of this
much needed improvement. At present
| in case of hostile emergency the re-
| nuirements of the gun factory could
not be met. and the government would
| be embarrassed by not having suitable
! fao4ffties for getting out foundry
| work."
Views Of Labor omcial.
An individual active in the labor move
ment and familiar with navy yard work.
| In speaking of the rumored redistribution.
says: ~ think the Navy Department
would not adopt plan which might prove
| to be an expensive experiment, however
much it might be urged by representatives
In Congress who have navy yards in their
| districts.
| III Will DE tHdI eHC navy
yards of the Atlantic coast are equipped
and their employees are trained for marine
work. These men could &c. the best re-
suits on ordnance work in a properly
equipped shop, out not in a marine shop,
ard it seems that II the department was
| concerned about tie future OF the en-
p.oyes of these yards 1t could place in
them some Of the work now being let out
by contract.
Bids were opened last Saturday for s.
900 eco worth of projecti,es and work OF
this character can be done in the govern
ment yards to advantage ana without the
long delays liz delivery which seem to
have been anticipated In the report of the
chief OF the bureau Of ordnance
i Mr.. Bede as Entertainer.
/ ]. Adam Bede, representative in Con-