Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-07
MARSHALL DENIES BIC
ORDER FOR sHRAPNEL
President Of Locomotive Company
Declines to "Conflrm Wild
RumOrs."
LOCAL BRANCH NOW READY
Believed That Orders Will Shortly Be
Received for Manufacture OF Mu-
nitions OF War for Allied Armies
OF Europe.

! OF Europe.
! w. II. Marshall. president OF the
American Locomotive Company, when
asked yesterday by the New York repre-
sentative OF The Times Dispatch to con-
firm the report that his company had
received a $4,000. 600 order for shrap-
mel shells Cor the allies. said: 1--WE
haven't any such big order cannot
confirm any such wild rumors"
II had been reported that such an
order had been received by the com
pany, and that the contract was to be
lhpportioncd among its various plants,
including the Richmond branch
George Curry, local manager OF the
company. said yesterday afternoon that
the Shrapncl order was not 80 lnrSe az
had been stated. and that he did not
know whether the contract which has
been placed would be apportioned
among the various branches He said:
THE matter is still up in the air, and
there Is nothing to give out"
LOCAL BRANCH HAS nEEN
CLEARED FOR ACTION
1t is known, however. that the Rich
mond branch of the American Locomo-
tive Company has been cleared for ac-
ton. that all its sidctracks have been
cleared OF freight cars so as TO max O
room Tor some supposed large work in
Hanc IL was stated Il week ago that
shrapnel would be manufactured In the
local branch OF the company, and the re-
port at that time was not denied Ma
lchinery for the manufacture OF the shell
has not Yet been ordered. 1t Is said ::
but II is generally believed that spe-
,cial machinery needed In the man,,fac-
turc OF shrapnel Will be ordered I'm tho
near future, and that the work will be-
gin as soon as possible.
pn account OF the labor conditions al
present existing In England, and be-
cause of the fact that skilled mechanics
ana laoorers in France have responded
10 tho call to the colors in such large
numbers as to leave the factories nearly
empty, there Is in the allied countries n
scarcity OF munitions, and anv order
'hat - now given out by them would be
n rush order, demanding all the rapid
NY possible In It's completion.
MONTREAL PLANT IS NOW
MAKING STRAINED.
1t Is pointed out that il would be-
matter of great difficulty for the
american Locomotive Company 10 rush
through large order on the facilItie.
OF one plant. ard for that reason tho
report that Richmond would receive :,
part OF the order has gained CURRENCY
~ mas been admitted that an order has
heen placed with the Montreal branch
which. being In British possession
could not give rise to protests from, Tho
German and Austro- Hungarian govern
mcnts such as have been received nv
the state Department against the
manufacture and expectation from
Philadelphia and WASHINGTON Stato
firms or parts of submarines. and SINGH
az the protest OF Count Bernstorrr
German ambassadors to this country
against the manufacture by the Du- Pont
Powder Works and the Remington
arms Company. OF New Jersey, Of mu-
. m,'ions Tor the allied belligerents
lhouSh protests OF this character have
been made rather frequently by tho
German ambassador. the United States
government has so far held that Amer
ican firms had right to manufacture
munitions OF war for any country, and
that II was not the fault OF the Ameri
cans firms that their munitions could
NOT DC purchased by and shipped to
Germany and her allies
RICHMOND BRANCH IS
ADMIRABLY SITUATED
Tho Richmond branch OF the Amer
ican Locomotive Company is admIroh1v
situated for the manufacture OF shron-
mel because Of the location OF the nu
i"nt Powder Works ut City Point. Tho
pu Font Powder Works has for some
/. tifhc. ~ Is said been engaged In manu-
featuring Eun-cotton for the British
and French governments. and n large
number OF additional men have been
employed. The gun-cotton is now he
ing shipped to the Du Point plant nj
Wilmington. Del, for final treatment
ana Is then sent TO Montreal, where II Ia
loaded into the shrapnel shells. Thu
i'n Font plant is said recently 10 have
received an order for $4,000, 900 mounds
or Sun-cotton. and the firm Is now
manufacturing between 100000 md
100000 pounds day
Hhrapncl lis nov being used bv both
SIDES in the European conflict with ter.
rihle effect. and is in great demand
Ana on account OF the fnct that TIA
battles along the eastern front OF Tho
,h'htrr Of war are mainly artillery
du'is and because OF the dirYicultv ~
Simplifying the munitions from homo
sources. II has been found necessary
Tor tho allies to place their orders in
foreign fields. In recent statements
moth Lord Kitchener and Field Marshal
SIR John French have stated that tho
most serious question which confron,.
ed the allies was that OF cuu,nmcrt
and munitions.