Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-08-02
PA. STEEL PLANS
BIG SH|PYARDS
Nine Vessels Now on the Ways at
Sparrows Point; Vast Sums
For improvements

sparrows Point. Md, Aug. 2. - The
shipbuiIding plant OF the Maryland
Steel Company, which Is owned by the
Pennsylvania steel Company, is peins
expanded on large scale accoroinns n - 70
the journal OF Commerce anu ST,, ~. =
Interest in the operations OF this plans
because of the recent activity anu
strength in Pennsylvania steel shares'
Shipbuilding has been only a secena, a,
Companys plant heretofore-not more
than twenty-five or thirty per cent. OF
the entire business; but steps are oeing
taken to enlarge the capacity material
.iy' Two of the small shipways are
now being converted into one large
berth capable of taking care or the con = ,
struction of a ship $50 feet long by IS
feet beam. An entirely new shipway
is to be constructed for building Hesss
sells up to $50 feet in length ana fS
A Unique Plant
The Maryland plant is unique in that
II Is the only yard in America WneIe
the completed vessel is turned out from
the raw iron ore to the. completed
but few special machines and ap-
pliances. The company's chief business
is in the making of steel In various
forms. 1t owns extensive beds OF ore
in Cuba. which II brings to its own
plant at sparrows Point, Baltimore
harbor, and there converts into the
plates, beams and other forms whlch
go into the ships or into other struc-
tural enterprises.
There are great ore-unloading docks,
blast furnaces billet mills, coke ovens,
foundries, machine shops and many
other departments incident to a general
steel plant and not at all associated
with shipbuilding itself Extensive ad-
ditions to the capacity OF these de-
partments are also under way partial
iy due to the coming expansion of the
shipbuilding department, As result
of these the shipyard will enjoy the ad-
vantage of having no coal used in its
work - gas. electricity tuel oil and
compressed air being furnished by the
steel plant and the Pennsylvania Wat
er & Power Company's great hydro
electric plant, miles away on the Sus-
quehanna river.
ON the Ways
OF all the shipbuilding now in pro-
gress along the Atlantic seaboard none
is more inspiring as to the future of
the magnificent fleet of nine merchant
vessels on the ways or under contract
at Sparrow's Point; three for the A. H
Bull Steamship Line, three for the
the Munson Line. The Bull fleet are
freight vessels Of $3.50 tons gross and
220 tons net tonnage, 1854 feet long,
46 feet beam and % u feet depth; two
and\ poop. and the others with single
deck. all designed to steam at the rate
of nine and one-half knots.
The Munson fleet is designated two
for freight and one for combination
freight and passenger service. The lat
ter is $40 by AK by 27L dimensions
1000 tons deadweight, thirteen and one
half knots. double decks, forecastle
bridge and poop, and accommodation
for fifty first and thirty second cabin
passengers. The Munson freight boats
are SSs1a by 46 by 25le dimensions, with
double decks, forecastle, bridge and
poop. 5000 tons deadweight and design
ed for ten knots.
The American Hawaiian boats are all
freighters. two of them 406 by 81 by
321 single deck, forecastle. bridge and
poop, 5000 tons deadweight and ter
knots, while the other is 430 by SO by
weight and twelve-knot speed. 1t is
significant that of the twenty
ships owned by the American Hawaiian
Line more than half were built al
Sparrows Point
The company has specialized or
freight steamers the very kind OF
craft regarded as the future of Ameri-
can merchant ships. The company has
not sought navy work or harbor craft
though dull seasons win drive any yard
TO depart from its specialties, but has
sought to get itself into a position foI
expeditions and economical construc-
tion of cargo carriers on a basis OF
practical competition.
The total value of these nine vessels
being built on this shore of Baltimore
harbor is about $4,000, ,000-somewha'
less in aggregate than the work IN
some other yards where battleships and
other Governmental work are in pro.
gress, but OF peculiar value from the
fact that they are all merchantmen. II
is understood that the company nuw
has tenders out for building something
poets good for securing some of thC
contracts.