Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-17
DTSSTON MILL MAKES
SHRAPNEL FRAGMENTS
FOR KATSER'S ARMY
Saw Factory Turns Out 2,OOO,-
600 Steel Bars, Which Docu-
ments Show win Be Made
Into Munitions
SHIPPING DATE UNKNOWN
Company Official Denies knowledge of
Destination of Product After
It Leaves Philadelphia

Two million steel bars for shrapnel
army, are being turned out by Henry
pIsston & Sons, of this city, one Of the
largest saw manufacturing companies in
: the world, according to documentary evil
denee published today by the New York
world. The order was obtained by Diss-
tons from the Bridgeport Projectlle Com
many. conspicuously identified by the
world with the German Government.
ofclals of the Philadelphia saw works
admit that they are at work on the big
order for shrapnel steel for the projectile
company, but deny any knowledge of
where the shrapnel is to go when COM
pleted. They will give out no informa-
tion as to when the order is to be COM
pleted or when It is to be shipped.
The letter linking up the Disstons with
the proiectile company Is dated July 9.
II is from the Guaranty Trust Company,
OF New York. to a German agent named
Herr Schmidt, asking him for authority
70 guarantee, on behalf of the Deutsche
Bank, of Berlin, the sum OF $4,000 to the
saw works for the steel order.
Edmund Il. Roberts first vice presi-
knew nothing of this letter, but admitted
having asked the Guaranty Trust Com
pany to guarantee payment on the order.
LETTER EXPLAINED.
''The Bridgeport Projectilo Company Is
new firm" he said, "and therefore has
no financial rating We did not feel that
we could accept large order from a con-
Germ that had no rating and no stand
ing In the business world. For that rea-
son and that reason alone we asked the
Guaranty Trust Company to guarantee us
payment for our work. So far as the
Deutsches Bank, of Berlin is concerned,
we knew nothing of that house other thar
that 1t is a large bank. If the Guaranty
Trust Company acted on behalf of that
institution 1t was without our knowl-
edge"
The Bridgeport Projectile Company was
Incorporated March 81 last with a cap
ital of $2,OOOOO0 fully paid in. A number
OF large buildings now are being con-
structed and 1t is said the plant will be
in full working order by September Is, a
short time before the Disston firm expects
to ship the steel bars.
Other correspondence published today
by the New York World purports to show
that the Guaranty Trust Company, of
New York, supplied the money for the
erection of these buildings at Bridgeport
and other organization expenses. The
contract is signed by Hugo Schmidt and
Doctor Albert, financial adviser for the
German Government in this country. and
Is approved by Doctor Albert, Captain
Won Papen, military attache of the Ger
man Embassy at Washington, and r.
Lindhem, legal adviser to Doctor Albert
and the German Government, 1t was
prepared, according to the World by Carl
Heyman, another lawyer,
A contract totaling several million dol
lars has been obtained by the Baldwin
Locomotive Works, according to Prince
"A. A. Gagarin, representing the Russian
Government.
Another item OF war order news made
public today is that machinists at the
FranlSford Arsenal have been offered as
high as $500 a month to give up working
for the United States Government and
90 to Russia. This information is sup
piled by N. p. Alias. chairman of a
committee of employees of the Washing
ton, D. c.. Navy Yard. who called upon
President Wilson yesterday,
BALDWINS MAKE TRACTORS
The newest order obtained by Bald
wins is said to be for huge tractors ca
cable of dragging heavy guns across a
battlefield. Prince Gagarin is authority
for the statement that Russia has built
guns fully as large and powerful as any
turned out by the Krupps, but that his
country has not had the tractors to
move them with facility. The Prince is
accompanied by his secretary. 1. N. Pc
troffslS and S. c. Talbot, a native of
England, but now Russian subject. who
Is the financial agent in dealing with
in this city.
Negotiations are also under way, II is
said. between the Prince and the ]. G.. |
Brill car works for war munitions. The !
Prince probably will be in this city about |
one month. He is said to be a descend |
ant Of Rurik, the first Prince of Russia. |
whose son was at the head of the Rus
sian armies that captured Constantinople |
At the beginning of the 10th century.
The committee that called on President |
Wilson from the Washington Navy Yard |
told him that tempting offers had been |
received and that unless the old rate of |
wages, cut eight cents a day by secre-
tary Of the Navy Daniels, We're restored.
there would be wholesale defecuons, A
large increase OF about 25 per cent. in pay
may be demanded by the arsenal and
navy yard men, the President was noti-
ned.
None of the Frankford arsenal men
has accepted the offers from the Rus