New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-15
BRIDGEPORT BIG
U. s. ARSENAL,
REPORTED PLAN
Government to Take Over
Remington and Other Mi
nitiOnS clantS Is RumOr.
STEEPLECHASE ISLAND
PICKED AS SITE
Army Surveys of City and Sound
Convince Citizens Great
Things Are Coming.

From a star Correspondent OF The Tribune
Bridgeport, Conn, July II Right
on the heels of Secretary Daniels's
appointment of his Naval Invention
Board comes the report here that with
In a twelvemonth perhaps she great
manufacturing city of Bridgeport will
probably be to all intents United
states government war arsenal.
Army officers are now making sur
veys of the entire city and its harbor
and devoting particular attention to
an island near the city where the in
tention is, 1T was said to-day, to place
the government small arms manufac-
tory now at Springfield, Mass.
In time Uncle Sam intends to take
over not only the huge Remington
arms and ammunition plant, but the
twenty or more factories which now
under its direction are working full
speed turning out war material and
tools for manufacturing war supplies
The Lake Torpedo Boat Company,
which manufactures submarines, and
whose owner, Simon Lake, is a prospec-
tive member of the new Naval Inven-
ton Board, will also be purchased by
the government, it is said.
Steeplechase Island. where it is re-
ported the arsenal will be established,
is admirably situated. Right across
Long Island Sound is Shutdown Har-
Dor. where the Lake company tries out
its undersea boats, and which has been
pronounced by experts to be the best
submarine base on the Atlantic coast.
The island is connected with the main
land at present with a drawbridge.
Bridgeport is filled with great fac
tories which the government, il is re-
ported, will take under its control in
order that the country may have cen
trally located on the Atlantic coast 8
source of supply for arms and ammuni-
tion. Already in some of these fac
tories United States army and navy
officers are working. Washington gives
out word they have been permitted TO
resign their commissions, but it is
whispered they are liable to recall at
any time in the contingency of war
Major Walter G. Penfield, an ord
nance expert for the army, is general
superintendent of the Remington COM
pany. His first assistant is Lieuten-
ant Radford, a naval officer. Captain
Sheppard, also an ordnance officer, Is
shop superintendent.
In addition to the twenty or more
factories making war material here
and which will eventually be purchased
by the government, new ones are being
built. Even now the Bridgeport Pro-
jectile Company is putting up plants
to handle foreign and American con-
tracts. The American-British Manu-
featuring Company is making field
guns for the United States government
The Bridgeport Brass Company is
manufacturing shells for prOjectiles
The Locomobile Company of America is
putting out five heavy motor trucks
daily for the British armies and as
many high powered armored motor
cars for the use of Russia The con-
tracts with the two governments
amount to S1O,OO0OOO. The American
Tube and Stamping Company is max
ING steel cases for projectiles. The
Nalleable Iron Company IS turning out
intrenching materials. Bayonets and
darts. the latter for use in aeroplanes,
arc being supplied in hundreds by the
Remington company.
There is only one factory IN the ter
ritorv now being surveyed when Is not
manufacturing war material.