Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-03
5000 MEN NEEDED
TO MAKE SHRAPNEL
Two Shifts of l,5OO Each Will
Be Employed at Locomo-
tive Works.
MACHINERY BEING INSTALLED
Expect to Turn Out 5000 Com
plete Shells Per Day-Get
Powder From City Point.

Within six weeks the Richmond
branch Of the American Locomotive
Works will begin the manufacture Of
shrapnel and cartridge castings for the
allies. and. so large are the orders.
5000 men Will receive employment
AS far as possible, every former en-
ployce Of the local branch will be
taken back, and work with which he
is In part familiar will be given to
him.
1t was said yesterday that about $50
mon are being employed now In the
manufacture of the simpler tools and
devices needed in tho making of the
powerful shells Tho more intricate
machinery is being made elsewhere.
and Will be shipped here as soon as
completed.
Though official announcement as to
what governments are ordering shrap-
mel has never been made. for obvious
reasons, 1t is generally understood that
the orders originally came from the
French and British governments. More
lately orders have also been received
from tho Russian government 80 that
the first order for the manufacture OF
2.50o.0oo shrapnel and cartridge cas-
1ngs has been largely increased.
INCREASED ORDERS
MEAN LARGER FORCE
Half OF the shells. II was announced
some time ago. will be manufactured
here. and the other half will be made
In the works at Dunkirk. X. Y. The
local branch has contracted to manu-
facture In complete form 5000 shells
day and 5000 brass cases day,
necessitating the employment of fully
5000 men, working in day and night
shifts.
AT first IT was announced that only
about 1000 men would be employed
but since the increase in orders, It
was found necessary to enlarge the
force. Time Is now being spent in
cleaning out all the various shops and
placing them in readiness. All the side
tracks have been cleared OF standing
cars. so that when once the work Is
started. there will be no delay I'm ship
ping the output
1t was said here yesterday that 1t
was not known to what seaport the
shells would be sent for transshipment
s to the allied countries but, na both
France and Great Britain are using
the Newport News port for the trans
shipment OF horses to the battle fields
OF Europe. It is regarded as probable
that the same port Will be used for
the transshi pment OF the death dealing
shrapnel.
Shells for the Russian armies will
probably go TO England and be re-
shipped from there TO Russia. while
those destined for the Tricolor will
most likely go directly to some French
port. Ships arc now plying regularly
between Newport News and French and
English ports. whereas before only
tramp steamers and rovers Of the seas
put Into the Virginia port to pick up
Il cargo for foreign marta
SHRAPNEL WILL. DE
COMPLETE AND READY FOR USE
The shrapnel to be manufactured
hero Will be complete and ready for
use. All the bullets used in the power
ful she'll Will be made here as will The
cartridge castings. and the powder Will
he bought. probably from the Du Pont
Po"der works AT City Point, where
no" rush orders for tho allied govern
ments arc being filled night and day,
and where more than 5000 men are
employed. Since the first orders were
received, n new and thriving town has
sprung up at City Point. and, whore
once the sound of a tool was never
heard, all is now activity
The fact that several million shrap-
hel nave been ordered 10y the allied
governments may be taken as a COM
mentary on the opinion which their
military experts have in regard TO the
length OF the war. 1t is said that the
British government has sufficient
quantity OF shells for the army and
navy guns to last until September J.
and while there may he a shortage in
Russia, it is probable that the French
army and fleet are also amply pro-
Nidcd for some months to come But
on top of this come extra orders for
shrapnel. which may be taken as re-
fecting the opinion that the war may
continue into next year.
KRUPP WORKS SUPPLY
GERMANY AND AUSTRIA
Germany and her main ally, Austria
Hungary, are still well provided with
all the munitions of war. and, even
though they are unable to seek fur
ther supplies in foreign markets, their
own resources are still sufflo ent to nll
the need during many more months.
On the other hand, labor troubles in
England have seriously hampered tho
British government, and in France the
vast majority of skilled artisans and
worhmen have responded to the call
to arms, so that II was necessary to
contract with foreign concerns for the
manufacture of munitions. Both Lord
Kitchener, in Parliament, and Sir John
FRENCH, writing from the field, have
Impressed on their government the
great need for munitions. and have
described what n shortage would mean
to the allied cause.
The fact that 5000 men will soon be
employed here by the american Loco
motive Works will bring a tremendous
boost to Richmond's business. It will
mean pay roll of approximately s10.-
900 day. or 100000 n week. most of
which will be spent here. a boon which
VIII be readily appreciated In the dull