The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-12-06
HIGH COMPL |M[NT
To HOLDEN EVANS
A FLORIDA BOY
THE SHIPPING ILLUSTRATED
PRAISES HEAD OF THE BAL.
TIMORE DRY DOCK AND SHIP.
BUILDING COMPANY.

III ieS i0st issue Snlpplng Illus
trated said of Holden Evans, native
Floridian:
AS a fitting complement to the
article on the next page, dealing with
the excellent facilities for ship re-
pairing and shipbuilding possessed by
the Baltimore Dry Docks & Ship
Building Co., we reproduce on the
front page of this narnDer the por-
trait of the active head of the enter
prise, Mr.. Holden Allen Evans.
Though Mr.. Evans is one of the most
popular personalities in American
marine construction, it mas been his
invariable policy to avoid personal
publicity, hence the reproduction of
his portrait in our columns will come
as pleasant surprise to his many
friends. Our Headlight" is native
of Alabama, his birth place being
Greenville, where he first saw the
light of day Dec. 6, 1872. Appointed
to the Us s.. naval academy at An
napolis from Florida in 1888, he grad
uated in 1892 and put in three years
at sea as midshipman and ensign.
Ensign Evans was one Of the brilliant
officers of his class selected by the
navy department to specialize in
naval construction, the naval con-
struction corps bearing to the navy
the same relative position as the en-
gineer corps to the army, in the sense
that only officers possessing the
highest aptitude for scientific spe-
cialization are selected for it. Ac-
cordingly, Ensign Evans was assigned
to the naval construction corps in
1895 and as at that time the facilities
for education in naval construction
in this country had not been devel-
oped up to the standard demanded
by the needs of the navy, he was sent
by the u. S. government to the Uni
versity~ of Glasgow to take a course
in naval architecture and engineer
ing. He terminated his course with
the university's certificate of "Great
Distinction" having in the meantime
taken the class prizes in both years
at the university. It was at. the time
a source of considerable qualification
to the heads of the u. S. navy that
Ensign Evans had put to such good
advantage the facilities for technical
education afforded him by the govern
ment. In May, 1897, he was assigned
to duty as assistant naval constructor,
u. S. n, at the works of the Newport
News Ship Building & Dry Docks Co.,
in connection with the supervision Of
construction of naval vessels. The
war with Spain broke out the next
year and Constructor Evans was sent
to Key West to take charge of hull
/ repairs to vessels damaged in the
course of the naval operations in the
West Indies. Upon the termination Of
the war, our Headlight" was ap-
pointed experimenting constructor at
| the works of the Crescent Shipbuild-
ing Co., ElizabethpDc,, N. j., and
those of Chas. L. Seabury & Co., Nor
ris Heights, N. Y. His next turn OF
duty was at the Norfolk navy yard
where he remained for five years
from 1899 to 1904. Promotion came
during that year with an assignment
to the Mare Island Navy Yard, Cal.
as naval constructor, he becoming
later manager of the yard. It was
during the incumbency o. our Head
light" at Mare Island that the large
feet collier, "Prometheus" was built
In 1908, as the result of personal OBJ
.servations which had convinced him
that the administration of navy yards
as then carried out, did not give the
results that were to be expected, Con.
structor Evans proposed to the secre
tary of the navy plan of reorgani
zation, limiting the military contro
to military features and leaving al
industrial details to the care Of the
technical branches of the service. The
plan received the approval of Mr.
Newberry, then secretary of the navy
and was put into effect. With tn.
change in the cabinet which placed
Mr.. Meyer in charge of the navy, tn,
| military control was re-established
! However it is interesting to note tina
under the present administration Sec
rotary Daniels has followed the plal
outlined by Mr.. Evans and approved
by Secretary Newberry in reorganiz
ing the principal navy yards. In 1910
Naval Constructor Evans resigned
| from the naval service to accept Thu
post of vice president with the Seattl,
Construction and Dry Dock Co., o
! Seattle. In April, 1914, he was ap
preached by the bondnolders' com
mittee of the Skinner Ship Building
& Dry Dock Co., of Baltimore, to TAX
charge of their properly. The conf
dence inspired by the able manage
ment of Mr.. Evans led to the reor
ganization of the company, which be
came the Baltimore Dry Docks & Shil
Buildinr Co.. concern that has
most brilliant future ahead of it. ]
is Detraving no trade secret to sa,
that it is largely the confidence in
spired in shipping circles by Mi
Evans personally that has accounte,
for much of the success that the en-
terprise has met in competing fo