Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-28
.SH|PBU|LD|NC INDUSTRY
ON GREAT LAKES REEVES
Opening of Panama Canal and
healthy Gain I'm Exports Con-
sldered Immediate Cause.
MANY PLANTS ENJOYING BOOM
Brings Millions Of Dollars to Dozen
Companies and Creates New Work
Tor Hundreds OF Mcn-Foreign
interests Among Buyers.

CHICAGO. February e7-rhe ship
puiluinS industry ON the Great Lakes
aiter lying dormant moro or less for
hni decade is enjoying IL revival OF
p,L according to reports from
sh'pfnrds ut and hear Cleveland. O.
,etroit. Mich. Toledo. o.. Duluth.
Mich. Buffalo. y. y Chicago md
smaller Great Lake ports
me opening OF the Panama Canal
me activities of submarines aud the
ue''hE increase i'll exports are con
s'dcred the immediate causes OF Tho
shiphuild!ne boori The claim /.
made. without denial from the buiI1-
"'S. that old ships AMI vessels now
under construction are bringing bet
Ter prices than in many years
rms boom will bring millions of
dollars OF business To tn. dozen m
so OF shipbuildina companies hns Gro
"'eh new WORK for hundreds of men
ana already has caused the rebuilding
or old yards and the planning Of SOW
cral new ones
Ihe demand is strong for both lake
ana ocean vessels and only the inabil.
II! "i the builders to give assurance
"i delivery of the ships by 1917 stnn1s
in the way OF even heavier ordc,s
Foreign Interests arc prominent among
the buyers.
with the arst clash "f arms in En-
rope Shippers saw thc necessity for
""'a'ihhH hoats quickly tn carry NOR
ehahaise l" foreign ana domestic
ports one New York capitalist OH
tanned at least fou: huge Great Lake
package frciuhtcrs Al the Wcl,nnd
Canal these ships had TO he cut into
sections before they could continue
the trip to the coast.
me tremendous amount OF shining
mat has gone +" tho bottom In the
war zone, together with tho fnc, that
many Of the shipyards In England
nave been turned over almost excl,-
S,VeiN to ships Of war. has forced for.
eien buyers 10 look to American Shin
builders for new vessels aud some
'oreiRn buyers are ready to pick up
any ship for sale on the scaboard
cleveland alone reports thr closing
OF contracts for forty-six vessels nj an
aggregate cost Of more than $4,000.
eo"' ana that negotiations arc i'm nror
ross Tor thirty more ships These or
acrs are being filled al Cleveland To-
le"o l.oraiu and hshtabula. O.. Ecorsa
ana Manitowoc. Mich. ana Buffalo. y.
Y Tho yards at these cities are said
to have all the business now that ihev
can handle during the year
WORKS on EASTERN ORDER
F0R FIVE SCMOONERs
The Toledo Shiphuilding COMPANY is
working on an Eastern order for five
schooners.. with auxiliary power plants
10 To used In COastwise trade \ l,l,n
irelIhtcr 500 feet long also Is heinz
SGT up nj Toledo. Tho total tonnage OF
me Ioicdo contracts is said TO bc
10000
Detroit reports the recent Of orders
for score Of ships b. Michigan com
pan'os aud Ohio firms not mentioned
IN we Cleveland reports The ton
mage ut the vessels that will he under
cons rnction IN Michigan harbors dur
ing 1916 is estimated nj 100. 900.
Duluth says the frst shin TO he huiI.
AT the superior Mich. yards since
1910 Will he constructed this Won,
provided tn" stcc! can be secured
The scarcity Of steel also is mentioned
from Detroit. The Inability To pur-
chase greater quantities of building
material Detroit says. has prevented
se'"rai companies from cniarrinr
their plants.
AZ Chicago. tho Calumet docks which
nave been occupied only with rcp.ir
WORK during the last eight years h1vc
just received an order for the CON
struction OF n freight steamer $50 feet
iohe and 49, foot beam. This boat.
winch is to he launched the latter part
OF April was ordered through N.v.
Iork agents for "A concern in Norvnr
me name Of which is not known a, thr
ia llmat docks
pt'roit firms have received orders
if"ti Eastern shippers which under nor
mnl conditions would have bccn hIilr
on OF near the salt water. Eastern |
coast shippers. it is evident, are bIy- /
ing frcishters wherever they can be /
obtained.
oi the ships ordered at Cleveland
score VIII hc built ut Lake Fri.
yards. whence they will he sent to III.
Atlantic coast and dozen or more viii
he launched for use on the Great Lakes /.
during The current year. Four more
arc to he delivered 20 the coast i'm
1917.
The American Shipbuilding Company, /.
at Cleveland. has an order for six /,