The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-13
HOW AMERICAN FIRMS TAKE UP
 URUGUAY WORK
Northern Firms Fill Large Contracts Which Euro
 peans Have Dropped.

This is a fact-story of the handling of some of our new South American business in a big, organized way, de- clares a writer in "The Americas '' published by the National City bank of New York. It is told as a cheerful offset to the continuous plaint that American export business doesn' t show the typical enterprise of Amer jean domestic business; also to sug- gest something definite to the man who is wondering whether this coun- try is really making any progress in lasting foreign commerce.
 Under the authority of the govern ment of Uruguay, the cities of Sa1to, Mercedes and Paysandu, municipali- ties of about 25,OOO inhabitants each, situated on the Rio Uruguay or just a few miles inland from the river Plate, on navigable water, are having mod ern water and sewage systems built for them The government has issued $5,000, 900 of it's bonds for payment. A French construction company un- dertook the construction before the war, and it's engineers prepared the plans in detail for a system of fill terageS and electric pun ping for the water supply and of concrete pipe sewers, the work to be done for the three cities simultaneously. The war made it impossible for the French con- cern to carry out the work, and an
 
 tracting company of Chicago, last year undertook the plans.
 As Uruguay was to pay in bonds, this concern made an arrangement with the American International cor poration by which the latter buys the securities and supplies the funds for the work as it proceeds, also be- coming a partner in the contract, through the medium of the Stone and Webster Engineering corporation of Boston, which is also a coutractual partner and stands responsible for the proper and economical carrying out of the agreement with Uruguay. The UIen Contracting company is itself a well-organized concern that has suc- cessfully and satisfactorily built about 90 waterworks and sewerage systems in the United States and has already done construction work in South America.
 The arrangement was made in Feb ruary, after the Stone and Webster organization had checked up the con tracts between the Ulen company and the government of Uruguay, and had found that specifications and estimates of cost were correctly figured. The agreement provided for completion of the work in three years. Upon the closing of the arrangements here not a moment was lost before the "mobi- Hzation'' of forces and materials for carrying on the contract was begun. The Stone and Webster Engineering corporation detailed three engineers, and the Ulen company some twenty superintendents and foremen to go in squads to Uruguay. The first squad sailed on the first of March, a second about the first of April, and the rest are to follow shortly. Upon the ar rival of these men in South America. they joined others that the Ulen forces already had as veterans and began the recruiting of 1aborers. The latter will be almost exclusively na- lives of Uruguay, who are decelared to be most efficient workmen, physi- cal1y strong and willing.
 A few of the men who went from this country were fairly proficient in Spanish. Inasmuch as this contract is not expected to be the last to be undertaken by the tripartite organiza- ton, there were Americans who went down with families and household goods, also a few eligible unmarried men, who went with the idea of re- maining for years. The companies are to provide instruction in spanish for all who go.
 Practically every pound of rnachin- cry and material for this construction not obtained in Uruguay is to be sent from this country. Some 15,0OO tons of cast iron pipe will be used, and all of that is to be made in U. s. Az A large part of the cement required will be purchased from local producers in Uruguay, In the quick mobilization o1 this construction force the first thing needed would be engines, steam show els, machinery for the making of con- crete, sewer-pipe, derricks anad other big and heavy tools, also thousands of picks, axes, crow-bars, hand shovels and the like. In the present condi- ton of ocean shipping it looked like a big problem to get these started but 200 tons of space were contracted for in vessels that were to sail ir three to four weeks. Then the eff ciency of the Stone & Webster and the U1en organizations in this coun- try was drawn upon to gather the engines and get them to the ships ir time.
 Some of the big pieces came from Salt Lake City. Others came from Chicago. Several had to be purchas- l ed new, along with mass of minor material. Not a day was wasted. The things were obtained, loaded on cars and men detailed from the various units of the big Stone & Webster or ganization in different parts of the country followed the movement o1 every car on it's way to the shipping ports. In New York, a railroad mar l of the couontry, tackled to the tor ! of a table with red-headed thumt tacks, representing the cars coming eastward with the 'munftions,' was watched hourly as wires reported the movement of the machinery. It was kept moving, despite freight embar- go, and it sailed on time. It is prob ably in Uruguay now.
 | More machinery and advance ma terial has gone since. However, the situation in regard to shipping was l so precarious, and freights were SC high, that, considering the determina- ton of the men managing this con- tract to have it done on time, it was thought best to do something heroic l in providing for transportation. The good American sailing schooner Alice M Co1burn of Boston was purchased 1 especially for the purpose. She is 2 four-master of 2,6OO tons net meas | urement. She flies the American flag The ship cost nearaly three times he1