The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-12-20
COLT co. Gets
BIC CONTRACT
FOR US. Guns
Hartford Company to Turn Out
1000 Machine Guns
For u. S.

Hartford, Dec. 20--A contract for
1000 Vickers machine guns, extra
parts and accessories. for the United
States government, to cost in all about
$6,200,0OO, has been signed by the
Colts Patent Fire Arms MANUFACTURE
ing Co. The Colt Company's contract
from the government for $4,000 auto
matte pistols, already, amounts to
about $1,100,000.
The contract for, the machine guns
was awarded by the war department
in accordance with the original rec
concentrations Of the special machine
gun board, of which B. M. w. Hanson
Of this city is a member.
In his report to Congress at, the
beginning of the present session Sec
rotary Of War Newton D. Baker said
that the machine gun board had Sc
lected the Vickers type Of heavy ma
chine guns and had recommended the
purchase of a large supply of them,
while fixing a date in May when ex-
haustive tests to determine the rela-
tive excellence Of various types of
light machine guns should be made.
The board, he said, had made an ex-
haustive investigation of the relative
merits Of different types Of machine
guns, by tests, European experiences
and the hearings of representatives
Of all the makers, and the board was
so constructed as to avoid all sugges-
ton of prejudice.
In formal statement issued early
this week Secretary Baker con-
demned the Lewis machine gun and
bal nnf~
army officers over it cease. The re-
sponsihility for its condemnation, he,
said, belongs to the war department,
after Ine gun had been fully investi-
gated.
Two years ago the Colt Company
was employing about 500 men. Now
it gives work to 3,100 and within
three months it is expected that the
number of employees will reach 1000.
The company expects to occupy it's
new building by Jan. Is. It is now at
work on Vickers guns for the Rus
sian government. There is enough
work in sight for the company to
keep the big plant busy for two years.
The. Colt Company is obliged to
give a bond to, the government for
the fu1fllment of its contract, and
this has been written by the Aetna
Accident & Liability Insurance Co. Of
this city. The business was handled
through the Washington agency. The
bond required was about 100000.
! No preliminary deposit is made on
this contract, as has been the case in
foreign contracts. The government
will pay for the guns as they are de-
livered.
Washington, Dec. 20-In accord
ance with the original recommended
tons of the special machine gun
board the war department let con-
tracts yesterday for 1000 vickers ma
chine guns and accessories at q cost
OF $5,500.000. It was announced that
additional contracts soon would be
let which would bring the sum to be
expended on such weapons for the
regular army and the National Guard
up to about $9.500,000.
The departments decision was con-
strued as finally disposing of the sug-
concerning which there has been a
bitter controversy, should be adopted
as the army standard. In ANNOUNCE
ing the award TIE department let IL
be known that the machine gun board
had been reconvened to consider the
Lewis gun, and after holding ex-
tensive hearings had adhered to it's
original recommendations.
The board recommended that all
funds available for the purchase of
machine guns, except about $780,
900, should be expended for Vickers
guns and accessories. The reserve
sum will be held pending further tests
of the various types of guns. a num-
Der Of which may bep urchased for
experimental purposes.