New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1916-11-24
Big CONTRACT MAY
COME TO THIS CITY
Cohen Motor Go. Hopes to Build
Government Hydroaeroplanes
HAS 100000 BACKING
If Awarded Contract New Britain Men
Are Prepared to Begin Work Imme-
diately, Either Here Or in Hartford

Are Prepared to Begin Work Imme-
diately, Either Here Or in Hartford.
Bids for 148 new military hydro
aeroplanes opened by the war de-
partment at Washington yesterday
show that the Cohen Motor Car COM
pany of this city, Of which Aaron G..
Cohen and Nels J. Nelson are the
principal members, submitted bids
which, when analysed and compared
with those Of other concerns compare
most favorably, so much so that there
is a strong likelihood that when the
contracts are awarded within a few
days the local concern may be recog-
nized.
The United States army now has in
it's coast defense service 245 aero
planes under construction or in actual
service and when the new contracts
are awarded the total built and build
ing will be nearly 400 machines.
Local Men Design Machine.
The Cohen Motor company bid on
lots of four machines up to lots of
eighty Each machine would be
equipped with two eight cylinder mo-
tors of 100 horsepower each and
would also be provided with electric
self starters In addition, the ma
chimes would be capable of attaining
an altitude Of $500 feet in ten min
utes and would have a maximum
speed Of seventy-fve miles per hour.
The machines would carry fuel
enough for six hours Of continuous
running and would have room for
pilot, an observer and machine gun.
The bid, as made out by the New
Britain men, calls for delivery OF
two complete machines in eighty-f1ve
days and one machine every forty
five days thereafter.
Bids Compare Favornbly.
Although at casual glance the
bids of the local men would seem to
be considerably higher than those OF
other companies, it is not SO for 1t is
said the concerns whose bids are low
er do rot provide motors with their
product. Other low bidders equip
their machines with a two cycle mo-
tor, it Is said, and the specifications
call for a standard motor. Inasmuch
as the government has never seen fit
to use or recognize q two cycle mo-
tor, but has always used four cycle
motors, 1t is not thought likely that
these bids will hold. The motors the
local men would use, if awarded the
contract, would be the highest priced
ones they could get, probably either
a Curtis or Thomas.
Have 100000 Backing Promised.
Already Mr.. Cohen and Mr.. Nelson
have interested sufficient capital, par
ticularly in Hartford, to warrant
their incorporating a 100000 concern
should they be awarded the contract.
They would have their factory either
in this city or in Hartford and would
be- ready to begin work Immediately.
Inasmuch as they would purchase
their motors, the only equipment nee
essarv for such shop would be wood
turning devices for the planes, braces,
otto should the contract come to
Now britain it is of sufficient size to
Ieen the makers busy for several
years.
The complete bids as forwarded by
Messrs. Cohn and Nelson follows:
Four at s25,7O0 each, eight at s25,-
$50 each, twelve at s25,Q5O EACH sin
teen at $4,000 each, thirty-two at
s24.25O each, sixty-four at $23,75o
each. eighty at s23,150 each; two to
he delivered in eighty-five days. one
every forty-five days thereafter; altl-
tude $500 feet in ten minutes; max
i,,,un, sned IS miles an hour.