Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-03-02
SHIPsUILDING INDUSTRY
ON GREAT LAKES Is
BEING REVIVED

Chicago. March THE shipbuilding
industry on the Great Lakes, after
lying dormant more or less for half
decade, is enjoying a revival Of pros
perity. according to reports from ship
yards at and near Cleveland. O.; De-
troit. Mich: Toledo. o.; Duluth, Mich:
Buffalo. N. Y; Chicago and smaller
Great Lake ports.
The opening Of the Panama cana1. 4
the activities of submarines and the
healthy increase in exports are consid-
cred the immediate causes OF the ship
building boom. The claim Is made. 1
without denial from the builders, that
old ships and vessels now under con-
struction are bringing better prices
than in many years.
This boom will bring millions Of dol
lars Of business TO the dozen or SO Of
shipbuilding companies, has created
new work for hundreds of men and al
ready has caused the rebuilding Of old
yards and the planning of several new
ones.
The demand is strong for both lake
and ocean vessels and only the inability
of the builders to give assurance Of
delivery Of the ships by 1917 stands In
the way of even heavier orders. For
eign interests are prominent among the
buyers.
With the first clash OF arms in Eu-
rope, shippers saw the necessity for
obtaining boats quickly to carry mer.
chandise to foreign and domestic ports.
One New York capitalist obtained at
least four huge Great Lake package
freighters. At the Welland canal these
ships had to be cut into sections be-
fore they could continue the trip to the
coast.
The tremendous amount of shipping
that has gone to the bottom in the
war zone together with the fact that
many Of the shipyards in England have
been turned over almost exclusively to
ships of war. has forced foreign buyers
to look to American shipbuilders for
new vessels and some foreign buyers
are ready to pick up any ship for sale
on the seaboard. -
Cleveland alone reports the closing
Of contracts for forty-slx vessels at an
aggregate cost of more than $4,000, 900
and that negotiations are in progress
| for thirty more ships. These orders are
being filed at Cleveland, Toledo, Lo-
rain and Ashtabula, o.: Ecorse and
Manitowoc, Mich, and Buffalo, N. Y,
| The yards at these cities are said to
have all the business now that they
can handle during the year. ri:
The Toledo Shipbuiiding Company is
working on an eastern order for Ave
schooners with auxiliary power plants
| to be used in coastwise trade. A lake
| freighter 600 feet long also Is being set
up at Toledo. The total tonnage Of the
Toledo contracts is said to be 10000.
! Detroit reports the receipts of or
! ders for a score of ships by Michigan
companies and Ohio firms not mem
1 toned in the Cleveland reports. The
tonnage Of the vessels that will BE-
4 under construction in Michigan har-
hars during 1915 Is estimated at 100,-.
600. w n s2s Ls
/ Duluth Gays the first ship to be built
| at the Superior, Mich, yards since 1910
will be constructed this year pro-
1 yided the steel can be secured" The
scarcity Of steel also is mentioned from
Detroit. The inability to purchase
greater quantities Of building material
Detroit says, has prevented several
/ companies from charging their plants.
At Chicago, the Calumet docks
which have been occupied only with
! repair work during the last eight
i years, have Just received an order for
the construction of a freight steamer.
1880 feet long and AS foot beam. This
! boat, which is to be launched the lat
ter part of April, was ordered thru
! New York agents for concern in Nor
I; way, the name Of which Is not known
1 at the Calumet docks. 81
Detroit firms have received orders
from eastern shippers which under
normal conditions would " have been
= butt On Or near the salt water East t.
ern coast shippers, It Is evident 9 re
buying freighters wherever they can
be obtained.
1 OF the ships ordered at Cleveland q
lscore will be built at Lake Erie YARDS
rs wiIvncv trey : Tan
tic coast and a dozen or more Will ~ g
launched for use on the Great Lakes
4 during the current year Four more