Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-22
ARSENAL CAN'T DO
IT'S BEST UNTIL IT
GETS MORE FUNDS
Congress to Be Importuned
for Bigger Appro-
priation
NECESSARY, SAYS CRozIER
Pennsylvania Represe n tatives
Will Work Together to
Get Increase
NECESSARY, SAYS CRoz1ER


1-,,s IA the consensus of opinion among
rennsylvanla Congressman and Senators
and officials Of the army.
roo,ne n situation which will demand ar
.vceednsly large output OF ammunition, the
trankford Arsenal of this city, the mos
ancient plant of It's kind In the United
s,ates stands ready again to play large
nart IN the fortunes Of the American army
rhs antiuuated structures, together with
,hs newer buildings, again are about to be-
sonne the overworked workshop Of Uncle
son, and to furnish the elnews necessary
sor the success OF his armies.
pb,Iadelphians are hoping that the ser
,o,aness of the situation which is now a
dstinguishing feature of congressional de.
ilberations may serve to call attention tc
the needs of the plant, to the hopelessly
inadeduate equipment and grounds and to
tbe fact that further grant of funds for
Improvement is not only desirable but abso-
iutely essential
Pennsylvania Senators are expected to
grasp the opportunity to ask for the neces.
sary increase in the appropriation for tho
arsenal The matter has passed. out of the
hands of the House. Representative Sher.
Law In charge of the civil sundry bill, said
that Frankford cannot receive larger ap.
propriation in the present Congress. There
Is still probability that the Senators from
this state will make every effort to obtain
from Congress the necessary addition to
the present grant Of funds.
Frankford Arsenal performs it's opera.
tons with greater efficiency than any
other arsenal in the country. This was the
report of Brigadier General William Gro.
sier, chief of ordnance. The General en-
phasized the needs Of the plant and urged
7 sufficient additional buildings and ma.
i chinery to increase the output 80 times his
4 estimate of the necessary quantity of am.
muniton to be produced there in time of
war.
The General places the cost of the
Frankford Arsenal at $2,500, 900, exclusive
Of the land, which is valued at s459,5
He told the House Committee on Fortifca.
! tons the arsenal could not be duplicated
for less than $5,000.000.
The capacity of the arsenal in mobile
artillery ammunition on three-shift
basis is approximately 650,000 rounds a
year." said General Crozier. THE capacity
for small arms ammunition on a three
shift basis is more than 100000 rounds
a,year.
THE approved project of tho War De-
partnent calls for the procurement an
nually for four years of approximately
100000 rounds Of ammunition of 3-inch
callbre 10000 rounds of larger calibre
The present annual capacity of the Gov.
eminent plant on a three-shift basis is
approximately 10000 rounds of 3-inch
eallbre and 10000 rounds of larger callbre.
On three-shift basis the capacity is suffi-
cient for the 3-inch callbre. To secure the
desired capacity for the manufacture of the
larger calibre on n three-shift basis would
require an investment of approximately
100000 and on a one-shift basis of ap-
proximately 100000.
with this class of material especially
the probable war needs greatly exceed the
peace needs. Under the assumption that
In the first year of war /, 600, 900 men would
be in the field and expend $4,000 rounds of
mobile artillery ammunition day, 1900, 900
rounds would be required, and IL an addi-
tional 100000 men were put into the field
$4,000 rounds would be required. To
meet these demands 80 times the present
capacity of the department would be re-
CURED, and the estimated cost of the addi-
tional plant necessary would exceed $780,
100000"
General Crozler declared that the output
Of fire control instruments at the Frankford
Arsenal is not up to the needs of the War
Department. He recommended an increase
sufficiently large toSbring the plant up to
standard large enough for economical
output.
:. In response to Chairman sherley's ques-
ton as to the physical condition of the
arsenal, General Crozier said:
We are crowded. We have put in ma
snlhery TO the capacity Of the buildings, and
tne result is that they are too crowded.
mink we need some more space.
have submitted an estimate for the
purchase OF about 20 acres of land which
saloins that arsenal, and which purchase,
mink ought to be made, irrespective of any
other increased capacity which would ac-
company a building program. / think a
moderate addition to the plant, which will
s,sT s,, involve small amount of building,
ought to be made"
:, More space is the most urgent need of the
= Iahhtord Arsenal. AT the last session of
congress Colonel Montgomery the COM
.ahuant' ' asked for S125,OO0 with which to
purchase tract on the Delaware River
erty contains 26 acres, and unless n ia nnr-
Snased s.d by the Government before private
sl.s nnsrests take 1t oyer the Frankford avenue
"nl .i., De In an embarrassing situation.
suppose FOR instance" said one of the
S,,D \. some real estate operator should
W. ula, lahd and erect dwellings, on 1t.
"ould De In danger of losing our ex.
p.,Iihehtal tana firing grounds where we test
many OF the articles we manufacture These
II would be in the line of our fire. and
sha protest were made we should have TO
Ihis absolute necessity"
DANGER FROM FIRE.
AT present space is so lacking at the
~.se that powder stores are kent dan.
~ 'uSy close to the other buildings and
s.le ne places where hundreds of men and
nri. ieh work every day. High.explosiye
k,ueFs are housed in a frame building.
h,,,,.s, ,s powder is kept in small black wooden
roatt,.ss, and should a spark from a loco
hse ha,ss. or cigarette ignite any OF these
asss sssa'ass not only would millions OF dol. |
ssra, worth OF powder and shells be de.
inss seu, pnt the damage to the other build. |
oe On the grounds would be enormous
ebsseaS ms new tract of land, II IL is pur. |
1891, VIII be erected magazine buildings
n,,,,tlsl store buildings for artillerE am.
slsa1a.' forge plant and other necessary
.sode' pSe.ares' And all OF them would be |
s,adS me sanitary conditions are declared dis.
Slees.uL II has been said that no am. |
ssss wo1,d N the United States save Uncle sam |
,'nSa De permitted to work human heIngs |
,gss,. suen conditions. The majority Of the |
Isst olils ii really are troughs outdoors.
: .s-. year the Government aIIovsd the |
srsst,al sssal 100000 and this year the ammo. |
ss,,,,' was less. Machines that cost large
ssd I M % money are lying in the shops idle |
hals arsenal is manufacturing iust one. |
product. me amount OF shells and other |
stsncss could do in favorable eircum.
iess a. SoFefnment would give the arsenal /
e--aA OHe-halI OF Uhaf a. |