Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-02
TREDEGAR COMPANY
CLOSES SHELL PLANT
Has Completed Big Contract for
British Government for
Munitions.
LOO MEN HAVE BEEN LAID OFF
Officials Decline to Make Statement,
but Reports Indicate That Plant
May Shortly Start Work OH Or.
der for United States.

Having completed it's shell contracts
the TrcdeEar Iron Works has closed
that department Of its big plant in.
definitely. While company of1lcia Is
decline TO make any statement. for
MGR workmen state that approximately
LOO mon ar" thrown out OF employ
mcnt Many have already left the
city, but others remaining Will.
the expectation that the influence Of
war will result i'll the government
making contracts. which will cause the
plant to resume operations at an early
date.
The suspension Of shell-making at
expected. as the British government
announced carly last mouth that al;
contracts in this country would ne
Cancelled on March 81. There was only
one exception. and that was in favor
of tho Richmond branch of the Amer
lean Locomotive Company. which has
orders enough 70 run at fun capacity
until May 81. Tho allied governments
have placed no contracts for moro than
seven months. England having arrived
A, the point whore Its plant, can man.
ufacture enough munitions TO supujv
its allies.
That orders for shells from tho
United states government will soon be
received by the Tredegar plant is ox-
Dectcd. Representatives OF the work
men. however wer" advised last week
to look for work elsewhere "a the
shell department had been closed in
definitely. and il might be two or more
months before work is resumed The
other departments of the biz plant
however. are not affected. ana arc con-
tinung operations at full capacity.
FINED PoLlCY no GIVE
OUT NO INFORMATION
Archer Anderson. lr., general man
|,
declined to make any statement in re-
gard TO the laying of of the large
number OF workmen.
1T is our fixed policy not 10 give
out information TO the press on any
matters pertaining to the operation of
our plant" was the reply he made to
tho question.
While the contract for siX-inch shells,
held by the Richmond branch Of the
American Locomotive Company mas
been fully executed. the plant 20 not
curtailinS its operations. On the other
hand. additional equipment for the
manufacture OF large shells is being
installed. fifteen la.hes having been
received last week. The company has
Zig contracts for eight and nir.-inch
shells. which viii not expire until
the end of next month and are subject
TO renewal.
Recently. Charles *. Lassitcr, vice
IN harse OF operations Of
the American Locomotive Company,
whose home is ia Ri"hmond said:
I'VE have some contracts that will
expire on March 81. Among these is
one for siXinch shells, which we ex-
nett 10 complete before that date
Other contracts for ejgh, and nine incn |
shells will not expire until May 81 |
and may be extended
BRITISH MAKING NO
NEW SHELL CONTRACTS |
NO new contracts have been mad, |
by tie British government for six |
montfs or more. ana 1t is generally |
known that, unless something unfcre- !
seen occurs. there will he no more Al! /
of tho contracts have been awarded in I
such way that they can he Cancelled 4
in event the war ends. The contracts
all have cancellation periods. AMI /
March 81 Is one of those periods So :
waH December 81: in fact. the periods !
are three months apart. The british ]
government made its contracts in that !
way as protection. and has on Sow
era o"ca sions exercised its option. but !
has latci reinStated the orders
Boil, the local plants can quickly u" /
placed in condition 20 male muniIions
for the United States government, and
wi: certainly be pressed into service
In event of War. when vast quantities
of shells w!ll he needed Many Other
local plants can also manufacture
goods needed by the army and navy,
and have volunteered 10 do the work
IN Industrial survey Of the State
showed that there arc "AC plants
CAPABLE Of doing Governments WoIh
moro than half heirc located here.