Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-08-11
Maine Shipbuilding Commit
tee Completes Its Work

The Maine Shipbuilding Committee
appointed by Governor Milliken to ar
range for the construction Of wooden
vessels in the State of'Maine as a part
OF the national shipbuilding program
has finished its work. The members
of the committee have resigned their
offices and their designations have
teen accepted by Governor Milliken.
The committee was in Office but
three months but in that time, the or
ganization, headed by Hon. William T.
Cobb of Rockland, performed a truly
monumental task. At the very start
of their activities. Governor Cobb and
the other members made it plain that
they wanted their committee to be
committee of deeds and not words.
AS a result of this attitude and as
result of conference in Washington
between Governor Milliken, Governor
Cobb and Colonel Goethals, an agree
ment was reached between the Fed
eral government and the State or
ganization that every contract let in
the State of Maine for the building of
ships must first be approved by this
committee and no contract was to be
accepted that did not have the ap.
proval of the practical ship builders
represented in this body. AS direct
result of the activities of this COM
mittee new shipping of the approx
mate value of SS,000,00O will be built
III Maine and of this ships valued at
$500 900 are now actually being con-
structed.
The designations of the members of
the shipbuilding committee were con-
tanned in the following letter from
Governor Cobb:
Honorable Carl E. Milliken,
Governor of Maine, Augusta, Me.
Dear Sir:
In May 1917 you appointed the
Maine Shipbuilding Committee. whose
duty it should be to cooperate with
the Federal authorities in their desire
and effort to have wooden vessels
built in Maine for Government account
and service.
THE committee established an Of
fee in Portland. secured the services
of an extremely competent executive
secretary, Mr.. Lemuel Sponagle. and
| Immediately began its work.
In the time that has elapsed many
proposals to build these vessels have
been received and considered by the
committee. Twenty six such propo-
sails have been approved to July o7th
and of this number five have been ac-
cepted by the government and con-
tracts actually signed. Besides the
five proposals which have been accept
ed and contracts actually signed, ten
proposals have been accepted by the
government. but contracts have not to
date been signed for the same. The
remaining proposals are undergoing
the ususal examination by the officials
of the United States Shipping Board
and will undoubtedly obtain favorable
action in the near future. Each one
of these vessels will cost three hun
dred thousand dollars (S300.000) with
out the machinery and each one will
be built in Maine.
with these facts in mind your
Committee feels that its work has been
accomplished. that the likelihood Of
receiving further proposals is not
strong enough to warrant continua-
! ton of its activities. and its members.
tc wit. Samuel r. Percy, Elenzer W.
Clark. MAYNARD s. Bird. James w.
Sewall and the writer. herewith tended
their designations. and respectfully
request their immediate acceptance.
"The Committee has had the very
I cordial and efficient assistance Of Mr..
/ w. H Hand. Jr.. the district officer
/ of the emergency fleet corporation.
with headquarters at the custom house
Boston. Mass. and arrangements have
| been made with him whereby any
new or future matters connected with