The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-06-20
CHARLESTON TO BUILD SHIPS
CONTRACTS FOR GOVERNMENT,
VESSELS SECURED.
Materials and Sufficient Number of
Skilled WOrkmcn Will be Supplied

the vessels which will be constructed
at Savannah, Jacksonville, Tampa
and here will be built for the gov
crnment at the plant of the Walk &
Murdoch company on the Cooper
| river, the work to commence as soon
rs naval experts have agreed on the
uniform plan for the steel vessels
which are to be laid down in mum
bcrs everywhere, it was announced to-
day by an official of the company. \
petition was presented this morning
TO joint city council committee on
ways and means and on streets foY
permission to close Crab street and
the northern block of Wharf street
between Crab and Inspection streets
which intersect the property Of the
firm, in order to secure length to lay
down the ways on which these YES
sells will be constructed. It is under
stood that the committee will report
favorably on the request on condition
that the firm, increase it's Investment
by as much as S250,0O0, and a spe-
cial meeting of council has been call
ed for Monday to hear and act on the
committees report.
Ever since the Walk & Murdoch
property was acquired several months
ago by Northern interests through
the well known contractor and rail
road constructor, w. r. Bonsal, there
has been talk Of its being used as a
site for a big shipyard, and since the
United States entered the war and
shipbuildng plants have been COM
menced everywhere there have been
many to express wonder that the
plant on the Cooper river was not
also used for this purpose. 1t now
appears that the owners were not at
first willing to accept government
contracts and that they were unable
Il get steel for private work, as the
government had already contracted
for all in sight for months ahead.
Now the owners have expressed
their Willingness to work on govern
ment contracts and keels will be laid
down as soon as the uniform plans arc
adopted. An official of the company
is authority for the statement that the
property is large enough to admit OF
laying down and pressing construc-
tion on four 5000 ton steamships at
the same time. and that the equip
ment already possessed is sufficient
for handling this mass of construc-
ton on four 5000 ton steamships al
the same time, and that the equip
ment already possessed is sufficient
for handling this mass Of construc-
ton simultaneously. The government
will supply the materials and will
send down the necessary skilled help,
which will consist principally Ct
veters and shiphtters who will all
be highly paid and skilled mechanics
The superintendent and foreman O,
necessary experience to direct tn
construction Of steel vessels are al
ready numbered among the employees
of the company, SO that one of the
chief difficulties which is faced By
most concerns including at least on
other local company that contem-
plated shipbuildinG just beginning
does not exist in the present case Al
the common labor needed can be s
cured on the spot, as well as the tools
1t is estimated that the force en-
ployed by the concern will be IN
creased at least 1000.
Closing OF Crab street and OF TIL
portion Of Wharf street mentioned
will not Inconvenience the genera,
public, as these streets lic WHOLLY
within the property OF tho nrm
Closing Of the streets requested VIII
enable the ways to be extended hack
across what is now part Of Whar'
street, giving them the requires
length.
Recently there have been report
that Remley's point, on the other sidr
Of the river about opposite the pres
ent holdings Of the firm. and formerly
famous as the site OF negro plcnlcN
had been acquired by Bernard Baker
the prominent Baltimore promot"r
and afterwards that It had bccn dis
posed of by him to Mr.. l'Onsnl and
the interests which he represents
| Many Of those who know how idcaih
fitted the spot rs for location Of =
shipyard then feared that plans that
might have been held for locating n
plant in the city itself had been ahan-
| 1nnp1