Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-27

5000 kilowatt capacity, have been
added to the electric power plant.
These are the additions to the main
Lehigh plant in the heart of South
bethlehem. In the Saucon section of
the great works 42-inch mill for
rolling shapes and two smaller mills
are under construction. A 1,30O-ton
mixer two 220-ton fitting furnaces
anu 20-ton bessemer vessel with all
the auNiliaries of steel plant are
pelng installed. This section of the
works VIII be in operation in June or
July.
All of which goes TO prove that
Bethlehem Steel is prepared to ham
dle good bit more of peace than il
mas or war. Even now, it is by no
means all war in this big plant. Less
than half of the daily tonnage of steel
goes into ordnance.
Inese war contracts, said to amount
to $100,OO0,0OO, will not be filled for
another year, If the war lasts that
long. When the war ends the foreign
governments will merely change the
word SHELF in their cables TO the
words rail beams and shapes" and
betnlehem VIII go on reaping the re-
mainder of that $100,O00,0OO.
IN other departments, the CONNER
cal steel that the public forgets in
the glamour of war contract headlines
cannot be turned out fast enough to
MI the orders. 1t was stated authori-
tauVely here today that in nearly ev-
cry department of the plant orders for
tne rest of 1917 have been booked.
And some of these departments are
booked into 1918.
Although there are 26, 900 men en-
ployed in the Bethlehem plant now.
there is work for at least 5000 more
IL men could be obtained.
The big problem is not to find
In1n hAW.
for them.
for them. Although there are 1000
houses under construction at this
minute within a radius of five miles
OF the Lehigh Valley station, these will
be occupied as fast as the walls are
plastered.
Get Men BY Building Houses }.
This home building is an interesting
sidelight on the way Bethlehem has
become convinced about the steel bust
ness. A year ago the steel compauy
was IN despair. Men coming from all
over the Lehigh Valley, from as far
away as Mauch Chunk, Quakertown.
from Easton, Allentown and every lit
Tie community within a radius of
twenty miles, wanted to move closer
TO their work and save carfare.
But there We're no houses. Bethle-
mem was not yet persuaded. Land on
the outskirts of Bethlehem and South
belnlenem had been bought in some
instances by spectators, but the local
real estate men did not want to take
running jump into anything but a
sure chance.
They are doing more than running
Jumps now. One firm has already
built seventy-five houses on a tract
where 400 will go up. Half a dozen
local operators are building from
twenty to fifty. On the outskirts of
Bethlehem and on the west side to-
ward Bonus HILL" the section where
President Eugene NJ. Grace and other
officials live, houses under construc-
ton are everywhere. &
Many of these houses are being
built and paid for by workmen under
plan supported by the steel com
pany. The men are urged to build
their own homes. The steel company
has backed the Bethlehem Securities
Company, which takes second mort
cages on homes and receives monthly
instalments on the debts. BY virtually
advancing these men money to build
their homes. the company has drawn
into the population of the towns men
that would otherwise have been lost
to other steel centers.