The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-31
Congressman And Senators Are
Representing llp! Morgan City And
Berwick Shipbuilders

Congressman w. P. Martin, Sena
tor K. P. Broussard and Senator J
E. Ransdall are appearing before
the U. S. Shipping Board in an eff
fort to straighten out the contracr
troubles which are apparently pre-
venting the immediate installation
work on shipyards in Morgan Cit,
and Berwick. The wires have beer
kept hot from shipbuilding cite:
throughout the nation and it is be-
lieved that some definite plan of &C.
ton which will effect the proposed
local yards will have been decided
upon during the next day or two.
Mr.. Janse, president Of the Atcha.
falaya Ship Company, has stated to
Secretary Palmer Of the Chamber
OF Commerce that his company will
begin work on their Berwick yard
within thirty days regardless of
whether they work on a percentage
or lump sum basis.
Mr.. J. F. Wilhelm, member of
the Union Bridge and Construction
Company, together with several of
his men, is still marking time while
they wait on the threads of govern
ment routine to untangle them
selves so that work may be under
taken on some positive basis.
Just what the ultimate decision of
the Shipping Board in regard to
contracts already promised or placed
is not even surmisable but the bust
ness men Of Morgan City and Ber-
wick are steadfast in the belief that
the situation will be quickly and sat
isfactorily adjusted. They know that
few if any harbors in the country
offer the attractions to sliipbuildine
that are found il the local sites and,
while there night ~ ! slight dslay
IN the beginning o stions, Il
will be but 4 short time before Ac-
tual construction viii begin.
Following are 4 few kilograms
which have been received on the
subject:
Hon. r. F. rousssrd. Washing-
ton, D. C.
Hon. W. P. Martin, Washington,
D. C.
Hon. J. E. Ransdell, Washington,
D. C.
The membership of The Morgan
City and Berwick Chamber of Com
merce as well as the citizenship of
both places urge that you do every
thing in your power to have Shipp-
ing Board reconsider matter of ship.
building which according to well
founded reports has been halted
both at Morgan City and Berwick.
Contractors, who hive signed leases
and begun work, are on the ground,
and the influx of labor, is. large
eeming into Morgan, City and Ber-
wick on prospects of WORK.. Iaa
action Of. the government has caus-
edrthese men to be idles AID citizens
who are preparing for housing labor
are very much dist.rbed. If the con.
tracts are rot given to these con-
tractors, the blow will be most SER
lots to the third district. You well
know tina. concerning sites, natural
advar .ases, harbors, etc, that this
section is unequalled and our people
are at a loss to understand the con-
ditions that are said to exist. We
shall appreciate your prompt action
and earliest reply.
NJ. P. PALMER,
Secretary.
Washington, D. c..
May 80, 1917. :
M. P. Palmer, Sect'y Morgan City
and Berwick Chamber of Commerce.
Morgan City, La.
40OC tuOAVuSA SAdNAIdIICil VI
of rumor reported to me
by Postmaster Hebert and Mayor
Shannon of your city to the effect
that contract for building ships at
Berwick Bay had been abrogeted
shipping bureau advises me that it
has no knowledge whatsoever Of the
rumored contemplated abandonment
of the contracts intend to be
executed at Berwick Bay the board
certainly has not cancelled any con-
tracts to which your telegram re-
fers have been promised addition
II investigation in, the matter by
Shipping Board when I shall take
occasion to wire you again.
R. F. BROUSSARD.