Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-05
FIRM TOBUII
Big FRENCH PEF
Many Philadelphians Will
Sail With. Construc-
ton Workers
TO HASTEN UNLOADING

American enterprise, under the guild
ancc OF million-dollar contracts from
the United States Government, is turn
ing handsprings on French soil. to the
admiration of allied experts. thus up
holding its tradition of efficiency.
James Stewart 4 Co. of New York.
one of the largest construction concerns
In the United States. is preparing to send
small village OF workers to build
piers and lighters in a haven on the
French coast, so that cargo ships may
be more expeditiousiy unloaded and
freed for the return trip.
Vessel, now lie at anchor along the
French coast either waiting to be un-
loaded or being used as storage tanks,
their contents being removed in small
quantities from time to time as wanted,
II Is planned to build a long pier as
the initial unit of the development. Five
hundred lighters will be constructed and
equipped with derricks. Then the ships.
as they lie in thu anchorage basin, will
be unloaded by the lighters and their
cargo transferred thus to the pier. where
ample area is to be provided for storage
and handling the shipments until they
can be hauled I, other quarters or direct
to their destination.
A block Of large tank reservoirs will
be built to hold oil Equipment will be
constructed 80 that the vessels may be
emptied of their contents while in the
anchorage basin without having to come
to the pier
All of these shortcut operations are
to be carried out in order to release
tho ships for their next voyage in as
short a time as possible, clearing tho
roadstead for the ships that follow.
The anchorage IS described as free from
rough water and weather.
The first detail of $50 men to be sent
over by the company includes forty men
from Philadelphia. The rest of the 1000
cJme from all over the country where
operations of the company are IN prog
ress They viii all be dressed in khaki
although the officers will not have the
insignia Of their rank on the coat. On
the way over the entire force d men
will be drilled In the setting-up exer-
cises of the regular army. nut every
thing except construction routine VIII
be dropped after they reach the otner
side
program of a fourteen-nour stretcn Oh
work will leave very much time for rec
reatorl. many of the men are takins
stringed Instruments along and piano
is being sent over. so that cons.derapie
I talent will have an opportunity 70 inter
rupt the daily grind All of the r11cn IN
the force are strapping fellows. used 10
hard work
The first work after tho force reaches
7 .f.z nm
buildings to house the outfit, An entire
laundry plant, with American experts
in this line. will be set up. large
| camp kitchen, with its force Of first ana
second cooks and helpers, will be pro
vided 4 garage will also he included 10
house the trucks that will be needed 70
transport materials from the nearest
| French depot, which is some distance
| away.
The company viii FAY out a plant on
: river for building hundreds az pom
| toons for the expeditionary forces IL
Is expected that the lumber for these
extensive developments will come from
! the French forests. where there Ia now
| a considerable crew of United states
/ lumberjacks cutting out the proper
stock. Ali of the hardware and steel
structural work WILL of course. come
from the United States
This initial project is but the fore
| runner OF several contracts contempiat-
ing the construction of several piers ana
j hundreds more lighters to the extent OF
$4,000. 900 or $40, ,000,0
a Pennsylvania man is to be placed
in charge OF the development as super
intendent He is Alfred J. Richards. or
502 Lincoln avenue. Collingdale. When
he left his home, his mother. Mrs. j. W.
Richards, rose from a sick bed to whicn
| she had been connned for six months
and went downstairs TO open tn" door
for him to go. Giving him kiss. she
said: "Now that I can let you out OF the
house am willing for you to go and
do your bit" He had previously been
refused enlistment on account OF his
eyesight.
Mr. Richards has been in this city
for the last two weeks securing am
davits and passports from the various
courts where Identification was neces'
sary for each man. The men from
Philadelphia will join with a contingent
from the West and group from New
, York on the first boat.
The other groups. as they come ir
from all over the country. will be quar-
tered at the Continental Hotel. In New
| York, ready to answer the call to EN-
bark within an hours notice The hote
arrangements for the men were mad,
, by one of New York's millionaires, Sec
, retary and Treasurer L,ndey, OF tn
, Lindey Paper Company, who stand
six feet three inches in height. He wal
so imbued with the desire to do his bi
and get on the other side that he ap
piled TO the Office OF the company 70
any position at all at dollar a montl
: IL they would send him along. He 4
going on the first boat. with a salary o
,,,nptb avarvtbipo found