The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-17
aAAlEsTon TO BUILD SHIPS.
CONTRACT FOR FABRICATED
STEEL FREIGHTERs SIGNED.
Fully $4,000. 900 Involved In Grca,
shfpysrd Near Mount Pleasant
Work TO Begin at Once.


fesernay received telegram from
hetr Admiral Washington A. Capps.
prtue1ng the glad news that all ar
rsnsements for the building OF large
st<tsi steam freighters at Charleston
hAd been completed. This means that
the Southern shipbuilding Corpora
rto'1. financed by Eastern capitalists.
wi'f begin the construction OF ship
yard near Mount Pleasant without de-
lay. ~
lc HIS brief telegram TO Congress
man whaiey Admiral Capps ahnounc-
"a that the United States Shipping
Bssrd had reached satisfactory ar
'fassement OF all matters and that
the contract had been officiaily exc
euted. The corporation is given n
contract for the building of sixteen
vsaseb and when these are complet-
"a second contract will be given.
Fully 100000 900 is involved In the
contract with the Southern Ship
building Corporation. The 7,500-ton
frsighters will be OF the fabricated
wpe designed for the whittelseys. of
New York. and the material will b'
brought here by rail from the Bir-
mIns'ham district. Being for the ac-
count OF the government. the mater.
isf viii be hastened by the railroads
In order TO make sure that no un-
NECESSARY delay IN caused In the con-
struction OF these vessels.
Announcement that the shipping
board has sanctioned the contract for
q Charleston shipyard was announced
recently by Mr.. Charles Kimmich.
Joint trafFic commissioner OF the City
o. Charleston and the Chamber of
Commercs. AT that time the contract
hsd been approved. but had not been
dsned. though there was every assur-
Abcs that the negotiations had COM
p'etsly succeeded.
sThs telegram to Congressman VIVA
Icy sets at rest all question of the
location or an important shipyard at
CHARLESTON. With the yard here. 1t
means that Charleston will continue
sn important shipbuiiding center long
sfter the war against Germany has
ben ended. The benefit to the COM
fnunity win be enormous.
In announcing the receipt of the
telegram Congressman whaiey de-
ctsred himself delighted with the
NtsWS>a1d added that the telegram
from AdiMrai Capps. who is general
manager ofthe Emergency Fleet Cor
poration. spoke for itself. He content
"a himself with declaring that
Charleston was In the way OF reaping
splendidiy. Mr.. whaley had worked
long on the negotiations for the ship
ysrd. enthusiastically cooperating
with United States Senator Tiilman.
For rsasons which Is not Necessary to
publish. the negotiations were. for a
tune. rather slow. Charleston. from
the outset. was favorabiy considered.
however. Its wonderful geographical
and other advantages being an import
snt factor.
has been stated for the men who
arc behind the shipyard enterprise
that the question OF labor Is not con
sidered serious and. with these fabri-
Gated steamships. semi-sl<iiled labor
10 sufficient. The materials will be
made In the Birmingham district and
viii be assembled on the ways near
Mount Pleasant.
With the building OF the shipyard II
n expected that the Charleson- Isle
NJ Psinns Traction Company will set
about extension OF Its electric rail-
way In order TO provide transporta :
uon for the men working at the yard
IL may be that the route of the steam
fsrryboats will be changed in order
TO shorten the run.
While officers OF the seaboard Air
sssves. IL has been reported that this
company would probably build a line
aereSs the Cooper river. carrying ma
termi to the shipyard while at the
same time opening up a fertile coun-
tfy which has long been retired
through want OF transportation facili-
tses. The building and operation of
snch g railroad will greatly reduce
the cost Of getting material to the
shipyard. as lighterage across the
Cooper river would be relatively ex-
psnsiye matter.
No person In Charleston appears
ready 10 say how many men will be
employed at the shipyard. II has