Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-05
'MUN|TION CONTRACTS
ARE BEING REDUCED
Shell Orders Are to BE Completed
ysssr This Spring for British
49, Government.
WORK HERE LASTS TO JUNE /
tVice-PreSident Lassiter Says IL Shell
81 Orders Are Not Renewed. Plant
IS. Will Then Resume the Building of
~ Locomotives.

~ Munition- makers IN this country
have been notified by the British gov
ernment tina; All contrasts for the
smanufacture OF shrapnel and other
shells must be completed by March II,
and that on that da;e AL contracts in
feSistence FOR such war material VIII
lapse. There is only one possible cN-
Sception Ia The order. and thu, is III
4 favor or the Richmond branch Of the
: American Locomotive Company. which.
officials state, has ;ronclad contracts
which Will Keep the plant III operation
until June !.
That the British government had no
more need OF American-made shells
has been known in this country for
l, the past sin months. no contracts hay
ing been awarded III that time Many
OF the big plants in the North have
already finished existing contracts and
are getting ready 10 60 back to their
former functions. Among these is the
Baldwin Locomotive Works. at Pnila-
delphia which only last week reduced
it's force by $500 men and Is now en-
gagged in the installation OF machtaery
for the manufacture OF locomotives.
Charles *. Lassttcr. vice president
I'm charge of operation of the Ameri-
can Locomotive Company, stated last
night that the Richmond plant had
contracts which Will not expire until
June l. and that the work would GER
tainly continue until that time If not
longer Locomotive building. however.
ia scheduled to start here again this
year, but will depend upon the war
contracts
CONTRACTS FOR LARGER
SHELLS run TO il NE
IN 1--WE have some contracts that will
expire on March 81" said Mr.. Lassi;er.
.'Among these contracts is one for six
inch shells. which we expect to COM
plete before that date. Other contracts
For ion nj, i.1.NN. oh. nj
expire until May 81, and may be cX,
tended
mo new contracts have been made
by the British government for six
months or more, and IL is generally
known that, unless Something unfor"-
seen occurs. there will lie no more. All
of the contracts have been awarded in
such n way that they can be cancelled
in event the war ends The contracts
all have cancellation periods. and
March 81 is ono of those periods. So
was December 81: In fact. the periods
are three months apart. The British
government made its contracts III that
i way as protection. and has on S.r-
eral occasions exercised it's option. but
has later rc'nstated the orders
y Preparations tire being made to in
crease tn, size Of the Richmond branch
a new foundry building is u he erected
on ground purchased six months ago TO
the West Of tn" present plant. rhc
o.u foundry building will MAKE way
TOR an additional machine shop.
PLANT MAY RETURN 10
BUILDING LOCOMOTIVES
The plant can Toe put back into con-
ion 10 build locomotives in about
three months after completing the shell
rders. The American Locomotive
Company has big contracts for loco
,nctires, and. according TO Mr. LAS
sitter. proportionatc share % tn;S
work will be done here in event the
d war orders fail.
In addition TO the American i.ocomo-
tive Company, the Trcdcgar Company
has also been engaged in extensive
Matchmaking in tho past few months.
Both of these plants are equipped with
machinery which could be Gutch v
turned over 10 the production Of r,i-
rttionS for the United States govern
ment IN event of war.
The completion Of hiE munition
plants in England and III. increasing
difficulty in getting the shells through
the German blockade are the reasons
for the cancellation of the contracts
In this country. England. i; is said,
Is not able to manufacture I'll nf the
munitions she needs and 10 supply her
allies also.
In addition to munitions. The orders
for clothing. shoes and other ncc"S-
II stiles of wearing apparel have byen
gradually !r$.S1'n'n4. for months