Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-09-11

Before the war there was but one
shipbuildIng firm of consequence in
Seattle-the Seattle Constructor e.
a development of TIE old Moran
Brothers plant, where the batt!eshil
Nebraska Was built more than de
cade ago.
Today there are no less than -
plants in and very close to Seattle.
There are a number at Tacoma, in.
Guiding one young giant, the TODD
Drydock & Shipbuilding Corporation,
allied in ownership with the Seattle
Construction and Drydock company,
Some OF these are turning out steel
ships others wooden ships; some are
turning out both. And the Seattle
Construction & Drydock company, the
largest I'm output and in number OF
men employed, is turning out OF its
splendidly efficient plant vessels both
Of war and commerce-paSsenge
ships and scout ships, cargo-carriers
and submarines; merchant vessels OF
moderate speed and scout cruisers
which will reel off So knots if neces.
sary to help Uncle Sans navy win
a battle. They are $50 feet long.
Thanks to a former Honolulan, Mr..
Joseph E. Sheedy, have had an I'M
usually good opportunity t. see the
Seattle Construction and Drydock
company's plant. Mr.. Sheedy, well
known throughout Hawaii as general
Superintendent of the lnter-Island
Steam Navigation company, has been
a resident of Seattle for a number
Of months, leaving Honolulu to take
the president Of the great Seattle in
dustry. The president, Mr.. c. w. WI
ley, will be remembered well in Homo
lulu as one Of the two Great Northern
steamship company men who came to
the islands when, it was first pro-
posed to put the steamer Great North
ern on a regular Coast-Hawaii run.
The other was Cal Stone. Soon after
this Mr.. Wiley became president OF
the Seattle Construction & Drydock
company. He spends large part OF
his time on business that takes him
away from Seattle. Just now he is
in Washington. Mr.. Sheedy is in
full charge Of the huge Seattle plant
and his many friends in the islands
will be glad to know that he is scor-
ing an emphatic success and that
among Seattle's business men he is
recognized as an alert, capable, lik-
able and broad-gauge young man who
is sure to accomplish things worth
while in an industry which is now
OF vital Importance to the nation
from patriotic as well as an indus
trial standpoint.
Employs 1000 Men
The Seattle Construction & Dry
dock company employs more than
1000 men and its payroll is more than
S40O,000 q month. 1t is, a plant al
most entirely complete in itself, with
its own shops and FORCES for supply.
ing the inconceivably large amount
of material that goes into the ships
II launches with startling frequency
il now has in preparation for launch
ing five vessels, and 26 under con-
tract, including three scout cruisers
and one destroyer The company has
three submarines ready for delivery.
the eighth wonder d the world is
The plant Is built for efficiency and
for safety to the swarms of work
men. The percentage of accidents is
gratifyingly low. All of the handling
of heavy machinery or other material
is done bys overhead cables which
swing the material up in plain sight
of all those engaged in nearby work
and carry IL on straight lines to its
point of destination. This system is
a development of the system of carry.
ing logs used in the Northwest logging
camps. ~.
1t would take a combination Of a
literary genius, marine engineer and
a naval artist adequately to describe
this plant, in itself and in its relation
to the countrywide boom in shipbuild-
ing-the boom which is to hurl our
fleets OF war and of foodships against
Germany. What impresses the lay
man in the Seattle Construction &