St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1918-09-14
OFFICIALS VISIT
THE JAHNCKE
SHIPYARDS AT
MADlSONVlLLE
Guests of the Company To
Inspect Big Plant and
Vessels Being Built.
TINNER SERVED
ON THE "DINAH."
biggest Wood Vessel Plant
on Atlantic and
Gulf Coast.

OUlx OOeSGs
While the people Of st. Tammany
parish have q general idea that the
shipbuilding industry has added
largely to the prosperity of st. Tam
many parish, few have an exact
knowledge of the enormity Of the in
dustry, the immense amount Of labor
and material and the importance Of
good roads and transportation facili-
ties in connection Herewith. A feel
ing that the good roads campaign
was in the interest Of the plana Of the
War Department called forth patri-
otic support of the measure, with
probably little, realization Of its real
Importance to shipbuilding or the ex-
act and immediate benefit to locali-
ties within the district.
The result of this road building
will be that more men will take up
residence in Vaudeville - soon as
the road Is completed. II 100 cot
tages were built in Madisonville right
now each one could be filled with .
desirable tenant. The shipyard has
completed about twenty cottages and
three hotels for the accommodation
of the workmen, and about fifty
apartments for colored workmen are
now being fitted out.
Eight hundred workmen make the
trip each day from Covington to the
shipyard and return and 200 men 60
to Vaudeville and Houltonville.
There are now 1900 men employed,
and this force will be increased to
$500. The wages paid are the high
est which have ever been paid In the
United States and are exactly the
same wages that are paid In the ship
yards of New England, New York
and the Atlantic States.
An instruction Department 10 main
tanned. with competent instructors
to teach the art Of shipbuilding and
for the general improvement Of the
men. Hundreds Of ordinary labor
ers, used to other work than ship
building, and men with other trades.
have been converted into excellent
shipbuilders. This department has
been started within the past month.
and in addition to taking over part
VI Lu0 WVl ~ VA NJ yVNAA0 AAA0AA ava -
useful trade or occupation.
The immensity Of the undertaking
of shipbuilding becomes better real
lied by an inspection Of the work.
and the need Of cooperation and
moral support is seriously impressed
on the mind. The huge machinery
of war, the intellect back OF It. de-
pendence upon the faithful perform
ance Of the humblest toiler, the WON
derful significance Of the common ex-
preston, morale" abide with you in
strong conviction after you pass be-
yond the walls that shut IN the busy
hum of construction work In the
Jahncke shipyards at Madiaonville.
This yard ranks among the best on
the Gulf and Atlantic Coast for
rapidity of work, while the American
Bureau Of Shipping has given the
ships built an Al. 15-year rating.
which is the highest rating tho Blu
reau gives for wooden ships. Ship
ping men from all over the country
have complimented the Jahncke
Company on the neat appearance and
substantial workmanship Of their
vessels.
The Jahncke yard Is now the big
gest wooden shtpbuilding yard on
the Gulf and Atlantic Coast. It has
eight ways devoted entirely to wood
en- ship construction. The drst ves-
sci is practically completed and five
more are we'll under way. The yard
has under contract twenty vesselA-
These are known a. the 3500-ton
Ferris type wooden steamship OF 7S7
feet in length. 46 feet beam. with q
depth Of % feet. The cost Of each
vessel will be in the neighborhood
of half q million dollars. Approx
mately half of this 10 being spent at
the yard for labor.
The efficiency and morale of the
workmen are good and are continual
ly getting better. each succeeding
vessel being built In considerably
shorter time than the one preced-
ing it.
Last Monday the parish od1cials
and a few invited guests visited the
yards and were taken through the
plant and shown all its workings.
The party was taken around In divid-
ed squads, being conducted by Wal
ter F. Jahncke, E. v. Heughan, yard
superintendent; f. W. Bell. resident
auditor for the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration; E. r. Malloy, general sup
erintendent.
This paper Is specially indebted to
Supt. Malloy for courtesies shown Its
representative in inspecting ship
work and the extensive machinery of
the shops, which is very complete in
every detail, much Of the work being
simplified by expensive and up-to-
date machinery.
After the inspection Of the yard
and vessels the party WAS invited to
an excellent dinner served on the
houseboat, Aunt Dinah." where Mr..
Clarke, superintendent Of the hous-
ing division OF the shipyard, made It
exceedingly pleasant for all.
There were present. besides the
officials named, Jas. B. Howe. presi-
dent Of the Police Jury, and mem-
bers Geo. H. Koepp, Jr., H. N. Fend-
lason, s. r. Cowart, Fletcher Craw-
ford. Robt. G. Abnsy, E. P. Robert,
y. n. Smith. W. 81. Deyis. Sserstasy