The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-03-15
BUILDING SHIPS
FRIENDLY LETTER FROM FOR
MER MADISON YOUNG MAN
ENGAGED IN THE WORK.

Lacey, Wash, March Especial
Correspondence; Having been away
from Madison for eight years I
thought likely some of my old friends
and neighbors might like to hear
that | haven't been informed as a
German spy or hung as a traitor, but
have been enjoying myself for the
last Is months working to help win
the war by building ships and at the
same time getting a small share of
this worlds goods for myself.
At the start, / wish to say hat
myself and family and father and
mother are enjoying the best of
health and lovely weather which is
characteristic of this part of Wash
ington. We are still on the ranch
which / moved to when l came out to
this country. My father looks after
the work and does most of the chores
though we hire the team work done,
while / work most of the time in the
Olympia ~shipyards.
Olympia has, as most of the sound
towns. become a ship building town.
The Olympia yard which started in
the fall of 1916 has built and launch
ed three ships, five mast auxiliary
motor schooners, 500 feet long and
As foot beam, the largest wooden
boats afloat. The first of these. the
Vergland, is on its way to Australia
with a load of lumber; the second the
Gen. Pershing, is about to leave
Olympia to be loaded, and the third
the Corsmais will be commissioned
about May /. / have worked on all
of these boats and helped launch
airy %. also the same day the Sloan
Ship company launched their first
boat, a motor boat $50 feet long, 46
foot beam. The Sloan company has
one to launch next week and seven
more on the ways and are putting
more on as fast as they can get them
off.
The Olympia yards has been shut
down now for about two weeks as ii
is changing hands and they expect to
IL lOuh lIiolC d sc bodto Wy 1hPtII
/. / am at present working at the
Sloan yard as they needed men, and
| was out of a job when the last ship
was completed. The biggest draw
back to the ship building industry
here is the lack of skilled workmen.
There is plenty of common labor
here, but a real good carpenter is in
demand, and one that isn't real good
If he will try halfway to make good
can get by. The fact of it is, l pass
as a first class shipwright and have
had Is months experience in the
yards, so you see there is a chance
J for most any old thing. although you
; must deliver the goods and belong to
t the union III here, that's all that is
) required. The carpenters scale is
: $3.50 now for eight hours, with dou-
BILE time for overtime and Sundays.
I pulled down $245.20 for the little
month of February. / was offered a
[ good position in a Seattle ~shipyard
S at $S.25 per day, but would rather
I stay at home for a little less money.
My ranch is four miles from the ship
yard, but we have a fine concrete
paved road all the way in and | ride
: a bicycle to and from work, and days
/ only work eight hours car do some
{ of the work on the ranch, which ]
e am getting into shape for a model
dairy when the shipbuilding business
{ can get along without my services.
We have 40 acres here of good
land and / intend to keep 40 head oil
cows on it some day. / have IL head
n of fine heifers on their way to thai
d end at present, and with cream al
p So cents a pound butter fat, 1T make:
d a nice income of itself. Living is not
so high out here as it might be al
y though flour and its substitutes are
S rather high. l bought 200 pounds Of
o Columbia river smelt for $5.35 ex.
press paid and delivered to my door
n That makes cheap meat and as we
salt and smoke them we have fish
all summer. Potatoes are $40 pei
ton. We have some to sell and wish
a they were higher, while fuel is not
a question of money, but time GU
here as there is lots to be had for the
& cutting and l gave away about 4C
b cords of small timber to get off the
land.
e / see the names of some of my
9 schoolmates now and then in the pa.
n -