The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-08-16
MAINE AGAIN WINS PROMINENCE
AS A PRODUCER OF BIG SHIPS
Formerly Renowned for It's Great Number and Fine Quality of
Ships the Pine Tree State, After Long Period of Stag
nation Is Now Again Rustling With Activity of Its
Numerous Shipyards. '.' -
Nv cl,srAvUs MYERS.

By eusrAvvs MYERS.
0nce world-famed for Its unique
wooden shipbuilding industry then
sinking into long period of inaction'
Maine has again burst Into houlisi''
mo nrominence as a producer OF ships'
Not quite a year ago there were put
a handful of shipyards scattered along
the Maine coast. Most OF them WERE
relics of a bygone era. To-Day tnele
ore 80 shipyards Of size in Name eA'
tending from the ports at the 'o"e :.
ond Of the state up east to what IL
locally called Sunrise sectloh' III 'ne
vicinity of Calais and PASSPORT
Old shipbuilding plants that were
limo dead and mOurned as supposedly
heyond resurrection have sprung INTO
life again, and with an energy theS
never knew in their palmiest days
Revived and expanded, they are once
more turning out ships to carry the
American flag on all the seas. FOR
ouite a distance up the Penobscot anu
Kennebec rivers and some OF the
smaller streams other old shipbulldlng
wards which had long since moldered
into nothing but memories have been
recommended, modernized, and are Dus-
ily adding to Americas great growing
merchant marine. At other places on
coast and rivers splendid new snip
building yards now thrive on sites that
less than year ago were swamps ana
junkshops.
War Found Industry Dead.
When the world war came IN l9l4
there was not q ship being built IN
Portland. There were steel vessels at
the Bath Iron Works, but only few
wooden ships in the whole of Maine.
In Portland, as in many other former
Maine shipbuilding centers, only re-
pair work was being done.
Since the present United States
shipping board, under Chairman Ed
ward N. Hurley, began its activities
less than year ago, Maine shipyards
have been engaged in building las
nearly as can be ascertained) 116 ves'
sells, some Of which are for the ship
ping board, others for private inter-
ests, A number of those have already
been launched. OF this total Of 116
vessels IL have been wooden freight
steamers Of an aggregate of more than
10000 lightweight tons, have been
steel freighters Of total of 72,6OO
lightweight tons, and Al schooners to-
falling about 5000 tons. The remain
der are tugbOats. lighters and trawlers.
And where few years ago the ship
building force IN Maine was pitifully
small, there are now perhaps $1,000
men working at full speed in Maine
shipyards. This number does not,
of course, include lumbermen or
all others.engaged in allied trades, nor
does it comprise the force to be taken
on in new shipyards fast being estab'
lished. . ~
In Portland shipyards there are
about $500 men, and the value Of the
ships on which they are working is
roughly estimated at $10,5O0,000. The
total money value of ships being built
or to be built In the whole of Maine
cannot be learned with any degree ap-
preaching preciseness, but It runs into
the tens of millions of dollars.
Old shipbuiIders Come Forth.
Old Maine shipbuilding families In
which shipbuilding and ship operation
had become sort of hereditary pos
session have again come forth to do
all in their power to help their country
build ships. One Of those families is
the Hamlen family, contained in the
firm Of ]. H. Hamlen & Son Of Port
land. This firm was organized in 1S45,
and built ships for its coOperage and
lumber trade. Up to- 1889, when it dis
continued its shipbuilding. it had eight
clippers, brigantines, briggs and bar
kentines plying to the West Indies and
South America. The present senior
member, James G.. Hamlen, sixty-six
years old, inherited the business from
his father and grandfather. One Of
his sons Is a lieutenant in the army {;
another Is associated In business with
him. .. ., ~,
When the United States shipping
board, headed by Mr.. Hurley, sent out
its urgent call for ships, Mr.. Hamlen
with immediate vigor formed the Cum.
berland Shipbuilding company, person
ally supplying Its entire finances. Hard
by an old rolling mill at South Port
land, In which he had an interest, was
a dismal swamp looking out on the
Island Fort Gorges "a granite affair
built by Jefferson Davis), and on Fort
Preble on land side. That was last
August. In few months the swamp
had been transformed into large,
fully equipped shipbuilding plant with
four piling ways. A fifth way is now
partially built. A marine railway
capable of hauling $500 and 1900 ton
ships is under construction, and large
plant for the installation of ship ma
chinery has been established at Ligo-
mia, TX miles west of Portland.
Making II Hot for Huns.
Frequently the temperature was ten
Ind twelve degrees below zero when
the swamp was being filled in and the
21& Ihip=the Cumharland-built. but