Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-08
TAKING new BIDS
. ON HOUSING PLAN
Engineer Hepburn Denies
City Will Lose Ship
Workers Homes
RAISE HOG ISLAND FLAG

There is nothing to indicate Phila-
delphia will lose the houses" said c. J.
Hepburn, managing engineer OF the
housing committee of the Emergency
Fleet Corporation. in commenting on
the plan to build 1000 homes in the
Fortieth Ward for the Hog Island ship
yard workers
Mr.. Hepburn supplemented this an
nouncement with the declaration that
bids for the erection Of these homes
will be opened within week. Several
new bids are already in, the emergency
housing expert said. and more are eN-
pected within the next day or two.
Talk that these houses will cost
$4,000 each is ridiculous" he continued.
"At first the contractors offered bids
that were not carefully drawn. Now
they are using their pencils and paper
in figuring every small item I'm order
20 get the contract. l can say definitely
that the houses will not cost $4,000, and
that the actual cost viii be far less
than that"
city Ready to Begin Work
The statement Of Mr. Hepburn in the
matter Of the big Fortieth Ward housing
proposition has apparently set aside
once and for all the Tumors that the
housing site in that section of the city
had been abandoned, and that the prom
ised erection Of a large number OF
houses there would not he carried
through as per the original Government
schedule. In view of the fact that the
city has already spent large sums of
money on improving the approaches to
this site and is contemplating the eN-
penditure, within Government rcstric-
tons of still larger amounts OF the
city's funds. much disappointment was
felt when the announcement was first
made that the erection of the Hog Island
workmen's homes might be abandoned.
Plans for the improvement Of THIS sec
tion prior to the work of actual construc-
tion have been available for many
months, and with the approach of warm
weather there Is nothing to hinder THIS
work. As to the actual work on the
houses, all now depends on the speed
with which bids are received and con-
tracts let.
Demonstration at Hog Island
A patriotic demonstration at the big
shipyard yesterday was of size COM
mensurate with the importance ana
magnitude of the work now going for
ward there. More than 10000 persons
took advantage Of the opportunity to
view at close range the many and gi-
zantic operations at the Government
nlant. and all day long enormous
throngs of people brought to the yards
On special trains. streamed through the
grounds inspecting with the greatest
interest everything that met their eyes.
The ceremonies incident to the occa-
sion we're featured by the raising of the
house flag of the United States shipping
Board. replica Of that presented to
every other shipyard in the country: an
address by Senator williams, of Mis-
sissippi. and short address by Rear
Admiral Bowles, assistant manager Of
the Emergency Fleet Corporation, in
which he called for three cheers for
the President of the United States. The
roar that went up from the gathered
thousands could have been heard at
Berlin. spectators declare. At the con-
clusion of the address by Senator Will
1iams, the great assembage renewed
again their allegiance to their country
by repeating the pledge to the flag:
'T pledge allegiance to my flag and
the country for which it stands. one
nation, indivisible, with liberty and JUS
tice for ALL"