Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-10-28
Albuquerque Morning Journal Monday October 28, 1918
ORE CON SOLVES
SHIP PROBLEM
W|THFIR TIMBER

10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED NlaEf
Portland, ore, oct. 27.--Far re-
moved from the fighting fronts rut
eager to play their part in defeating
despotism, thousands Of oregon ship
builders. hrcad-shouldered giants, are
working day and night turning out
wooden ard steel ships to carry men
and supplies to ports of Gebarkation.
In the year ending July i, these
brawny-armed workers had put the
last nail ana the last rivet in 1874 ships,
los of wood, 20 of steel The cCm-
bined tonnage of these ships exceeded
100000 and their value $50 200.
But the task cf these masters OF
wood and metal has hardly begun.
They have now under construction 1871
more vessels. OF these embryonic
craft. forty-five are Of steel. with an
aggregate tonnage of $4,000 and a
value Of $40, 9G9, coo.
And still these builders OF ships are
not satisfied. Two years ago their mum
bor was but 4,20O; they have multi
piled the number Of workers by ten.
TWO years ago they had but seven
yards: they have increased the num-
Der of yards to sixteen. Now they have
brought the number Of ways to los.
But these men are not content with
seeing what other men have done and
then doubling, trehling it, They are
planning to give to the commerce of
the world something ncW-a creation
of their own, made possible by the
towering timber Of their S a;e.
When Charles NJ. Schwah, director
general Of the Emergency Fleet cor
poration, visited this city 4 few months
ago, he looked upon the 3,500-ton
wooden craft which oregon was build
Ing and said that he desired more
G,O00-ton wooden steamers. The at
temp to create such craft had been
made in other parts Of the country,
tut had failed.
Mr.. Schwab saw Oregon timber, be-
held the giant Douglas fir OF the Pa
cific northwest and thought perhaps
his dream of 5.OOO-ton wood steam
erE might come true.
SO did the shipbuildcrs Of the nor b.
west. Consultations were held which
resulted in plans for the Columbia
River" type of ship. Tho designers
claim that such vessels will have a
third more cargo capacity than the
largest wooden steamers being built
FOR the government; that they can be
operated at q cost which will make
them stern rivals of their steel sisters;
ard that their success will insure the
permanency of wood shipbuilding
plants in this state.
Despite his policy of Standardization
in ship construction. Mr.. Schwah au-
thorized special lpans for the "Colum-
bia River" type. Little change will
he required in yards before construc-
ton of the big cargo carriers can be
begun, and the builders are confident
that soon they will have riding the
ways. swift. staunch ships which can
defy any gale.
Meanwhile, in the shipyards Of the
state, the laundering roar of hammers
and riyeters never ceases, shadoWy gi-
ants move to and fro at night in the
glare of great arc lights, and the race
against time continues.
While great gangs of workmen are
launching hulls of S,S00-ton fabricated
steel ships at the Northwest Steel and
Columbia shipbuilding plants ON the
banks of the Willamette river, often
clipping sixteen DAYS from tho contract
time of seventy five days, other gangs
are fashioning monarChs of western
forests into Z, 500-ton-and soon 5000
ton cargo carriers in yards dotting the
Willamette and Columbia rivers for
more than 100 miles. The war may
he more than 80, 600 miles away but
If Oregon shipbuildors have their way,
it will soon seem but o step.