Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-09-06
sy cusTAvus MYERS.

|
Maine has again burst into flourish
ing prominence as producer OF ships
Not quite a year ago there were bu
handful OF shipyards scattered aloni
the Maine coast. Most of them were
relies OF bygone era. Today there
are 80 shIpyards OF size In Maine, ex
tending from the ports at the lower
end OF the state up east to what Is
locally called Sunrise section In the
vicinity of Calais and Eastport.
Old shlpbuIldlng plants that were
long dead and mourned as supposedly
beyond resurrection have sprung into
| life again, and with an energy they
never knew In their palmlest days.
Revived and expanded. they are once
more turning out ships TO carry the
American flag on all the seas. For
quite distance up the PenObscot and
Kennebec rivers and some of the
smaller streams other old shipbuilding
yards which had long since moldered
into nothing but memories have been
regenerated, modernized, and are bus
lily adding to Americas great growing
merchant marine. At other places on
coast and rivers splendid new ship
building yards now thrive on sites that
less than year ago were swamps and
junkshops.
War Found Industry Dead.
When the world war came In 1914
there was not a ship being built in
Portland. There were steel vessels at
the Bath Iron Works, but on ! few |
wooden ships In the whole of Maine.
In Portland. as In many other former |
Maine shIpbulldIng centers, only re-
pair work was being done.
Since the present United States
board, under Chairman Ed
ward N. Hurley. began its activities
less than a year ago, Maine shipyards
have been engaged In building Gas
nearly as can be ascertalned) 116 ves-
sells, some of which are for the ship
ping board. others for private inter
ISIS. number of those have already
been launched. OF this total of 116
'essels Al have been wooden freight
steamers of an aggregate of more than
10000 lightweight tons, s have been
teel freighters of total of 72,600
lightweight tons, and AZ schooners to- |
aling about $4,000 tons. The remain (
Ter are tugboats. lighters and trawlers. 5
md where "A few years ago the ship
uildlng force In Maine was pitfuly v
mall, there are now perhaps $4,000
zen working at full speed In Maine
hlpyards. This number does not c
course, include lumbermen or
u others engaged in allied trades. nor n
oes il comprise the force to be taken p
n in new shipyards fast being estab- il
she'd
In Portland shipyards there are
bout 1890 men, and the value of the
lips on which they are working is c
'ughly estimated at S105O0OOO. The
tai money value of ships being built
; TO be built In the whole of Maine ..
nnot be learned with any degree APP :,
'oaching preciseness. but It runs into -, "a
e tens OF millions Of dollars. ~
Old chipbuilders Come Forth. ~.
Old Maine shipbullding families In IN
lich shlpbulldIng and ship operation m
d become sort of hereditary pos m
ssion have again come forth to do m
In their power 10 help their country ,I
lid ships. One of those families is On
9 Hamlen family, contained in the
m OF j. H. Hamlen & Son of Port 81,
ID This firm was organized In 1916. W,
d built ships for its cooperage and ne
nber trade. Up to 1889. when 1t dis 90
ltlnued its shipbuilding IL had eight
ppers. brigantines, brigs and bar tn,
ltines plying 10 the West Indies and raj
nth America. The present senior col
mber, James c. Hamlen. sixty-six
IRIS old. inherited the business from 8
father and grandfather One of
sons Is lieutenant In the army;
'ther is associated In business with -"
When the United States shipping
rd headed by Mr.. Hurley, sent out COZ
urgent call for ships, Mr.. Hamlen the
h immediate vigor formed the Cum COT
land Shipbulldlng company. person pra
supplying Its entire finances. Hard Oh
an old rolling mill at South Port wa
}. in which he had an interest. was ran
ismal swamp looking out on the ern
nd Fort Gorges Ga granite affair mn
{ by Jefferson Davis). and on Fort lst'
BILE ON land side. That was last Tor
'ust. In a few months the swamp INV
been transformed into a large. 10
y equipped shlpbuilding plant with pig
: pillng ways. A fifth way is now zin'
tally built. A marine railway 'oc'
able Of hauling $500 and 1000 ton sup
IS IS under construction, and large
Il for the Installation of ship ma
ery has been established at Ligo-
~ miles west OF Portland. Mar
Making Il Hot for Huns.
frequently the temperature was ten A
twelve degrees below zero when sly
swamp was being filled IN and the obts
ship-the Cumberland built, but ing
men rejoiced in the thought that A
7 We're helping 10 make it hot for conl
Huns The keel OF the Cunber- wer
WIS Ibid on january % ffo1e and woe