The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-06-16
PensacOla's First Production i'm
This Line VIII Be Rushed
to Completion.
NO CEREMONY TO
FEATURE EVENT
Men Behind Enterprise Believe
in Working Hard and
Talking Little.

Unless there are unforeseen delay
the keel of the first steel ship whichS
Pensacola win contribute toward the
winning of the war is 10 be laid Tues
day
There will be no public ceremona a
no gathering of celebrities because ths
men al the head Of the Pensacola Shir-
building Company are opposed To all
that smacks Of the spectacular They
believe in working hard and talking
little. And they have worked hard
every minute since the site was ap-
proved by the United states Shipping
Board. Emergency Fleet Corporation.
on January 2s. Ground was broken
February I and since that time new
worlds records in plant construction
have been established.
Government officials who have vls-
tied the plant say that the organization
and the direction OF the workers is al
most perfect and the progress which
has been made is truly remarkable.
The manufacturing end of the plant
is I'm full operation. The furnaces are
working and steel is being heated and
shaped for both plates and angles.
Rivetng crews have been organized
and are ready TO besiu work as soon
as the Keel OF the ifs3 hig af1tTa Is
laid. A government dredge II at work
in the bayou, making a channel which
will be in readiness when the FIRST
ship slides off the ways. Indications
are that this viii be well in advance
OF the date provided in the contract
and that Pensacola is quite certain TO
establish a new record for ship con-
struction.
The plant has capacity of 100. 900
1TrrT.4 fe.
complete in every detail from the
mammoth power plant developing all
rower required for operation OF the
big plant, to the photograph gallery,
hospital and dispensary. The plant
also has it's own police department.
under direction OF the former chief OF
Chicago's detective force. At night
the yard is protected by a complete
system OF Davis food lights, which
light the space outside the enclosure
as brightly as in day. When ship
construction is actually under way, the
plant win also be guarded by a detach-
ment of United States soldiers.
Every foot OF the 120-acre tract com
prising the plant has been cleared and
prubbed and made available for ship
building activities. The several large
shops have been completed together
VIII ibOufiit ttlFNtS- Il aat 80 aAd5o
and office for the United States in
spector.
The mammoth blocks for the irst
keel were placed in position and all
made ready more than a week ago for
starting actual construction on the first
ship. However, needed materials
were delayed in transit and the keel
will not be laid until Tuesday. From
then. the Pensacola shipbuilding plant
will be scene of busy activity. At
present there are 1000 people In all
departments and the force will be IN
creased and win work night and day
to put its vast tonnage in the water
ahead of schedule time. Skilled work.
men are being brought here in large
numbers and IL is conservatively esti.
mated that when the plant is running
al full capacity it will add several
thousand TO the population Of this city.
Visitors are not invited to the plant
because the officials are too busily en-
gagged I'm the building Of ships 10 show
them around and because Of the gov
ernment restrictions governing admit
tance to construction plants. But,
though they cannot go inside the gates
the people OF Pensacola have a deep
interest IN the plant and viii be proud
to know that II has made a record In
plant construction and viii undoubted-
" be among the leaders in the actual
building OF ships.