Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-27
DELAWARE VALLEY
NOW WORLD SCLYDE
It's Shipyards Building More Than
a Third of Governments
Tonnage Program.

More than one-third Of the war vessel
and merchant ships called for by the
program OF the United States govern
ment are building in ship yards along tn,
Delaware river, according to figures which
have just been made public with the per
mission of the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration. The tonnage contracted for
according to government officials, has
transformed the Delaware Valley into the
greatest shipbuilding center in the world
w. Is. Ferguson, a representative Of the
Emergency Fleet Corporation, estimates
that an army of about 81, 900 shipworkerf
will be required to complete the 272 ships
including war vessels, contracted for by
the | / shipbuilding plants between Trcn-
ton and Delaware City.
Work on 100 cargo carriers at the new
government yard at Hog Island is pro-
crossing and this plant is engaging TO turn
out 100000 additional tons in 1918.
More than 2,250,000 tons will be the
Delaware rivers quota IN the fleet which
Uncle Sam relies on to help win the war
At the new shipyard at Bristol, Pa, 40
ships are contracted for. Here more than
5000 men are at work and it is expected
that 10000 more will be necessary to com
plete the vessels on schedule.
The vessels are. being constructed at
another new yard at Cornwells, Pa The
force there of 800 men will be increased
TO 1000 AT a well known Philadelphia
shipbuIlding plant more than 60 ships are
to be turned out Most of these are
government craft on which more than
1000 men are engaged. Another thousand
is needed.
MORE WORKERS NEEDED.
In the big yard at Camden, n J., across
the river from Philadelphia, 1900 men
are building "a ships More workers are
needed here also
Two yards at Gloucester, N J., are
turning out l6 ships with force of about
5000 men. Twice this number of ship
workers is needed
Two large plants, one new one, at
Chester, Pa, have contracted for Is and
26 ships respectively. One plant has only
ZOO men on the payroll and requires at
least 5000 more, according 10 the govern
ment figures. The other yard is employ ing
1000 men, whereas at least 5000 are
necessary To complete its contracts.
The plant at Hog Island is new en-
ploying about 10000 workers and Off
clals there estimate that at least 81, 900
are needed.
Work IN one plant at Wilmington, Del,
is progressing on l3 ships on which $500
men are employed. This company is in
the market for another 900 workers.
Az another plant in that city eight ships
are being built by force of 1000 men,
and officials require 900 more.
A drive under the auspices of the
government is now being conducted
throughout the country TO register all
men in the 81 trades allied with ship
building Many of these mechanics are
now engaged in other occupations and it
is planned to transfer them to the sea
boards without disturbing industry.
Labor difficulties and shortage of steel
and other materials, it is expected, will
treble the original estimate Of the cost of
the ships contracted for. Recent investi-
CATION of the Delaware river plants indi-
Gated that most of the vessels being built
will be completed in schedule tune