New Britain herald., 1918-10-25
BUILDING SHIPS TO
 STRAFE THE BOCHE
Houston, Texas Doing Share to.
 Cheat Hungry U-BoatS

Houston, Texas, Oct. 25.-Forty-one vessels, including ten barges, have been contacted for with the Emergen- cy Fleet Corporation by two com panies of Houston and all are to be built on a water way that only a few years ago would not accomm an ocean going vessel.
 Seven ships have already been launched, four by the Universal Ship building company and three by the Bridge company; eight more are un- der construction at the yards of each of the two concerns, and the Universal holds contracts for eight more ships, while the Midland company has con- tracted for ten barges.
 Within one year after the program of the Emergency Fleet Corporation went into effect, Houston, located in a section where former efforts along this line were confined to a few small pleasure craft and an occasional barge, began launc ching ships.
 Itewas in April of this year that the first vessel built of Southern yellow pine under government contract slip ped down the ways to the Houston ship channel. It was christened "Na- cogdoches" Since that time the splendid progress made has been the subject of favorable comment by officials of the fleet corporation.
 Ships launched at the Houston yards are lowed to Beaumont to receive their machinery after the finishing touches are given the hulls here. A central assembling yard is located at that point and under the direction of the Emergency Fleet Corporation stores of all kinds of material are as- embled there to be distributed to the yards. In place of moving machinery to the boats. the boats are moved to the machinery
 The infant industry of shipbuilding in Houston demanded the services of some 5000 men within a. few weeks after ground was broken, and the pay roll now amounts to more than half a million dollars each month. Special trains carry the army of workers to the shipyards, which are situated on the channel 6 few miles below the turning basis. The shipbuilders live in Houston, which is credited with be- ing one of the few cities where, with war work, extensive housing facilities have not caused alarm. Comforta ble quarters have been provided for all The Universal Shipbuilding com- pany a local corporation, was organ ized subsequent to the Fleet Corpora ton. The Midland Bridge company a Missouri corporation with head quarters at Kansas City was, prior to the present shipbuilding activities en- gagged in bridge construction and the distribution of structural steel An , other comp pany is now being organized to establish concrete plant here. The International Marine Iron Works is another unit in the ship building program at Houston. This 1 company manufactures marine engines l boilers, propellers and other appli- ances used in ships, and is equipped to produce heavy castings It has con- 1 tracts for propellers for most of the 1 ships constructed in the district. 1 Houston, as a lumber center, has 1 shared liberally in the prosperity
 which has resulted in that industry l from the use of Southern yellow pine 1 in shipbuilding. Approximately 20 1 per cent. of the total production of
 Southern saw mills is handled through ! Houston