The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-10-23
-....-ii.: .
BUILDING SHIPS IN TEXAS.
Houston Has Companies Building
Ships of Yellow Pine.

Houston, Texas, Oct. 1S.-Forty-
one vessels, including ten barges, have
been contracted for with the Emer-
gency Fleet Corporation by. two COM
oanies of Houston and all are to be
built on waterway that only few
years ago would not accommodate an
ocean-going vessel.
: Seven ships have already been
launched, four by the Universal Ship
building company and three by the
Midland Bridge coiapany;; eight more
are under construction at the yaI ds OF
each Of the two concerns, and the
Universal holds contracts for eight
more ships, while the Midland COM
pany has contracted 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 lire were confined to a few small!
pleasure craft and an occasional
barge, began launching ships.
It was in April of this year that the
first vessel built of Southern yellow
pine under government contract
slipped down the ways to the Hous-
ton ship channel. It was christen-
ed ..Nacogdoches., 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 toweds to Beaumont to re-
ceive their machinery after the fin
ishing 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 ma
terial are assembled there to be dis
tributed to the yards. In place of
moving machinery to the boats, the
boats are moved to. the machinery.
The infant; industry Of shipbuil ding
ia Houston demanded the services of
some 5000 men within a few weeks
after ground was broken, and the
payroll now amounts to more than
half a million dollars. each month.
Special trains carry the army of work
ers to the shipyards, which are situat-
ed on the channel a few nailes below
the turning basis. ~ shipbuilders
live in Houston, wi is credited
with being one OF the few cities where
with war work, extensive housing IA
cilities have not caused alarm. Com
Portable quarters have been provided
for all.
The Universal shipbuilding COM
pany, a local corporation, was or
ganized subsequent to the Fleet Cor
poration. The Midland Bridge com
pany, a Missouri corporation with
headquarters at Kansas City was
prior to the present sshipbuilding ac-
tivities, engaged in bridge construc-
ton and the distribution of structural
steel. Another company 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
company manufactures marine en-
gines, boilers; propeslers and other
appliances used in ships, and is equip
ped to produce heavy castings. Il
has contracts for propellers for most
of the ships constructed in the dis
trict. ct.-.--....s=.~ -.-.-,-..
Houston, as lumber center, has
shared literally in the prosperity
which has resulted in that industry
from the use of Southern yellow pine
in shipbuiiding. approximately 2G
per cent Of the total production OF
Southern saw mills is s=hand1ed through
Houston.