New-York tribune., 1918-05-31
Agawam Launched, First
OF Fabricated Fleet
500OTon Steel Cargo Steamer Takes Water at Newark
Bay; schwab Hugs Carse and Edison Dreamers
and Theorists indicated
.s=...,s sci Dsspatea to The Tribune,

= sz--ss sci pssrdteh to The Tytbunel
NEWARK, N. J., May so.--It was
1928 this afterpecn when resounding
blows released the trigger that left
the Agawam free to glide into the
water Without seconds hesitation
the big ship moved steadily and
smoothly down the ways to her ele-
ment.
The bridge builders had launched
their first ship. That is to say, the
Aeawam, a 5,000-ton steel cargo car
rier, is the first fabricated" ship to
take the water. She is the first Of a
feet of $50 that will presently be issu-
ing from the ways Of the Submarine
Boat Corporation, at Newark Bay, at
the rate of two or three week.
In the successful launching Of the
Agawam the dreamers and theorists
have won again. The dream of build
ing a vessel in several hundred diff
ferent plants and assembling the
parts into a perfect whole has come
true. The prophets of the impossible
must now transfer their activities to
other fields. Newark Bay, Hog Island
and Bristol are vindicateds
Some 10000 persons, several thou
sand Of them coming by special train
from New York, tried to silence the
steam whistles with their cheers when
Miss Mary Eurana Ward, niece of
Charles NJ. Schwab. broke the legend
ary bottle of champagne across the
ships sharp PROV and pronounced her
name.
Cheers Aplenty
The Submarine Boat Corporation
employees band contributed to the din
of joyful noise and the officials and
workmen demonstrated their delight
with the antics and capers of larking
President Carse and Thomas A. Edi-
son, and cheer on cheer rolled out for
everybody from President Wilson
down to George Carver, the humble
workman-poet of the occasion.
It was one more of those momentous
occasions that are blending all Amer
leans in the common service of coun-
try and humanity. AS the visitors
looked down the great parade OF sky,
Ward-reacnlng OeIIlCfs- AAo
seaffoldings that confront the twenty
eight ways of the second largest ship
ward in the world and were reminded
that they and all the structures back
of them had arisen from a marsh In
eight months they had q convincing
demonstration of the potentialities OF
America for war.
The occasion was noteworthy not
only because it marked the Launching
of the first ship from this yard and
the first direct contract. vessel 70 oe
the Atlantic Coast, but because 1t
marked the successful inauguration
of a new era in shipbuilding-what
may properly be called the America
sra. AS President Carse Of the SUB
marine Boat Corporation SAID IN ms
address, "the launching Of the Aga
wan celebrates a new era in the con-
struction of steel ships" Contlnulns
his remarks, Mr.. Carse said in part:
"The Agawam is the first Of 10Y yes
sells. all Of the same standardized type,
from designs of Theodore E. Ferris, to
be built of commercial steel plates ana
shapes along lines evolved by bridge
builders in conjunction with naval
architects, and thus enabling us to call
upon the structural metal workers Oh
the country.
"The parts are fabricated in bridge
and tank shops throughout the country
east of the Mississippi River and as
sembled at this plant.
Parts Fit Perfectly
"Ninety-fve per cent Of the work In
forming the parts entering into the
hull Of this vessel and punching rlvet
holes is done at shops widely separated
from drawings furnished by this com.
l~ox hov hnon nf
sucn exactitude and the work has been
so carefully performed by the different
bridge shops that when they are
brought together at this yard they fit
perfectly, ana the ship, as you see, is
absolutely fair.
1.-THE construction of the hull Of this
vessel requires the driving of over four
hundred thousand rivets, and by our
method more than one-quarter of these
rivets are driven at the distant shops,
the different parts being brought to the
transported on the railroads. Each
part is numbered and lettered, and as
they are shaped perfectly, all that is
necessary is to place them in position,
bolt them and finally fasten them with
rivets.
standardized fabrication to this ex-
tent has never before been attempted
IN tne snlpDulldlng industry, and this
development has been brought about
only by the urgent need for ships and
the necessity for securing them by
come new method, for old methods
could not replace the loss of shipping
caused by the ravages of the German
submarines.
Result of Building "Chasers"
This company had finished in the
fall of 1915 the manufacturing of $50
submarine chasers for the British Ad-
rniralty ahead of contract time under
the direction of Vice President Sut-
phsn, and the experience gained in the
fabrication of the hulls of those boats
and the purchasing of machinery and
other accessories. which were shipped
70 Montreal and Quebec and there as
sembled into the finished boats, led Mr.
Sntphen to study the subject Of apply
Ing The same method to the fabrication
and assembling of steel cargo vessels
from the only available material. com.
msrcial plates and shapes, as the mills
OF this country were not equipped To
produce ship plates and shapes in suf.
dcsent quantity.
I'm the study Of IL is subject we con-
suited Dir. Worden and Mr., Nicholas
Of the Lackawanna Bridge Company
and Mr.. Horton, of the Chicago Bridge
and Iron Company, and In Connection
with them Mr. Ferris naval arrhitact