Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-23
Plan WOOD SHIP
OF NEW DESIGN
Urge 5OOO.Ton Craft of
Different Type for Pacific
Trade
PUT 1T UP TO SCHwAB

Adoption by the Emergency Fleet Cor
1orAtion of new type 50Oo-ton wood
MP. to be standardized especially for
~ on the western coast and in the Pa
edac trade generally, was indicated today
IA dispatches from Portland, Ore.
The dispatches announced that a com.
mittee of Pacific coast shipbuilders
would come here shortly to lay detailed
plans before the shipping heads of the
country.
Charles M. Schwab. director general
- the fleet corporation, and Charles
Haes, vice president in cnarge of con-
alruction, who are now returning to Phil
elphta from a tour Of western ship
1os. are said tentatively to have ap-
~l9eved the plans for the construction of
Z - new type of vessel, which in design
radical departure.
n. Schwab and his party are ex-
cted to reach their offices here the
ffer part of this week and, upon the
3 o1xNhl Of the Pacific coast committee
Y soon afterward. will give the proposal
SERIOUS consideration.
~ y UntA few weeks ago, when the
norWency Fleet Corporation adopted
- design for a 5000-ton wood vessel to
~ built IN Eastern shipyards.. wooden
3 voooels of that size had not before been
ee1empted on large scale. and were
4Qneadered an innovation. This type
EAe adopted to supplant the 3500-ton
erris type, now being constructed
e1png the Atlantic seaboard. The
ytrris type will be discarded as soon as
evsrything is In readiness to go ahead
With the substituted type.
schwsb Pledges Aid
g Films for the Pacific type Of wood
aleAmship, which probably will be known
~ the Columbia" type, were laid be-
fDre Mr.. Schwab and Mr.. Piez when they
visited Portland few days ago, by
Lloyd ]. Wentworth and ]. W. Hall, su-
pertisors of wood ship production for
the Oregon district. Mr.. Schwab, 1t
Nas said, Immediately suggested that
apocial committee be sent east with the
Z completed plans, and promised to pave
tho way for the adoption of the type by
th~ --od""t'on division Of the fleet cor
p1Ration here.
rac.nc coast shipbuilders assured Mr..
achwab that they can, on the proposed
lfnss, build a 5000-ton wooden ship. as
I yoll as one Of steel. and perhaps a type
that win have longer life. All builders
Il with whom the head OF the fleet corpor-
v Aklon conferred on the subject favored
Il the heavy type. and were convinced that
q n they could follow Pacific coast de-
etGn. using larger timbers than are pos
9 SLble ON the Atlantic and Gulf coasts,
MI can realize their best expectations
II they are forced to work on a Gulf
4 ~ Atlantic coast design, however, and
144ud from shorter. smaller timbers, they
q 1obd the prospect for a heavy wood
&<4R was dismal
III we do not hesitate to put our repu-
K f6tiDn behind the 5o00-ton ship" said
& " e. Knapp, of the Peninsular Lumber
y Company. of Portland. Oregon has
Den enough and has 90 per cent of the
4 BANDING timber of the United States, to
1GDpe quantity construction
<Considering that it takes 1000, 900
& feet of timber for each 50O0-ton ship,
Wo have material for 600 ships a year
without increasing our logging or manu-
xhcturing capacities. We can build $50
6Aips . year on the present ways. Trans
DortAtion problems as far as the North
west Ii concerned are already solved
III. Piezz said:
( will not be in favor of the lighter
*7Wood ship upon the return of competi-
the trade conditions. The 5000-ton ship
Viii last after the war and We wan,
Z xour evaporation In working out type
h ~ the west coast We want a unit, o,
S. n0ardized design for this coast
we don OF propose to discourage the
& 2G1viduel inventor, but as a genera
01o0 We want to concentrate on a
k1prm design. Some of our own offi-
HS<6nD are not in favor of the 5O0O-tor
~ naying 1t ID not practical