The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-08-29
Nv MYERs.

1 HLuA AAAO -
Maine has again burst into flourish
ing prominence as a producer OF snips.
Not quite a year ago there were pu'
a handful of shlpyards scattered along
the Maine coast. Most Of them were
relics of a bygone era. Today TIERS
are 30 shipyards Of size In Maine ex-
tending from the ports at the lower
end of the state mp east to nat IN
locally called Sunrise section" In the
vicinity of Calais and Eastport.
Old shipbuilding plants that were
long dead and mourned as supposedly
| beyond resurrection have sprung INTO
life again, and with an energy they
never knew In their palmiest days
Revived and expanded. they are once
more turning out ships 70 carry inc
American Gag on all the seas. FOR
quite a distance up the Penobscot ana
Kennebec rivers and some Of the
smaller streams other old shipbuilding
wards which had long since oldere
into nothing but memories have been
reRenerated, modernized, and are bus
ily adding to Americas great growing
merchant marine. At other places on
coast and rivers splendid new ship
building yards now thrive on sites that
less than a year ago were swamps and
junkshops-
War Found Industry Dead.
When the world war came In 1914
there was not a ship being built In
Portland. There were steel vessels at
the Bath Iron Works, Blu on a Few
wooden ships In the whole of Maine.
In Portland. as In many other former
Maine shipbuilding centers. only re-
pair work was being done.
Since the present United States
shipping board, under Chairman Ed
ward N. Hurley. began its activities
less than a year ago, Maine shipJards
have been engaged In building Gas
| nearly as can be sscertained) 116 yes
sela. some Of which are for the ship
pins board. others for private inter
esa. A number Of those have already
been launched. OF this total OF 116
vessels Il have been wooden freight
steamers OF an aggregate OF more than
10000 deadweight tons. 8 have been
steel freighters Of q total Of T2.6OO
lightweight tons. and Al schooners to-
falling about 5000 tons. The remain
der are tugb0ats. lighters and trawlers.
And where q few years g the ship
building force In Maine was pitifuily
small. there are To- perhaps 1900
men working at full speed In Maine
%shipyards. This number does not.
OF course, include lumbernen or
ali others engaged In allied trades, nor
Toes II comprise the force to be taken
on In new shipyards fast being estab-
lished.
In Portland shipyards there are
about 1880 men. and the value Of the
ships on which they are working Is
roughly estimated at $l0.c00.OOO. The
total money value OF ships being built
or to be built In the whole Of Maine
cannot be learned with any degree APP
preaching preciseness. but 1t runs into
the tens Of millions Of dollars
Old shIpbuiiders Gene Fsrth.
Old Maine shipbuiiding families In
which shipbuilding and ship operation
| had become o sort OF hereditary pos
session have again come forth to do
all In their power TO help their country
build ships. One Of those families Is
the Hamlen family. contained In the
firm OF J.. H. Hamlen q Son Of Port
land. This frm was organised In 1s45.
and built ships for its cooperage and
lumber trade. Up to 1889, when It dis
continued its shipbuilding, II had eight
clippers, brigantines, brigs and bar
kentines plying to the West Indies and
South America. The present senior
member. James @. Hamlen. sixty-six
years old. inherited the business from
his father and grandfather. One OF
bis sons Is a lieutenant In the army;
another Ia associated In business with
him.
When the United States shipping
board. headed by Mr.. Hurley. sent out
its urgent call for ships. Mr.. Hamlen
with immediate vigor formed the Cum
berland Shipbuiiding company. person
ally supplying Its entire finances. Hard
by an old rolling mill at South Port
land. In which he had an interest. was
q dismal swamp looking out on the
Island Fort Gorges "a granite affair
built By Jefferson Davis). and on Fort
Prebie on land side. That was last
August. In Q few months the swamp
had been transformed into q large.
fully equipped shipbuiiding plant with
four piling Ways. A nfth way Is now
partially built. A marine railway
capable OF hauling $500 and 1000 ton
ships Is under construction. and q large
plant for the installation OF ship ma
chinery has been established at Ligo-
mia. IL miles west OF Portland
Making 10 Hst fer Hvna
Frequently the temperature was ten
and twelve degrees below zero when
the swamp WAS heiaG e1le4 u saa tAs