The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-05
BIG ADDITIONS TO
THE PROGRAM OF
SHIPBUILDING
ARE REVEALED
Shipping Board Plans In
volve Expenditure of
$2,000,0OO,OOO
NEW CONTRACTS
MAY BE PLACED
Greater Part of New YES
sells Will Be of Fabricat-
ed Steel Type
NEW CONTRACTS
MAY BE PLACED
.(By Associated Press.l

Washington, Jan. 5.-Plans for q
100000 900 government shipbuild-
ing program were revealed today
when the shipping board asked con-
Eress for authority to place 1901,
100000 worth of additional ship con-
tracts. At the same time an inn
mediate appropriation Of S82, 100000
was asked for the extension Of ship
yards, and for providing housing IA
cilities for workmen.
Thus far the board has been au-
thorized 10 spend for shipbuilding
1924 100000, contracts for most OF
which have been awarded. Today
equest for a further authorization
an additional appropriation
big the estimates OF funds needed
for shipbuilding to $2,0l8, 900. II
the additional funds are made avail
fabricated steel ship canals, although
some contracts for ordinary steel
ships will be let as will a few for
wooden ships on the Pacific coast.
No new shipyards are planned by
the board. The fabricating yards
have contracts for about 500 ships
now, which will keep them con-
Btantly employed into 1919, but the
board is anxious to place more con-
tracts and begin on the task Of pro-
viding materials.
Housing Plans.
The boards housing plans call for
the expenditure OF about $4,000 900.
The remainder of the So, 0O0, 900
asked for will be used to expand
shipyards already built.
The senate commerce committee
investigating the progress of ship
building took up yesterday alleged
high profits allowed in letting con-
tracts for wooden ship construction
and the subject of housing.
Questioning of Theodore Z. Fer
Tis, chief constructor for the emer-
Eency fleet corporation, in connec-
ton with a report by the corpora
tion's district officer at Seattle,
brought out that the ClinchfieId
Navigation company Of New York
was alleged to have obtained profits
amounting to $743,O00 on ship con-
tracts when in fact the company
was not an actual builder of ships,
The company, it was testified, sold
10 the government at a profit of
$4,000, four ships which the Sloan
Shipbuilding corporation of Seattle
was building for 1t, and that il re-
ceived a commission of $323.00 on
contracts it obtained from the fleet
corporation for l. ships which the
Sloan corporation is now building.
Mr.. Ferris denied that he had any
thing TO do with the contracts, but
said he introduced officers of the
Clmchfteld company to Major Gen
ernl George w. Goethals, formerly
general manager Of the feet corpor-
alton.
Conditions affecting the construc-
ton Of wooden ships were outlined
BY F. A. Brown, general purchasing
officer for the fleet corporation, and
+. l.. Sanford, a member Of the
Southern Pine Emergency bureau.
Mr.. Brown explained the fleet COR
poration's granting of an increase in
lumber prices and said he thought
il was fully justified in view Of the
fact that timber sizes were made
larger. He said that the sizes were
made so large that pine producers
could not make deliveries, but that
the corporation expected to have
delivered within so days enough OF
the fir timber to furnish the heavier
timbers for 200 wooden ships.