Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-20
j. S. KEEPS STRING
UPON HOG ISLAND
Any or All Bids May Be Re,
jected II Shipping Board
So Decides
PHllA. MEN PLAN OFFER

Whether Hog Island is actually to bt
sold following the receipt Of bids. which
are shortly to be asked. remained as
much mystery as ever today.
Admiral W. S. Benson. president oi
the shipping board. has directed that
the advertisements now being prepared
offering the island for sale. contain a
clause by which the board will reserve
the right TO reject any or all bids.
The intimation was Forthcoming that
IN" War Department. II II desires to
occupy the island rs supply base or
Tor other purposes. may submit bid
or make any other kind Of PROPOSE
ton to the shipping board. and that its
proposal will receive special CousIdera =
ton. At the Same time officials Of the
shipping board pointed out the law gov E
erning the operations of the board gives
the two present members full authority
to sell any ships or determine the
boards policy in any matter that may
arise. even though they do not consti-
tute majority of it's membership.
Bids DIE by September 90
call proposals for the purchase Of Hog
Island will be received bv the board ~
to > p. M. September 20. They are
to be opened at 10 y. M. September
21. in the Office Of tho supply and sales
division here.
Its facilities and equipment, accord
ing to the advertisement. 'undoubt-
edly provide it with the fundamentals
for the best arranged and most mod
ernly equipped terminal and storage
yard in the country"
Detailed inventory. blueprints and
photographs of the yard will be avail
able at Washington for prospective bid
ders.
Possession can be given on the com
pletion of the present ship construction
program about October / 1920. officials
said.
Under the terms of sale as approved
by Admiral Benson. the title to the
property will remain in the Shipping
BOARD Emergency Fleet Corporation
until the entire purchase price is paid
Asked il the bids are to be- requested
only to get n line on tho price which
can be obtained from private interests.
or for the purpose of honafide sale.
"fhc'al" of the board said it will un.
doubtedly SEQ that the financial interest
of tho government is adequately pro-
tected. It was intmatcd that salts
factory bid might be accepted. but
that unsatisfactory bids certainly
would be rejected
Officials of the board declared Hog
Island is considered simply as a ship
yard and not as a link in the country's
national defense. They would not say
whether the bids or the question of sale
will be submitted to the White House
or other authority for sanction before
final action by the board
Army Report being Prepared
Th" War Departments interest in
the island has not yet crystalized and
there has been no formal expression
from any source OF its desire that the
property be retained by the govern
mcnt. Assistant Secretary of War
Williams. is expected to submit re-
port to Secretary Baker containing his
and suggestions OF
possible uses to which the island could
be put BY the army.
\ bid for Hog lSlanl has been made
by a group of Philadelphia hnanciers
and industrial heads.
Powerful interests here have chad
their eye" on Hog Island for more
than year. il has become known.
and have alrcndv rendered their bid TO
Admiral Benson.
Plans wcr" Kept secret. according to
Howard Il. French. leading business
man and one of those interested in the
These plans. he said. con
template the use Of some of the fifty
ShipwayS for vessel construction, the
building Of two drydoC.s and the utili-
zatiOn of what is now the wet basin,
where ships are outfitted. for huge
terminal.
More Time Asked
Officials of the American Interna.
tional Shipbuilding Corporation deny
the shipping board has any right to turn
the yard over before the last piece of
nutfitting is placed inside the 122d ship
turned out at Hog Island.
This work will last until January l
according to those at Hog Island. 1t
may last oven longer. as several en-
ployeS Of Hog Island have been assured
~ official : Of the shipbuilding corpora
ions their jobs would be good until
some time next spring.
Ninety five of the 100 ships launched
At Hog Island have been delivered. |
twenty seven ships not vet delivered
are lying in the wet basin.
The Philadelphia interests bidding for
Hog Island We're not divuiged by Mr.. |
French. lie said: That will be made |
public when the bid is opened. to-
;ether with the amount of the bid"
Mr.. French added the Philadelphia |
I'D had been placed in Chairman Ben
ons hands Wednesday. He denied |
hat local men had lost interest in the !
many plans to keep the plant as com
nercial asset to the city. but said no
publicity had been given the idea since
%, hn