Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-21
Hog Island Ends
Epic of Ships Today

rensinucd from PAGE One
The United States shipping board. Mrs
Kraft was we'll known socially in Phil
edelphia when her father was the com
smandant of the League Island Navy
Yard.
II Argosy, the sixth ship. will have for
its sponsor Mrs. George II. Baldwin.
OF Flat Rock, Hendersonvillc. n. G.
Mrs. Baldwin is the daughter. in law Of
George J. Baldwin. vice president of
4 tbe American International Corpora
1 tion, who, together with Charles A.
Stone, president Of the corporation, con.
gsccived the Hog Island plant.
~ The last of the seven ships and the
u one hundred and twenty second
launched from the huge Delaware river
plant. will carry on its bow and stern
the name Of NJ. G.. Brush. president of
tthc shipyard. Miss Sarah Levy, of New
Z; York city. daughter Of Il. D. Levy. for.
K'mcr assistant to Mr.. Brush at the ship
yard, will act as sponsor.
Launchings Set Record
81 The launching of the seven ships
4 within approximately fifty minutes is
Z, expected to set a worlds record in keep
tsing with Hog Islands marvellous
achievements. The previous record for
4 tlaunchings, so far a. number of ships
is concerned. was made by the Moore
Z shipysrd at Oakland, which sent six
ships into the water in one afternoon.
n Hog Island today is in gala attire for
the big occasion. Its miles and miles
taof roads. scores Of buildings. shipways
h and wet basin are in spirk and span
5sshape---a picture of gigantic industrial
= .Nachievement for those of the visitors who
have never seen the yard before.
e A holiday has been declared for the
sf11 900 employees remaining at work at
the yard. They and all past employees
! have been invited to attend the last
= s1aunchings under government super
Z vision.
81 West Point cadets, 325 in number.
Z arrived here today in special train for
the launchings and Immediately went to
Tthe yard. where they are cncampcd.
Z They had all facilities for cooking their
eown meals and leading the field life of a
soldier.
The Navy Yard Band. Fcrguson,s 5
! Band and the West Point Cadets Band
/ viii furnish the music. Sailors and
. marines from the Philadelphia Navy
|, Yard and detachment of cadets from
( Camp Dix will add to the military aspect
Of the ceremonies.
y. No event in the yards hstory-not
even the memorable occasion of August
8. 1918. when Mrs Woodrow Wilson,
''the First Lady Of the Land chris
tened the Quistconck. the first ship. be-
fore the eyes of President WilSon--will
surpass today's affair. according to Mr.
Brush. the big boss of Hog Island.
Z Launching seven ships in approx
mately fifty minutes is big fcat--in
fact. 1t has never been done bpforc--but
big Bill" Fortune, builder OF the
scantilever bridge over the Quebec river.
and chief of the launching gang, eX
poets to get away with It.
After the big splash" what thcn ?
Thirty ships will remain in til" wet
basin to be fitted, otherwise tho ship
yard will be idle. Gradually the work
= erS in the yard. of whom there were
80. 900 at one time. drawing 81 900.
600 a week, are leaving to resume their
"A pre- war employment Mr.. Brush doe,
not anticipate any disturbances on this
K account.
\ The shipping board has not yet in
dicated the future use of the shipyard
1t was war time project. pure and
simple. Now that the wurld-or most
's>pf it's at peace. the reason for the
Sard--quantity production Of ships nc
longer exists. The yard would make q
magnificent terminal. according to ex-
!, perts, but as shipbuilding yard. it,
continued operation is out of tho lues =
fion.
Since the yard was first laid out in
September. 1917. over swarpy ground
q oyerrun with the river tides. it has
y been the most talked of inIuStr; Il
I. achievement in the world. The story
J, of ho:' it aimed to turn out ships so
fast that German T-boats couldn't pos l.
sibly, INK them fast enough to make
sany impression on allied shipping spread
all over the world.
Through one of the "wickpdost win =
ters this section of the country has ever
known" quoting Mr. Brush, gangs of
men cleared away the brush. dredged.
drove piles, laid in sewers. built miles
and miles of road. erected buildings and
in the summer of 1918 the yard was
already preparing to get out its first
ship.
1t was not long after tho first ship
the Quistconck. left the ways, that tn,
: armistice was signed and all overtime
rat the yard was stopped. For awhile
day and night shifts were at work
Thereafter shipbuilding. continued. bu
no longer with the primary object il
yiew-to defeat Germany. II the wa,
had continued the yard could hav,
tturned out six complete ships a week
ready to go to sen, according to Mr.
Brush.
y This. he says. demonstrates the sue
cess of quantity production as apple,
TO ships and is great lesson to tn,
worlds shipbuilders