South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-11-17
SHIPBUILDINC
EQUIPMENT IS
LEFT EXPOSED
South Atlantic Engineer Tes-
titles Before Walsh
Committee.

NEW YORK, Nov. 16.-Machin-
cry and shipbunding equipment
valued a millions OF dollars was
left out in the open to deteriorate
in value months after plants We're
closed down with the ending of the
war, Paul H MacNeil. a former
resident engineer Of the shipping
board in the South Atlantic district
testified Tuesday before the Walsh
committee.
MacNeil said he was stationed at
Savannah, his immediate chief b.
ing r. II. Dillingham; at Jackson
Vile, the district plant engineer.
Well Organized.
He said the yards were well Or
ganiZed for they generally could get
the better of the government organ
ization. He brought into his testi-
mOny the name of the Terry snip
yards and the National ship build
ing company and a marine railway
organization over which he has sup
ervision. He said that the Terry
people had a trust loan from the
fleet corporation to be used in ship
construction and that over his pro-
tests money in t.lis fund was used
TO finance a subsidiary organization
engaged in dry dock work. when
their contracts were only about one
third complete. Through his efforts
S116, 900 Of this fund was held up.
bat he added that he ascertained
that part Of the money was again
diverted
Speaking of the National Ship
building company, the witness said
that work there had shut down
previous to his arrival on the scene.
Left Uncovered.
II have found nothing had been
/ done 10 take care of the properties
and valuable machinery was left
uncovered to the weather" he said.
! on his own responsibility ne took
/ steps 10 save as much of II as was
possible. He invoiced the properties
/ as TO quantity and percentage de-
| probation but not as TO value. His
/ guess at its value was between
/ $500, 600 and $2,0OO,0O0 He also
/ asserted that in the auditing Of the
/ affairs OF the plant, 101 numbered
! vouchers could not be accounted for.
Another point he made was that
/ equipment, ordered previous 10 the
/ closing Of the plant, was still COM
| ing TO the yard. He tried to have
/ il stopped and suggested it was new
! and could be returned 20 the vendors
! by payment Of the freight only.
Hands OF
They told me to keep my hands
/ off and let the machinery come, %
/ MacNeil declared. The Terry yard
/ ne testified had a complete equip
/ ment contract for several tankerS
/ and composite ships, none Of which
was completed JIe valued the
[ equipment Of this yard at abou'
/ $1,5O0,00O and added that while
there was sufficient lumber at hand
. 10 build sheds TO protect the eX-
. posed machinery. il was not done
| The marine railway, he testified
was built on land owned by private
/ individual who had an agreement
for rental of his property, with No
. specified amount named The rail
way was built with emergency fee
funds amounting 10 about 500. .0G'
with an additional s12, 900 worth o
. hlling supplied by the govCrnmen
for another operation. This prop
erty, ne said, was in controversy
and ii was his opinion that under
the laws of Georgia, il was owned
by the man who had title 10 the
land"
Big Rental.
The rental asked ne understood
amounted 10 about ten times The
/ CONTINUED on PAGE FOUR.