Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-09
MAYOR EXPECTING
z HOG ISLAND BIDS
Gets Specifications Asked For
and Hopes Great Terminal
So Will Result
CITY CAN'T TAKE IT OVER

Mayor Moore has received a copy Of
the general specifications pertaining to
the Hog Island shipyard plant and
property. prepared by the shipping
board, Emergency Fleet Coronation, di-
vision of supply and sales. Blank pro-
posal forms also were sent along with
the specifications. This was in COM
pliance with a request made by the
Mayor when he was in Washington.
The proposal calls for bids to- be
opened by the director of the United
States shipping board. in Washington,
on October 30. AS an evidence Of good
faith, bidders will be required to de-
posit certified check for 81 900 900.
Bidders must be American citizens, or II
In partnerships or corporations. the ma
jority ownership must be American.
The Mayor stated that he hoped for
at least two substantial bids by reliable
concerns which have been making in.
quiries for the last six months. He said
he had great expectations that the yard
would be taken over by at least one
satisfactory bidder, and, that the yard
would become a great terminal and ship
ping center. The magnitude of the
plant, however, and the unusual condi-
tions surrounding the sale, the Mayor
said, require the greatest care on the
part of the bidders, and the closest
scrutiny as to their responsibility.
The Mayor said il was neither prob
able nor possible that the city Of Phila-
delphia would be a bidder. This he said
was for two reasons: First, because the
city is not in q financial position to bid
and, second, because 1t would require
special legislation to enable the city to
ho rir trap,apln,o -,
apart from the question of expediency.
The specifications and blank forms of
proposal have been sent to the Mayor
for the convenience of those who desire
to make bids. The specifications are
printed in a book of 101 pages. pro-
fusely illustrated They include real
estate, shipways, outfitting basin. float
ing equipment, railroad system and all
other details. The general description
Of the yard includes the following in
teresting paragraphs:
''rhis project is ideally located on
the westerly bank Of the Delaware river.
about two miles below its junction with
the Schuylkill, and comprises 946 acres.
It is served, by two steam railroads, two
electric lines and two bituminous ma
cadam highways. The United States
Government deep water channel, 800
feet wide and 35 feet deep, runs along
the entire front of the property, dis
tance Of about two miles.
'The. plant consists of fifty shipways,
twenty(of which were used for the con-
struction of 400 foot ships, and thirty
for 450- foot ships, the capacity Of the
ways being for fifty feet longer than
these dimensions; seven outtitting piers.
an outfitting basin over 5000 feet long
by an average width of nearly 1000
feet. and administration buildings,
shops, warehouses, electric stations,
hotel, cafeterias, living quarters, hos
pital. garage, storage yards, railroads
and roadways. While the shipyard, the
largest in the world, was constructed
primarily for the building and outfitting
Of ships, great part of the plant could
be used as shipping terminal, and now
contains all the essential features nee
essary to convert the project into the
worlds greatest terminal