Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-06-03
Problem of Disposal Probably
Will Reach Congress Early
in the Session.
HAVE VALUABLE MACHINERY
Marine Men Say Engines Could BE
Taken Out and Installed in Other
vesssls-Sksieton Crews
- Have Ettlesto Do. 4

Norfolk, Va.-What to do with
about 500 wooden and steel ships ~
ing idle In James river is question
that will probably reach the floor Of
congress-within "A short time. ----'--."-'
The wooden ships are mostly an.
chored in the vicinity Of Clarefnont.
There are as many as six moored to-
gether, side by side. so close that it
is possible to step from the deck of
y one ship to another without any dan
ger OF falling overheard Skeleton
crews are employed and the only work
= they are. required to- do. Is to keep the
decks and fixtures clean and stand
watches. They are called upon some
IA times TO daub little paint on the
sides Of the ships. but five hours out
of the day they have nothing to do
eBatHt play checkers, cards or indulge
arp any other pastime they see fit.
N "a There is valuable machinery In the
II ships that marine men say could be
taken our and put to use in other YES
sels. Most of the ships are equipped
with the best Of engines. and the gov-
eminent. It II Claimed, could realize
considerable money out of their sale
Shipbuilders SAY the engines could be
installed In barges that could be used
TO transport freight between Baiti-
more apd Philadelphia and Norfolk
via the Inland waterway, or in freight
.-scarriers-Operating between New ork,
Providence, Boston and Norfolk -.--------
Constructive Plan offefed.
One shipbuilder makes this sugges-
ton: ssfi
Strip the machinery from the
wooden ships, then organize cor
poration. or several corporations to
build steel hulls or barges on COM
iparatively inexpensive plan and In
stall the engines In them. These
barges would be invaluable for coast
wise trade or even for trade with Cuba
and could be operated at cost much
less than the present steamships.
g"Of course 1t will take money to put
such plan in operation, but it does
not require large financial outlay.
The steel hulls can be built in any
one of half dozen shipyards on
Hampton Roads and with the pros
pective reduction in the cost of labor
and the decrease in the cost of ma
terial, competition would be keen for
The building of these craft"
There is little chance of any of the
wooden ships ever being OF any ma
s.erial service again, because only q
few Of them would be worth the ex-
pense of repairing of sea trade A
good. many of the ships are already
beginning to show decay and it would
=, not be surprising il several Of them
were abandoned altogether within a
.Xear or SO. It is, the opinion Of
marine men that when the govern
= ment hegins to :. discard the wooden
shinea.eeMRla6eaNsath Maal l.bessbl0nu
up with dynamite, as II they were a
menace to navigation.
The people Of Claremont are divided
on ,thel4bkleht the, .t0Wu. has derived
by the 1Seea{tiun ss u. the AaSsit near that
town. The anchorage occupied by the
ships Is referred to as the "boneyard."
Many 60 in but. none CONG out" is
the way R6sTf Aaihter, ii Veteran river
man who has. resided near Claremont
since few days hitter tfie Civil war,
refeEs. to. thu, sbpnesasd.-iu IA,
asEast Days " the Monitors. !
Minter,s opinion II sh hi irresdi.' b5t Y ooth.
ers, because all the 6fd Inhabitants
Of CEefkf6ont. City. Point and Other
JamesffisM 1hantiRgs,, reMsmbsr. !, the
=