New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-17
Will Be Rebuilt at Cost Of
$4,000, 600 or Sold
or Junked Within 80
Days, Lasker Declares
Ships Machinery
In Good Repair
Fleet Officials Inspect the
Giant Vessel and Deny
Report She Is Rotting


be reconditioned on a scale that will
make her the finest vessel in the world
or she will be sold or junked. A deci-
sion will be reached within the next
thirty days, Chairman Albert D. Lasker
of the Shipping Board said yesterday
after he had made an inspection of the
vessel at her pier at Hoboken.
In reaching decision the board will
be guided by the advice Of the three
shipping experts placed in charge Of
the operation of the boards ships, J.
B. Smull, William J. Love and A. J..
Frey. There is every reason to believe,
however, that 1t will be decided to put
the Leviathan back into operation.
II 1t Is determined to recondition
her, Mr. Lasker said, the board will not
hesitate to spend $1o,o0o,Ooo to $12,-
100000. She probably would not be put
into service until early in 1928, MIR.
Lasker said, but will then be fitted
on such scale that "sane men of this
age will not even try to equal her"
1t was called to Mr.. Lasker's atten-
tion that plans and specifications had
been prepared for the reconditioning
of the Leviathan at cost Of about
$7,0O0,000.
Would Be Finest Vessel
"Of course" he replied; "but 1 doubt
If recondirioning her at that price
would call for what I have In my
minds eye as to what the Leviathan
should be. My rough estimate Of $12,-
100000 would cover everything in the
way of rehtting. such as room furnish
ings, table linen and silver, and, in
fact, would put her on par with the
finest hotel in the world. She would,
believe, be the finest vessel ever
turned out, both mechanically and from
the standpoint Of luxury.
"It cost about $5,000,000 to recondi-
tion the Olympic, which Is 5000 tons
smaller than the Leviathan, and she
was never in nearly as bad condition
as this vessel, which had it's interior
fittings ripped out to make room FOR
as many troops as possible. When
finished the Leviathan would he an
advertisement to the world Of what
American shipyards can do" ~
Preceding the inspection of the
Leviathan Mr.. Lasker and his asso-
Olympic at Pier SO, North River, in
company with P. A. S. Franklin, presi-
dent Of the international Marine Com
pany, and other officials. Walter G.
Teagle, president Of the Standard Oil
Company Of New Jersey, who was Of
fered the Craftsmanship of the Shipping
Board but was obliged to decline be-
cause Of his business duties, was one
of the party.
In the Olympic Mr.. Lssker and his
associates saw an example of the
highest class Of ocean liner and got an
object lesson Of what could be done
with the Leviathan. The contrast be-
tween the two vessels was striking. On
the Olympic everything was spick and
span, passengers we're coming aboard
to sail and there was activity on every
side.
In the Leviathan the inspecting
party found little more than the shell
Of a vessel, SO far as passenger &C.
commodation was concerned. but the
trip through the biz liner at Hoboker
brought ample proof Of the falsity OF
all the reports that have been circu-
lated that the boat was slowly falling
to pieces at her pic
Crew of One Hundred Men
The visitors found crew Of 100 or
board the Leviathan keeping every
thing trim and ship-shape. They found
the machinery in perfect condition anc
ready to sail, if the need arose, within
day or two. They found that in
stead Of the ship being stuck in tn.
mud she lies in forty feet of water anc
was clear of the bottom by five or 81,
feet. And they fourd force Of sixty
craftsmen aboard her busy preparing
plans for the reconditioning of thu
ship.
! Asked whether he did not conside
two years long time to reconditio,
the Leviathan, Mr. Lasker said tina
this condition typifed the Shippin,
/ Boards problem.
"If we work intelligently and will
business acumen," he said, "we mus
not figure too short time, and w
Continued on page three)