The New York herald., 1921-07-31
SHIPPING BOARD GETS
ONE $10,0OO,0OO BID
Offer for Entire Fleet of 287
Wooden Vessels Withdrawn
Over Telephone.
OTHER FIGURES ARE LOW
Proposals Range From $50 to
$500 for Single Vessels
and Groups.
OTHER FIGURES ARE LOW
Special Despatch to THE New YonK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
WnshingtOu. ID. c.. July 80.

Special Despatch to THE New YonK HnnALp.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. C., July 80.
For about fifteen seconds this morn
ing six members of the Shipping Board
got a real thrill. 1t came when Cliff
ford Smith, secretary of the board,
while reading the bids on the 2S7
wooden ships. announced a bid Of
SIC, 100000 for the entire feet and read
aloud from the bidders letter that "a
check for $4,000 is enclosed"
A shock followed when Mr.. Smith.
after fumbling nervously with the let
ter and shaking the envelope with
trembling fingers, stated in a lower
tone OF voice that he could not find the
check.
After all the bids had been opened
and recorded and the board men,
bers had left the room one Of
the bidders present expressed the
view that 1t was just as well that the
check for million was not forthcoming
as the sight OF It probably would have
caused the entire board to faint
The big bid was from the r. A.
Thompson Company of New York city.
and later Secretary Smith was informed
by telephone that the bid had been for
warded inadvertently. The company
said Il had considered bidding. but had
decided not to 40 SO.
IL was announced after the opening
of the bids that they would not receive
consideration before Tuesday next, as
that Is the earliest date set for a meet
ing of the board. Under a resolution
adopted by the board several weeks ago
no sale of any of the property OF the
board amounting to more than $1,000
can be made without the boards ap-
proval.
The Thompson Company and the Ship
Construction and Trading Company OF
New York were the only bidders to
make offers for the entire fleet. although
one Seattle firm bid on forty-three of
them. The other bids were for single
vessels or small groups and ranged
from $50 to S7.500 a vessel.
The Ship Construction and Trading
Company offered s6o2.700 for the
entire feet, or 81, 100 per vessel, one-hah
the total price cash and the remainder TO
be maid on each vessel as received, the
purchasers to receive all equipment and
snare parts The bid, which was pre-
sented by NJ. s. Orth. broker, also pro-
vided that II the fleet contains more than
2s7 vessels those above that number
shall be purchased for sl.O50 each.
Japanese brokers and intelligencers,
seattle, bidding for Sisumoku Tomaka OF
seattle, offered $500 for one vessel, tom
mage not specified; also an alternative
hId FOR ten wooden vessels. with or with
tf at
~ sto5 each; ten vessels without en-
otres $50 each Ave vessels at s105 each.
n none of these cases wos tonnage speci-
fed.
Forestal e. McQuaide of Seattle offered
cor s7b for forty-three vessels located at
t,ake Union, Seattle. Albert r. Barket,
Seattle. offered $1,000 for the uncom-
nIeted. modified Ferris type hull No. 20,
hvut nj Tacoma. The letter enclosing
,hc offer stated that the bidder intends
e,t,np out the vessel and operating her
In tho American foreign trade.
Frederick d. Underwood OF New York
offered $500 each for two vessels. 10
nor cent. down and the balance In equal
annual instalments in five years, de-
ferred payments to bear interest at
per cent. II the vessels have dete-
,iorated TO any extent since their exam
nation six months ago this DID Is voiu.
n N Rosengrand OF Mobile offered 1850
each for one Ballin type ana one Graves
Harbor type.
Eleven former German cargo steam
ships and one cargo passenger steam
shIp were offered for sale to-day on
L,nnn sum basis by the Shipping Board.
pids will be opened August is.
The vessels oil are steel craft and
average around 5000 dead weight tons.
Th.y are the Callao. ArcadiI, Casco.
wachusett. Cunica and Yucca, at New
York. Artemis and Neusc at Balti-
moro, Coosa and Pawnee at Philadel-
phiaA and Isonouia and Armenia at