Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-28
STEAMER WATTS TO
Be DELIVERED ON TIME
Effects of Unfortunate Accident
Quickly Overcome at Har-
Ian Shipyard.

The big tanker Albert f. Watts, built
M Uarlan's will 90 out on a trial trip on
February /, the date scheduled, not with
standing an unfortunate setback. The
engine. has already been working.
On Friday, December 81. 1920, the
50 ton triple expansion ergire of the
Watts was lowering over the machirery
''well" on the ship when something hap
pencd to the electrical power controlling
the big crane. Tue brakes refused to
f,inction 100 per centand as a consequence
the load came down on the deck and
cracked two sections of the engine bed
plate Had il not been for the clear-head-
edness Of Crare Operator Tom bishop,
something in the nature of q calamity,
ard rot merely a construction setback,
would have occurred. On the face OF 1t the
mishap looked like a months delay, at
tho very least. But instead of glooming
over the misfortune the Harlan organ
ization mnssed for counteraction. Follow
ing a conference with General Manager
Gernlain ard General Superintendent
Weaver the offensive got under way. The
pattern makers, under Harry Jemison,
started the ball rolling. They gave over
New Years dav so that the cores and
patterns might be in the Hillcs & Jones
foundry Sunday night, January 2.
Hilles & Jones, under James Sterling,
then demonstrated what couple OF hust-
lirg Wilmington firms can do when they
put their cooperative shoulders to the
wheel. by delivering the FIRST Of the pair
Of II. 0O0-pouad castir gs to Harlau on
Thursday. January g. Jerry Greene, Har
lan's head of transportation, had the
second casting in the plant machine shop
bv noon January g. All of uarlan's good
Intentions and hustle would have been
discounted had il not been for the help
ing hand extended by the Eilles 4 Jones
Co.
The Harlan machine shop then took
over the castings and proceeded TO hang
up a record for all time, locally, In re-
building the engine. Naturally 1T was all
dlsmantled To receive the new sections.
Foreman Bill Quade and his crew then
stepped out ard performed all the planning
drilling. roaming fitting and hnlng-up-
work that has taken three weeks-and IN
five davs, after the final lining-up OF the
bed plate. the engine was on truck and
on its wav 10 the ship. On Monday, Jan
uary Il. ST noon the completely rebuilt
engine was again being lowered into the
ship. On Thursday, January %, just p
davs after the accident occurred the vessel
was ready for its dock trial, signifying
that the preliminary tests were satisfactory
and insuring the original delivery date,
february ! being embraced as programmed
All this was accomplished under rigid
LLOYD and owners representation in
spectIon.
Those concerned in this achievement,
the cutting Of construction time, at least
three weeks have viewed special note
Of commendation from President E. G..
Grace of the Bethlehem Steel 60. MIR.
Graces aid he considered it an astounding
instance Of the pull-together spirit and
wished be could personally shake the
binds of an involved in the remarkable
procedure. General Manager German
and General Superintendent Weaver say
Harlan wrote shipbuilding history In
swinging in on the original delivery date
of the Albert Z. Watts. The boat Is being
bull; for the Sinclair Co.