Evening star., 1928-06-10
CAPITAL BOOSTERS
VISIT MARYLAND
Leave for Norfolk After Stops
at Baltimore and
snnapoIis.
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.


ANNAPOLIS, Nd. June o-Com-
pleting a day Of instructive sight
seeing at ports Of call in Maryland,
the members of the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association represented
aboard the booster ship Southland to-
night are Steaming down the Chesa
peake Bay. idling the time until early
tomorrow morning, when they will be-
gin the last day and night Of what
has been one of the most pleasurabls
cruises in the 10 years history of such
voyages urging on those they greet
Tho nestrs hfiitv NJ coming 10 the Cast
tai City of the Nation and mixing busi-
ness with pleasure by also buying there.
Through stiff fresh hreezs, the
Boosters tonight are enjoying a thor
ough rest as the Southland carries
them through the choppy waters of the
lower Chesapeake.
For three hours this morning, the
merchant boosters were the guests of
the Bethlehem Steel Co. at the Spar
rows Point plant, where a special train
was provided for the visitors to tour
the yard and take in as many of the
sights as was possible in what turned
out TO be an all-too-small space of
time TO view the many activities in the
h,- plant. They saw the making of
s~esl from the time the ore was
brought in on cars to the turning ont
Of finished plates. nails. wire and
r2ny explaining the various activities.
Visit Gas Furnaces.
The merchants were met at the dock
hv W. E. Underwood. who was in charge
Of the sightseeing tour, Going first
10 the gas-producing furnaces. they
watched great carloads of red-hot coke
being carried under water streams to
cool of, and then being sorted by ma
chinery for subsequent consumption.
They passed the ore-srnelting fur
where tons Of molten metal poured in
white hot streams into gigantic ladies.
handled by immense cranes. The vari-
GUS heat processes were shown in turn.
including the great rolling mills, where
i0-ton ingcts 4 feet square were
handled with the ease that a person
would handle a small coin. being tossed
about by the machinery until they came
out in board-like fat plates TO be cooled
for fabrication into various articles.
After seeing the steel in the forma-
tive stage, the visitors were taken to
tEo Of the mills where products were
turned out. The wire mill was first
visited and 1t was shown how yard
after yard Of wire is drawn TO accurate
End uniform sizes. and then, later, how
this wire is cut into nails at the rate
Of hundreds q minute There were
nails from the finest to the largest,
passing n ore continuous operation
from machines which cut them the
right length. headed and pointed them
in one operstionh then put them into
the great bins where they were dropped
into kegs. machinery even shaking
down the kegs so that the requisite
hundred pounds could be placed in
each and finally TO the shipping room
wh-re they were piled.
Have Thrills in SeamanShip.
In going into and coming from Spar
rows Point. which is reached by a mar
row channel from the Patapsco River,
Capt william Geoghegan. commanding
the 6outhiand, gave the Boosters few
thrills in seamanship.
A large ocesn-going steamer spread
her great hulk across almost the full
width Of the channel when the South
lend sought 10 enter this morning. and
t5e vessel vas carefully navigated by.
IN the afternoon the vessel was turned
around within her own length and then
put cut into the bay, where there Is
sharp turn which would tax the ex-
perisnce OF any skilled navigator TO
make without grounding, but the vessel
proceeded without a stop and headed
fer the Severn River and the United
Ffase& EaYal Academy at ANNAPOLIS.
where the merchants were shown
through The buildings and grounds.
There was little activity In the In
ssitufscns. as the nidshipmen had just
oeDsrted or their annual practice cruise
sbcard battleships. and the piebes have
not ret reported 70 begin their four
yer courses Of study.
The shade and cooling bTeezes which
pTeTai!ed f1rnisncd enjoyment during
90 opportunity 10 stretch after the trip
down the bay. and the majority of the
party took full advantage Of IT, It vas
one ri the interesting little side trips
- give relief from the daily routine
Of sffpboard life There was nothing
In the vsv Of entertainment provided
sbezrd shin during the day. but there
viii be action apIenty tonight 10 suit
the tastes Of all including battle royal
with five PARTICIPANT Arrangements
veye completed by Frank AgaIear, chair
man n the entertainment committee
s'hen be went ashore az Annapolis and
purchased the necessary gloves.
Entertainment Down Bay.
The entertainment viii be provided
- 'f9e trip 6owp the bay tonight. con-
cludsng IN tine for those who feel
tne need of rest 10 turn In and pre-
pare for TIE arouous grind Of tomorrow
which begins when the vessel lands At
Old Point Comfort al $50 O'Clock To-
morrow morning
Church call VIII be the first on the
It2t there. aI1 after the church parties