Imperial Valley press., 1930-04-19
new FORD PLANT
ON COAST WILL
OPEN ON MONDAY

Arrangements have been complet
ed for the formal opening of the
Ford Motor Company's new. huge
assembly plant at Long Beach har-
Dor, Monday, .pril u. Four cities,
Los Angeles, Long Beach, Whining
ton and San Pedro, will join in one
If the largest celebrations ever held
in the Southland industrial world.
announcement of the plans is made
by c. S. Williams, Ford branch man
ager.
Leaders in civic and business life
viii have prominent places on the
extensive program that will start
with a noon luncheon at the Pacific
Coast club and continue during the
lfternoon ut the new plant.
Invitations have been extended to
Governor c. c. Young, Mayor John
c. Porter of Los Angeles, Mayor
hscar Hauge of Long Beach, John
c. Austin, president of the Los An
Geles Chamber of Commerce and
others to take part in the speaking
program. Presidents of the Whining
md San Pedro Chambers of Com
neree also will be presented.
Seated at the luncheon and tax
ing the capacity of the Pacific
Coast club, will be 600 men of prom
.nence. At its conclusion the guests
and Ford Motor company officials
-. 70 shnrn ~
greet the Ford steamship Oneida
which will arrive during the after
aeon with the first cargo OF Ford
parts from the eompany's branch at
chester, Pa.
When the Oneida Gteams up
,horugh the harbor with flags flying
proudly she will be given a most
vociferous welcome by all the other
..arbor craft, locomotives and in
dustrial plants, their whistles shrek
.ng and bells ringing.
After an inspection of the huge
dock and facilities for handling ear
goes the guests will be taken
through the plant which will be in
.ull operation. They will see the
first official ear come OF the as
sombly line. 1t will be delivered to
the city of Long Beach. Also they
will view a talking picture Of the
big Ford Rogue River plant.
Beginning Tuesday, April 30, open
house week will be held and the
general public is invited to visit
the new plant from l to p. IN.
aud from 6 TO 10 p. III. daily. Guides
will conduct visitors along the as
semblv lines where the guests will
see cars assembled from the time
the frame is started until the com
pieted car is driven off the floor.
Public Is Welcome
Special invitations have been ex-
;cnded to various civic, commercial
and educational organizations to at
;end in groups on specified days but
the general public is welcome any
day during the open house period.
A big tri-motored Ford all-metal
c,Cnoplane will be exhibited outside
the plant.
The new plant is built on a i0-aere
site opposite Terminal Island. There
are two large units with combined
floor space of $780, 900 square feet. \
SIT gle story assembly plant 920 feet
long by 30l feet wide with a two
story office portion, comprise one
init. The other which is adjacent
is two.story transfer warehouse
40 feet long and So feet wide.
The plant, it is stated, is required
to take care of the increasing de
mands for Ford ears and trucks IN
Southern California. II has ca
pacity of 400 cars daily, compared
with 225 that could be assembled
AT the Los Angeles plant whieh has
been discontinued. Operating at ca
paeity it would employ 1000 men
who, under the Ford wage scale:
would receive a mirlimum of 81 a
day each.
A slip dredged into Cerritos chan
mel and a reinforced concrete dock
500 feet long permit ships TO dis
charge their cargoes directly int
the warehouse. shipment of ear and
truck parts will be made by water
from the Ford plants at Edgewater.
\. j. and Chester, Pa. They will
be carried in Ford-owned ships, re.
tulting il lower transportation
charges and avoiding unnecessary
handling.