The chronicle-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1920-1941, 1940-06-07

pe1sncy O. construction such IS
was never attempted n this eolzn-
Try before that OF an-Wel6ed steel
Me- . single bolt O. rvet Is used
IN putting this stately ship together
Rather Il WaS glued together with
molten metal forced firmly into
ever uuy niche and connection By
the use OF electric welding
7 is an innovation Ia canstruc-
u0n u marine vessels and tie en-
tire nation has been extended an
invitation 70 be present on this
raonsentuous occasion when the Ex-
cheeaeT Rides into me waters o.
historic PascaE0ula River Gown the
launching ways The smashing Of
q bottle az champagne in the hands
q Nrs Max OReI Trait q wash
ineton y c wife q Commissioner
Tra41t Of the Z s Maritime Com
mission. for whom The vessel Is be
inf built VII signal The cutting Of
The slate Of iron which has L held
II position. st the anne time eeliv-
er1ng Il 70 the elements In which II
Is % spend It's life
Tire EXchequer Is known as the
C~S design built especially for and
by the Specifications OF the Mari
tine Commission She IS the first
q 3 series Of these vessels 70 be
built three more OF which ARE in
the course Of construction at her
sides
Nearly 5000 tons q steel plating
-aa#a~wn~ - ~e-artuams-- 90 Fea-raurns
thousands Of pieces assembled ac-
coralng 70 eesign into a composite
which makes the ExcheQaer the
strongest txpe o. construction utii-
Ned II shipbuilding today
4 long story lies behind the con
strucl0n n the Excheouer how
ever IL Is interesting The ingalls,
SnipouncfnR Corporation vas al
tratfed 20 pascagQaIa by the spleu-
0s location and advantages offered
here Al Cd and proven site Of
advantage for sal building was
selected fer location q tie plant
TIE company FIRST built q series q
huge steel bsFRe Satisfied that
construction would be carries on
here with desired results. It ar
uozneec that eight aIl-Weldee steel
SHIPS would R built The first four
Of the series o being under pro
c1ctlgn
Necessary machinery for con
strgctiDR ne ships 40 feet long g
feet { inches vice Bas ad1e6 to
that already serving Is part q the
equipment being used a. the plant
A general expansion o. facilities re-
suits
TIE keel Of the Excheoaer was
laid On August is. 1893. only ten
months before the launching of the
vessel The huge thick steel plates
were taken into tire shops where
the GEOGRAPHICALLY operated keel
bender IS ioeated Here they we're
pressed INTO shape r. q huge ma
cnlfe the largest n TIE entire
plant. capable o. exertlng 1900
tons pressure u car pot s per
manent ware into most any size
pece o. steel ~ % = feet II
length.
TIE keel having Deen properly
shaped q Was moved 70 the says
1#A#HA#N2 ~ AAE# 2aaAt HaHAFHH
from Is tons capacity upward That
vas IRE nucleus q Foundation for
the vessel Prom then on activities
h1m1ned Hgre men weFe added
% TIE construction force Is TIE yes
81 progressed
Having ggt9eu NeIl uneer waY
laying q TIE keels d other yes
sela proceede1 ana faeg stand noe
b. size being sefFseed - huge
gaufrK cranes having lifting espac-
titles - 0-toElz ea1H.
Eaea par Is cut according % de-
sign The ship Waa built Il se~
tl8ns. each q which xas as near
D eampleted On TIE ground Is pos
nbi A. these assembled sections
were finished theT n picked W
b travelling and aa1ltrf uales
which handed ne aaick pata
weighing tors aen 81 q Cstla does
q 20 setting ehem Nah anerriug
preaAzau Rhege tha9 are daen held
4Hfe place ard eemeuted - The
bata - WHsF plates - eeea6as
Das b. eaE unl Werk zeHf or
MfH END huge maEHineHT were