The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume], March 09, 1914, Image 1

About The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917

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You Can't Unlock the Mystery
. Until the last line of
SEVEN KEYS TO DALDPATE
The FARMER Every Day
THE WEATHEn
if
Fair, Slightly Colder
VOI 50 NO. 58
BRIDGEPORT, CONN., MONDAY, MARCH 9. 1914
PRICE TVO CENTS
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-
Si
1.
HANGERS DENY -TAKING
BODY
FROM MEXICO
(Vergara's Remains Brought
to Texas By Nine Uri
' identified Men -v.
EXAMINATION SHOWS
EVIDENCE OP TORTURE
Washington Anxious Lest
United States Be Involved
By Action
Austin, Tex., March 9 .
Texas Rangers did riot;
crqss the Mexican 'border
nor participate in the ex
pedition by which - Cle
mente "Vergara's body was
directly exhumed from the
Hidalgo, Mex., cemetery
and deposited by persons .
as yet unidentified, on the . '
- Texas - side of the . Rio
Grande before . daylight
V Sunday- morning, accord-, '
ing to the official version
of the Vergara incident ,
frim the state capitol' early
today.; i
It is claimed that this
version was borne out by
despatches from Laredo,
Tex the nearest point'. to
Hidalgo where investiga
tion could be made and
transmitted by wire.'
Lest night's- eta.tetn.ent thait rangers
recovered the body was based on the
following telegram Trom Ranger Cap
tain J. J. Sandiers: "- . '
"I proceeded to HMalgo Mex., ob
tained body of Vergara, Have It
here." , '- - -l, '.'
T?3 telegram tob dated Laredo, out
the word "herft" it refers to wji the
point. above Laredo orr-t3ie;,BSo G-Kande
where Vergara made his "home. State
officials - accepted ' the telegram as
meaning that Sanders actually entered
Mex loo. I, .
Governor Colquitt wired Sanders for
- details early - today and after talking
to the ranger caipbain over the long
distance telephone gave out the fol
lowing: statement: . . -1 '
"Caipbain Soffideis, commanding Com--pany
B of the State Rangers at Lar-
. edo, advised me by telegraph that he
bad recovered the Txxly of "Vergara. I
wired film for fall iiartidutors :',Ha
. advises me that be did not go -Into -,
Mexico at an, but was informed that
the body of Vergara, would be deliv
ered on the Texas side of. the river" at
a particular place named at -2:30
' o'clock; Suncfay morning where he
found it- As to who brought it across
" the river, lie does not know. He bad
' no assistance In time transaction ex
cept from ' the family and relatives of
"Vergara, t who fully, identified the
i body." . .' f '
The. covernor said today that be 'dad
not know Whether he woudd have a
further statement to make until he
got additional facts. - -
The- persons who examined the body
from its Mexican grave .thus few liavo
kept their Identity secret.
IVergara's Body Shows
Evidence of Torture
By Federal Troops
Xjaredo, Texas, March 9. A shovel
sticking in the soft earth, otf the open
grave and around the handle of the
- implement a card with the word "Re
t : cuerdos" (Kemenffrrance) was the sin
gle trace today of the mysterious
night visit of a party of umidentifled
men to Hiladgo, Mex., cemetery, who
disinterred the body , of Clemen te' Ver
gara and returned it to Texas for bur
ial by fais f amily.
Vergara's body secretly was placed
at a lonely spot on the Rio Grande 45
miles above Uaredo"" in the early dawn
, on Sunday morning to be. found toy a
"United States official, a, state officer
end a county deputy sheriff, but who
was responsible for its removal from
Mexico was ' a question still unan
swered. The body was here today awaiting
an examination which state authori
ties say-may disclose something to aid
.them in placing blame for the ' ranch
jnan's violent death after be was tak
en prisoner by Mexican federals.
EVIDENCE OF TORTURE
A superficial examination of the
body disclosed two gunshot wounds
In the head, one-in the neck,' a blow
- as If from a rifle butt which crushed
the skull and the mutilated left band,
. twisted and charred by fire, suggested
that torture had been inflicted before
Vergara was executed.
Texfu? rangers, of the troop of Cap
tain J. J. 'Sand era, ' were first declared
responsible for the return of Vergara's
body from Mexico, but later this was
denied. ' '
Captain Sanders was one "of the men
who were "informed" that the body
could be found at a designated place
The other two were American Consul
Garrett, of Jtaevo Madero, Mex., and
Deputy Sheriff Petty. They went to
the scene, ostensibly to secure further
Information on the "Vergara case, but
admitted later that they had been told
that the body had been returned.
Who their informants were was one
of the numerous questions each of the
officials in turn refused to answer.
They did say, however, that neither
T7nitV States or state officials had
any prt n the actual trip ir.to Mex
ico. lj&ipr rmnors said former f-mployes
DYNAMITE CASES
REFUSED REVIEW BY '
SUPREME COURT
Washington, March 9 .
The supreme , court : today
refused to review the con
viction in the "Dynamiting
cases" of Frank M. Ryan :
and 23 others, members of
the Iron Workers' Union.
; Only a pardon - can "'now i
keep the convicted - men
- from the penitentiary. .'y-
I lay In : securing- "the body for proper
J interment by. the family, had- taken
matters into their own hands.
, Ejunaises that Mexican authorities
might have taken "this method of" re
turning "Vergara's body to the United
States were forestalled by a remark
of Consul Gtarrett, who expa-essed the
belief last " night that they did not
know of the body's removal
' . GUIDED TO GRAVE . 'v
' Despite the mystery as ta. who was
was responsible for the return of the
body there seemed little -doubt as to
the actual facts of the recovery, of
the body. There were only nine men
In the party who gathered 'on the: river
bank f late Saturday ? night near 'the
point where Vergara was' alleged to
have been seized February 13 by Cap
tain Apolonlo .. Rodriguez ' and three
federal soldiers. , r 1 ' . .-,''
A 'Mexican who claimed to have wit
nessed . both " the execution and . bur
ial of Vergara led them across coun
try toward ' Hidalgo and skirting' Cie
sleeping town, showed them the new
grave in a far corner" . of the ceme
tery which had caused comment when
Vergara's , r . disappearance became
known. ' ' -
The grave was shallow and no care
had been exercised to protect the body
from the covering of eart2h;'" : A rude
5ino box soon was lifted out and the
workers' evidently . had known the
ranchmen ' for they made certain they
had the body they sought. The home
ward . Journey began -with, the party
still uncballenged. -v - . , - ,
Once back, on American sod! they
rested their "burden for final "Identifi
cation. ; This was made by the family
and the body was consigned to the
waiting officials. .' ; i
The party had ao permission from
Mexican authorities to make the trip
and -secure the body and Consul Gar
rett said last -night that; he had never
requested permission from 'the. federals
to have '. this done. ' What compjica
tions If any might result from, the
trip into tforeign territory apparently
caused no uneasiness among Vergara's
friends who pointed ouit the peaceful
character rof the party. -
President Expects K 7 . "
Tull Report From
;v ' Governor and Consul
i "Washington, March 9 President
"Wilson Expects a' full report from.
Governor Colquitt and American Con
sul Garrett as to the manner in which
the body of Clemente Vergara; an
American citizen killed in Mexico, was
returned to American soil. ? . " . x
After reading newspaper despatch
es some- saying Texas Rangers had
crossed into Mexico and had'' availed
themselves of permission by the Mex
ican, federal authorities to American
Consul Garrett' to recover the body,
the - President and ..Secretary Bryan
conferred - at length;. .!
The President said afterward that
no official information had been re
ceived, that he dou&ted very much
whether Consul Garrett had any per
mission to take the body and that he
w.ould await; a full report from Gov
ernor Colquitt before "making any
comment. t: -
ASQUITH PLANS
EXCLUSION OF
ULSTER COUNTY
London, March '9-Premier" Asqudth.
oday laid before the House of Com
mons his ; .proposed concessions to
Ulster in regard to its position under
the Irish homet rule" bill. - The an
nouncement, which!" had been so long
and anxiously awaited, was to the ef
fect .that, 'before the bill, became oper
ative, poll should be taken of the par
liamentary electors of each' county to
decide whether -there should be an ex
clusion of Ulster county from the pro
visions of the bin fox a period of six
years from the-"' first - meeting of the
new Irish parliament. . If ; the major
ity of the voters was 'in 'favor of-this
scheme, the county would automati
cally be excluded from the prescribed
provisions.-..;.: .-;'.--"-'
Before an attendance - even bigger
than that which listened to the intro
duction of the Irish home rule bill, J
Premier Asquith began his .statement
shortly Ijefore 4 o'clock;. He prefaced
his speech 'with the declaration that
these suggestions were made today,
not because the government was run
ning away from the original bill, but
merely to allow the bill to start with
the greatest prospect of success.
JWhile there was a possibility of ac
tual dissatisfaction and civil strife In
Ulster, said the -premier, yet, Jf the
bill should be shipwrecked or post
poned, the outlook was 'equally for
midable. ; S .
Supporters of the bill were as con
vinced today as ever they, had been
of the soundness of its principles and
machinery, continued the premier. He
said they regarded it as a sincere and
considerate attempt to place the Irish
government on a solid foundation
without injustice or hardship . to : any
class. ' - - r '
He informed ' the House that the
negotiations for a compromise last
autumn had failed to result even in an
approach to an agreement but had
made ail realize more than ever the
difficulties of the situation. To meet
Ulster's difficulties they had tried to
devise home rule within home rule
but that proposition did not commend
itself either to the Nationalists or the
Unionists in Ireland.
30 BELIEVED TO
HAVE DIED IN
ST. LOUIS FIRE
Six Bodies Recovered, 24
Men Missing; About 30
V" Injured . f
MORE THAN $1,300,000
BURIED AMONG RUINS
Guests of Missouri' Athletic
Club Victims of Early
' - , Morning Blaze
St. Louis, March '9 Six men were
killed",'" 24 are unaccounted for ; and
about. 30 were injured in a fire that
destroyed the seven story building of
the Missouri Athletic Club today.
The dead whose bodies have been
Identified are
, O. . 3P. KESSJLiKR, general manager
of Ludlow-Sayler-"Wire Co., St.- Louis,
killed in jumping from -sixth floor.. ,
JOHN" MARTT3T MCKEY,, ; of St
Paul, found burned to death, on tire
third floor. -'- ' v
JAMES RILEY, afuest at, the-club.
The property losswas more than
$350,000. The fire, which broke out
about 2 o'clock this morning, was, still
burning . at noon : and" Fire Chief
Swingley said, it would .be unsafe to
send anyone Into- the ruins to search;
for the missing until tonight" or to
morrow, ' '.; ;...' , . - .
' - '- BANK VAULT BURIED.
r ' - ;
The building was owned by- the
Boatmen's Bank which. occupied part
of the first floor. In the vaults of the
burned building, ank officials said,
were 31,349, 000-in currency and. $27,-.
000 in coin. -." N'. ; v
-Uncertainty as to '.; the number of
men " in the. building when '"the Pre
broke-out made It difficult to deter
mine ' the exact number of - missing.
Jack Reiainger, night clerk - at - the
club, , sai 45 members had rooms , at
thv club and that the- registration of
guests brought the total number , top
the night up to 75. Some of Uie reg-j
mar guests, may not nave been.; m
their rooms "when -the flte breke out.,
The fire .was believed to --'have
started on the third1 floor on which
the dining room - was , located. .'On
this floor one, man was found dead.
The, - two other known dead ; jumped
from a sixth story window.
. More-.than af dozen' jumped several
stories to the oofs of adjoining "build
ings and suffered 'broken legs and less
serious injuries. -Those who escaped
unhurt ran about the streets in bath
robes, or : night clothes, apparently
frenzied. until they were forcibly car
ried into neighboring hotels." - 1
- Heroism , bordered on the super
human was exhibited both by the fire
men and guests at the club. The fire
men time and again dodged one fall
ing wall' only to find themselves un
der another1 tottering mass of granite
and brick. -' " .- r- ,
v - - ;RESCtJEI BY FTKEMAN. .''.
Fheodore , Levy, ; of Louisvine, Ky.,
clung to a window sill , until both, his
hands were"4 scorched ' 1 .almost black.
Just as he was about to "let go, a fire
man grasped him about the waist and
carried him ' down a . ladder. At the
City Hospital Levy later said two of
the men who had been killed jumped
from the -'window to "which he -had
Clung. ' ;V .' ' '"" , : -
Robert C. Magill, manager of the
club, and his Wrf e were roused by the
smoke. They discovered the fire in
the dining room, on the third floor,
and before seeking their own safety
they rushed- up and down the halls
knocking, on doors and waking guests.
Bothr were severely burned about the
face, hands and feet ' ' .'
- Among those who escaped was Wall
ter Firsch, financial agent of the St.
Louis - Federal League baseball club,
Mordecal 'Brown, -. manager of ' the
team, - arrived here from New - York
last night, and remained at the club
until a few hours before the fire was
discovered. - . ,'. V x
.A telephone operator, a young boy,"
remained at his post on the ground
floor even after the firemen began
pouring water Into the building
Many of the guests credited their es
cape to him. , ",,'.":
At 6 o'clock this morning, four
hours after the fire was discovered,
the blaze was believed to be under
control. Half an hour later, howeverj
boilers In the basement, began to ex
plode, and for the first time firemen,
under orders of .their chief, withdrew
from the street Immediately in front
of the building., f ,
.; BDDDf6 SAVED TH3R.TEENT. ,
"j , Thirteen men escaped from the fifth
floor of the building by sliding down
a rope made of two sheets. The story
of the escape was told by Lewis" Gay
lord, of Jiew York. Gaylord was in a
room off the west - side c of the 'fifth
floor.- He was awakened by screams.
Throwing on a bathrobe he ran Into
the corridor which then was filled
with smoke and rushed to the stair
way. ' The carpet on the ' stairs was
ablaze and the elevator shaft was a
furnace from top to bottom.
' He then started for a window Open
ing on the roof of a seed store. In
the corridor he heard someone cry:
"I am blind. Don't leave me here to
die.? Gaylord madeout in the smoke
a man groping his way along thewall.
Gaylord led him to a room occupied
by Henry Baker. ' . : , -
In Baker's room Gaylord and the
unidentified blind man were joined
by nine others. A young man took
command of the situation and tying
two sheets together fastened one end
to a radiator. The 12 men went down
the rope hand over hand and all were
rescued from the roof of the seed
store.
Although Abe Lincoln .' sighed ? the
emancipation proclamation 51 years
ago, the ball players still seem' to be
held in involuntary , servitude. .
The politicians of all parties deny
responsibility for the earthquake that
shook the east,1' but the plain people
taow better.
Aims and Purposes 4
of the Bridgeport
. Protective Association
This Association lias been in.
existence more than a year, and
was started on the recommenda
tion of the Pastors' Association,
the Mayor, Mr. Fred R. Johnson,
: ex-superintendent of Charities,
" and other , wen-known men and
women interested in social wel
fare. ' -Vy K ' '
Its object is to establish and
maintain In the city of Bridge
port 1 a non-sectarian temporary "
home for women who by reason
' of misfortune or adversity are In
need of immediate relief, protec
- tion, sympathy -and- enco urage
.' ment,
" The need of such a work as this
has been proved beyond a doubt
by the repeated testimony of
snch men as ex-Superintendent
Johnson, Rev. Charles W. Simp
son of the Christian Union, Su
perintendent of Police Btrming
h&in, Captain George EL Arnold,
and many other workers 'repre
senting the Y. W. C. A., the Day
Nursery, etc -!-'" ' ;
The officers and directors - of
the association . are; . First , vice
president, WilUam B. Boardmaa;
second viee-presldent, Nornuui
Leeds; secretary, Mrs. William B. ,
Boardmaa; treasnrer, M. W. Man- -:i
waring American Bank & Trust
;KCo.; directors, Rev. F. A. Dilling
ham, Rev. Maurice Thorner, Mrs.
C. B. Doremns, Mrs. K. M.
: Spanldtng, Miss .Mary J. Minen,
' Mrs. James ; T. . Bonrke, Mrs. t
George E. Bill, Mrs. Charles W.
Hswley. '
Theses officers . and . directors
nave continuously sought the best
' possible advice in regard . to the
wisest methods of work in this
line, from those conversant with
- it in this and other cities. The-as- ,
sociation proposes to -'put at the
head of this work a- trained wo
man familiar, with the problem.,
Volunteer work wfll be done under-
her direction. ' '
' A campaign is now taking; place
to raise $5,000, for the equipment
and running of this home for one
- year. " ' V : -. . '--
In every district there are col- 1
lectors who are' trying- to raise the ,
money. ; . - - -
This statement Js . prepared that
'the people of Bridgeport may un
derstand just what, the money Is -for
and" -why. It Is necessary.
Amorur those well ImOwn-officials
who have heartily indorsed
-- this .work - and testified ' to the
- great need of it In Bridgeport are: -t
-Clifford "Bw --"Wllsoa,. Mayor.. .
- ' " Eugene Birmingham, Soperin--tendent
.of Police.
George H. Arnold, Captain of
Detectives.-..': .-r. ;
Speneer R, Gordon, Saperin- ,
tendent of Charities. i
L. B. Myers, Secretary Charity
Organization Society. . .
Rev. John" MacLaren Richard
son, Charities Commissioner.
Bev. Joha R. Brown, Frealdent
Pastors'. Association. . . , -,
SENATOR URGES USE
OF ARMY AND NAVY
IN MEXICAN CRISIS
lost of 63 Outrages Given
and Protection for Amer
icans Demanded :
Washington, " March 9 Urging the
use of the army and navy of the
United States for the protection of
Americans and other ; foreigners in
Mexico, which. he said would prevent
war, SenatorFall, Republican, of New
Mexico, addressed the Senate today
and gave' a list of 63 outrages' upon
Americans, ; including murder and
rape, concerning . .which the Senator
said he had personal knowledge. '
"With the solemn , declaration that
we do not' war upon the Mexican na
tion nor people," said. Senator Fall,
that it is not our purpose to acquire
territory, upset heir- laws nor over
turn their -constitution and an. invita
tion to' the masses of'-' the Mexican
people to T co-operate - with us;, we
should immediately direct the use of
the land and naval forces of this gov
ernment f or the protection of our citi
zens and other foreigners in -Mexico
and lend their assistance to the re
storation of order and maintenance of
peace in that unhappy country."
Senator Fall quoted opinions or in
ternational law to justify Intervention
not for war but for protection and also
cited numerous instances of such 'in
tervention .on the part of this govern
ment in other countries. .
"Mr. President," be demanded, "Is
not our Monroe doctrine, our Ameri
can doctrin- and our safety as a na
tion in a jeopardy now?"
Senator -Fall declared the , United
States had "politically intervened" In
Mexico ever since John Lind was sent
with an uMsmatum to Huerta and fur
ther "declared the United States .owed
a duty to its own citizens and Spain,
Kntrland. France and Germany whose
citizens had been murdered or
raged.
out-
Winchester Landmark
Destroyed By Flames
Winchester, Conn., March 9 The
Miles H. Wetmore place, a landmark
of the town, was burned last night.
Occupying it were Mr. Wetmore, 74
years old, his son-in-law, Wilbur Lee,
and the latter s family, including eight
children. All of the occupants es
caped safely, but Wetmore and Lee, in
getting out the children, were burned
slightly.
Fire of unknown origin in a bed
room on the second floor of 281 Hal
lett street resulted in the gutting of
the room and an estimated loss of $75
this afternoon.
onovan
nrr
0
imiit
Company A
Neither ,Were Difficulties Qf Company
Due To Money Panic, Says Con-
gressman, But To Its Failure To
; Deliver Its Boats On Time
Secretary Daniels Desires To Preserve
v .Competition In Sufmafine Build
ini And Will Give Lake. People
Chance To Bid On More Bdats If
, They Make Good f v
' (Speciat To The Farmer) .
, Washington, March 9 In correspondence made public to
day Congressman Jeremiah Donovan administers a rebuke to
Fred En'os, President of the Bridgeport, Conn., Board pf Trade.
In sharp language, the congressman indicts Mr. Enos for
ah: attempt to make political capital out of . the situation of the
Lake'Torpedo Boat Co. , ; , - ' '
' After an investigation Mr. Donovan says that" the Bridge
port Board of Trade is mistaken in supposing tUat the difficul
ties of the Lake Co. with the government were caused by finan
cial difficulties, that arose in 1913. - ' . ' . . V' r
He says that the company has heen continuously dilatory
in its work, some of its boats having been more than two years
behind in delivery. '):-; . .t rV.'. 0 .
--A letter from Hon. Josephus Daniels of the Navy Depart
ment says that, because the government has been' anxious" to
preserve competition in submarine building : it has been ex
tremely lenient with, the Lake people. - ' : . - "
Secretary Daniels' has assured Congressman, Donovan, how
'eTjthaUMfLake GeispaBsiilUliiive' ftiopportunity to bid
on the: next allotment of eight submarines.; ' , .". ''v : --.,"'-:
- ; The' secretary saysi 'They now have contracts .to buid
three simmarines which they "have noi yet beguh though th'e
contracts were made on March 15, 1912." fij:':' . v
The correspondence " "between Mr.
Donovan and Mr. Enos follows,. in the
order in which the letters were writ
ten: ; . V ,-.':" J;
"' ' ENOS TO DOXOVAX
- -' "Bridgeport, Conn..
'-.'-' February 24. -,. ,
Hon. Jeremiahk Donovan. H C.
Washington, D. C. . i. . 7
Sir: , - i
I call your attention to the copy of
a self explanatory letter to the Secre
tary of the Navy under date of today,
and trust you may he aole to do some
thing for Bridgeport. -Our hoard held
a public meeting sometime ago' and
appointed a committee to devise ways
and" means to keep the Lake Ship-4:
yard at Bridgeport. The company was
financially embarrassed by being un
able to borrow' money when things got
so .bad last year all over the country.
Finajly a local bank gave the secre
tary a written guarantee that all. the
money necessary would be available
for building submarines at Bridgeport.
Congressman Roberts then attacked
the Lake Co. in the House Naval Af
fairs hearings and tried to show that
the, Lake Co: alone- had troubles with
their engines, etc, Mr. 'Lake wrote the
Naval committee suggesting that the
same inquiries be made about all sub
marine contractors,' 'but, nothing was
done. 'As a result of the political op
position, the secretary appeared to be
unwilling to award the Lake Ool busi
ness for Bridgeport and gave the Elec
tric Boat do. two submarines to build
and arranged to build one. submarine
in a navy yard under the Lake pat
ents. He has another submarine to
build and presumably is going to give
it to the Electric Boat Co. If Bridge
port could, have a contract for that
one sub-marine the local yard could be
reopened and our skilled shipbuilders
given work, and prevented irom
breaking up their homes, and leaving
for -other shipbuilding' centers. ' Can
you send the Bridgeport newspapers,
and th "board a copy of the secre
tary's hearings before the Naval com
mittee, -so that we- can learn just ex
actly what is taking place - in Con
gress about submarines.
Tours respectfully.
Board of Trade, ' '
By Fred Enos President.
DONOVAN TO ENOS.'
Washington, D. C, Feb., 25, 1914.
Mr. Fred Enos, President,
Bridgeport Board of Trade, J
Bridgeport, Conn. , .'
Dear Sir: '
I beg leave to acknowledge your
letter of the 24th instant relative- to
the matter of the Lake Submarine
Boat Co. and Its failure to secure the
contract to build a 'boat in which you
say "as a result of the political op
position, the secretary appeared to foe
unwilling to, award the Lake Co. busi
ness for Bridgeport."
I think that you are somewhat late
in asking my support, for 1 1 believe
that action has been token in the mat
ter. I am sorry that I was not in the
know some " months ago as I would
have been of as much assistance then
as now. I will taRe the matter up
with the Secretary of the Navy and
endeavor to give you an early reply.
Tours sincerely,
- M ' J. Donovan.
ENOS TO DONOVAN.
Bridgeport, Conn. .
' ; . Feb. 426. 1914.
Hon. Jeremiah Donovan, M. C,
Objects
ftps
o-Atte
les: Of; 1
Political
iron
Win I-.V, 3 v. vtM
r. c.
Dear Sir: - . ' v
Keplying to your letter of the 25 th
instant 1 twould say, that If the delay
in bringing the Lake submarine mat
ter to your attention is a handicap to
your- efforts in assisting them, it Is
the fault of the. Lake Co. as you can
profoably understand. The Board of
Trade acted upon the facts as soon as
they laid before it. by the Lake people.
The "political opposition" referred, to
in my leter, tyou will'' of course ap
preciate is entirely; nonr partisan.. Our
Board of Trade, as you are undoubt
edly aware. Is deeply interested in the
Industrial welfare of Bridgeport and if
this condition ; in which the UaJce Co.
finds itself can in any small degree be
relieved 4y your efforts In its behalf
you may feel assured that it fwill-''be
highly appreciated. . With kind re
gards, I am very truly," ' '
Fred Enos, President.
, DONOVAN TO ENOS.
- - March 7, 1914.
Hon. Fred E-rios, . President," . -
Bridgeport, (Conn.) Boar of Trade.
My Dear Mr. -Enos:
In the matter of the Lake Torpedo
Boat Co. and the Bridgeport Board of
Trade it appears ' to me that if the
jBoa-Ed of Trade had been alive to the
actual conditions they would have as
certained long before this that the
troubles of the Boat Co. have not 'been
due to the "financial condition that
existed all over the -country" but on
the other hand if the board had In
vestigated a- little tley would ' have
probably learned that as a manufac
turing concern 'or a business concern
the Boat Co. has not proven itself
practical. Keeping of contracts is
quite essential .to the well being of
any -individual or concern that desires
to keep its place in the business world.
It seems that in 1909 and 1910 the
Boat Co. was tardy in keeping their
contracts, in fact they had a contract
to complete a boat in August, .1911,
and the records show that they were
two years and two months overdue in
delivering to the government.
But to read your letter of February
24th one is lead to" believe ' that the
only embarrassment that the Boat Co.
has put the government to was due t
money troubles that existed in the
midsummer of 1913, or as you say
"When things got so .ibad." -
Now a live Board of Trade might
accept that excuse once, but what was
the matter in 1989 and 1910. They
had contracts with the government
and they were absolutely sure of their
money. I cannot see any good excuse
except that instead of being boat
builders those in charge should be in
some other line, n
- It Is unfortunate that working peo
ple should have such apparently help
less management to look to for a liv
ing. Now irrespective of the com
pany's lack to get boats out that they
have started we find ourselves in an
other condition. The government has
signed contracts with the Lake Go. for
three more boats. When is the gov
ernment going to get the boats? The
contract was signed in March, 1913,
one of ,the boats to be built on the
Atlantic coast and the other two on
the Pacific coast, and up to the pres
ent time no work has been done, to
get any of these boats started. It
strikes me that this great 'board of
trade had been "shanghied" or per
haps it would be proper to say. that
.afie
it had gone to seed. It is quite evi
dent from the trend of your letter
that . the Board of Trade does Bret
know who It is dealing with. What
are the true facts?
Our people In Washington want to
have the Lake Co. fcdd for Che wtt)c
of constructing submarines. The Lak
Co. Is going to have a chance to 44
on the eight boats that are going to x
built." The Navy Department waawai
competition. Our adxrrinliTfcpa.tS7ii
stands ready to give the Lake Co. ta
sum of $50,000 for the use of models,
and the government wlU txuild th boet
itself in order to secure a delivery in
good tlmeu
Why, Mr. Enow, it cannot be tJ-.t
you know anything about the stai
ilshment of the Lake Co. Ton oM
not have Judged them by their pxjrt
performances before writing a, ltt
euch as yon wrote on February 24
It' is true that the Lake Oo.'s tf
was a trifle lower than that of h ,
Electric Boat Company, but as AA j
miral Wat stated In his report: T'ajt j
in view of the. record of Lake CY ,
regards progress toward completion; of !
the two snbmarines now under con- j
strttction by them, the bureaus rw"
ornmend that ' the soven vempels t-- ?
malnlng be distributed between th !
two companies able , to mrppty wcSbh
factory vessels.' Of course the con
tracts for the last three boats award e .4
to the Lake Co. call for the comple
tion of the "boats in 25 months, an i
' half of that time has already e-la-p-wd.
and I 'believe that on two of them r,t
progress has 'been made toward build
ing them.
Forthe life of me I cannot lm-a.Rin.
how a live and sooalled SapaTle Board
of Trade can undertake to bolster u?
such incompetent . and slack mariaf,
ment. or perhaps it might be better1
to say that there is no management a.:
all.
Surely the record that this
has hung up for delinquencies mifht
all be charged to the "financial con 41
tions that existed all over the coij
try". In 1913, if 4t were portiiM a ?-
charge posterity with the wrong?
acts of their forebears.
-The company delivered a "boat
October 18, 1912, which houl5 ha
been delivered May 3, 1910. srie w?i
actually two years, five naonths and 1
days overdue. - -Was that 4ue to
financial em-barraawnetit "ftit all rv r
the country, in 1913."
Then' again a contract was 55'- g"n r- .
June 19,- 1911 for another boat, twr
years before the' time of the ai3earKl
financial embarrassment "felt ail orr
the country." On November 6, 1 3 1 S,
the Lake Co. requested the Navy De
partment to take over the boat an 1
continue the work in any manner that
the ' government might see fit. Th m
government -declared the corotract for
feited. Now from the date that th,
last boat should have been comp!. 1
to the time that it was finished vrn.jo
two years, two months, and 18 d.y
and the government bad to finish th
Job. Was it financial mtiraTr!: t
that "existed all over the country la
1913" that caused them to be trwo
years behind. Where was the BrMfr
port Board of Trade when the tms
ness of this (boat Ibuildlng concern
being done in this slovenly way?
Notwithstanding the shortcom rr t
the Lake Boat Co, its slackness, an 1
all of the things lacking that kt,
erally go to make np the average Con
necticut manufacturing concern the
Lake Boat Co. will have a e&anc r
bid If they show the ability to eo-n-pete.
If they will only get a i:ri
pepper Into their, organization ani
show some action with the oorytratB i
they ahreaay have they may" e-adl-ei
the reputation they have made for j
slow production and little attention to
dates set for the completion of wortt. .
I would suggest that the Board of
Trade In the future investigate eonrf:--tiona
before It goes on record. It
should be an easy mater to asoertaJ a ,
that the cause of the troubles of the'
company which exist now have exlsrf -1
from the company's inetplency.
: I here with enclose a letter from
Secretary Daniels.
Tour sincerely,
J. Donovan.
: Following Is the letter written br ;
Secretary Daniels to Mr. Donovan:
Washington, March E, 131 1.
My Dear Mr. Donovan:
Referring to our converwBotion. trre
morning in which you urged ths.t th-
department give favorable consld.ra.
tlon to the request of the Bri-ler-.r-t
Board of Trade and the tmiiainr if
submarines by the Lake Company in
Bridgeport, I have to staste that I have
given more consideration to the re
quest of the Lake Company than an?
other matter since I have been sr
tary of the navy. My earnest 3-r
in the1 matter of submarines has b ni
to secure competition. As soon I
learned that the Lake Company wa.e
in financial distress, I had not one
but a dozen interviews with official
of that company. Last fall, in or-J ' r
to give "them an "opportunity to re
organize and get on a basis where-ir-r
they could do the work for which th--'
had contracted, orders were given t
complete two of the boats they -wer
unable to finish In our New York Xa
Tard. They now have contracts to
build three sub-marines which the;
have not yet begun though ths ex
tracts were made on March 15, 191 J.
When I was before the Naval ATa.-t
Committee, I was questioned as to wh- r
I had permitted such a long de!a- n '
the construction of the buiMirK
these boats and I wnt into the mit:t-r
explaining it to them that I felt it rr r
duty to give, hem all corisM'-r .-i
possible so as not to lose com pet sr.; .-.r,
in the construction of submarines, b
of course, if they could not c.-..rr;.- , ;
their contracts I would not feel j ;-
fled in waiting longer and couli r ;
give them new contracts until tr
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