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sii,: wi;«^o Jw?a*..s. W.V* ifvOOvtE* *--i• 6'-£ fUAJAMa .BOAT IN l90? AMP The NEVADA Bun' IM |0;S Afte TViO OP ThB PiwMT 6T« AMEAS £'*lt;• fell a FOft PUIN6 THE 60cm U-C-; Solars op t«6 ne OM*«ffRTi»e The nevbda WAt iK«jt/«rB' tHe BOWlA* OOVCQKMEr.1 OuJuNC T»e n»« AS A'CRuSnEa Tv KCSCOPEn 1«E FROIBN 9cftT OP »lt;UHANifl bbStING WlNTtn BOf* VNlSAfc bup.1 01 MB OuwCtl AxO'birr ABC Mis Pn.pe •Elias GunnellFOITOR'S NOTE—ThU a-ticlt U «i. el * Itvi.l el ilgtcHo ol gubilo iplrlud m«n el Manilewio. Our qurpo.o I. twofold: trial Individuals Mho h».i pixs of Ihelr lireo and akillly ni, be given reeopallien. And tbel.eo.cl.. rej;nlllo-. may nncourape mere to Iblak anil act l*b onrt of oomaunlly buildere. Pvbllo ecrvice »oi only tie geaerol wollare but devologj the Individual.Forty-threo years ago a slxteen-yenr old boy walked through the gatea of Uio Union Dry Dock Co. for the first time, swinging a lunch bucket. UUle did the others who crowded through those gales with him realize that the lad was destined to become ono of tho greatest shipbuilders In America, and to practically revolutionize th.n, nielh* oils of ship construction.That hoy was Elina Gunnell, for many years head of tho Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. Today his fame Is known where ever ships float as ouo of the original developers of pneumatic tools for shipbuilding, as a builder of seaworthy vessels, and dean of the profession on the Great I-akes. He has pul Manitowoc on the shipbuilding map of tho nation.At tho outbreak of the war when the commerce of the country wns crying for ‘‘bottoms” the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation found tho Manitowoc yards equipped for Immediate and efficient aervlco. Contracts were let and before tho armlstlco BO ships had been launched from here. From a capacity of four boats a year, tho yard Increased Its equipment until at tho close of the war It was In n position to build two ships a month. Records show that during the conflict a now Ucel was laid every four work*.-Shipping Pay* Htm TributeShipping Is today paying Ellas Gunnell Hie highest possible compliment. ‘Although the bonis built during tho war wore put out under “forced steam, a groat many of them are today In service. while hundreds of other wnr-bont Craft lie tied up and out of commission. Where ships are hought and sold, the Manitowoc product goes at a premium.Of probable Danish extinction, Mr. Gunnell was born In Ireland, 10 miles north of Dublin. At the age of 9 ho migrated lo this country with Ills parents, sottllng In Rochester, N. Y. Five years later his people moved to Duffnlo. It was hi re thnt ho started hia life work. Upon completion of hie apprenticeship ho began taking subcontracts on the bonis, and at 21 years of age wns made assistant superintendent of tho entire plant.III* fame began to spread, and two years later he received a tempting offer from the Wheeler Shipbuilding Co. of Bay City, Michigan So successful wus his work there that the Chicago Shipbuilding Co. offered him tho position of assistant superintendent with command of over*600 men. His rise hnd been rapid for he wns Just 25 years old when he stepped Into the orrictal job.Tho Rath Shipbuilding Co., of Bath, Maine, had Just organized and offered the young assistant superintendent complete charge or a department. He accepted, and after launching the Amman ram. and two gunboats for tho government, the Chicago company requested him to return to ilu-iu as general superintendent of tho entire plant, li« was mow i!ti years oldHero’ ho remained until 1901. supervising the 'construction of more thau 50 t/lg typo freighters aud passenger ships. It was then that the opportunity to purchase the Manitowoc plant presented Hsclf. For several yearn he had been associated wllh Charles C. West and Lynford E. Geer. The three men rormed an organization and bought the yard from U, 13. aud G. 13. Burger,Mr. West aud Mr. Geor camo here lo put tilings In shape while Mr. Gunnell, who In tho m-umlnio had developed the use of pneumatic tools for ship building went abroad to introduco them to the rest of the world. For a year he visited tho leading yards In England, Germany, Italy, France, aud Austria with romarkablo success. Foreign builders caught tho Idea; compressed air began to roplnco human brawn, and the method* of naval construction were speeded up and revolutionized.Assumes Charge In 1902 Mr. Guo noil became president of the Manitowoc concern and assumed nctivo charge here In 1902. Mnnllowoc’B fmo spread, aud In a short time It wa* luted as one of tho biggest repair stations on tho Great Lakes Ono largo floating dock was built ill addition to the graving, and in the meantime construction of stool vessels was commenced.In 3915 the passenger sioamor Nevada was launched. Sho wns tho ice-breaker typo and one of tho finest freight and passenger boats which ever plied the lakes. ConstiuciL-d upon a now plan by Mr, Gunnell, her fame spread, and when tho war hroko out sho was purchased by the Russian govnrnntoiit os a crusher to keep tho frozen port of Archangel open during iho winter. With the collnpao or tho old reglmo she was brought hack to Lake Michigan and Is today running between Milwaukee. Manistee oud Ludington.The Alabama was ono of tho first ‘ico-brenkt-r boats to bo launched on tho lakes. She wit* built hero In 19i»9 for tho Goodrich Transit Co.. nnd Is now In sorvico be.ween Chicago and Muskegon. Michigan.Shipping mnti consider these two boats the finest specimens of tho typo over to hnvu b-« it constructed.Mr. Gunnell retired as active head of the company In 1920. nnd became president and treasurer or tho Maritime Securities Co.. which handles the business of the old concern. The company wns then reorganized by his associates us tho Mnnltowoo Shipbuilding Corporation.Mr. Gunnell has nlwnys bcyk a strong barker o' all moron for the bettsrme.it of the olty. ill-favorite sports are fishing, yAohtlng snd gardening. He I* a member of the/Elks club.He Is first vies president Cf the Goodrich Transit Co-, which last year absorbed the Graham Morton Transportation Co., one of the oldest lines on the lakes. Tho concern operates twelve ships, and Is the largest passenger lino on the Great Lakes.MItiniliiMMcnth.prtobedele;Students And “Coxey” Army On Oil Rates FromMANITOWOC COMMUNITY BUILDERSA Scries of Brief Sketches of Lives of Men Who Have Contributed to
Newspaper Details
Manitowoc Herald News
Manitowoc, Wisconsin, US
Sat, Mar 21, 1925
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Badgerlink
WI, USA 13 Jan 2017
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