Report to Forum on cracked M1917 Receiver

[JGaynor]

Great article. The tidbits at the end are neat. I do take issue with the name "Remington of Delaware". I wonder if it was in fact "Remington of Delaware county" which is where the plant was and although within a few miles of the border not in the state of Delaware. Does it matter? Nope, but as they say in Eddystone,,, I have to represent....

Many corporations are incorporated in the State of Delaware for Tax and legal reasons. I beleive it has to do with a more favorable business climate.

Midvale Steel eventually took over operation of the Eddystone plant from Remington but i believe that part of the story is covered in the Remington Society Article linked in Chuck's post above.

One thing for sure Eddystone was the 800 lb Gorilla in M1917 production. By the end of WW1 Eddystone had made as many M1917's as Remington Ilion and Winchester combined. While Ilion undoubtedly sent some people down to help get Eddystone production set up and then provided highlevel management it's not likely Ilion had sufficient numbers of qualified people just 'hanging around' to go off and run another(twice as large) plant for several years. The skilled workers - toolmakers, machinists, some assemblers would probably have been Baldwin employees.

[WarPig1976]

Many corporations are incorporated in the State of Delaware for Tax and legal reasons. I beleive it has to do with a more favorable business climate.

Midvale Steel eventually took over operation of the Eddystone plant from Remington but i believe that part of the story is covered in the Remington Society Article linked in Chuck's post above.

One thing for sure Eddystone was the 800 lb Gorilla in M1917 production. By the end of WW1 Eddystone had made as many M1917's as Remington Ilion and Winchester combined. While Ilion undoubtedly sent some people down to help get Eddystone production set up and then provided highlevel management it's not likely Ilion had sufficient numbers of qualified people just 'hanging around' to go off and run another(twice as large) plant for several years. The skilled workers - toolmakers, machinists, some assemblers e would probably have been Baldwin employees.

Not really a big deal to me but since I live about three miles from the old plant and it IS in Delaware county Pennsylvania "where I live" thought I'd throw it out there because it ain't in Delaware...

Who built the rifles? Who signed the workers paycheck that would end all debate because why would a Baldwin toolmaker, machinist answer to a Remington manager? I don't see it. IMHO Eddystone's will always really be Remington made rifles.

[WarPig1976]

Did some work today on the old Eddystone grounds which is today Kimberly Clarke who makes s@&t paper,,,these are the only remaining buildings.
Attachment 51316
Attachment 51317

[Salt Flat]

Warpig, Back in the 90's I made a few business trips out to Boeing Helicopter in Lancaster. You really can feel the history when you are in those old buildings. I also spent some time in Seattle Boeing plant 2 where B-29s were assembeled. The buildings had not changed much since before the war. My Grandmother was a Rosie the riveter there. You can still feel the ghosts of of the people that labored many long hours for the war effort. I really had a reverant feeling when I was there. Regards--Salt Flat

[WarPig1976]

I know just what you mean..

[browningautorifle]

I drove by the Boeing plant on the way to Ft Lewis back in '89 or so...I looked down to the flight line and there was a B17 sitting on the line. Apparently this was the last off the line and was signed by all that worked on it. It was out for a tour of the country or something. On the way back I tried to point it out to someone and there in it's place was a Douglas Skyraider...what a huge tractor THOSE aircraft are...for a single engine aircraft. Never made it down for the tour though.

[Salt Flat]

Jim, I think that was the one they were restoring in the Plant 2 building. Boeing had loaned the space to the Museum of Flight which is just down the street They had both a B17 and a B29 in there and some other projects going on. Also because the Museum of Flight is right on Boeing field there are a lot of fly ins featuring the old warbirds. If you ever get by there again the MOF is a must see. Salt Flat

[browningautorifle]

I live about a two hour drive from there. Maybe I'll have to go spend a weekend in Seattle...have a look. It's been some years. Definitely worth a look. Now, where were we? 1917s right?