▁remained ▁mostly ▁as ▁she ▁was ▁built . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁bulk ▁cargo ▁carri ers ▁constructed ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ." ▁ ▁H ew itt ▁p lied ▁the ▁route ▁along ▁the ▁American ▁east ▁coast . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁she ▁delivered ▁sul fur ▁to ▁am mun ition ▁and ▁chemical ▁indust ries . ▁Begin ning ▁on ▁ 9 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁when ▁the ▁Navy ▁requ is ition ed ▁the ▁ship ▁in ▁New port ▁News , ▁Virginia , ▁and ▁continu ing ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁she ▁sh ipped ▁war ▁materials ▁to ▁various ▁French ▁Atlantic ▁ports . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁she ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁U . S . ▁merchant ▁marine ▁vessel ▁fitted ▁with ▁a ▁six - inch ▁gun , ▁designed ▁for ▁defense ▁against ▁German ▁U - bo ats . ▁Appar ently , ▁no ▁war - related ▁inc idents ▁were ▁reported . ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁she ▁remained ▁with ▁Union ▁Sul ph ur ▁Co ., ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁company ▁in ▁Nor folk , ▁Virginia ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁February ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁the ▁vessel ▁was ▁taken ▁to ▁Hob oken , ▁New ▁Jersey ▁for ▁an ▁over ha ul ▁that ▁last ed ▁ 4 5 ▁days ▁at ▁a ▁cost ▁of ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁Following ▁the ▁over ha ul , ▁she ▁was ▁ins pected ▁and ▁cert ified ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Ste am bo at ▁Ins pect ors