The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-10-28
GIGANTIC PLANT
BORN OF WARS
AWFUL DEMANDS
Millions of Dollars Worth of Ex-
pIosives to Be Made in
Pennsylvania.
GREAT SECRECY MAINTAINED
Mammoth Industry Due to Europe's
Demands for War Materials
Springs Up-Hazardous Work
for Which Men Arc PAID
Big Wages.

Philadelphia.-In order to fill vast
war orders, a mighty high explosive
plant is being built in valley near
the small town of Emporium, Cameron
county, Pennsylvania. Emporium for
years has manufactured powder and
dynamite the explosives being used
chiefly for mining and blasting
purposes. An explosive company.
| backed by millions of dollars. has
bought up the old powder and dyna-
mite plants in Cameron county and
has started the manufacture of gun
cotton and other high explosives in the
plant now being brought to completion
near Emporium.
The company has huge war orders
to fill and to fill them on time it has
been necessary for hundreds OF i'm
ported men to work night and day in
building the new explosive plant. which
extends over one mile up the valley
and which is composed of over 100
separate buildings, the cotton plant
as the guncotton department is called
at Emporium. being the most extensive
of the new buildings.
At this time the creation of b great
| industrial plant near the village of EN-.
porium has taxed the rooming capacity
of the town far beyond it's limits. In
| order to do the necessary building and
| to start work in the buildings as soon
| as completed, over 600 outside men
| have been brought into Emporium. In
| order to house the future permanent
workers Of the new plant, practically
| 4 new town will have to be built, either
| by the company or by local specula-
tors. Many new homes are now under
construction and many more are to be
| built
Suspicious of Strangers.
On account of the filling of war or
| 1ers for high explosives the company
| is suspicious of strangers who visit the
new plant. On duty all the time at the
Dlant are &c armed guards, deputy
sheriffs carrying rifles and revolvers.
| who do not hesitate to hold up stran-
| gers on the state highways near the
| plant and question them as to their
| business in Emporium. Naturally. the
company fears some fanatic might gain
entrance to the plant and do mischief
which might result in the killing OF
workers and a delay in filling war or
| ders. The town of Emporium was
| thrown into a panic a few days ago
| by the report that an aeroplane was
seen lowering over the new guncOtton
plant at night. From all the writer
could learn at Emporium the story of
| the aeroplane was a mere fabrication
Nevertheless. the company leaves no
stone unturned to protect it's property
from strangers who might be bent on.
making trouble.
/ Reports have circulated throughout
western Pennsylvania and western
New York to the effect that there is
work at Emporium for hundreds OF
men. AS a result. the little town has
been and still is deluged with job seek.
ers, most of whom are fitted in no way
for the work the company desires done.
Emporium and towns near it have
raised many powder and dynamite
1
employment in the new plant at great
ly increased wages and they are the
real backbone of the new industry Elk.
plosive makers are not made over
night and the big company is not
hiring careless incompetents to do the
work of filling its great orders. Car
penters and masons. concrete workers
and steanfitters. and various other
skilled workers have been in demand
1t Emporium and the demand has been
pretty well filled. There is no place
here, however, for the average com
mon laborer who is out of work. for
The average common laborer cannot be
trusted with the handling of high ex-
plosives.
Attracts Many Workers.