The Penn's Grove record., 1915-03-19
The PENIS Grove Record
FRIDAY. MARCH 10. 1916


niiIions For Extension
New York, March I2-Pierre S.
dupont, president of the E. /. dupont
de Nemours Powder Company, III
nounced that sufficient orders have
been received from the belligerent
Powers to warrant the company in
making large extensions 10 its plants.
sour expenditures in construction
may reach a total Of $5,00O,0OO or
more, he said. ''This is an extraor-
binary amount to apply toward the
manufacture of military powders"
Mr.. DUPONT said that land had al
ready been bought on the James River
in Virginia for a new factory for the
manufacture of dynamite and gnnpow-
der. The land was secured three
years ago and intended for the produc-
too of commercial explosive dynamite.
To this the manufacture of %guncotton
has been added.-From Saturdays
Philadelphia Ledger.
COMMENT
Possibly $4,000, 600 OF this $5,OOO,OOO
are being expended for the enlarge
ment of the dupont SmOkeless Powder
plant on Carney's Point and for the
erection of a new powder plant on
Deep Water Point. The expenditures
of the Allied Governments in Europe
for powder to be had OIL rush orders in
this country amounts to many millions
at near double prices for powder. Con-
sequently the enormous OUTLAWS being
mt de in an extraordinary rush are
warranted by the urgent necessity OF
the greatest military events in the
worlds history low being enacted in
Europe.
The duPonts, as sagacious business
men, bought land years ago to be i'll
readiness for a rapid expansion of their
factories when needed. The purchase
of land at City Point, Va, on the
James River was of recent years. Some
of the land at City Point is high, much
Of it is maishy meadow and the i'm
provements are expensive. A railroad
track laid across it has gone out OF
sight. A corduroy road was made. This
plant is nearer the supply of waste
from the cotton seed mills which is
used for the basis to hold the explosive
chemicals.
The duPonts bought their first farm
of 200 acres on Carney Point Of John
Norton in 1891. During the fifteen
years following seven other farms and
parts of meadow were PURCHASED, ex-
tending from near the Penns Grove
Borough limit to near the Penus Neck
Canal. The territory is from less to
more than a mile wide and two miles
long, consisting of between 1900 and
1000 acres.
The prices paid were about double
the market price for the high land and
four times the price for meadow land.
The farmers were wise in disposing
of their land at double prices and the
duPonts were wise i'll buying for the
anticipated emergency which arrived
when the European war broke out.
The heirs of a small lot of meadow
surrounded by the dupont purchase
would not sell at the dupont offer. To
settle the estate the five acres were
offered at public sale with the hopes
that the duPonts would pay an extra
ordinary price. An heir bought it for
about $40 an acre. Since tile war
the duPonts have paid about 5000 an
acre.
Such would not have operated for
1900 acres. The duPonts might have
gone elsewhere, as they are doing
in building a small town below Penns
Grove because the land on which they
wished to erect residences III the Bor-
ough limits could not be bought a:
reasonable prices.
While European nations are destroy
ing their capital and running into debt
for millions the money being spent
here is giving employment to labor to
create wealth and capital even Tho the
products of much of their labor will go
up in smoke to advance civilization by
the triumph of democracy over i'm
perialism.
The folly of the Government manu-
featuring its W powder is seen now.
A Congress could not be elected to get
credits and vote money SO an expan-
sion of industry could be made in an
emergency like the present. Only men
of forethought who bought land years
ago are in u position to do SO.