Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-21
MYSTERIOUS WORK
in JERSEY PINES
NEAR LAkEHURST
Big Tract of Land to Be
Made Best Proving
Grounds in Country
UNCLE SAM INTERESTED

In the very heart Of the scrub pine for
ests of New Jersey the Eddystoue Aro-
muniton Corporation has taken over I
vast tract OF land. and under the direc.
tion of officers Of the United States army
released from active duty. is clearing and
leveling four-mile path through this
desolate section. Eventually it will be the
most extensive and complete ammunition
proving grounds in this country
That the tract was chosen with the view
Of keeping all activities there strictly
secret Is evident from the location Of the
proving grounds Tho nearest town in this
sparsely settled section Is Lakchurst. fuur
miles distant and having only about
200 Inhabitants. II IS ON the line OF the
Central Railroad OF New Jersey.
The only road leading to the proving
grounds winds through the scrub pine
forest and at one point passes through
extensive cranberry bogs which are vir-
tually impassable except by way OF the
road The judicious placing of watch
men at this point will enable the corpor-
alton to prevent strangers from coming
within two miles Of the spot where the
big guns will hurl shell and shrapne
toward the splinter proof observation
huts where ammunition experts are To
note the effect of the gun fire
Although no guards are retained by
the corporation at present to keep
strangers from the grounds, the road
through the forest is studded with signs
warning against trespassing and others
prohibiting employees from bringing liquor
on the premises. Those who are recog-
nized by employees as having no business
at the proving grounds are stopped.
shown the trcspass signs and the direc-
tion in which Lakehurst lies.
TREsPAss1NG FORBIDDEN
mo trespassing that means you," is
on III
More than 200 mon are busy ChOpping
down the thousands of pines which still
obstruct the tract. \ strip four miles
long and "A quarter Of a mile wide has
already been cleared II will be enlarged
until the cleared space is a mile wide
and four miles long and then the work
of dynamiting the tree stumps from the
tract will be begun \ hill of consider
able size near the centre of the tract will
be leveled in order that the guns to be
placed at the eastern end of the proving
grounds will have an uuobstructed sweep
toward the westward
At infreQuent intervals tie woods lining
the great clearing are studded with wood
en- shacks to house men and materials.
All day long twO-hOTSc teams ply back
and forth over the woodland road to the
railroad to bring cement, lumber ana
other materials needed at tlre proving
grounds.
The gun platform at the eastern end
will be surmountod by a number of field
pieces which will be fired over a 7OOn-yard
range, a l050O-yard range and "a 1850
yard range. The effect Of the fire from
these guns will be watched from four
observation huts at various points on the
grounds. They will be constructed of logs
and earth
TO ERECT MANY BUILDINGS.
Other buildings will hc two testing lab
an Irr1it, ,ietY IL,
office for inspectors. buildings to house
laborcrS ana other employees of the cor
poration. and an iron and concrete cham
ber In which shrapneI will be fired for
testing purposes.
Officials In charge of the work near
l.akehurst assert that no ammunition will
be manufactured at tho proving grounds,
but that the munitions turned out by the |
corporation at the Eddystouc plant VIII |
be transported to LalIchurst by rail and |
TO the proving grounds by automobile |
trucks. Confederation of this statement /
is seen in the fact that already power /
n'l ammunition truck similar to those |
being sent 10 Europe is in storage i'm a |
garage at LakehuI st. 1t is said there will |
De three more trucks sent TO LakehurSt to |
do this work as soon as the road leading |
to the proving grounds is improved.
UNCLE SAM INTERESTED.
The Federal Government has Interested
itself in the activity of the Eddystone
Ammunition Corporation to the extent of
releasing Captain Walter NJ Wilhelm
from active duty so that he could assume
the vice presidency Of the corporation. [
The work at the proving grounds is under
the supervision Of Captain G. *. Rock
well, lieutenant and a sergeant, all of
them similarly "on leave" that they may
promote the success of the venture.
Strict secrecy is Cujoiued on all con-
nected with the proving grounds, and in
quisittve persons are referred TO Cap
tain Rockwell the only person author
lied - give out information The only
method by which inhabitants of Lake.
hurst have been able TO visit the PROV
ing grounds is on the preteXt Of wishing
TO see Dave Curtis the foreman who
employs wood cutters ana other laborers.