The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1915-10-14
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 europes
Demands for War Materials
Springs Up-hazardous Work
for Which Men Are Paid
Big Wages.

Big "dSes'
Philadelphia.-ln order TO MI vast
war orders, a mighty high explosive
plant is being built in a valley near
the small town of Emporium, Cameron
county. Pennsylvania. Emporium for
wears 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 III the
plant now being brought to completion
near Emporium.
The company has huge war orders
to fill and to fill them on time 1t 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 lOU
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 great
industrial plant near the village OF EN-
porium has taxed the rooming capacity
Of the town far beyond its limits. In
order to do the necessary building and
to start work in the buildings as soon
as completed, over coo outside men
have been brought into Emporium. In
order to house the future permanent
workers Of the new plant, practically
a 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
ders for high explosives the company
is suspicious of strangers who visit the
new plant. On duty all the time at the
plant are 26 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 filing war or
-
thrown into panic a few days ago
by the report that an acroplane 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 unturncd 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 1t have
raised many powder and dynamite
workers These men have been given
employment in the new plant at great
" increased wages and they are the
real backbone OF the new Industry Eek
plosive makers are not made over
night and the big company Is not
hiring careless incomY etcnts TO do the
work OF filing its great orders. Car
penters and masons, concrete workers
and steamftters, and various other
skilled workers have been In demand
at Emporium and the demand has been
pretty well filed There Is no place
there, however. for the average com
mon laborcr who Is out Of work for
the average common laborcr cannot b,
trusted with the handling Of high ex
plosives.
Attracts Many Workers.
The boom at Emporium has attract
ed many men In search OF work mel
who would have been hired by thu
company If they had not lost nerve
after reaching the new explosive cen
ter. The making OF high explosives 4
n hazardous occupation and man,
men who would like TO draw the gool
wages paid by the explosive compan
have given up their chances Of employ
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