Evening journal., 1915-07-23
OLD BOONS DWARFED
BY OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Virginia Town Of $4,000
People Developed in
Six Months
The naltimore Sun save.

call all you nave ntdlu OF iehu ABOUT
some Of the western mining towns that
have sprung up almost over night.
leave in the long rows Of unslghtly
buildings. thesodors that arise from an
unsewered settlement, the make-shift
streets and the almost total lack of
anything approaching orderly ar
rangement, then substitute for the
oarc-free soldiers OF fortune, mostly
Of American birth. money-mad popu-
/ lation gathered together from nearly
all corners OF the earth and you will
have a fairly accurate mental picture
Of the town Of Hopewell, about which
all Virginia Is talking and which is be-
ginning to attract much attention else
where
This applies more particularly 70
that section Of Hopewell which lies
Just across the railroad tracks from
the great DUPONT powder plant eight
miles east OF here, which is about the
only part Of the town that ever gets
mentioned in public print OF the
well laid out, clean and orderly parts
Of Hopewell which have been built up
by the DUPONT Company for the hous-
ing Of It's employees one hears but lit
tie. However they are Just as much
parts Of the town as is that portion
which has been built upon land that
the company does not own, and have
grown up just as rapidly, though in a
decidedly less spectacular fashion.
The story Of upbuilding Of Hope
well sounds like q. fairy tale. A lit
tie over six months ago, when the
DUPONT Company commenced the
erection there OF what is said to be
the largest munitions Of war factory
IN the world, the land upon which the
town stands was a waste field Parts
of II we're covered with trees and
brush, and it is doubtful If furrow
had been run in many Of the cleared
portions since they were plowed up
by cannon balls back in the days Just
before the close Of the Civil War,
when Grant. marching over this very
same territory. hurled his men
against the breastworks Of Peters
burg.
GoWinR Larger Every Day.
Today Hopewell stretches from City
Point on the James river, an old
town Of about 200 people wherein
stands an Episcopal Church, which
was used as a commissary for Wash
ingtons troops during the War OF the
Revolution, back along the railroad
track for a distance of more than
two miles. Those who live there
say that it is-nearly a mile wide, and
It's population is estimated at $4,000
people Every day It is growing
larger. The rush does not appear
to be half over.
i How long Hopewell is going to last,
no man can say. An explosion at the
DUPONT plant may blow it to atoms
! any day. The end of the European
war and the shutting down OF tho
. powder factory might have an effect
but little less disastrous to those who
have staked their all on the chance Of
the towns permanency. However,
such contingencies do not appear 20
have entered the heads Of those who
have Joined in the mad rush for
I whatever the fortunes of Hopewell
may have in store for them. Their
one idea seems 10 be 10 get rich, and
the thought Of coming away poorer
than when they went there appears
never TO have occurred to them.
In this connection Il should be
stated that what the company is do
. ing does not smack OF temperatures.
Many Of its plant buildings have been
constructed Of brick. and the homes II
has erected for its workmen are too
! we'll built and too costly to have been
put up for temporary purposes alone.
Nor does Il seem that II would have
gone 10 the expense Of laying down
a complete sewer system and building
two great pumping stations so as 10
have an adequare supply OF water If
/, Il had any idea of shutting down in
the near future.
Crude, But Well Equipped.
Outside Of that part of the town
. which has been built upon the dupont
company's own property, Hopewell is
the crudest place imaginable What
passes for streets are mere earthen
roads, full Of ruts and holes. and in
the very middle OF which many trees
are still standing The Farmers and
. Merchants Bank Building, standing
back 100 yards or so from the rail-
, road, Is the only brick structure in
the place. The rest of the houses are
7 plain board affairs. many Of them re-
sembling the rough shanties tharac-
teristic of railroad camps. Paint is
an unknown quantity
But with all Of its crudeness. IL is
possible to purchase almost anything
one wants in the town Hopewell has
its drygoods stores, its tailoring
shops. its tobacco stores, its soda
Z fountains, its ice-cream parlors. II
also has its doctors, lawyers, dentists,
z and veterinarians off1ces. It's real es-
Z tate Offices, its cabaret shows, its
Z moving-picture theatres and its
Z hctels, though, for the most part, they
z are hotels in name only. II has NO
Z sewerage system, but II will have one
in the near future. The pipes are
now being laid And it also soon will
have its own water supply and elec-
trio light plant
Buildings are going up so fast II
Z the town that the man who goe.
Z away for a week is apt to get mixed
z up on his return Stores and dwell
ings are being built in two or thre,
days. For example II was said by
man who lives there. that on a Ger
tain Wednesday al noon he was pres
Z ent when a lot was sold At that tim,
there was not foot of lumber OF
the place. BY Friday night a stor'
had been erected on this vacant lot o
Z Wednesday noon and goods we're be
ing sold over the counter
Bit even at this rate II has beer
Z impossible 10 erect buildings fas
z enough 10 house Hopewells rapid,
I r,,tlffnivfrc nonu1atiop Hapoa hu,