The Elbert County tribune., 1916-09-22
INTERNED CREWS
OF GERMAN SHIPS
BUILD A VILLAGE
Scarcely Six Months in the Max
ing 1t Attracts Wide
Attention.
LITTLE GERMANY IN ITSELF
Three Hundred Little Model Houses
and Other Structures That Go to
Make UP Village Are Con-
structed From Scraps

TSoTiofk, Nd--At tne PORTSMOUTH
navy yard. near Norfolk, Va, there
Is village of almost thousand per-
sons that has been scarcely six months
In the making, which is attracting at
tention throughout the country. Visi-
tors to the yard vie with one another
for the precious and somewhat rare
passes which will admit one to the
peculiar place. and thousands of post
cards showing scenes within Its lim-
Its are sold daily.
The village is unincorporated and
without legallzed form of government.
Its residents. though filed with civic
pride rare in Its intensity, are abso-
lutely opposed to increasing the popu-
lation. They toll and spin in the vii
lage only rs 1t pleases them, yet they
eat regularly. sleep regularly and are
assured of comfortable existence, at
least, until the end of the great Euro
pean war.
And, now that war has been men,
TONED, you have the key to the iden-
tity of this strange municipality In
the making. 1t Is the village built by
the interned crews of the Kronprinz
Wilhelm and the Prinz Eitel Friedrich,
German war vessels. which ran into
the Virginia capes within 80 days of
each other for safety, about "A year
ago, and since have been interned by
the United States government for the
duration of the war
Build Wonder Village.
Cast into the waters of neutral
country and realizing that their stay
probably would be long, these sturdy.
hlond Teuton sons did not sit on the
decks and mourn their fate. Instead.
they sprang upon the land. grabbed
every scrap of wood and metal and
cloth and leather and every drop of
paint that came their way and began
the construction of their wonder vii
lage
From scraps gathered from hither
and yon in the navy yard and out of
II. more than 300 little model houses, n
windmill. a chapel and other strnc-
lures that go to make up the village
have been constructed. They line ,,ret-
ty streets.
Their front yards bloom with flow
ers and their back yards are filed with
garden truck. Nor Is the end yet. To-
day you see load of old boxes or dis
carded ends of boards going into the
village and tomorrow new house of
which they will be part. will be un-
der construction. Building operations
always are under way
The start of the village came with
the granting of the use of the east end
of the yard. near where the great in
termed ships lie. by the commandment
TO the interned men. 1t is composed of
several acres cut Off from the remain
der of the yard so completely that 1t
seems little Germany within itself.
On one side in the Potomac river lie
the two ships. Another side is bound
ed now by the immense United States
collier ORyan. in the making. Green
grass. wood and some water form
the other two sides
Must Have Pass.
The village must be approached
through guards from the O'Ryan col
lier side; so. unless you have a pass.
there Is little chance of seeing It. The
executive officers of the interned ships
issue the passes, regular navy yard Of
ficers having nothing to do with them.
As the village grew 1t became oh
vious that it was planned with infinite
skill Not only were there houses and
yards laid out, but even streets and
parks were added. The owner of each
piece of property was made to realize
that he would be held strictly respon-
sible for his place being kept neat and
clean.
When word of the building progress
that was being made reached the out
side world German sympathizers be-
gan to lend a hand. Contributions of
various kinds poured in. and when. a
few weeks ago, the first formal OPEN
ing was held. visiting crowds marveled
mt the wonders the interned crews had
worked with their poor material and
few outside contributions.
That opening day was proud one
for the residents. The band from the
ship-and 1t is a good one-played
the men marched and showed visitors
about the village. and regular cnrni-
val was staged. With all of the busi-
ness acumen of Yankee horse traders,
the Germans arrested persons for al-
legged violations of their village laws
and nned them before magistra tes.
All paid their fines willingly. for the
money went TO the German Red Cross
fund for the benefit of blinded eodiers
Every prisoner was permitted TO assess
his own fine. Where fines We're too
low or the prisoner was good natured
he was arrested again.
All of the usual attractions Of an
amateur carnival were at hand. There
were cold drinks. hot dogs and mu-
seums to soothe the palate al d ease