The Washington herald., 1916-09-14
DISTRICTS SITE IDEAL
FOR ARMOR PLANT
all that section known as Buzzard's
Point.
Arguments for District.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.


cards Point site in the southeast section
Of the Capital. were:
]. Availability.
2 Remoteness from sea attack in case Of
war.
g. Adjacent to the navy ordnance fac
tory.
4. Government already owns much of
the land.
,. VIII aid IN the defense of the Capital
In time of war.
G. Convenient to executive and admins
trative headquarters of the navy.
7. Convenient to Congress- which will
provide the necessary moneys for its
maintenance.
s. Convenient to naval proving grounds
3. No possibility of political troubles in
management
10. Most economical site offered. consid-
ering advantages
Mr., Moran explained that the site sug-
gested has a total area of 6.O5S 900 square
feet, or nearly 14O acres. of which only
3'33SOOO square feet will have to be ac-
iquired. the remainder being now owned
| by the government. All the land. with
improvements, can be purchased for S7SS-
80
Safe from Sea Attack.
1t was pointed out that it is essential
That the proposed plant be far removed
from the water front as a safeguard
against a sea attack and that Washing
ton presented site that offered that
advantage. In the event of war, the
plant would be invaluable as an aid in
protecting the Capital and would re-
lieve the government of further appro-
priations for its defense. it was stated.
| The site is adjacent to the ordnance fac
tory of the navy and would permit the
development OF the armor plant to be
handled by present agencies without a
separate establishment for the prelimi-
nary work and, secondly. the unity OF a
portion of the permanent administrative
work. This unity would be extended to
power transportation. policing, fire pro-
lection. materials, machine work, sup
plies and other facilities, leaving all that
would have to be constructed for the
armor plant proper to be the particular
appliances for the production OF armor.
In consideration of the advantages OF
Washington" said Mr.. Moran. very
great weight must be given to the prox-
unity of and ease OF access from the
proposed site to the naval proving
ground at Indian Head and the facility
with which experimental work may be
carried on, not only in matters of test
at that point, but in close association
with all the government laboratories in
the city itself The Importance of being
ground in quick time was emphasized.
Good Water Frontage.
Strictly speaking" said Mr.. Moran,
the entire boundary Of the property is,
except on its northern face, water
frontage. Its permanent water front
footage depends only on the length of
the James Creek, which may be deter
mined properly to be retained for water
frontage and the length which, will be
filled to form a better connection with
the property Of the United States in the
Washington Arsenal.
"On the Eastern Branch a permanently
improved channel at or greater than its
present depth is assured, being more
water at this point than at points in the
main channel of the Potomac. SO that
the largest vessels that can navigate the
river will find an ample dockage at any
point on the Eastern Branch water front
The Improvement of the Eastern
Branch at an authorized cost of s. OO0. .0oo
of which over 81, 600 900 already has been
spent, provides not only an assurance OF
a permanent depth of water to the de-
gree stated, but sanitary surroundings OF
esthetic effect, which cannot be matched
and the statement is not at all over
drawn-by the conditions OF any river
frontage in the United States.
Advantage in Emergency.
The advantage to the government Of
this water terminal in case of emer-
gency can hardly be overstated. With
the acquisition Of this property and the
completion of the acquisition of the
water front above the Anacostia Bridge
the United States will own the entire
water front of the city of Washington.
not merely a bordering street, as was
proposed by the original plan OF the city,
but the practical, effective terminal IA
Cilitles on which there can be no private
occupation or use without government
license and regulation and which will be
available at any time for any govern
mental purpose.
Ample railroad connection is afford
ed by the immediate proximity of the
northern face of the property to tracks
connecting with all the railroads enter
ing Washington, while the present naval
appropriation act provides authority for
a direct connection OF the Navy Yard by
bridge across the river with the tracks
OF the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com |
pany on the county side of the Eastern |
Branch, thus affording practically unlim- |
tied railroad communication to supple |
ment the water terminal which is offered
in connection with and for the use of
the property proposed to the United |
States for selection as the site Of plant !
for the manufacture of armor for ves- |
sells of its navy
Other cities heard were New York, |
Brooklyn, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pitts
burgh, Richmond Norfolk, Birmingham,
Raleigh and numerous smaller cities.
Senator Chiffon headed a delegation
from Huntington, w. Va. Senator I'm
derwood headed the representatives from
Alabama, Senator Swanson and Repre-
sentative Carlin headed those from Nor
folk, Richmond. Petersburg, Hopewell |
and Alexandria. Senator James and
Representative Barkley, of Kentucky, |
urged sites in that State, and there was
a delegation present to defend North