The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-23
Williamsburg People and In
vestors Drawn to Old City
Look For Big Develop
ments.
FINISHING PLANT FOR
EXPLOSIVES EXPECTED
Magnitude Of Prehminaries.
Rapidity Of Work Of Con-
struction and Report Of Big
Wharf on the York Good
Signs.

0lxub.
williamsburg. Va. April 22.--Wii-
iiamsburg people ana those who have
come here in recent weeks to look into
the situation created by the purchase
of some 4.2oo acres OF land by the
Dupont Company for the sstabitsh-
ment OF dynamite plant. nrmly be-
iieve that the Duponts' operations VIII
be much larger than that company In
dictated In Its recent statement that
but two hundred men would be en-
pioyed The people are optimistic
and they base this optimism upon GER
tain indications which point. as they
see It, strongly toward the establish
ment OF one OF the largest explosives
finishing plants In the country.
Among tho developments since the
statement by Vice President Brown,
Of the Dupont Company, issued
through the company's publicity de-
partment. that but two hundred men
would be employed, and advising that
there was no grounds on which to
rest a land boom. there has been great
activity by the company In the direc-
ton of building the new plant and
by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
Company in putting In line OF rail-
way from williamsburg TO the prop
erty of the Dupont Company. There
has been other activity and almost
daily there come apparently WELL
authenticated reports that larger
operations by the Duponts are about
to be begun. Sxgssxs A Il
One of the arst pSiass In W1iiiAnss-
burgs argument that the Dupont
plant win be large one, employing
many times two hundred men. IL the
fact that the company owns 4,2eo
acres. or about SIX square miles OF
land. This, II Is urged. IN vastly more
than the COMPANY would need for a
plant that viii employ but two hun
dred men. and that II L. In fact. .
large enough reservation 10 build Q
plant or plants with greater area and
greater capacity than the plant At
Hopawell.
Another point made by the people
Of this section 10 that the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railway win not 60 into any
extensive railway operation. such a. II
has undertaken In linking up the new
plant property and the city OF WI.
liamsburg. unless II were assured that
the Dupont Company would do large
business OF shipping by rail- and make
the railway extension . paying ons.
ceven miles OF railroad In not laid by
any company, It 10 declared. uniess
there Is . guarantees that the new line
Of road win pay prodtabis returns
upon the investment.
That the Dupont Company contsm-
plates q large plant. employing thcus-
ands of men and turning out great
quantities of explosives for either war
or commercial purposes or both. -
further indicated In the preparations
now being made by the company tor
the building Of = large wharf on it,
property's frontage on the York River.
finished product viii be transported
In large vessels The York has =
depth of water that will accommodate
the large ocean-going sh1peL
Bunks For 1000 Man Already.
The activity OF the building con-
struction forces on the Dupont prop
erty. there being ct work daily some
thirty teams hauling brick and other
construction material between this
city and the new plant sits. Bunk
houses with . capacity for one thous-
and men have been built and other
similar buildings are being erected.
This IL another indication satisfyins
even the most conservative that the
than the reported two hundred.
The Chesapeake and Ohio IL rush
ing TO completion the new branch OF
Its railway from Williamsburg to tho
plant site In order that tho structural
material and tho machinery for tho
plant may be transported quickly to
the new plant for installation. III
1t Is expected that shortly after the
plant has been finished and put into
operation new units will BE- added and
forces Will be engaged for the opera
ton OF each Of these AZ rapidly ~
they are completed.
wen authenticated information 10
that the York County plant of the
Duponts win be q finishing plant
which viii take care of all tho work
turned out at the Hopewell, and pos
AIbiy other plants. The Hopswell
product 10 the unfinished guncotton
which ID shipped to other plants OF
tho company for tho hnal process.
To BE Htg Finishine Plant.
II is the conviction OF williamsburg
people who claim TO have inside In
formation that the Duponts plan to
transport to the York River plant
for hnishing vast quantities Of ma
terial from the Hopewell plant. II
was formerly necessary to ship tho
guncotton from the Hopeweii works
to Wilmington for TT ANAL ETHEREAL
process. The Euncotton was shipped
In galvanized Iron receptacies lind
covered with water to prevent &ny
danger OF explosions It was ioa6ed
on bargeA When received At Will
mington Il was dred out and given
its final chemical treatment.
10 ship the material to 4 point
ar far away as wilmington. 1t 10 said,
was found to be. very expensive and
ana an auxiliary hnish-
ing plant was built ut Hopewell. but
1t ii said that this II not nearly large
enough to accommodate tho entire
(continued On sstsnth rsss.y m