Evening journal., 1916-10-05
WORLDS BIGGEST
PROVING GROUND
Bethlehem Steel Company
Acquires 10000 Acres
on Little Egg Harbor
WILL HAVE STRAIGHT
GUNRANGE OF IA MILES

MAY 5 LANDING, y. j., Oct o.
krupp's great ordnance proving plant IN
Germany win be outdone both in extent
and equipment by a similar plant TO be-
established along the Great Egg Harbor
river, with Mays Landing as headquar'
ters. hv Schwab's bethlehem steel Com
pany. primarily fer the use OF the
United States Government. Through
secret negotiations a low, lever tract OF
land, nearly eighteen miles in length and
averaging six in breadth. has been pur-
chased outright, requiring more than
lO0n deeds
Light was thrown on tho big land
deal. which for the last six months has
puzzled residents of this section, at a
hearing yesterday morning in Trenton
before the State Board of Conservation
and Development. when the plans Of the
Bethlehem Steel Company we're divulged
by William T.. Massey. of Massey & Ed
wards. real estate brokers Ocean City,
who made the purchases for the corpo-
ration
Explains Schwabs Plans.
MIR. Massey handed the board writ
Ten statement from the company as 10
its intention. i'm connection with the
drcd acre tract held as a forest reserve.
Thu tract lies i'm the heart Of the
grounds and was acquired several years
70 for a nominal sum aud if the state
decides to sell. as il seems likely a
handsome profit will be made on the
investment The acquisition of this
land was referred until the last step and
al other lard needed has been pur-
chased After meeting the board voted
"a sell the reserve.
While the present plans Of the COM
pany include only the splendid proving
plant. it was authOrtatively stated that
M extension Of the big factory plants
on the tract is contemplated
The tract is level and bounded on
two sides by the Great rgg Harbor
and Tuckahoe Rivers. while a fne
State boulevard runs along a third
side and the electric railroad on the
other. The tract extends from MAYS
Landing to Tuckahoe, and a railroad
VIII be built between these points 1t
comprises 10000 acres. mostly unim-
proved land.
VIII Cost S1,0O0,0OO.
Upwards Of half a million dollars
have been spent in acquiring the land
and another half million will have to
be expended before proving can be
begun. Hundreds Of workmen will be
employed, as this will be the main
proving ground for the company's
various plants and the bulk Of testing
OF guns. ammunition and armor plate
for the United States Government
will be done here. Representatives
from many foreign governments,
whose armies and navies use Bethle-
hem Steel products. will he stationed
permanently at this place. which was
selected as headquarters largely be-
cause Of its frequent train service and
nearncss TO Atlantic City.
The length Of the range will he
fourteen miles and on a clear day
trees and towers are easily visible
from one end 70 the other. even with
out the clearing off that is 70 be
started Immediately
Tho situation Of the proving ground
makes il possible i'm the event Of war
with n SOP power. which would attack
the Jersey coast between New York
and PHILADELPHIA. the government
could establish thereon a military
base with p little dredging the inlet
and the large hay could he made navi-
gable for warshipS and the coast wa
terways. connecting with New York
and the Delaware will float subma-
rines and lighter type fighting craft
n has even been intimated that a ship
canal connecting League Island was
one of the projects being considered.