Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-10-05
NEWS OF STEELTON
PROVING GROUNDS
WORLDS LARGEST
Bethlehem Steel Company
Buys Huge Tract Near Mays
Landing, New Jersey


Mays Landing. N. j., Oct. 5.-The
greatest gun proving plant in the world
is to be established here by the Beth
lehem Steel Company, primarily for
the use of the United States Govern
ment, greater than the famous ord
nance proving grounds of the krupp
works in Germany. The development
| of this vast ordnance auxiliary VIII
follow the purchase by the company
| of a tract of land nearly eighteen
miles long and from three to siX miles
broad along the Great Egg Harbor
River. with Mays Landing as head
quarters. The purchase is the largest
| land deal ever recorded here. more
than 1000 deeds were secured. In ad-
dition to the proving grounds an ex-
tension of the company'S plant is con-
templated on the site.
Jersey Sells Forest Reserve
1t was at g. hearing this morning in
Conservation and Development that
! the news of the big project reached
residents here, who had been puzzled
by the real estate activities in this sec
ton. William E. Massey of ocean
City. who made the purchases Tor the
corporation, handed the board a writ
ten statement regarding the COM
panys intentions. This was in con-
nection with the purchase from the
State of a 2O0-acre tract held as a
forest reserve. When the board had
been enlightened regarding the big
project a decision to sell was prompt
| ly made, the price being $4,000.
While the plans of the company
now include only the proving grounds,
| it was authoritatively stated that an
extension of the big factory on the
| tract is contemplated. Several hun
| dred acres have been purchased for
this purpose apart from the ground re-
quired for proving purposes.
Nearly a million dollars have been
spent in acquiring the land and an
other half million will have to be eX-
pended before proving can be begun.
The tract is as level as a floor. 1t is
bounded on two sides by the Great
Egg and Tuckahoe Rivers, while fine
State boulevard extends along third
side and the electric railroad on the
other. The grounds, 10000 acres in
extent, runs from Mays Landing to
Tuckahoe. A railroad will be built
between these two points.
To Employ Hundreds of WorlSmen
Hundreds of workmen will be en-
ployed, as this will be the main prov
ing ground for the company's various
plants. The bulk of the testing OF
United States government will be done
here Representatives from many for
eign governments whose armies ana
navies use Bethlehem Steel products,
will be stationed permanently at this
place, which was selected as headquar-
ters largely because of its frequent
train service and nearness to Atlantic
City, where distinguished visitors OF
the company can be entertained.
Residents of this place, who foresee
a great municipal development, were
much stirred when the tidings We're
flashed here from Trenton by citizens
who went to the hearing.
While there is some fear of disturb
ance by the detonations from large
guns, assurances from company ofl-
cials that any danger of this will be
overcome as much as possible, have
allayed apprehension. The guns will
be located a considerable distance
from the town and containing walls
will defect the sound down the unten-
anted reaches O fthe river. The gen.
eral expression is, "if it brings the
business, we can stand the noise"
A Range Fourteen Miles Long
The length of the range itself Will
be fourteen miles and on clear day
trees and. towers are easily visible
from one end to the other, even with
out the clearing off that is to be start
ed Immediately. heavy iron fence
is expected to be built around much of
the tract and creeks leading through 1t
closed.
The situation of the proving ground
makes it possible in the event of war
with a sea power, which would attack
the Jersey coast between New York
and Philadelphia, the government
could establish thereon a military
base. With little dredging, the inlet
and the large bay could be made naVi-
gable for warships, and the coast wa
terways, connecting with New York
and the Delaware. will float submar-
ines and lighter type fighting craft. 1t
has even been intimated that a ship
canal connecting with League Island
was one of the projects being consid-
cred.