Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-02
FIRST OF CANTONMENTS
At QUANT|C0 COMPLETED
Half Of 800 Barracks Buildings VIII
Be Turned Over to Govern
ment on Tuesday.
TO BE OCCUPIED BY MARINES
With Arrival Of These "Soldiers Of
tho Sea" and Hundreds Of Ship
yard Workers, Little Town Faces
Big Housing and Feeding Problem.

VI tho SAHSOuIuCuk0 IOE ubO VI INC w.
900 marines to be ordered here for train
ing preparatory to their being sent to
the trenches in France will be turned
over to the government on Tuesday.
By working a force of 1900 men
night and day the contractor has COM
pleted half Of the 900 barracks build
ing In a remarkably short time. The
remaining 15o are expected to be COM
pleted by tho middle OF July.
Several thousand marines from Haiti,
Santo Domingo. San Francisco and
other parts OF the United States. who
have been camping In tents on q broad
level field. overlooking tho Potomac
River, while awaiting for tho compile
ton Of the environments, will move into
the wooden structures on Tuesday
Tho barracks will be complete in
every respect, for on Monday Quanti-
cos new water plant, equipped with
reservoir. with a capacity Of 100000
gallons per day. will be put into oper-
alton. Quantico already has a large
electric lighting plant. from which
current is furnished to the thousands
of lights throughout the town and the
cantonment camp.
Work on the Potomac shipbuilding
Companys plant on the bank of the
Potomac River Is being rushed with
all possible dispatch compatible with
thoroughness and completeness. This
company already has a number of con-
tracts for wooden ships in hand. and
expects to lay It's first keel the day
the plant is completed. This is ex-
pected to be about July Is.
MANY NEARBY CITIES
ARE REAPISG BENEFIT
With the arrival here Of thousands
OF marines. the presence OF en- army
OF artisans and laborers, and the ap-
preaching arrival OF hundreds of ship
yard workers. Quantico is facing a stu
pendous housing and feeding problem.
Quantico. which sprang from a tank
town" to large town. has been unable
to meet the problem Of overpopulation,
and nearby cities have reaped the
benefit
The businers done by Washington,
Richmond and Baltimore concerns with
the contractors. marines and civilians
In Quantico has mounted far up into
tho thousands OF dollars in a short
space OF time. fredericksburg, Guam
tico'c nearest neighbor. has felt a Sc
we're drain on her food resources, while
hundreds Of boarding houses and resi-
dences there are overcrowded with men
who must live there for lack of accom-
modations at Quantico. In all OF the
outskirts OF Quantico. men are living
In tents because Of their inability TO
get quarters In houses. The supply of
tents has given out. and the men en-
ployed on the big job have had TO
seek homes in nearby cities.
The food euDDlieS for thu r,,rtna,
costing several thousand dollars a day.
are brought here from Washington and
Richmond. Each train reaching here
leaves its quota Of supplies for the sea-
going soldiers and civilians
Quantico has sent out an rs o S"
signal for the establishment OF stores
and business establishments of all kinds
along her streets. The marines and
civilians are spending thousands OF
dollars in railroad fares iourneying
TO Washington. Richmond and Balti-
more to purchase clothing and other
necessaries. Extra train service has
been established. and a daily boat ser.
vice from Washington will be inaueu-
rated within the next day or two.
NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS
STARTED IN TENTS
A number Of new business places
have been established here, but they
are entirely inadequate TO meet the
demand. Tho marines brought their
appetite with them and their demand
for food. nick-nacks and confectionery
has become 30 great that a number of
establishments for the sale OF these
articles have been started in tents and
dugouts.
The people Of Quantico are satisfied
that this is no temporary boom" which
has struck Quantico. but a permanent
thing. So long as the war continues
great numbers OF marines will be
trained here. and an army of civilians
and hundreds OF business establish
ments. notably clothing, drug, grocery
stores and lunchi ooms will be neces-
sary. Furniture Is being brought TO
Quantico by the carload.
Word has been received here from
Washington that the marine training
camp Will be maintained hero after
the war. Quantico will be maintained
as place Of rendezvous for marines.
and annual maneuvers probably will
be held here during concentration or
mobilization periods.
In addition to the marine activities
here for many years TO come, Quantico
VIII have large permanent popula-
tion from the shipyard, and tho other
industrial plants which are to DO built
here.
The oldest inhabitants have no time
TO go down and meet the trains" as
all OF them are up to their ears in
work. and there Is a scarcity of men
TO handle all the Jobs to be done. The
residents OF Quantico are expecting
every day to hear Of plans for the con-
struction OF long rows Of houses, the
laying out of Fairgrounds, and they
would not be a bit surprised to see
surveyors laying out tho route for n
car line.