Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-27
PLEDGE $4,000 FOR
MILITIA CAMP SITE
Richmond Business Men Will
Furnish Fund by Private
Subscription.
OFFER MADE TO GOVERNOR
Follows Conference of Mayor
Ainslie's Committee at Busi-
ness Mems Club.
OFFER MADE TO GOVERNOR

notwithstanding the councivs rc-
'hSai To appropriate amy more noucv
lot the d"Tciopmcnt of a ca,np 10 a.-
sohmodate the National Guard Of Nir-
GINA IN the expected mobilization
iilchinond VIII be strongly in the run
hihS when the military authorities TAX.
uhdcr adNiSemcnt the matter of To-
eating the concentration camp for vir-
ginin.
~ conference held in the Cover
nors Office late yesterday afternoon a
committee OF Richmond business men
pledged themselves to raise 500 900 bv
private subscription for the fitting up
OF Sherwood Park for the governments
purpose. In a preliminary conference
held several days ago between city
and military authorities with the view
Of Interesting the Council in the pro-
posed camp. military men estimated
that $4,000 would he required TO nut
Sherwood Park into shape to accom-
modatc the 1000 men that will make
up the state militia mobilizcd on a
war footing.
SIXTY BUSINESS MEN
PLEDGE THEIR SUPPORT
The decision TO finance the project
"a
meeting of the Mayors committee
Of seventy appointed for This purpose
which was held at noon yesterday at
the Business Mems club. About sixty
members of the committee attended
After approving a guarantee OF $4,000
it appointed a subcommittee TO lay tho
offer before the Governor and other
state military authorities.
too
John Kerr Branch. w. T. Reed, Cole
man wortham. John NJ. Miller. Jr.. H.
T les. John Murphy. w. II. SchwarZ-
schi.i. II. Carl Boschcn. j. T. Andcr-
son. l.. 4. Saunders, Jr. and w. T. Dab
ncy. who acted as secretary. Mayor
.,iuslic accompanied the subcommittee
cXoflicio member. The business
men were received in conference by the
Governor. AdjutantGene-al Sale. Major
10 Lane Stern and Major Allen Potts.
The military men told the subcom-
mittee that the guarantee OF $4,000
placed Richmond in line for the loca-
tion OF the camp, and that tho city's
offer would be laid before the Federal
authorities along with offers sub
mittcd by other cities. ,.hc selection
will be made by government officers
after an examination Of the advantages
offered by the competitive sites.
PI3TERsBuRG Is NICHMOND'S
STRONGEST CONTENDER
Petersburg ia the strongest con-
tender Richmond has for the mobil-
ization camp. Norfolk. Roanoke. Chase
City and other places have all made
offers. but the race has narrowed down
to two cities. The refusal of the City
Council to appropriate the necessary
money gave Petersburg an advantage.
Adjuiant General Sale has tclc-
rraphcd 10 the Department OF the East.
which will have jurisdiction over the
camp. TO send an officer here to in
spcct the available sites. Up TO a late
hour last night no reply had been re-
ceived.
Sherwood Park. with l35 acres. and
Williams Park, with hfty-Iwo acres.
have been selected AS the site for the
camp. in event ii is located in Rich
mond. The two pieces Of property,
which adjoin. will be ample for the
encampment Of 10000 men and the
large tracts of cleared land available
can be used for practice marches and
hikes.
\ spur railroad track can he run
into the camp ground without q large
outlay Of time money. City water
and sewerage have already been cX-
tended to Sherwood Park. while cleo
tric wires have also been run to the
Very little work needs to be
done to put the place into shape for
the troops. The largest expense would
he the construction OF shower baths
and screened kitchens and mess halls. /
Much of the material for this work is
now on hand. having been purchased |
ana used in the last mobilization camp. /!
PARK HAS
EXCELLENT HEALTH RECORD
Judging from conditions in the last
camp. the proposed site is ideal from
the point Of health and convenience. I
Not Il single death from disease oc
Cured among the 1000 men "a; the /
camp last summer. Fine roads run
continued on Second I'age)