The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-07-21

oNiii0u oAA~ eoniheu, anu nunQfcus
of other matters some big, Others
small, and all of which had to be
settled in the shortest possible time
J TO construct each eantOnment were
required about 1000 carloads of ma
terials. AS soon as the site was de-
termined upon, sanitary engineer, a
city planner and an army officer rep
resenting the war department proceed
ed to the place selected and started
the work going. They were followed
by the contracting engineer, who
holds a majors commission, and un-
der whose supervision the city is now
being built.
An idea of the size of this job may
be gained from glance at the ma
terial estimate for a typical canton
ment. Lumber is the big item, some
26,OOO,OOO feet or 1895 carloads being
the requirement. Roofing nails alone
will fill one modern freight car. Crush
ed stone for the roads will make S12
carloads. $3.50
Here are some of the other items:
$4,000 squares of roofing, sixty cars
twenty carloads nails and hardware; ;
twenty carloads plumbing; 1872 car
loads of tanks, heaters, stoves, ranges,
piping, electrical materials, refrigera-
tors and the like; railroad materials
for five miles of track, divided into
thirty carloads Of ties and other tim
ber, twenty carloads of spikes, rails
fishplates. ETC., and ia carloads of
ballast; ten carloads of electric light
poles, wires, insulators, etc. Mater
ials for $4,000 cubic yards of con-
crete will take seventy carloads of ce-
ment, $50 carloads of stone and ITS
carloads Of sand.
The men OF the cantonments will
sleep in double-deck hunks. This
means there will be $4,000 separate
bunks., each with mattress. To
transport the mattresses 1876 cars will
be required, and the hunks will take
62 more. Water and sewer lines will
make 65 carloads each. and $50 car
loads of hospital equipment will be
necessary. Three carloads of screens
are also included in the estimate, as
are 20 carloads of construction tools.
Where water cannot be obtained
from already utilized sources, wells
must be driven or reservoirs con-
structed. The problem of sewage dis
posal will be met by connecting can
'tonment sewage mains to already ex-
listing sewage systems where possible
or by building reduction stations
where necessary.
Areas of the cantonments will vary
with the typography, the minimum
being from 1909 to 1000 acres. In
addition to ke city ITSELF, parade
grounds. manoeuvring spaces. and
rlne ranges must be provided.
Each cantonment will contain close
to 1000 buildings. the typical com
pany barracks being two-story
structure, built of wooden frame, COW
cred with matched boards. The roofs
will be covered, with prepared roofing
They will be we'll ventilated with hues.
lighted by electricity. heated in the
north by steam and in the south b.
stoves. Each will have a kitchen and
mess hall.
Col. 1. w. Lftteel of quartermas-
ter's department of the army, who is
in charge of the work of building the
cantonments, made public the fee
system Of the cantonment contracts.
The fees vary from 10 per cent on
small contracts of 100000 or less to
6 per cent. on contracts of more than
$25O,00O. The fees in all cases cover
both profit and overhead expense.
They were fixed upon by the depart
ment acting with the assistance of the
emergency construction committee of
the general munitions board and 9TH
er civilian advisers.
I'm deciding on the cantonment
contracts we have had to consider
three main points of practically equal
importance" Col. Litteel said THE
first has been the absolute necessity
of speed; the second. proper construc-
ton. including sanitation and commu-
nication and transportation facilities;
the third. economy. Taking all three
into consideration and also the fact
that time will not permit the compile
tion of drawings and specifications
III. 4