The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-03-22
NAVAL BOARD DATA
Sent TOWASHINCTON
Secretary Martin Finds City
Meets All Requirements For
Plant Site.

Secretary Martin of the Commercial
Club yesterday forwarded additional
information to the Special Naval
Board regarding the three sites Cape
Girardeau offers for the Government
armor plate plant. The letter was ac-
companied by a blue print showing
the geographical situation of the sites
with respect to the business center of
the city.
Several days ago Mr.. Martin re-
ceived letter from the secretary of
the Special Naval Board which will
select site for the plant, asking for
information regarding the condition of
the water, the housing facilities of
laborers, the transportation facilities
to and from the proposed site and the
labor conditions.
An analysis of the water furnished
the city was made by Prof. A. c. Ma
gill of the Normal, who found the
water free from germs that carry dis
ease.
The character of the foundation of
the ground of the sites proposed for
the plant Is another question the Spe-
cial Naval Board is seeking additional
information on. Secretary Martin said
the foundation of the three sites is
a solid rock stratum and could carry
the heaviest kind of machinery that
might be used for the manufacture of
armor plate.
The condition for housing laborers
is found to be tn every best. The an
swer to the question of the Special
Naval Board as TO what sections of the
city are occupied by laborers, Mr.. Mar
tin said, could not be made general, as
, the laboring class lives in nearly all
parts of the city. He found, however,
that the north part of the city was
largely occupied by employees of the
shoe factory, while the south section
| is greatly inhabited by the employees
of the cement and the rock crushing
plant.
Transportation facilities for the EN-,
ployes of the armOr plate plant car
be greatly improved by connecting the
plant with the city by an electric line
The water COMPANY has agreed to fur,
nish the plant with a, water necessary
at reduced rate.
The three sites Cape Girardeau of
fers for the plant are located south OF
the city. The nearest is only two miles
from the heart of the city on the Rock
and railroad. The first two sites are
touched by the Rock Levee Road, the
principal highway leading into the
Levee Road. The other site is ap-
proximately three miles from the bust
ness district, directly south of Smell
terville, near the river, and the third
which was shown Commander f. A.
Clark during his visit in the Cape is
near Gray's Point, about five miles
south of the center of the city. All
three are easily accessible by river
counties south of the Cape, while the
third is only a short distance from this
important road.
The Naval Board requires an area
of from $50 to 200 acres for the site
to be selected for the plant. The three
sites offered by Cape Girardeau COM
prise from 400 to 500 acres each.
After receiving the additional in
formation on the proposed sites of all
cities that are being considered for
| the plant, the Special Naval Board will
meet to decide where to locate the ar
NOR plate plant. No date for this
meeting has been set yet, but it is be-
lieved that the decision will be given
within the next two weeks. The
members of the Special Board have
visited all cities that are applicants for
the plant, and returned to Washing
ton early last week st. Louis was
the last place that was inspected by
the board.