Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-15
Army Engineers Busy Survey
ing Roads and Laying Out
Cantonment Plans.
1,165 WORKMEN ON JOB
AND OTHERS BEING HIRED
Three Railroads Are Laying Spurs
From Their Main Lines to
/! Meet Transportation Needs.
PUSHING BARRACKS BUILDING
Water System to Be Fed by Three
Huge Reservoirs of 100000 Gal
Ions Each-Adequate Sew
erage Provided.
PUSHING BARRACKS BUILDING

Ions Each-Adequate Sew
erage Provided.
A year ago Admiral, Md. consisted of
IN open-faced waiting room on the cross
line connecting Naval Academy Junction
and some practically unknown spot to the
west: a hunting case freight house and
one venerable structure housing a gen.
sral store. post office and the family Of
the man who operated both. For scenery
there were truck gardens, fields and a
couple OF roads. meandering alphabetically
across the landscape.
Today the United States government
10 building at Admiral what is to be
the second city in point of population
in the state Of Maryland-a city that
10 to be the home. temporarily. at least,
OF somewhere between $4,000 and 10000
young men called to the colors in the
eelective draft. to become a part Of the
flrst American army in the war with
Germany.
If the census bureau paid any atten-
tion to Admiral when the last enumera-
tion was made the figures could not
possibly have shown more than half a
dozen residents. But II the census man
should happen around somewhere after
the middle of next september-wow.
look like the veriest piker in a COM
parison Of percentages Of population
increase. and Akron has grown some
since the last census was taken.
How to Get to Admiral.
Admiral is about two and a half miles
which is on the w, B. & A. electric
line, and a trihe over two miles west
OF Odenton. on the Pennsylvania rail-
road. 1t lies approximately half way
between the Pennsylvania and the B.
- n ~ f~
this side Of Baltimore. It may be
reached via either of the two railways
or the electric line.
30 far little has been done toward
Of the fourth national army division
aside from preliminary work. Army
engineers are busy surveying roads,
laying out plans for the cantonments
and doing all the vitality necessary but
wholly uninterestfng work Of getting a
big army camp ready for the army that
- to occupy 1t.
Contractors who are in charge of the
work Of erecting the buildings to COM
pose the cantonment are on the lob.
borers have been at work for the last
week The brass checks issued at the
employment ONCE on the grounds last
Wednesday had reached the number
pat to work an fast a. they applied.
The Pennsylvania and the B. 8 O.
railroads have big gangs at work lay
ing spurs from their main lines into
double tracking from odenton to the
oAntonment site. in preparation for
handling the mountains Of materials,
supplies and other freight, as well as
the thousands Of men to be transports
Cd later. The electric line is also lay
ing additional trackage from its main
line at Naval Academy Junction to the
site.
The big camp is to cover a trifle more
than 5000 acres. and arrangements
tional areas outside the camp proper
for maneuvering ground and the play
Ing Of various phases Of the war game.
Water and Sewer Systems
The pressingly important work now
receiving attention IL the surveying of
lines for water and sewer systems,
ton. locating sites for water and
lighting plants. in short, making ready
the groundwork Of a city capable OF
housing a population equal to that OF
cities Of the first class.
Maj. John R. Proctor. U. s. A.. Corps
Of ENGINEERS. and big detail of aids,
In IN charge of this work, the engineers
being the first troops on the site. A
detail Of infantrymen from the Mary
land National Guard is doing guard
duty around the camp, and finding it a
mighty lonesome job Just at present.
A heet of thirty three-ton motor
TRUCKS such as are used by tho army
and belonging. IN fact, to Motor Truck
Company, No. 30, U. 9. A., together
with . swarm Of other trucks. large
and small, transporting lumber, nails
and other materials from the single
sites, has churned and torn the soft
sandy muck roads into hub-deeI
messes that after a RAIN are quagmires
A few hours of sunshine, however, ant
the roads are dry again. when thu
trucks quickly work them up int
stretches of soft, yielding, clinginE
sand into which the trucks sink unit
sths axles scrape and the big wheel.
Wills and buzz to the accompaniment,
Of backfires and much profanity on tn,
part of the drivers.
Pushing Barrack Construction.
Over in a big field to the south O
NE railroad tracks hundreds OF work
men arc hammes1ng and saving away
4sa hours a daN on tho construction
of barracks A little further along
row of big mess houses has beef
completed, most OF which are bein,
used at present AZ temporary barrack
are all screened. the window openin e
being covered with fine mesh nettin
- soon as tho walls are up and tn
roofs completed
Tho barracks arc being built alon,
broad streets which are to be Lighted
b. arc lamps and along which arc Z
Be laid water mains and sewer lines.
sewage disposal plant Of sufficient size 70
+ odty OF 10000 Inhabitants IL to b
completed before the camp Is occupied
The barracks and other buildings o
Shs actual cantonment are to cove
$nore than 1900 acres Of the site. Mil
Hons OF feet of lumber win be use
IN the construction Of the buildings
and enough nails to make up loa
for q train Of about tmrty-dve cars vii
b required to hold the buildings to
ge<AeH It Is believed the camp whe
the buildings are completed. lighting
HA3ee and sewerage systems finished
e4n, Will represent the expenditure o
~ Least 100000.
Much OF the ground at present n &C
Popaed By growing crops, tho terrftor
being fne trucking land A pecu1fa
femWsntsE on the soysrnment.s GO
Campaign 10 ne }act ot tia. ' : do.en .
more fields Of wheat. ready tor IN
reaper. are being destroyed In tn
process Of road making. grading an
laying additional railroad trackag,
Hugo steam shovels and grading ma
chimes ruthlessly dig up and tur
under the ripe grain along the lines G
the roadways. while scores of team.
huge motor trucks and autos Of ever
description grind into the earth grea
Stretches along both sides Of tn
bDadwayA
Vegetables Bsang Destroyed.