The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-07-07
WORK BEING
RUSHED ON
AIR SCHOOL
Buildings Spring Up
Like Mushrooms At
Selfridge Field
CAMP is UNDER
MARTIAL LAW
Lawlessness A m on g
WOrkmen Made Step
Necessary

Where a few weeks ago only tim
othy waved In tho lazy breeze. with
here and there long-stemmed daisy
podding drowsily and no more sign
% human life than sleepy boy
halfheartedly watching a cork that
reposed on the bosom or ditch.
now all is hustle and excitement.
II is what used 10 be tho old JOY
farm, but Is now Selfridge held des.
tined 10 be one OF the largest aviA.
ton fields In the country. four niles
out from Mt Clemens on the shore
OF Lake St Clair
When the government took this
piece OF land over for the establish
mont OF a school for the training OF
war aviators, with is accustomed
rapidity OF action. 1t threw 1900
men onto those wide meadows and
buildings began 10 spring up like
mushrooms. In an incredibly short
time there appeared II large han
CARS. each capable OF housing four
OF the largest type OF army plane.
The buildings are about 200 feet
long and half as wide. with saucer.
chapel roofs. making them resem.
bic gigantic mushrooms ir appear
ence as we'll as IN rapidly or
growth.
In addition 20 these vast fran
buildings, which form a row nearly
a mile long. there is small board
village growing up alongside II.
There Is large school building.
NIL ha terf
when they arc not actually soaring
In tho air; mess buildings. barracks.
hospital and other buildings neces-
sary for such an enterprise. II r.
expected that the actual work or
training aviators who are expected
10 loft themselves over the German
forces, and derea: them may start
before the end OF he present month,
30 rapidly has the work advanced.
The camp IA now under martial
law. with a company Of scldiers pa.
trolling every road leading 10 e. NC
person Is admitted without pass.
and even then thev must satisfy the
senfries that they actually have i'm
portant and harmless business be-
fore they are allowed 20 proceed
Also they must submit 10 search.
The United States government AZ
this time Is looking for efficiency
and II going on the theory that
when booze goes in efficiency goes
out For that reason Selfridge field
is bone dry The soldiers viii not
permit any person 10 carry into the
camp A drop of liquor.
Before the soldiers got on the job
Co
several OF which resulted fatally.
with 1000 men of mixed nationals
ties and colors camped on the same
field, and with all the liquor they
wanted 20 help them while away the
hours they were OF duty. the COIN
munlty became as lawless as ever
n mining town IN a southwestern
gulch. After the authorities had
found IN the tall grass or the river
the bodies OF n halfdozen men, VIC.
tins OF fights or OF robberies. they
decided Il was time 90 put the place
under martial law, with tho result
that a company OF soldiers was sent.
Since then order has prevailed.
All over the big tract OF meadow
land men and teams arc at work
"skinnlng" spot Of many acres.
whore concrete floor VIII be laid
TO furnish starting and landing
stage for the fiers. II Will be nee
essary for novices 10 have good
starting point and landing spot. but
after they have become familiar
with the work they will be taught
10 start from the rough ground and
even from the water.
L.
of a regular army captain, who Is
king OF the village. This captain IL
an expert engineer. which is one
reason why the work is progressing
so rapidly that the air above the
field will be inhabited by airships In
very short time