The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-10-04
LETTER FROM
CAMP DODGE
INTERESTING DESCRIPTION OF
HOME OF LOCAL SOL
DER BOYS.
By ]. w. Jarnarin.

DAAIAS OO 0s
BY J. w. Jarnagin.
Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 2, 1917
just suppose that a stranger were to
come into your county, go out into the
country eleven miles from the county
seat, drive'a stake in the center of a
4,OOO-acre farm and declare that with
in three months he proposed to erect
buildings enough to house 47,OOO peo-
pie what would you think Of it?
That's what happened to the farm
ing community occupying the most
fertile tracts in the world, between
Beaver Greek and the Des Moines
river, eleven miles nrothwest Of Des
Moines. When the matter was first
suggested it seemed too stupendous
for accomplishment. People did not
see how it was possible to drop into
the center Of corn field, within 8
months a city the size Of Daven-
port, equipped with paved streets, a
water system, sewerage, electric
lighting and all Of the perquisites of a
finished municipality. But that is
just what has happened and Camp
Dodge with its great frame structures
equipped with all modern conveniences
is now receiving the men which are to
constitute this mushroom city.
Those accostumed to gaze upon the
fertile fields Of the Beaver valley, ad-
mire it's vast stretches of woodlands,
farmsteads and meadows can hardly
realize that within 80 short time such
wonderful change has been brought
about.
The farmers in that locality, like the
farmers everywhere in this goodly
commonwealth were striving to do
their bit in providing food that would
sustain the armies engaged in that
awful struggle across the sea. They
had planted every nook and corner
to something but ere the time of~har-
vest arrived 1900 buildings occupied
the land and the tread Of a mighty ar
my with flags flying, the air pierced
with the flare of trumpets and the
stern command of hundreds of officers
made the transformation seem like a
dream.
The 18th Army Cantonment occu-
pies 4,300 acres of ground. Of this
amount the United States government
owns 800 acres; the state Of Iowa
owns 48O acres and there are rented
from SO different land owners, 2,94O
acres. This season the farmers re-
ceive $9.46 per acre rent and whatever
price may be agreed upon for the
destruction Of the growing crops.
Next season the rental will be $11.38
per acre. The rent is paid monthly
and amounts to $50, 3,456 per year. The
land stretches from Beaver Greek to
the Des Moines river and beyond-a
distance from east to west of 3.75
miles and from north to south dis
tance of $50 miles. This makes a dis
tance of over miles from the en-
trance at the southeast corner to the
extreme limit at the northwest corner
at the town of Herrold. The land is
valued at 100000.
In the beginning of the work all
streets and alleys were laid out, a
sewerage system was planned, and
water mains located. The result is
that there are 10 miles of paved
streets and 10 miles of graveled high
ways. The sewer proper is three
miles long, made of 3$-inch sewer pipe
and throughout the grounds are 3b
miles of sewers and laterals. There
are 81 miles of water mains and lat
erals and million gallon cement res
ervoir on the top Of a hill overlooking
the buildings. The water is supplied
from a we'll so feet in diameter in a
sandy formation on the banks of the
Des Moines river. Three rotary
pumps capable Of throwing million
and a half gallons of water a day are
run by electric meters. Three fire
companies are on duty at different
points on the grounds and all fire
equipment is propelled by electric
motors. It required % ditching ma
chimes to construct the sewers, make
bitches for water mains and the like.
In some places the sewer was placed
at depth Of "a feet.
There are 1878 buildings for the
housing Of the soldiers and for gen.
eral purposes. These are all built al
ter uniform pattern and present a
most fascinating appearance. Each
building will afford quarters for 250
men and are equipped with shower
baths, water closets and all modern
conveniences. In addition to the bar
racks are Al hospital buildings. The
Z. M. C. A. will have q number Of
buildings and there will be libraries,
canteens and the like which viii