The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-09-26
Two Sites In West Florida
Said to be Under Serious
Consideration
CAMP TEN TIMES
LARGER THAN RESI-!
Government Understood to-
Have had Inspectors Look
Over Both Tracts

After months of much work by,
prominent West Floridians, two tract
of land comprising 400 square milesI
each, have been submitted to the War;
Department for use as training1
camp for 10000 men, according to an
nouncement issued yesterday, by1
those who have been actively inter-i
ested in the proposition. AS the two
tracts submitted ere believed to come
nearer filling the requirements of the
department IAN any others SUBJ
| initted, it is believed that either OF
| the two will be selected, and that mill
lions of dollars will be expended in
this territory as a result. Should
West Florida be selected, it is stated
that the camp located here would be
ten times as large as any camp in the
United States.
1t is not definitely known for whats
purpose the camp will be used, but all
Indications point to it being used for
division maneuvers; tesat is, perhaps
two divisions will be stationed here at
a time, coming from other camps af-
ter receiving preliminary instructions
and simple instruction in drill man
| ual, and on this vast acreage they
will be taught the art of war under
| almost identical conditions that pre-
vail today in France.
1t is estimated that the minimum
] number of men to be cared for IN
| this camp viii be 10000, with pos
sible maximum of 10000, in addition
to the large number of horses that
will be required to pull the machine
guns and gun carriages.
/ This matter has been actively
pressed for the last eighteen months,
and at one time it was thought site
at McDavid would be selected as an
Artillery Practice Camp. For this
super-camp to be used for Machine
Gun School or Infantry School of
Arms there are, few points in any
quirements of the War Department,
which asks for a section of country
containing 400 square miles, with a
diversified topography, including
hills, prairies, lakes, wooded country
and open country, located on a rail-
road, convenient to good roads, and in
close proximity to large city. where
| the soldiers could secure enjoyment
and recreation.
After careful inspection of maps
and conferences with well-informed
residents of West Florida, the Board
of Inspectors, appointed by the Com
4
have inspected two sites in West
Florida. This inspection was very
thorough, the officers traversing
practically every acre included in the
projects. While they, of course,
are not authorized to give any public
expression as to whether or not eth
er of these sites is exactly what they
desire, still it is believed that these
two sites come nearer the exacting
requirements OF the war Department
than it is possible to secure at any
other point in the country east of the
prairie.
One of the points inspected by the
officers is a tract near Crestview. be-
ing a solid block Of land approximate
ly nineteen miles from north to south
and nineteen miles from east to west.
It is proposed to deliver this tract to
the government without any habita-
tions or private farms whatever re-
naming upon the tract, and, mas
much as there are 100000 acres Of
Forest Reserve lands already owned
by the government within these boun-
daries, the War Department could se-
cure practically 100000 acres of land,
one-fourth of which they would not
have to pay one cent for.
The topography in this tract it is
stated, includes everything that could
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