Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-14
some CANT0NMENTS
ALREADY COMPLETED
First at Fort Douglas Is Built
and Ready for U. S. Troops
in Twenty-Six Days.
WAS INCREASED IN SIZE
WAS INCREASED IN SIZE

A number of tho army cantonments
such as that to be erected at Annapoli.
Junction. Nd. have been completed, a.
wei as number Of the navy and Ma
rine Corps camps and training stations
such as that at Quantico, Va. The
nrse army cantonment to be completed
was that at Fort Douglas. of which
Tho Star today presents . picture
upon the authorization of the COM
mittee on public information and
through the courtesy Of the contrac-
tors. James Stewart & Co.
As an instance of how rapidly this
work Is being completed, 1t is stated
that the contract for the cantonment
at Fort Douglas. Utah, was let May H.
and that it was ready for Occupancy
Just twenty-siK days later 1t was
formally turned over to the War De-
partment June 81. This cantonment is
one OF the smaller ones. to house 5000
men.
Some of the army environments. that
for instance. at American Lake. Wash,
vii! house 10000 men. These groups of
buildings cost the government from
about 100000 each for the smaller
groups to about $4,000, 900 each for the
larger ones.
Location Of Cantonments.
The army cantonments are so To-
Gated at various points throughout the
country that the larger ones are being
built IN sections where the population
Is most dense. The idea is to locate
the cantonments. SO far as size is con-
cerned. SO that the transportation of
large bodies Of troops for long dis
tances Is prevented. The cantonment
at Fort Douglas was increased in size,
after the original contract was let.
When hnal figures showed that that
section Of the country would produce
more troops than was originally cal
culated.
Some of these buildings, which are
20 by 217 feet, were erected in one
hour and thirty minutes. by the watch.
Most Of the different contractors for
the cantonments have located branch
offices in Washington. SO as to be
closely In touch with the government
during the progress of the work, which
is being directed by a great force of
army engineers under Col. Littell and
MAI. Brown, in the Adams building, on
pressing themselves as highly ap-
preciative OF the cooperation of the
army engineers, although they claim
that there is very little profit in the
work because of the sliding scale Of
profit which the government has i'm
posed upon the builders. They say that
the maximum profit on this construc-
ton work Is about per cent, and
In some cases it Is only 4 per cent
The government has required that
there Shall not in any case on the
larger environments be a profit of more
than $250.OO0. This is on a job of
$6.000,000. such as that at American
Lake.
Are Two Stories High.
The army environments are two
storied. and the men sleep in hunks or
cots. They are electrically lighted. In
the northern ATTITUDES they are heated
by steam. and In every case what is
plumbing" has been furnished. Sewers
have been especially built in every
case.
The emergency construction commit
tee OF the munitions board of the coun-
Gil of national defense has been OBJ
tanning materials for the construction
IN manner never before used in public
work In the United States Working
with this committee are committees on
lumber. cement. electrical materials
etc. These committees inform Col. Lit
telfs ONCE where materials are to be
found In quantities desired. of the tyne
and standard desired. at the prices
which should be paid.
Schedules of these materials and prices
are then sent to the constructing quar-
termaster OF the army at the site Of the
cantonment. The names of the Arms
which the business should go to is
specified. If the civilian contractor for
the cantonment can beat the price men.
toned. 1t Is up to him to do so. If de-
livery Is more important than nrics
then delivery Is the factor that decides
Ihe constructing quartermaster at each.