Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-27
RICHMOND MUST SUPPLY
MANY THOUSANDS At CAMP
Army Officers Outline Magnitude of
Demands on This Section by
Camp Leo.
MEN ARRIVE ON SEPTEMBER 6
Tremendous Overflow to Richmond
Anticipated, and This City Must
Furnish Living Quarters for Fam.
lilies Of officers and Privates.

With citizens OF Petersburg making
every effort in advance to prepare for
the arrival at Camp Lee of 10000 men
to make up a part OF the new cit
izen" army of the United States the
first 8 per cent of which will go for
ward to tho cantonmcnt September 6.
army officers arc trying to Impress
upon the people the magnitude OF tho
demands which will be made upon this
section Of the country. The city of
Petersburg. they declare. will be lit
orally swamped within two weeks
from the time the men arrive. and the
sestion ten times that of Plattsburg
this summer.
The greatest consideration Is being
given the problem by army officers.
the city authorities Of Petersburg and
business interests OF that city. while
Richmond will undoubtedly be called
upon to furnish supplies for the men.
homes for many new families and
amusement for thousands of the men
who will undergo training at the camp.
RICHMOND WILL BE CALLED ON
rOR QUARTERS FOR FAMILIES
1T is Inevitable in the opinion of
all, that regardless of matters of quar-
tiers now being secured here, tho city
VI VIII 10 CdiiCo dpOa W
large attention to the presence Of the
soldiers" declared John E. Lathrop.
representing tho War Department on
Training Camp Activities. last night.
III all signs fail not, Richmond will
have to supply living quarters for fam
lilies of officers and privates. How
ever. as soon as that need appears.
already made, provision may be quick
w YnadA cara for the demand In
Richmond
Much the Same view was held by
army officers OF the camp and promi-
nent Richmond business men. Dis
cussing this phase of the matter .ast
night. S. Dabney Crenshaw. president
of the Virginia-Carolina Chemical
Company. said that he recently visited
the training camp at Fort Niagara. Just
out of Buffalo.
There were more than $500 men
In the camp. with an aviation camp
between the fort and the city" he
said. For the forty-three miles from
Buffalo saw automobiles literally
lining the brick road, as thickly al
most as you would see them on a
crowded street in Richmond.
hosts OF FRIENDS OF MEN
In CAMP PAY THEM VISITS
Every room in that region near the
fort was taken. Reservations were
necessary a week ahead II you pro-
cured accommodations. Hosts Of friends
OF the young officer candidates for COM
missions were there. their wives, sweet
hearts and sisters, mothers. fathers
and brothers and others interested In
them. When 1 remember that there
will be at Camp Lee not $500 ohcers
only. but 5000 officers and $4,000 pri-
Yates. of the latter many of which
will be receiving visits from relatives
and members OF their families. I find II
not difficult to stimulate my imaEina- :
tion to comprehension of the task
OF caring for the men at this camp.
Richmond will be called upon to do
a large share Of this work. We should
be ready. with transportation. standard
trolley and highway facilities. and &C
commodations here, such as the needs
of the situation appear to demand"
One OF the officers now stationed at
Camp Lee declared that within two
weeks after the arrival OF the soldiers.
Petersburg would be literally swarnPed
with people, and that the stores would
be bought out and restaurants packed.
Hotel dining-rooms, he said. would have
lines of people waiting to be served,
motion picture theaters would be filled
to capacity. with hundreds Of people
going unaccommodated.
PAYROLL TO BE MORE
THAN $3,0O0,0OO FER MONTH
The streets of Petersburg will be
filled from building line to building
line in the downtown sections" he
said. land men will be everywhere.
They will have money to spend. for
every month tho pay roll of the camp
officers and men will be moro than 3d.
100000. And, at the same time, with
all the conditions in that city. there
will be an immense overflow to Rich
mond, for that city will be unable to
accommodate the tremendous business.
ut seems to be the consensus Of
opinion that every merchant should
hurry orders by telegraph for all kinds
Of supplies. 1 fear they have not con-
ccived the size of the task OF supply
ing the demands of the men. They
will nee,l untold quantities OF food
stuffs. underwear, cigars, cigarettes and
tobacco. and all kinds of supplies"
Another officer. who was at Platts-
burg for some time. said that condi-
tons at that camp justified the pre-
diction that In Petersburg there is
going to be serious shortage Of al
most everything that merchants SELL
accommodations in eating places, ana
Of means for amusement and recrea-
ton. There were more than 400 jitneys
at Plattsburg, he said. and IL these
transportation facilities had not been
available the men would have been con-
fronted by serious problem. despite
the fact that an excellent electric