Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-25
TO FAVOR LOCAL MARKETS
IN BUILDING ARMY CAMPS
War Department Officials Announce
Policy in Regard to Construc- 4
ton Of Cantonmcnts.
PRICES MUST BE SATISFACTORY.
Later, After Men Are Modified.
Nearby Sources Will Be Looked
To for Supplies-Richmond Will
Profit From Petersburg Carup. s

Especial to The Times Dispatch.1
WASHINGTON. June 24.-War De-
partmcnt officials have made 1t clear
mcnts. wherever possible. will favor5n
local markets in the purchase of the
enormous amounts OF materials used In
building these camps as we'll as the Il
supplies required for finishing them. 80
Assuming the pricesIto be sattsfac-1
tory. all the lumber. cement, stone.
gravel. roofing and other building ma-,s
terials which must be purchased wil1sN
be bid for in the nearest market to the 2
camp itself. The same is true of
plumbing supplies bedding, Blankets.
linens and innumerable other suppliesai
necessary to fit out the barracks. An
Once the encampments begin-and
$1,000 or more are to be fed as welk'4
as houscd-the army expects to turn
first to local sources of food supplies. 4
II these are not sufficient. then the III
quartermaster officers will go elsewhere. .
to purchase subsistence
All this means that Richmond is to-
profit to greater extent than any,
other city through the location of the
Petersburg encampment at the door of
the city More than s5,00o,000 will bes. .
expended by the contractors in mate /,
rails and building supplies. How many t.
millions will be expended during the :.
encampment for subsistence has not
been calculated
The prime consideration in fxinEs'
this policy Is tho necessity OF quick
deliveries. The environments are needed
by September l. All Of them may not !.
be finished by then but most Of them
must be ready by that date to receive
part. IL not all, of their respective.,t
quotas. -
LOOK FOR MATERIALS
TO NEAREST MARKETS
The various contractors. in order to-
Keep their engagement with the gov-s'
eminent. must turn to the nearest
markets for materials. They cannotSf.
wait for all these supplies to bet.
shipped across the continent or everfI
halfway across. This is particularly
true OF the lumber required. Railroads'h
will be required to give preterrednt
but IL these may be had within half Al
days haul of the camp site. just that
much time will be saved 3W
The committee on supplies OF the
Council OF National Defense has un-%
Certaken to assist the War DEPART
ment in producing some Of the eauip...
ment for the environments. That com-ti
mittce has concluded negotiations
looking to the production OF duck ana
canvas and has issued the following
statement in that connections: So.
six weeks ago, 1t is made known, {.
100000 yards of duck for tents, y
motor-truck covering, lcggins. haver-.
sacks and other equipment were needed
at once by the government for equip-s.
ping the cantonments. The duck mills
OF the country were unable to produce
more than 20.ooo,o00 yards before the-;
hrst of next January. The remaining
100000 needed the committee on
supplies undertook to get by encourage
ing manufacturers who were making.
carpets and other kinds OF cotton tex-.~
tiles to turn their plants to duck..s
making. Hundreds of looms were.
changed. and builders stocks were
altered SO extensively that many mills
without facilities for making yarns
encountered serious shortage of then,.,,
1t. therefore. became necessary to OBJ
tain cooperation of the yarn-makers,
Now a yarn committee has been orsan-.I
lied, representing twenty major spin.
ming manufacturers and dealers 1t
will stimulate the production of yarn
and adjust the supply to the require
ments of the mills and of the govern
ment."