The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-06-14
BIG AVIATION CITY
SCHOOL TO TRAIN CANDIDATES
FOR COMMISSIONS is LIVELY
Is At Rantoul. ILL.,, And 1900 or More
Mechanics Busy Putting Up Fifty
Nine Modern neutrality-suspicious.
Wake Up and Real Estate Jumps.

Rantoul, ILL.,. June 1.-THE latest ap.
proaeh to "a town sprung up over
night" is being constructed on the new
army aviation training field here More
than 1900 men, working Sundays and
holidays, are putting up fifty.nine build
ings and by July 20 it is expected that
that the population Of this town will
have increased from 1850 to about
5000.
The site at Rantoul is one Of eight Sc
lected fo aiming men seeking commits.
sions in Al,, rye corps of the aviation
section .. 'toho The stations al
Chicago ana 'csI l., have oeen
for several weeks ''ote,. ,rs in the
central department OF |,b ~e be
ing rushed TO completion a, d.,
and Detroit, Mich
The local station Is about IS miles
north Of Urbana where, at the Universi-
~ Of Illinois, most OF the student avia-
tors who will be turned loose" here,
are to receive their theoretical training
The site was selected May p, and the
following day the contract was let 10 a
firm at Champaign. H., for the construc-
ton Of fifty-three buildings on the Gao.
acre tract. Last week six more hang
ars were added to the original number,
making fifty.nine TO be ready for use
July 20. This means the completion Of
one building a day on an average.
Contractors Are Delayed.
The contractors have been delayed in
their work by a shortage OF material
but already ll5 carloads have been used
and there are forty carloads of lumber
intransit. II il estimated that more
than 100000 feet OF lumber and forty
tons Of nails viii will he used. An lum.
Der is being shipped from southern
| points. The Kankakee a Urbana Trac.
tion Company has built spur into the
field and ears are being switched from
the Illinois Central railroad to the trac.
ton line.
Buildings are being erected along the
entire length OF the north side OF the
field. as follows:
Eighteen hangers. G6xl20: ten off
GERS quarters, 2iX134; commanding off
fers' residence. 25x3l; officers club
4Ox7S; hospital 7SxllS six mess halls
/ 20XllS; six cantonments or barracks
20XSC; power house. 35x37; gymnasium
two lattrines, l4x36: guard house, 20x5O
school house. 96x2O0; aero supplies
66Xl25; administration building. 4OxSO
dope" house. 35x62 gasoline storageD
blacksmith shop 2Gx6O. garage. 6Gx2oi
machine shop, e6xi25; post exchange
4Ox62' Y. NJ. c. a. building.
Field l. Mile square.
Every building viii be strictly modern
thoroughly equipped and will be heated
from central station. Electricity and
water viii come from the local munici
pal plants.
The field which is a mile square form
erly had three sets OF up.todate farm
improvements on II. but all are beinl
torn down or moved off and the trees
shrubbery hedges and fences are beinr
pulled. \ gang OF men with teams 4,
levellng the tract and when completed
II viii be as flat as Il Is possible tC
make II and will be sown TO grass.
The people OF Rantoul are Just bekin
ming to realize the effect the field vii
have upon the life OF the village. Al
ready business in every line has In
creased. Property Is being bought ant
sold at big figures; new businesses ar,
being started, and there Is activity OF
all sides. The town expects to enter
tain hundreds OF visitors daily. beside.
trlpllng its population.