Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-25
Ten Thousand A ere
Camp in Anne Arun-
del Coun t y Makes
Ideal CantOnment
Bv a star Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION, Md, June 20.
News was received here today that the
Philadelphia troops conscrlpted for the new
national army will train in the canton
n1ent a half mile south Of this place. II
had been supposed that Pennsylvania
troops would be divided in the matter OF
training points with regard 10 their resi-
dence In tho eastern or western parts OF
Pennsylvania. II had been supposed that
troops from the Pittsburgh district would
train here and thooe from Philadelphia at
wrightstown, y. ]. Now the State has
been divided into northern and a south
crn section. and recruits in the southern
half will train at this cantonment.
Philadelphans coming to this point will
find climate much like that Of their own
city Twice last winter did the mercury
drop 10 zero. But this was only for a few
hou-e Snow comes occasionally. but
"lG1m lasts more than n couple Of hours.
The sandy soil enables the moisture to
d'ain off quickly. In summer however.
the air "sorter steams up considerable
H3 they say down here. Yesterday was
cool and delightfully."- breezy Pickaninnies
rolled about in the sun, farmers ratified
lazily around in their jitneys and the typi-
cal somnolence Of Eear-sUmmer ovcrspread
everything.
There is a rather queer story connected
with this particular site and its selection by
army officers for a Government CantOnment
This is a tale Of dreamer's last audaclous
dream and Of how, after lapse Of five
years, It is uncannlly coming true. 1t is
the story Of a mans faith and Of how the
fates, working OBVIOUSLY, fully justified IL as
a rebuke to scoffers. The tones Of fiction
and fable hold nothing more romantic.
About six years ago Richard Respess
came down here into Anne Arundel County
and announced that he was going TO build
city. He chose a spot called Portland. 1t
consisted then Of nothing but a postOfIice
and cleared away some underbrush and
trees.
Here is a place twelve miles as the crow
flies from Baltimore" he argued. 1T is
near two railroads and two branches of an
interurban trolley line. Why should this
not be a city--Respess City-wth a series
Of colonies such as an Italian colony, an
Irish colony and other settlements all
in one?"
FIRST SKEPTICAL, THEN SOOTHING
The natives thought they saw certain in
surmountabe obstacles to the scheme, but
they held their peace while Resposs cleared
away some more ground and tried to inter-
est people in his city. His arguments were
sound, but sorr~t tyw people didn't buy. lie
erected abouS half dozen buildings, in
cluding an oarJ He didn't want the place
TO be n subuS Of Baltimore he wanted IL
to be a cluster Of bodies gathered together
with respect to nationality in separate sec
tors and governing themselves by represen-
tatives
After a while, when few came to pur-
chase, the natives began TO grin. They used
to come around and ask, Where is this
Respess City," and then laugh out loud.
Weeds crept into the streets. which had
been carefully named, and the whrr of
urban Industry and p;casure never dis |
turbed the action Of the crickets in the eve !
hing. The property passed into other hands |