Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-12
WAR DEPARTMENT
TAKES CAMP AWAY
FROM PETERSBURG
No Official Explanation Is
Given as to Cause for
Orders Revocation.
RAILROAD FACILITIES
AND LABOR SUGGESTED
Protest Against It's Location
Near Hopewell by Du Points
Also Alleged.
RICHMOND MAY MAKE EFFORT
This City and Manassas Nominate,Y
Tor Consideration by DeIcga-
tion in Congress.
RICHMOND MAY MAKE EFFORT

IHnecial 10 The Times -Dispatch.
iiNE ION. June ll.-Secretary
OF war Baker to-day revoked the order
issued by the. War Department IN Sal,
urday locating one of the sixteen a rn,v
'a"'ohmentS at Petersburg. Va. and by
that act seemed to assure the loca tto,
OIL this camp AT admiral, Md.
The announcement of the secre+,rv
came as great surprise and as a dis
tinct shock to the Virginians I'm Con.
EreSS. who had regarded the statement
issued on Saturday as final. Effort.
nave been made all day by the vir.
sinia delegation to bring about \ re-
consideration of the revocation order
Dht theSe have been unavailing 49,
In giving out the order TODAY tb.
secretary merely said that "the an
proVai OF Petersburg. Va. for ma
tlohai army cantonmcnt site Is reS
'oked. No official explanation what
ever was given. but from other source.
1t was learned that the department wa,
moved by four considerations. Thev
We're: -.
FIRST. The conclusion that Admiral
Md. presents superior advantages. from
Il military standpoint. to the PETERSBURG
camp
second. me fact ascertained upon
further investigation that the railroad
facilities at Petersburg are not ade-
quate.
Third. Labor conditions at Peters,
burg are not such as assure the gov
ernment of sufficient help in building
the cantonmcnt
Fourth. The protest against the site
at Petersburg by the Du Points, at
Hopcwell. Va.
Thcse in substance. we're the reasons
advanced by War Department officials
this afternoon when Virginia members
OF Congress called upon them for in
formation.
RICHMOND AND MANASSAS
NOMINATED FOR CONSIDERATION
Accepting the decision announced to.
day with respect to Petersburg as con-
elusive, the Firginians have now NOM
mated two other sites. one at Richmond
and the other at Manassas.
Whether Roadway can be made bv
the advocates of either of these sites.
as against that in Maryland. remains
10 he seen. The same commission
which surveyed Petersburg made the
survey at Admiral, and is known to
have told certain Nirginians that they
had approved the Maryland property,
upon the understanding that two en-
cainpmentS would be authorized
1t is evident to-day that the War
department Will locate only one can
comment IN this immediate section and
mat 1t Will either he in Maryland or
at one Of the new points proposed in
Virginia.
Virginia members of Congress were
dumfuundcd when informed by The
Times Dispatch correspondent this
morning that the government had aban-
doncd the Petersburg site. They had
been led to believe that every military
condition imposed by the government
had been met by the Virginia city. and
could not understand why railroad fa-
cilitics and labor conditions could Be
found satisfactory on Saturday and un.
satisfactory on Monday.
PROTESTS ny DU POINTS
Is NOT UNDERSTOOD
The protest Of the Du Pont interests
at Hopeweli against a cantonmept at
Petersburg has not been explained here
to-day II is assumed that the cor
poration feared the loss of much OF its
labor ii the cantonmcnt builders should
begin bidding for men. The mere fact
that petersburg is III close proximity
to iiopewen does not appeal to Vir-
ginians here as Il reason in itself why
the camp should be elsewhere. This
fact. OF course. was Just as well known
to the army officers Saturday as 1t
Is to-day. From inquiries made at tho
War Department to-day by Virginia
Senators and congressman. 1t is as
sumcd that there Is liitle or no likelt-
hood that the department will recon-
slider it's revocation order. The only
chance OF the location OF camp I'm
Virginia seems to depend upon the
strength OF the claims which may be