The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-13
LOCAL BUILDERS HAPPY
over WORK At CAMP Lee
Completion Of Cantonment on Sep.
tember VIII Release Men for
Employment Here
MUCH CITY WORK DELAYED.
Engineers SaviIle and Claiborne
Rushing Uncle Sans Barracks to
Early Completion-Great City fos
Soldiers.

Richmond builders are happy over
information that the great canton.
ment now in course OF construction
near Petersburg will be completed by
September /. Local and Petersburg
contractors have been hard pushed
in securing men for their work, be-
cause of the demand for carpenters
particularly by the government con.
tractors, and as a result much private
work has been delayed.
Much credit Is being given the snsf-
neers In charge of the Camp Lee
work. for their efforts to complete
the work on the contonment in con.
tract time. The engineers are Rich.
mond men. Messrs Allen J. Saville and
II. A. Claiborne. who are fully awake
TO the serious need of workmen by
the private contractors. and they are
doing all possible for their relief.
More than 1900 men are at work
pushing the cantonment to compile
ton. city larger than Petersburg
10 arising from the fertile farms OF
Prince George county. which three
months ago was covered with growing
crops and waving fields Of grain. BY
September this city for soldiers will
be ready for Uncle Sam. and the nrst
of the 10000 population will be
marching into their temporary homes.
where they will so into intensive
training for the stern duties occa-
stoned by the war.
Richmonders Visit Camp.
A party Of Richmonders. as guests
of Major Charles O. Saville, father OF
engineer Saville, clerk OF chancery
court, visited the contonment during
the week They were taken In hand
by the engineers and L. S. ofiicers.
and shown what had been done to-
ward completing the great camp. OF
which Camp Lee is but one OF six
teen scattered in various sections OF
the country to receive the new United
States army. in its preparations for
entrance into the battlenelds OF
Europe. A wonderful scene presented
itself Thousands of expert mech
anics. engineers. and laborers were
as busy as bees erecting the barracks.
officers buildings. observatories water
tanks. and all accessories that go TO
make I'D a modern city. including Y.
NJ c. A. buildings and theaters.
The barracks for the men are two
story buildings. forty-three feet wide
and of different lengths, according to
the number Of men to be housed.
They will be we'll ventilated. At one
end is a single story kitchen. with a
pantry and sleeping room for the
cooks A large counter separates the
kitchen from the mess hall. where all
the men living in the barracks VIII
eat In the center of the first moor Is
a company hall. with doors leading
out on each side OF the building, and
a stairway through the floor above.
This company hall separates the kit
chen from the first floor dormitor1es.
Heat and Light.
The cantonment Will be lighted by
electricity, furnished by the Virginia
| Railway and Power company from
Petersburg. and will be heated by
steam and stoves. The latter method
will prevail in all the Southern can
comments. while the camps In the
North will be heated by steam. alone.
In the part of Richmonders were
Mayor Ainslie, City Engineer Boiling,
Superintendent Knowles. Of the gas
department. Judges Richardson.
Moncure, Grinnan. and number OF
others.
Among the buildings which have
been delayed in construction by the
call from Uncle Sam. is the How1tzers
annex. upon which sll3'ooo 10 ping
spent. The contractor has been COM
PEELED to stop work entirely from time
to time, and the administrative board
has CONSIDERABLY extended the time
from time to time. Others contrac-
tors whose work is being retarded.
are those who are improving the
shockoe creek bed and the Bacon's
Quarter branch sewers This work
has also been extended by the admin
:strative board.
Thanks to the energetic work OF
the engineers and the contractors on
the contonmant at Camp Lee" said
a member OF the administrative board
yesterday. I'VE may be able to proceed
with much delayed work in the city"
| Camp Lee will provide quarters for
the drafted men from Virginia. Mary
| land District OF Columbia, New Jer.
sey and Delaware.