The Dickinson press., 1917-10-06
Thousands of Soldiers Rally
to the Colors at Camp Dodge
Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 2, 1917.

DeS MONIES, Iowa, OcI. u A'A'
Just suppose that a stranger were
to come into your county, go u mt
the country eleven miles from tn
county seat, drive a stake in the cen
lei of a 4,OOO-acre farm and declare
that; within three months he proposed
to erect buildings enough to house
$4,000 people what would you think O.
it? That's what happened to tn
farming community occupying the
most fertile tract in the World' pc
tween Beaver creek and the DE!
Moines river, eleven miles northWes'
of Des Moincs. When the matter wa!
first suggested it seemed too stipend
Gus for accomplishment. People OK
not see how it was possible to droI
into the center of a corn field, within
three months, a city tie size of Daven'
export, equipped with paved stfeetS' {
water system, sewerage. elcctrlc llgnC'
ing and all of the pcrqulsltcs Oh Il nm
ished municipality. But that IS JUS
what has happened and Camp Dod@
with it's great frame structures
equipped with all modern conven'
fences, is now receiving the men "hlcf
are to constitute the population OF
this mushroom city. Those accuS-
toned to gaze upon the fertile fields
of the Beaver valley, admire its a
stretches of woodlands, farmsteads
and meadows can hardly realize that
within so short a time such a wonder
full change has been wrought: -,
The farmers in that locality, like
the farmers elsewhere in this goodly
commonwealth, we're striving to 10
their bit in providing food that should
sustain the armies engaged in that
awful struggle across the sea. They
had planted every nook and corner to
something but ere the time OF harvest
arrived 1900 buildings occupied the
land and the tread of Il mighty army,
with flags flying, the air pierced with
the flare Of trumpets, and the stern
command of hundreds Of officers made
the transformation seem like a dream.
Some Cantonment Figures.
The 18th Army Cantonment occupies
4,3OO acres of ground. OF this AMOUNT
the United States government owns
500 acres; the state of Iowa owns
$50 and there are rented from % DIFF
fercnt land owners, 2,94O acres This
season the farmers receive S9.4o per
acre rent and whatever price may DC
agreed upon for the DESTRUCTION OF inc
growing crops. Next season the rem
al will be $11.3S per acre. Inc n
is paid monthly and amounts TO
$;33,45G per year. The land stretcles
from Beaver creek to the Des MONIES
river and bcyond-a distance from
east to west of 3.75 miles and from
north to south a distance OF Z.oC
miles. This makes a distance or yer
five miles from the entrance at the
southeast corner to the extreme limit
at the northwest corner at the town
of Hcrold. The land is valued at
100000. >,
In the beginning Of the work al
streets and alleys were land u .
sewerage system was planned ano
water mains located. The result Is
that there are 10 miles OF paved
streets and 10 miles of graveied nigh
ways. The w proper is thfec
miles long, made Of 3O-inch sewer
pipe and throughout the grounds are
IS miles of sewers and laterals
There are 81 miles of water and
laterals and a million gallon cement
reservoir on the top Of a hill over
looking the buildings. The water Is
supplied from a we'll so feet in diane
ter in a sandy formation on the banks
of the Des Moines river. Three rotary
pumps capable of throwing a million
and a half gallons Of water a day are
run by electric meters. Three 1lre
companies are on duty at different
points on the grounds and all tlre
equipment is propelled by electric
motors. 1t required 2S dltchlng' ma
chimes to construct the sewers, MAKE
bitches for water mains and the like
In some places the w was place.
at a depth of "a feet.
Many Buildings Required.
There are 1878 buildings for the
housing of the soldiers and for gener-
al purposes. These are all built after
a uniform pattern and present a mos
fascinating appearance. Each pulld'
ing will afford quarters for $50 mer
and is equipped with shower baths
water closets and all modern con
yeniences. In addition to the barracks
are At hospital buildings. The Y: M
C, A.. will have a number of buildings
and there will be libraries, canteens
and the like which will bring the mum
Der of buildings up to arouEd l,'Vo
In addition to the quarters for the
men comes the buildings for the re,
mount, 42S in number. The exac
number of troops to be cared for VII
be Al, 1858 and the remount station VII
add several thousand more. upon the
military tract there will be l4,OO(
horses and mules for artillery service
and other purposes. At the remoun1
there will be room for 10000 animals
Horses and mules will be concentrated
here for army use and with this as q
distributing point shipment will be
made to military posts all over the
country and to the battletlelds IN
France.
Men Responsible for the Constructive
Work.
The contract for the construction OF
the buildings at Camp Dodge was let
by the government to Charles Weltz
& Sons Company of Des Moines. All
of the other contractors in the city
are affiliated with them in order that
every available mechanic might be
utilized in getting the work completed
on time. The contractors are to re.
ceive ten per cent above the actual
cost of construction as compensation
The employment of such a large force
of laborers and the expenditure of sc
large a sum Of money for materia.
imposed a tremendous responsibility
upon the contractors. The banks Of
Des Moines furnished the necessary
credit. With all Of the skill and diplo'
macy of the contractors it took mill
tary discipline and methods to push
the work. The genius who contributed
this. feature to the enterprise is
Major Willard A. Butler, constructing
quartermaster at Camp Dodge. HI