The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-01-08
new BELVOIR CAMP
WILL BRING TRADE
VALUE TO CAPITAL

with work on the big army canton
ment at Belvoir, Va, actually under
way today, business men in Washing
ton considered the establishment OF
the engineering training school 80
close to Washington Of greater i'm
portance to the commercial life Of the
city than Camp Meade.
Announcement that the Govern
ment had let contracts to erect can
Torment at Belvoir nearly as large AZ
Camp Meade, as published exclusively
IN The Times yesterday, was received
with enthusiasm by business men of
the city according to Thomas Grant
secretary of the Chamber OF Com
merce.
"a camp the size OF this at BelvoIr
should really mean more to Wash
inEton than Camp Meade" he said.
"Belvoir will only have one terminus
and that will be Washington. Most
of the things the soldiers buy will be
bought from Washington merchants
Men from Camp Meade divide their pa
tronage with Baltimore. Even II the
camp is not quite, as large as Camp
Meade to begin with II should mean
more In dollars and cents 70 wash
ington.
small Camp EgtabIiShed.
At BelvoIf there IL already q small
camp of engineers housing about q
thousand men. When the new camp
il completed that number will be IN
creased by $1,000. All to be trained as
engineers.
The situation 10 ideal for the pur-
nose for which st has been selected.
1t is on q broad plain by the side or
the Potomac river, sixteen miles be-
low theScity, and offers wide, level
spaces for the erection OF barracks
and other camp buildings. The near
ness of the river makes the drainage
problem q simple one, and also offers
a means of transportation independ-
ent Of railroads for the bringing up
OF the lumber and Rother materials
necessary for construction.
aOIA white House Tract"
The site Is interesting to all who
have studied the history OF this part
Of the country. It Is now known~Gs
the old White House Tract" and was
at one time part of the lands owned
by George Washington In his estate
at Mt, Vernon, nearby. Before that
time 1t was the property Of Lord Fair
fax. one OF the old landed proprietors
Of Virginia and the founder OF the
county that still bears his name.
4 It abounds IN old relics dating from
times before the Revolutionary war.
OfnciAls at the War Department say
that the public need not fear their
destruction, as every care VIII be
taken for their preservation during
and after the work of camp con-
struction.
Belvoir, which must not be con-
fused with smother place OF the saEne
name in FauQuier county, Va, can be
reached from Washington by the Mt.
Vernon trolley lines and also by rail-
road. Both the trolley and the rail-
road do not approach the camp itself,
going only to Accotink, which IL dis
tant from the camp by two miles
TraAsportation Made Easy.
= Transportation to and from the
camp for the engineers now there IL
furnished by the War Department in
the shape OF q steamer on the river
and by motor truck trains. As the
camp grows in size and the number
OF its occupants increases, the sys-
tenn will be expanded to meet the in.
creased demand.
Belvoir will be the FIRST Of the very
large camps to be devoted to train
ing only men for one branch OF the
service. As the plans now stand,
only members Of the engineering
corps will be stationed there. II IL
the plan OF the War Department to
train engineers for overseas service
in environments separate from the
other divisions Of the army, and the |