Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-21
HIVE OF INDUSTRY
IS OLD CITY HALL
THESE WAR DAYS
Wilmingtonians Really Know But
Little of Vast Red Cross Ac-
tivitics Centered There.
HEART OF STATES WORK

The old City Hall, for years the center
OF the city's municipal activities until
the new Public Building rclcgated il to
the background, Is still the heart of Will
mington IN most important respect No
longer the seat OF the city government,
this old building, which long ago was the
scene of reception To Lafayette and other
historical pcrsonages, rs we'll as town
meetings" to settle matters OF vital nm
port to the community, Is the headq'aft-
crs of the Red Cross work ot the whole
state, and the place from which the
activities of the Delaware Chapter are
controlled.
Many people do not realize the great
amount of work now being done IN thls oid
building for each woman who enters us
p doors is so concerned with her own par
ticI,lar iob that she fails to realize the whole
tand broader scope of the work. This Is
the center from which materials are sent
ont to the many workers all over the city.
and where materials are prepared Tor
shipment to the Red ross stations ot the
State. The completed articles made IN the
thousands of homes and work Centers are
sent back to this building, and after a
careful inspection 10 insure their quality,
are packed IN strong cases for shipment To
the division headquarters IN PhIladel-
phia, and from there to Europe
Much LABOR EXTENDED.
ill this preparation and inspection and
packing requires a great amount ot labor,
which Is done hy women who have by
tins tune had much experience III their
own particular part pf II But besides
beng a distributing center. the old City
Hall IS also one Ut the workrooms in which
materials arc made M INTO the finished
products needed 50 sorcly over seas
On the first fl Dor are located the store
rooms. in which are kept thousands Of
wards OF flannel. muslin and gauzc.
hundreds Of roli4 OF absorbent cotton, and
boxes upon hhxcs of sewing cotton.
needles. tape. buttons and thread. great
lunches of shoeIstrlngs and boxes of string
rs vel as halcs and boxes and bundles Of
al sorts Of other supplies needed in tho
many kinds of work done hy tho Rod
ross 4 very careful account Of this
stock - kept. Tor il ls essential that mn
1crlal all necessary supplies should bc in
sufficient at all times % meet the demand
en- this floor also. tho cutting oi many
Kinds uf garments made tor hospital and
refugee clothing Is done AZ long table,
.u which the material Is carefully spread
uut and cut many thickncsscs AZ time.
with a powerful electric cutter by man
who is trained for this kind ot work. md
who lcvotcs his entire time To this pnr-
tlctllar Job Alter cutting the materials
arc assembled nv women and girls, who
to nto individual bundles, nli tho pieces
ocdcd for one garment. From this floor
- these bundles arc given out to the
q ethers who take them home or 10 other
ar~r rooms at the city and there make
clu up INTO the hospital shirts. or skirts
a.fsa. a..
tc~ or Talamas.
Here also are manV sewing machines
orvcn hN motors. and also here the com
5ictcd garments are carefully inspected
and folded INTO tho compact bundles that
ensure snug packing. Great cases, Of
: e,out wood and standard dimensions that
lave proved 10 be the most satisfactory
for transportation and slowing aboard
ship. arc lined with waterproof paper and
plcked according 70 the methods the Red
ross prescrlbes for this work. Some cases
.re filed with clothing needed by the
hospitals and for relief work among the
1ctugees Others with knit garments for
,IdIcrs in tho camps or with the snowy
SlrCcal dress ngs thousands Of hospitals
require in enormous quantities Last
month POS Of these great cases were pack
CI IN this old building
now THE SECOND FLOOR
The second floor also ls very busy
place, for here wool, knitting Is given out.
directions supplied and the completed
garments Inspected before packing
Cut garments Tor French children are
eI>en ont 10 workers. and the completed
garments received and inspected. In the
large room Is the Office OF the women IN
charge OF the work for the state. and here
also Is Inspected surgical dressings made
III enormous quantities all over the State.
Thousands OF wards OF gauze are used
each month in surgical dressings work
rooms scattered all over the city and are
cut on this floor 1t mas recently been de
cided to cut the gauze for the whole
State at headquarters. Tins greatly in
ereases the work.
Workers are always needed, both at
Headquarters and at the many workrooms
all over the city, for the needs OF our
soldiers and those OF our allies abroad and
OF the civilian population abroad. are ron
IL