The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-07

the plates, manufacture the riveIs anu
punch the holes The whole order VIII
require about $4,000 tons of steel thus
worked into parts; and when the work
is well under way it will take some
thing like 500 cars daily to bring in the
material The dailyA train required fol
that purpose if the cars were all joined
together, would be four miles in length
Inside the yard itself there are now
more than 50 miles of railroad tracks,
and the rolling stock includes % loco
motives, 800 freight cars and 80 passenger
coaches. The job will require electrical
equipment including 600 motors, and tho
current used Will be that equal to the
demands of a city of a quarter of mill
lion people, or, for instance, Providence.
r. l. Much of the pneumatic machinery
is to operated by compressed air. The
compressed air plant is the largest in
the world, excepting only those in the
gold mines of the Rand, in South Africa.
We make our way from Philadel-
phia out to Hog Island in an automo-
bile, winding back and forth through
tie long lines of trucks carving ma
terials. We are stopped at the gates
by uniformed guards and the automo :
bile is searched. The men look under
the hood of tho machine and make
us lift the seats to show that no dyna-
mite or other explosive is concealed
there. The government already has
between s2o.o00,o0o and ss0.ooo.00o in
vested in the Hog Island plant and IA
bomb or fire could do endless dam
age. 1t is for this reason that the
big fence. with barbed wire guards,
was built, and for the same reason
no one is admitted to the yards with
out pass and every vehicle that goes
in is carefully examined
In moving about through the yards
one must keep his pass in his hand.
There are 500 guards inside the plant
including mounted guards. who ride
back and forth There aret men OF,
top of some of the buildings on the
lookout for fires. and the greatest o!
precautions are taken 1t seemed to
me that I showed my pass to every
one of the 500 guards. | was stopped
again and again. and that notwith-
standing ] was accompanied by one OF
| the highest officials of the company
i When | entered the administration
| building, where the plans and Other
P, papers are kept. I had to pass .we
| soldiers who had guns at their sides
| and down among tho shipways on this
| banks of the Delaware river three
| lnsty officers with clubs in their hand,
held me up while they looked over my
| passport.
/ One of the best views of the Hoo
| Island activities can be had from til.
J tower of the administration building
Let us climb to the top and look owe
the shipyards We are 60 feet aboy,
| what four months ago was one vas
wilderness, with here and there lit
tie farm growing out of the bushe
and grass. Now we can see building
going up on all sides of US. almost a
far as the eve can reach. Right unde
us are all the engineers offices whicl
4 have just been completed and beyond
running back from the planked roads
are frame buildings of two stories
| enough to make good sized city
There are acres of barracks for hous
ing the men. great stables for hun
dreds of horses and mess halls wher
5000 and more can be fed at one Tins
Very near us is the Y. NJ. c. A., which
when in full swing. will be the larges
industrial Y. NJ C. A. of the world. |
will have a moving picture theatre.
large auditorium, a poolroom, wit
IL tables, and halls for bowling, box
ing and wrestling A great deal .
welfare work has already been start
ed. The laborers who come in froi
| everywhere are constantly changing
| and already more than 100000 me
have had a hand in the work. On on
day of last month 10000 men were o
the job.
u Looking from the ton of the admin