Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-02
EVOLVED FOREST INTO
CAMP IN FOUR MONTHS
American Enginee1x Energy md
Push illustrated in Camp
Humphreys Ouct Rise

Washington, July L--rrn1,~f orrns 1zor
Of forest into great military csnp in
four months ~ one Of The achievements
of which the American CorTs Of EnUneers
boasts
Early in February, Csrp AHsn A.
Humphreys, az Belvoir, Va, W. virtually
unknown But American enz.ne--s were
put on the Job and to-day r. is thriving.
pJIlsating camp, = great cTtv in itself
housing some 1000 men. and growing
day by day until by August IL w1ll ac-
commOdate 10000.
Camp Humphreys, named for The
first Chief Of Engineers Of he nifed
states Army. - some twenty miles south
a Washington Just below the town ~
AcotInk. Va. rs confines cover the
historic LORD Fairfax tract; 70 one SIDE
is Mount Vernon. home Of George Wash
ingtOn and 10 the other direction
Gllns1an Hall plantation ana typical
old Southern home OF George Mason.
iltIstrlo,us EirgnIan. author Of the Bill ~
Rights. the famous document winch
Thomas Jefferson made the cornerstone
ii the American Declaration Of indie
pendence. Camp Humphreys : D.
cuiIariy adapted for an engineer training
school. In the hills and valleys America
cltizen-soldiers are symnellng. mining.
CllaTrying, excavatlng, fitting themselves
for work on foreign oattleheids.
The camp IS the only engineer replace
ment camp II the country and I- ls here
the vast supply OF engineers Is 70 be kept
upon which General PershIng viii cal
Tor men 20 expand and repsace engineer
units working with the american over
seas army. Already replacement Units
have been sent across. Eariy IN June
:. so men trained n all ranches oi
engineering work were sent TO PersnIng.
The camp can train, equip anu dispatch
men 10 France At the rate OF 1900
month. and pv the iirst Of the year the
capacity VII be raised 10 500 s month
Seventeen thousand men sro 81 the
camp At present. most 81 Them urAlted
men, and new ones are arriving IRON civil
life every day There Is s continual cot
and now o. troops, men beIng sent scroSs
the Atlantic As fast aS they can be SC
comuodated in france, snd new ones a.
irving 70 take their pisces 1t the schools.
Even alter the war Z Is the government
intention 70 make Camp Humphreys
permanent training camp for engTnesrs
and all work Is being done nth that
scheme IN unnG
One OF he most Interesting Gestures
~
railway which has been constructed Tor
the carrying OF supplies through the
reserv alton. as well as for raining men
ia the construction, operation ana main
teuanee OF hattse-lne railroads. \ NJ
centimeter. narrow gauge road sEeivA
miles ia length similar % he French
roads. coyens the camp, and All DAY
trains OF fat cars and gondolsS run hac>
and forth with construction material ana
supplies The locomotives are huls -
pecially for foreign service, and the power
i furnished BY four-cyliD6er, fitty-horse-
power. gasoline motors. So vel trsIneo
are the Humphreys engineers ShSt nc
! construction gangs can lay track Is the
! rate Of half mile q day
These railways will be taken 70 France
With the railroad engineers and Il vii
| not De long before they VIII be running
/ from the rear lines to the froct, loaded
with shot and shell and guns ioy American
4 infantry and artillery As rapidly s.
{ the battle line changes, the comoas
railway can te moved 70 conform with y.