New-York tribune., 1918-02-18
y. S. Army Camps
Built on Uniform
U-Shaped Lines
Major Granville Fortescue
Gives Picture of Housing
Methods Employed

MAYOR Granville Fortescue, y S. A.,
IN communi ication to the National
Geographic Society gives concise
picture of the cantonments in which
Americas new National. Army is being
housed during its period of training
before embarking for service in France.
A part Of Major Tortescue's commune
cation is issued by the society as a
bulletin in its war geography series,
as follows:
While the ground, or terrain. as it
is called in military phraseology, in
some cases necessitated variation in
the outline of the streets of the camps,
the standardized shape of the sixteen
National Army cantonments is similar
to the letter "U," with division head
quarters situated at the bend of the
letter and the soldiers houses spread
regularly through the branches.
1t is seen at once that this plan
gives highly centralized city loca-
tion. Although the measured outlines
of the branches of the "U" equal two
and half miles and sometimes more
on the ground, all units are compact
in themselves and closely united to
headquarters. OF additional military
advantage is the fact that the camp
is located so that the receiving depots
and supply warehouses are built facing
railroad spurs. paralleling the long side
branches of the "U," thus making for
the rapid distribution Of supplies in
the present, while assuring the facile
embarkation of troops in the future
This is the ideal outline. Needless
to say, it has been varied. There are
Nv" shaped camps, which maintain the
same principles, while Camp Lee re-
sembles a hugh a." These variations
are due to the accidents of the ground
selected for the cantonmcnt, for as
far as practicable buildings are erected
along the high points.
The main street" Of the soldier city
winds from end to end through the
trace of the outline. This is a broad
avenue, separating the officers quarters
from the barracks OF the soldiers,
about 100 feet wide and more than two
and one-half miles in length. Branch
streets running at right angles to this
boulevard separate the battalons of
the division and wider avenues the regi-
ments, these latter serving as fire
breaks" Remember, in a city where all
the buildings are of pine fire break
is an obvious precaution.
these battalion and regmental
streets are about 200 yards long, and
form IN themselves compact social
areas.
Keeping this general plan of the SOL
der city in mind, consider the differ
ent municipal problems involved in
providing homes, food water and sani-
tary accommodations for as many peo-
pie as live in Atlantic City, or Augusta,
Ga, or Havcrhill, Mass, or Lincoln,
Neb., or Bay City, Mich, or Sacrament
to. and you begin to grasp what the
War Department has effected in each
one Of the selected cantonment sites;
then multiply by sixteen for the total
labor involved.
The man who planned these cities
sought no aesthetic municipal effect;
utility was the keynote throughout.
and the grenadier-like formations of
the row following row of buildings
might be criticised on the score of
monotony; but for convenience of the
officers and men who are working and
training fourteen hours each day to the
end Of creating the National Army
they closely approach the ideal.
The new soldiers live within three
minutes march of their work. They
have but to cross the main camp road,
pass the officers quarters, and they pa
rade drill ground suitable for the
work of any unit, from squad to
regiment. In word, officers and SOL
diers live with their work
In their unpainted rawness the
houses of this city again bring to mind
the new mining camp, but no mining
camp ever boasted the water, light and
plumbing instalments Of the canton
ment. You will search in vain for
architectural embellishments in any
building from one end Of the canton
ment to the other, but in every bar
racks and quarters you enter you will
find all The items included in the gen
eral term modern conveniences-from
electric lights to shower baths. These
convcniences. which in the United
States we have come to look upon in
the light Of necessities, temper the raw
and Spartan simplicity of the buildings.
The officers quarters have no advan-
tages not vouchsafed. the men, except
the very necessary one of privacy.
Their quarters are long, low buildings
about 2o feet wide by $50 feet long.
The battalion ommander-remembe
the battalion is the cantonment street
unit-lives in two rooms at one end Of
this building, his captains and lieu
tenants have each one room throughout
its length, and at the end are the bat
TALON mess and kitchen. The arrange