Evening journal., 1918-09-27
BY FREDERICK VI. KERRY.
IN. +. a. STAFF Correspondent

Passed by L. S. Censor.)
ABERDEEN. Md, sept. 27-The near
est approach TO real war in America To-
day is here at the great new army
ordnance proving ground on Chesa-
peake Bay, 20 miles north OF Balti-
more.
Standing behind the main proof bat
terry, and watching the sweating gun
crews feed the big guns: waiting for
the captains whistle that signals us TO
] put fingers TO ears to muffle the sound
Of the explosion, and looking for the
white puff-balls OF shrapnel smoke
breaking down the 7,5OO-yard range.
gave me some idea Of the artilleryman's
job lover there"
The Aberdeen proving ground is the
! largest in the United States. 10 Is f.
miles long and 7 miles wide at the
widest point, containing some 5000
acres.
Last December il was farm land.
dotted with houses and barns. Today.
under Colonel VIM. 4. Phillips, the
commanding officer, $50 officers and
$500 enlisted men arc tOiling night and
day testing guns, shells. powder bombs,
grcnades, mOrtars and every Kind Of
ordnance before it goes overseas. Aud
while the big and little guns roar all
day. $500 civilians are labOring al con-
struction work, some Of which cannot
be finished for two years.
Besides the main proof battery range,
thGrc is a water range, guarded by
patrol boats far out in the bay. over
which are tested heavy guns, railway
mounts, and coast defense guns and
mortars: three detonating ranges for
exploding shrapncl and testing fuses;
a trench warfare range where trench
mortars, hand and rifle grenades and
anti-aircraft guns are tested. and an
aviation and bomb-droppng field.
Every day some 1000 rounds OF am
munition are fired. In addition. shells
are exploded underground in a packing
of earth 30 determine the degree ~
"fragmcntation - fuses are tested;
powder is tested: and all sorts OF freak
types Of tanks, gun mouths, and so on,
are tried out.
The FIRST guns were fired at Aberr-
deem, on January ?, while gangs Of men
were still toiling TO get barracks up
and the grounds ready for use. So
~ NN0lll- uH illf llEfA AlimN SUM WI
sent before there was any adequate
provision for testing them. Now, how
ever. the grounds are laid out, rail-
road line runs 10 the main line Of the
Pennsylvania at Aberdeen station. flr-
ing towers are built. telephones, con-
crete roads. barracks. mess halls and
executive Offices are installed. and the
work still TO be done is Of less press /
ing character.
The reservation is laid out with the |
barracks and executive offices at the |
northern end. South are the proving |
grounds. There is a dead line across /
which no man may go except on duty, |
and beyond which no lighted match or /
cigarette is permitted Here are the /
sheds, filled with every /
type Of shell used by our army. Here /
is a temperature house with refriger-
ator plant 20 maintain powder at an
even temperature before test. South Of
these buildings Is a concrete platform,
about the width Of a city street. served
by a railroad line and cranes for lift
ing off the big guns. Along the edge
Of this slots are cut In which the gun
rest. This Is the main proof
batteryI
The central obervation tower behind /
Ihe guns conducts the flrings. and re-
,ciyes reports Of the result Of shots by