Smyrna times., 1918-10-30
PORT PENN HAVING A BIG
BOOM AS MUNITION CENTER
VILLAGE SPRINGING UP INTO A
TOWN OF 5000 INHABITANTS
Number from Smyrna Working There.
Augustine Piers Hotel Now an
Office Building

Augustine Piers Hotel Now an
Office Building
The village of Port Penn, which has
been slumbering peacefully on the
bank of the Delaware River, about
20 miles below Wilmington since the
landing of William Penn, has been
awakened at last from it's lethargy |
and bids fair to be placed permanently |
on the map as one of the busiest local |
tiles in the State of Delaware. The |
huge bomb-loading plant now being |
constructed by the Fred T. Ley Co.
for the U. S. Ordnance Department is
we'll under way, that it is stated on
reliable authority that it will be the
largest of its character in the world.
Hundreds of acres of farm lands have
been taken over by the government
and the necessary buildings for hOus
ing the workmen are being con-
structed as we'll as an immense COM
missary building, where hundreds of
meals are served each day. The office
building, which is a large twO-stOried
one, is completed and is the center of
all the business. The Government re-
| presentatives, consisting of Major
Gray and captain Douglas, U. S. Ord
nance Department, and a large corps
of assistants occupy the upper floor of
the office building, and the Fred I.
Ley Co. the lower floor. Modern dor
mitories, with steam heat, electric
lights, shower baths, recreation rooms,
etc. for use of the Office force are
nearing completion.
Building Homes For 5000 Workers
To safeguard the homes of munitiOn
workers the Housing Corporation has
adopted the policy of locating new
village settlements at a distance
from the plants. Secretary Baker an
nolnced Wednesday that this plan has
been followed in awarding contracts
for erecting buildings to accommodate
5000 workers of the Port Penn plant
in Delaware. and four thousand work.
ers at EInstOn, n. J. 1t was empha-
sized the adoption of the policy was
not connected with the recent eX-
plOsion at Morgan, n. j. The well
known property at Augustine Beach
has been leased by the government
and the large hotel building situated
thereon is being completely rehabili-
tated for use as quarters for the
United States Army officers connected
with the plant. A single track, stand
ard gauge railroad spur has been laid
from Mt. Pleasant, on the Delaware
Division of the Pennsylvania r. R.,
to tn plant and is being made per-
manent with rock ballast. Already
long trains of heavily loaded freight
care are arriving day and night, q
score or more of steam shovels are
busily engaged in making roads, etc
about the plant, and the county dirt
road from Boyd's corner to Port Penn
is also rapidly put in good shape be
fore the outset of the winter season
in order that there may be no delay il
the delivery of materials by the i'm
mense fleet of motor trucks now en-
gagged in transferring building ma
terials, machinery, food stuffs., etc
from Wilmington & Philadelphia, a
well as more distant points.
River Front Presents a Busy Scene
The river front presents a bus
scene with numerous derdges, pill
drivers, etc. going at full speed to re
store the river bank, which was badl
damaged by the four-day north-easte
of April last. A massive concret
bulkhead is being constructed, prepal
atory to building of one of the lars
est wharves on the Delaware River, ;
! which point the product of the plar
will be loaded directly on ships fl
transportation to the battle fields
Europe. A complete system of polit
! and fire protection has been estal
lished. Uniformed guards, some moul
- ted and others afoot, fully armed, p
troll the property at all points and I
one is allowed to enter without prop
credentials. The firemen, who a
also uniformed, are on duty at {
times to see that the stringent rul
relative to smoking and other fl
hazards are strictly enforced. Tv
chemical motor fire engines have be,
provided, and may be seen on dai
practice runs from the plant to t
officers quarters at Augustine BeaC
IAIINCuEn nECTROYER nI1DON