The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-29
CAMP MILLS GROWS
TO CITY IN A YEAR
Home Of Rainbow and Sunset
Divisions One of Best Can
comments in U. s.
NEW BARRACKS GOING UP
S1s,OOO,000 to Be Spent for
improvements Before Winter
New Hospital a Feature.

Never has any town sprung into ex-
istence with the speed that Camp Mills
has shown. and were a stranger who
saw the camp when Il was started to
walk over the same ground to-day he
would be completely at sea and have
not the slightest idea as to where he
wanted to 60
A little more than a year ago the
camp was nothing but plains grass with
the front occupied by a few tents Of the
Twenty-second Infantry, from Brook
Ign. who were there to haul supplies for
the vast army that was to follow. The
Rainbow and Sunset divisions, which
have since taken their own place in the
ume!ight on the French front held the
camp all summer and fall, and Il was
then considered a good camp. That was
before the present officials had taken II
over and made II one of the most sani-
tary. convenient and beautiful canton
ments in this country.
Where formerly there was nothing but
muddy streets and cutters for carrying
on water. to-day there is a system OF
Government built roads and twelve
miles OF sewer pipes laid
The Government. however, has only
started to make the site what II will be
In few months. Having decided to
make II a permanent camp site, 81. 000,-
900 VIII be spent In various improve
ments before snow flies and the entire
place will resemble one great beehive Of
Industry. Last week hundreds Of men
started building barracks to house 5O.-
900 men.
The latrines. which are connected with
the sewer system. will do away with the
early buildings that have been in the
camp since its beginning.
New Hospital at Camp.
Last Sunday a plan was laid out for
new hospital to care for 1000 men.
On Monday switch had been run into
the grounds. which will occupy forty
acres, and the next day ten carloads of
lumber had been received and work on
the foundation started. The building
will be one OF the most complete of its
kind. The wards will be on one floor,
with buildings In the rear for the doc
tors and nurses
Another advantage to the camp 10 the
Ice plant. which 10 capable of producing
twenty tons OF Ice daily. There also Ia
a refrigerator in connection with the
plant, equipped with a complete rail- sys-
tenn OF handling beef. The capacity of
the refrigerator will be 100 cattle. The
building is S0xl25 and will be in opera
ton In few weeks. The laundry build
ing Is 270x250.
The new post Office building on Main
street Is three times as large as the old.
Mail is sent through the Hampstead post
office. At times there are as many as
three cars day Of mail OF all kinds
sent to camp.
The entrance to the camp has been
changed. The clusters Of small build
ings have been removed and flower gar
dens now dot the entrance for ,0eO feet
along Clinton road. The only buildings
near there are tho large hostess house
OF the Y. w. G. A.. which cost $50, 900,
and the house of the national Catholic
organization. Both these buildings have
reading rooms and every convenience for
soldiers.
Col. Smith Given Credit.
These improvements are due to the
persistent efforts Of the camp quarter
master. Col. Charles II. Smith. Capt
John Cruikshank has charge of all con-
struction and is the real busy man
about the camp.
All the streets have been lined with
maple trees, which will provide shade
for all the thoroughfares within two
years. The large recreation hall. which
was built from the canteen funds at a
cost OF $4,000. is greatly appreciated
by the men. Phillip Brennan Is athletic
director and he manages to keep some
thing moving all the time to keep the
men amused.
Headquarters now is in a large frame
structure, in the centre Of grounds taste
fully laid out.
All these improvements have been
made in n little more than a year. the