Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-24
AVIATION CAMP SITE
NOT YET DETERMINED
Signal Corps Engineers Find Camp
Greene Has No Assembly
Ground.
RICHMOND STILL HOPEFUL
MajOrGcneral John Biddle, Chief OF
stan, Discusses Whole Situation
With Utmost IFrankncss = Baker
Is Awaiting Reports Of Engineers.
RICHMOND STILL HOPEFUL

WASHlNGTON. February c3.-Ir the
aviation concentration cantonmcnt goes
to Charlotte. y. G., instead OF 20 Rich
rond. as originally proposed. the
change will be matter of cconom:
pure and simple. Assurances 20 this cf-
feet we're given o-day by Ma jor-Gcn-
eral John Riddle. chief Of staT after
Secretary Baker had stated that details
o. tho matter were being handled b.
tho general. When seen by The Times
Dispatch correspondent, General Biddle
went into the details of tho whole bust
ness with tho utmost f.ankncss. adding
that no decision had been reached. and
none would be until the signal corps
officers now inspecting Camp Greene.
a. Charlotte. made their report TO the
secretary.
Il might state. in the beginning"
said General Biddlc. that there is no
iaul; 20 be found with Richmond 1t
is bully site which has been selected
near that city. and II a new canton
TcHt Is to be constructed. that site
Will 10 doub, NEE, every possible re-
quircmcnt. But the situation is jus;
this:
we have great deal OF money in
vested in the cantonment az Charlotte,
as is we'll known. The men who are
now nobi,!zcd at this camp are soon
20 leave II will be an absolutely un-
justihab!e expenditure OF money TO
build a new canionr1ent al Richmond
or elsewhere II X is found that Camp
Greene Will meet the needs OF the sig
nal corps. Upon that po;n; there can
be TO serious difference o, opinion.
SIGNAL CORPS OFFICERS
when the fact was determined
therefore. that Camp Greene was soon
TO ne evacuated. the suggestion was
made that the property be turned over
20 the signal corps for use as con-
centration camp, thereby saving the
government an expenditure o! some
,ermine whether or not the present
camp can be used. signal corps officers
are making a study OF II.
The one objection which these OIL
GERS have found to Camp Greene Is
that il has no assembly ground. Such
:. ground is required by the sigma!
corps for its purposes, and such a
ground has been provided for in the
Richmond camp plans. II remains 10
DC decided whether or not this oetec-
seems 70 be no reason why the avia-
,ion section should not arrange TO oc-
cupy Camp Greene.
This" added General Eddie. lis the
whole story and indicates the situation
as II stands to-day"
When asked If the awarding OF the
contract for the construction OF the
Richmond cantonment was not :. singu-
la. civ
stances. the general said that it was
not necessarily so. lie said :hat the
contract was conditional one, drawn
up with the intention OF carrying i:
out, provided the cantonment was
found % be necessary. Virsinians in
Washington were considerably dis
turbcd to-day when The Times sDis
patch report showing that Charlotte
had come Into the situation reached
this city. The War Department was
bes!esed with inquiries from Senator
Martins Office and from other Virgin
ians interested in the cantonmcnt
project. 1t soon became evident. how
ever, that the department was deter
mined TO hold up the new cantonment
enterprise until the possibilities OF
Camp Greene could be worked out from
n signal corps standpoint.
BUSINESS MEN AWAIT
DECISION OF BAKER
No further plans were being made
yesterday by Richmond business men.
so far as could be learned. TO fight
for the location OF the signal corps
cantonment on the Bellwood farm
property in Chesterfield County. Bust
ness men adhered to their belief that
the camp would ultimately be placed
near this city; but said the matter
was entirely in the hands OF Secretary
OF War Baker. and that no further
action would he taken.
Secretary Baker has instructed en-
gineers to view Camp Greene. located
at Charlotte, \. c.. to determine wheth-
or that site could be used by the sig
nal corps. It is expected that Camp
Greene will he abandoned for tho train
Ing OF infantrvmen. and the secretary
is des;rous OF using the site for other
purposes. if possible.
Virginia Senator's and Congressmen