The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-13
.CANTONMEHTS' COST
GREATLY INCREASED
General Isaac bttell TestIfies Before
Senate Committee of Military
Affairs.
WORTHY CONTRACTORS CHOSEN
Secret Service Men I'm OvernlIs Watch
Laborcrs to Sec That None Shlrk
Their Work I'm Construction OF
Camps.

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE great
army training camps cost Uncle Sam
nearly $143,o0o.0oO.
The original eStimate was $685.
600. 600, following a tentative estl-
mate of s79.0O0,0O0.
In addition, the cantonment d.
vision is today carrying out sixtS-two
construction contracts at a cost Of
$500, 100000.
General Isaac II. Litten. chief of
the cantonment division explained to
the senate military affairs committee
this afternoon that the increased
price of cantonment construction was
because 50 many extras were added.
These included remount stations. ba x
cries store houses theater, etc.
Alone the cost Of altering the bar
racks to suit surgeon general Gorgas
air space specifications was $4,000
900.
The tentative estimate OF s79 04Q, -
600 was based On one7storv frame
structures of the simplest kind. The
division was merely told that ,200,-
000 men must he housed but no par
ticulars were given.
The buildings now Under construc-
ton include new training camp for
signal corps men at Richmond, Va.
the engineers camp at Beivoir Va,
and the powder plants at Charleston.
W. Va, and Nashville, Tenn. Each Of
the latter Will cost s45, 600, 600.
Secret Service Aids.
Secret service men clad in overalls,
he testified, watched laborers on the
cantonmcnts to see that they did not
shirk in their work. General LtteH
said the reports of the loafng had
been found untrue and the rumors OF
extraordinary wages were exagger-
ated.
In the beginning the emergency con-
struction committee of the council
of national defense reported to the
council upon worthy contractors, who
were then accepted BY the war depart
ment. Major w. A. Starrett, of the
division explained.
We saw Immediately The govern
ment and the contractors must go into
the field together and develop the
work he said. Starting work on a
fixed sum would have necessitated fire.
quent changes In plans. and thus fire.
quent changes in contracts. SO, be-
cause OF the haste and lack of lnfor-
nation. the cost -plus scheme was the
only possible form OF contract. 1t is
regular thing III private contracts
Contractors Chosen.
We sent Questionairres to the 1,4G0
members OF the American Institute Of
Engineers asking about contractors,
and we sent questionairres to the con-
tractors. We wanted men with reputa-
tion for integrity. and going bust
uesses. We found 500 to zoe suitable
and ten we grouped them geographi-
cally. FOR ii was the war department
policy when possible to give work to
contractors In the respective neighbor-
hoods"
Are you related to the Starrstt of
the Thompson -Starrett company. which
has done cantonment work. asked
Senator Chamberlain.
MY brothers and / founded the con-
Germ; / was Vice president, but I re-
signed four years ago" responded the
major NO one named Starrett Ia
concerner with it l have no firm con-
nections anywhere
Have any Of your brothers govern
ment contracts?" asked Senator Nc
Keliar.
My brother Paul is president of the
George A Fuller pany."
The Fuller company is building
work at Fort Riley. and also working
on the government "fimsy" buildings
in Washington. the whole amounting
TO about $4,000. 900"