The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-11-22
WARM DWELLINGS
FOR WORKERS ON
DAMS AT DAYTON
Men Laboring To Protect War
Industries Will Be Made
Comfortable.


] 200 more WHO win soon be needed
are being prepared with redoubled en-
ergy Since the decision late in Septem-
Der that this project is Il necessary
war industry and that men essential
to Its progress may have deferred clas-
sification in the draft.
Warm Dwellings.
The bunkliouses or dormitories at
the five construction camps are being
made tight and warm for the winter.
Fitted with shower baths with hot and
cold water, modern inside toilets. cleo
trio lights and warm lounging rooms
in addition to the private bedrooms,
they furnish unusually comfortable
quarters for the winter months The
Miami Valley, in line with northern
Virginia, usually has very mild win
ters as compared with the northern
states, and flowers are in bloom out of
doors until the middle of November
or later. Last winter was the coolest
for 40 years, but usually snow stays
on the ground for only week or two,
and outside work continues all winter.
Southern Ohio District Exemption
Board No. 3 decided September 2G that
The food prevention work in the Miami
Valley Is n necessary war industry. 1t
is not considered safe to leave the val
ley's many munition factories unpro-
tected from possible food moment
longer than necessary. Since the go-
ing of engineers and other workers TO
war would slow up production the
and there Will lie hundreds of skilled
and unskllled worllmen to be kept com
Portable during the winter months.
Keep Up Fires.
Both skilled and unskillcd laborers
on the conservancy work may rent the
comfortable houses with three, four or
fiye rooms, which have lately been
built at The camps, and bring their
families there to live. The winter
supply of coal for all the camps was
bought months ago and every cottage
and bunkhouse win have It's coal shed.
"rhere will probably be some one
at each camp to look after the stoves
IN all bunkhouses and keep UP the
fires" snid Alex McKinnon, overseer
at the Germantown camp the other day.
From eight 10 ~ men sleep in each
bunkhouse. All through the pleasant
fall weather they have been lounglns
outdoors in the sunshine after their
meals, but ns winter comes on they
viii want warm places TO sit.
One of the new buildings ut the Ger
inantown camp VIII probably be fur
nished as club house for winter use.
To Build Conduits.
The m-with-a-hole-ln.it" idea,
which Is the basis of the Hood protec-
lion works near Dayton, is a new one
10 many people. The dams are 70 he
igsnarthen ones, extending across an
entire creek OF river valley. A con-
crete lifted Yhole" or conduit resting on
solid rock in the hillside viii extend
clear through each dam, letting the
water 90 through ut It's usual level
The condutS are only large enough to
let Il safe amount of water 20 through,
so In food times. some of the surplus
win back up behind the dams 10 run
of gradually rs the flood subsidies.
Flood water on the Loire river In
France Is kept back In two places by
retarding dams of this kind.
Some OF the concrete work on these
conduits can be so protected through
The cold weather that IL may 90 on as
usual, without danger from freezing, II
IL thought There VIII be work enough
10 ensure Jobs to the entire force. as
certain pieces of work which can be
well done In winter have been put off
until then.
Families at Camp.
There IS good general store at
each camp, water and sewer connec-
ton In every house. Each camp has
II good school, too: and children in
the conservancy camps have been hard
at work In the schoolhouses since
early In September.
One advantage of providing dwell
ings for the workmen where they can
have their families Is that the wives
can help out In unexpected emergen-
cles. In this way the women may have
"A chance TO earn money for them
relves.
The cook Mt the Germantown dam
took "Freneh leave" all of II sudden
one day not long ago. Some Of his
helpers went with him. However, even
better meals than usual were served
TO the laborers, foremen and Office
Jnen, Wives Of several of the men
came right over to the mess hall, made
mashed potatoes, waited on the tables
and helped otherwise. Their husbands
ate there instead of at home.
Good Dinner.
Noon dinner consisted OF muttor
stew with savory brown gravy, mashet
potatoes, boiled cabbage, salad made
out OF beets and onions. bread and but
ter, coffee and apple sauce. Every
thing was served In big dishes ant
right Off the stove.
"We had good breakfast" said ;
man whose wife was "helping out
Hs named fried eggs, grlddle cakes