The Washington herald., 1918-06-20
CHARLESTON IS
TOBEBIGPORT
South Carolina City to Be
Center Of Great
Activity.

"neu MAJ. 6en- Leonard "oo0 was
Transferred Immediately after me
/ United States declared war against
y Germany, to Charleston, 8. c., many
were the wondering comments indi-
eating that 1t seemed almost like
shelving Gen. Wood to send him to
an apparently unimportant district.
The public did not then realize the
magnitude OF governmental as well as
Industrial work which is now under
Way in and near Charleston, or the
ehormity of the army projects OF
which Charleston and its vicinity are
the center.
Gen. Wood did. soon after his ar
rival at Charleston. grasp the situa-
ton forecasting great Industrial az
well as important governmental
growth there, and realizing from a
military point Of view the important
relation which Charleston bears OF
will bear to the future commerce of
the United States.
For a long time there prevailed in
many parts of the country the opin-
ion that Charleston was not respond
ing to the Industrial and commercial
impulses which have been so char
acteristic of many other large centers
In the South. This opinion was due
to the fact that public attention was
not called to the projects which were
under way at Charleston, or to the
investment Of capital by very able
men in enterprises at or near Charles
ton.
Norman n. Ream.
When he late Norman B. Ream
with, three or four associates under
took the promotion of the construction
Of railroad from the Clinchfield coal
district to the sea he had in mind
the establishment at Charleston of
very large terminal facilities. This
has now been done.
Mr.. Ream and his associates caused
the Clinchfield Railroad to be so con-
structed that it would compare favor
ably with best American railroads. In
road bed. low grades. slight curves
and equipment
This cost a good deal Of money, but
Mr. Ream looked upon 1t as an eco
nomical expenditure. because a road
so built could be operated at low cost.
The distance from the Clinchfield coal
region to the harbor of Charleston by
rail Is, practically the same as the
distance between the Pocahontas coal
region, which is the western terminal
Of the railroad built by the late H. "A.
Rogers exclusively with his own
money. and Norfolk, the eastern term
inaL
Mr.. Rogers established terminal IA
cilities at Norfolk which are among
the best in the United States. There
fore the cost of transporting coal
from these Tichc Appalachian coal
fields to the seaboard is about the
Same. whether from the Pocahontls
region to Norfolk, or the Chnchfield
region to Charleston.
Charleston, however, possesses some
advantages OF which her enterprising
citizens OF this day have now full un-
derstanding. 1t Is only about seven
miles from the terminals at Charles
ton TO the sea, whereas IL Is nearly
thirty miles from the terminal at
Norfolk to he sea by way Of Hampton
Koads. Furthermore. Charleston is al
most in a direct line so far as navi-
cation is concerned with the eastern
terminal Of the Panama Canal.
The government made no mistake.
perhaps, when at the beginning OF
the war Gen. Wood established his
headquarters at Charleston. because It
was known by the administration at
Washington that vast governmental
expenditures would be made at
Charleston.
Rear Admiral Helm, who is a warm
personal friend Of Gen. Wood, has re-
Gently said that the navy yard which
was established at Charleston twelve
years ago is the nearest of the large
navy yards to the caribbean Sea and
the Panama Canal.
Forty Millions to Re Expended.
Furthermore. the yard possesses ex-
ceptional facilities for assembling.
drilling and equipping large bodies OF
Marines. The harbor and its tribu-
taries contain anchorage grounds for
a great many vessels, ranging from
the little torpedo boats to the Dread
noughts. Furthermore. Admiral Helm
says that with the facilities already
established and those that are under
contemplation. Charleston is to be-
come an important port for fuel.
While many industrial plants are
being established at convenient points
Nppon the Cooper River. near Charles
on, nevertheless these enterprises are
Ybeing matched and may be over
Matched by the work which the gov
ernmsnt II now undertaking al
Charleston.
Within a few days the government
has taken over nearly 1900 acres
which front on the Cooper River. and
Is about 10 expend a large amount
of money there. That place will be-
con1e, within a year. the center OF
very great war industries. When II
Is completed, 1t Is sure to be as i'm
portant a war station as any in the
entire country.
Ultimately the governments ex-
TWO WARS