Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-10-14
Unload 10000 Tons
of Goods Daily For
!. Y Americans IL. FrSnce

l'OITeSpoHueUCeN. ASSOtlaleu fTeSs.J
American Port, Southwestern France
Oct. 1.-Eightecn big steamships of
5000 to 5000 tons each were unloading
American army goods at,the rate of 10
00O tons day along the three miles Of
American docks here today. The
spectacle was a stirring scene of acti-
vity. Crowds of enlisted men assisted
at the matches and manipulated the
giant cranes as big-steel motor trucks
were lifted out bodily. along with
parts Of locomotives and railway cars
and all the miscellaneous freight of
an army, while an army of negro
stevedorcs kept the steady stream Of
goods moving back to the nearby ware
houses and trains.
Taking care Of this avalanche OF
army goods coming from America Is
quite rs much of a problem as taking
care of the arriving troops. Here one
obtains an idea OF the mammoth pro-
portions of the equipment which the
Americans have been compelled to set
up for this branch of the expedition.
Coming from a northern port, a
succession OF big American establish
merits was seen at every port along the
NtStClil 1pd5t ~ vac poAt "S-S A'S'
teen American docks or berths at an
other port eight. at third four an
other three Here at this main port
are sixteen American docks each with
thousand feet Of frontage.
These fertM-five docks at the 4iye
main ports represent a dock frontage
of about ten miles, capable of unload
ing 10000 tons of army goods every
da~or an average of about fifty
pounds per man for everyone serving
in France.
And yet great as this present equip
ment is. it represents only about a
third of the vast installation which is
moving steadily forward to completion
in order to meet the needs of an army
OF several million men. The basis OF
calculation for this huge work is fifty
pounds per day per man-this being
an acreage covering the whole range OF
military supplies. individual and gen.
eral food. clothing. ammunition, guns
and all other army requirements.
On this established basis Of fifty
pounds per day per man, an army OF a
million men requires 50.000,00O pounds
of goods daily, or $1,000 tons But as
the American army in Europe has Ions
exceeded tho million mark the scale OF
.prepa ration must be far in excess OF
this $4,000 tons day. reaching not
far from the gigantic total Of 100000
tons daily, to be unloaded from ships.
stored in warehouses and trains and
started on it's way to the men at the
front. It is this colossal daily require
ment which stirs into intense activity
these miles on miles Of American docks
where three shifts of soldier workmen.
working might and day, are unloading
scores Of steamships.
Seven miles back from the water
front there is another huge American
installation where goods from the
ships are STORED on their way to the
| front. It is gigantic. like everything In
this vast military influx and when we
visited it today the 147th warehouse
had Just been completed Each ware
house is 500 feet long and together
! they stretch along four miles of front.
s. In the neighboring camp were 1000
negro troops and laborers engaged IN
| the warehouse work An American rail-
way system connects the water front
| directly with this storage plant and
incessant streams of army goods keep
moving forward to the warehouse
plant. The whole place fairly throts
with animation and besides the enaF-
nous industry there Is the hustle and
activity Of countless camps with their
Khaki tents dottng the fields for miles
along the railway.
Altogether on the water front and
receiving plant the working force in
cludeS $4,000 engineer troops. 7,ooe
stevedores, 5000 civilian laborers. 1000
German prisoners and 1000 infantry
| in all 10000 men carrying on the
/ Ap,arican activities At this one mort.