Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1919-01-29
MOTOR
CAR BASE.
Albany Boy Writes of Great u. S.
Automobile Unit.

ginia, told by Pearle +. Griggs in
letter to his parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
George Griggs, of Albany:
Due to the fact that the Committee
of Public Safety has not allowed the
papers to publish anything about the
operations at Camp Holabird, COM
paratively little is known about it.
Camp Holabird is located about 10
miles east of the city of Baltimore,
Md, bordering on the shore of Col
gate Greek. This strip of land was
of little or no value because of its
marshy nature. Perhaps the reason
for choosing this place was for the
exceptional commercial value it had.
Camp Holabird is the smallest army
cantonment in the United States, but
| dare say it deserves as much credit
as any of them.
The first appearance of the No. 300
Repair Unit was at Camp Meigs just
out of Washington, d. c. There were
at that time only few hundred en-
listed men. In March the unit was
transferred to Camp Holabird, where
it has been permanently stationed
for all times. Skilled men were Sc
lected from all over the United States
to come here and repair government
trucks, until now the camp personnel
shows 1000 enlisted men. The Motor
Transport Corps is a new branch of
service and it has charge of all re-
pairs, convoy and storage of all army
motor vehicles. There are for ser
vice in the United States 10000
trucks, 5000 passenger cars, $4,000
motorcycles and bicycles and 5000
ambulances. Of this number 500
come under the jurisdiction Of Camp
Holabird. The government has now
in the parking fields in this camp
5000 three to five-ton trucks besides
hundreds of passenger cars and thou
sands of motorcycles. Col. Leisen-
ring, commanding officer, of this post
has several times received requests
from Washington for reports on the
number of horses and mules he has
under his command, but each time
he has said, "None," for horses are of
no use here.
Uncle Sam uses the very best
makes of trucks, such as Packards,
Whites, Pierce-Arrows, and one de-
signed by the Packard Motor Car Co,
especially for army use, the Liberty
Six, without question the best motor
truck ever built.
The buildings of the camp are of
the most modern type, constructed of
steel, cement and glass and as near
freproof as any shop can be built.
The headquarters shop for the No.
306 Repair Unit, is in just such a
plant as this and may well be called
the S2,000,000 motor beehive 1t is
480 feet by 497 feet, and is divided
into a dozen sections or bays, as they
are called, each having its own par
ticular work to do, for example, Mag
neto and carburetor department, Ma
chine shop, Chassis department, etc
These sections are equipped with
everything imaginable in the line of
machinery and apparatus In turn
each section is subdivided into small
groups of mechanics, so that every
detail is handled by men who are IA
miliar with the work, as an illustra-
tion, take the machine shop. There
are so many kinds of work that the
crankshaft grinding, piston grinding
bearings, ETC., are taken care of sep
arately, in this way frst-class work
manship is insured
The efficiency of the plant has been
planned to such perfection that the
entire overhauling of a truck can be
accomplished in three days, with an
average capacity of so trucks daily.
To add to the production the camp
has assigned detail of men to sort
NAO No1o anu IIuChS DIS LUGy come IN
to the receiving park, so that at all
times they are able to tell in a few
minutes just how many are awaiting
repairs.
Perhaps the most interesting place
IN the camp might be the Grating
shop, for there Uncle Sam had a
watchful eye all during the months
of June and July when General Per
shlng was calling constantly for more
trucks. The American forces in
France have received from this camp
alone over $4,000 trucks since June
1st, 1913. During the first three
weeks in July nearly 1000 were crat-
ed. This building, though compare
lively small is $50 feet by 200 feet.
One making a tour of this shop will
see travelling cranes from two to ten
tons capacity, stationary cranes, both
hand and power, conveyance belts,
power rolls, in fact, everything that
will speed up production. A Packard
three-ton truck, can be torn down.
Grated, ready for overseas, in one and
a half hours. The crate when finish
ed in three feet square by % feet
long.
The light-car garage is 300 feet by
100 feet and is used entirely for over
hauling passenger cars. It's equip I!
ment IS the same as any modern gar |
age.
Aside from being able 10 repair /
any car now in the service, we are /
able 20 actually build trucks from the /
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars
worth Of material carried in stock at
the Spare Parts warehouses. There
are two Of thSse buildings, each being
1000 by 250 feet. Col. LeisenrinR
made the statement recently that
trucks eat up parts like mules eat
hay." 80 Il r. e. 50 TO understand the /
necessity Of ST h large warehouses.
To protect t'lis enormous experdi-
ture Of noney the government has
erected a water tower IN the center
" the camp With q caDacitv Of 250.-
Il