The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-02-14
GAS men : J: !: | PLAY /
BIG PART N
WINNING WAR
Ten Thousand Soldiers Toll At
Turning Out Shells to'Rout
I Germans.
MANY ARE INJURED ii W0 /


~ oSPOuSbuS 6TVVUSOO osO SSOO.A-f.'- r.:
illness Of output-oas Fac
tory City In Itself.
Baltimore, Md.-While the men who
have been working in shipyards and
munition plants have received just
praise for their fulfillment Of patriotic
duty, there is an army Of men 10000
strong who have worked faithfully,
carefully screened from public notice.
performing some Of the most impor.
tant work of thewar, work which was
largely responsible for the early sign
ing Of the armistice, who have re-
clived no recognition at all.
DAY after day they have secretly
worked In the manufacture Of the pOi-
sonous gases which routed the Huns
and impressed upon the Germans the
Ingenuity and resourcefulness of the
American brain.
These men of the Edgewood arsenal
stayed on American soil, never had the
excitement of an ocean voyage or adj
venture In a foreign country or the
hero.worship of those who. have been
overseas, and yet while staying right
in this country. they ran greater RISKS,
than many. OF the men on the firing
line. ~ So. IS g 7%ilt,,,s.aE5ss u 4.
800 at One Time In Hospital. ssa
The hospital at Edgewood is now
occupied by 800 men who have been,
gassed or burned while about their;
country's work. There have been as
great heroes at Edgewood as on the
battlefield. There is In the hospital
4 blue.eyed boy in early manhood,
smiling bravely through scars which
are today as vivid as the first day,
months ago, when they brought him,
a writhing bit Of humanity, to the
hospital. Nor is he the only one. There
are others, some of whom have been
gassed twice and thrice and are today
invaded In Colorado, having devel-,
oped tuberculosis. afSss 5SI
Hundreds Of others are manned and
will always bear the marks Of their
sacrifice for Uncle Sam, which they
gave SO gladly without any of the
glory, stripes, promotion or encourage
ment given to the tn ll men IN the camps
and treneheAl .3rn aoaqe4s, .5g;j.
The; signing Of the arInfstice has
made it possible for the public to have
the first insight into the vast work,
which has been accomplished at the
Edgewood arsenal, where has been
manufactured and shipped safely
"over .tbere' more gas than has been:
made BY England and France COM .
bined. Far removed from prying eyes,
these thousands Of men have produced
gases which will 60 down In history
as among the greatest achievements OF
the war. "tt. sta:a:Y-
=; Gas Factory City In Itself.
Where on October "a, 1917, stood
bare waste of forest, now stands what
Is a small manufacturing town and
city in its activities. Great chemical
plants have risen with lightning rapid
ity. There are the chlorine, phosgene,
chloralin and mustard gas plants and
then down near the water the large
filing plant where the big shells were
flied with deadly poisons and sent on
their errand of freeing humanity.
Edgewood arsenal covers tract Of
800 acres, adjoining its companion
unit, the great Aberdeen proving
grounds. whese the biggest Of the hig
guns we're tried out that were de-
signed to smash the strongest Of Ger
man forta1cations, At the arsenal
these resaltS IT was confidently pre-
dicted, wtt,id be: more effeetiyely se-
cured, ana certainly at smaller hu
man cost, by the gas products which
It was confidently declared would
smother the Metz forts.
Upon these 300 acres have been con.
structed q large number Of immense
chemical plants with the necessary ad-
1uncts, all on an extensive scale, con-
nected by IS miles of railway, Oper-
ated by United States army crews,
working three shifts day. At first |
It was attempted to run the arsenal
with civilian labor, but the hazardous
character of the employment made this
class Of employee so uncertain, al
though fancy wages were offered, that
1t became necessary to use eplisted
men exclusively throughout the plant.
The result has been that work Of
4 highly specialized nature and extra
hazardous has, been done by men re-;
ceiving from $40 q month up, and IN.
der rigorous military discipline. 4. =
The research laboratory work Of the
arsenal has been highly fruitful and
the gases Of the 6ernins are said to
U slass Ii. 4 80 ~