The Penn's Grove record., 1919-07-25
Decide Not To Scrap Hopewell

Decide Not To Scrap Hopewell
The famous and picturesque town of
Hopewell, Virginia, which sprang like
a magic city out of the wilderness, and
contributed more than one billion
pounds of guncotton as its share in
stopping the Hun, is not to be scrap
ped, destroyed or carted away piece
meal. 1t is to remain and become n
of the most prosperous and thriving
industrial sections of the new South,
if the plans of the business men and
Chamber of Commerce of the Peters
Encyclopedia section and the DUPONT
Company are carried through success
fully.
Not alone Hopewell, but the entire
Petersburg-Hopewell district, with it's
improvements worth millions of dol
lars, its fine system of roads, railroad
connections, water transportation ia
c~ilities, power houses, towns and vii
lagos, will be brought to the attention
of the manufacturing interests of the
world as a desirable site for location.
According to the arrangements now
made the DUPONT Chemical Company,
the owner of the Hopewell plant and
village property, has joined hands with
the business interests of the section
in a Joint industrial development cam
paign for the whole region
A complete industrial survey and
manufacturing analysis of the region
is to be made. Then full facts will be
presented by scores of statesmen to the
responsible heads of Industries thru
out the country.
Entire villages will be offered for
sale to manufacturers; complete in
dustrial plants are available; every
facility is OF hand-it is only neces-
sary to move in.
HopewelFs History
Hopewell's history and wonderful
development constitute n of the most
romantic chapters in the story Of
Americas great war work.
In the summer of 1914, when Ger
many started the world war, the Hope
we'll district was a sleepy agricultural
community. In a few months, more
than $4,000 men were working night
and day to build a plant thai would
help the Allies stop their foe. Mil
lions of dollars were poured into the
place by the DUPONT Company. Scores
of miles of railroads were built, miles
of narrow gauge tracks laid down.
Great power houses, capable of sup
plying the district for miles around
with current for manufacturing pur-
poses were built. Woodworking, me-
chanical, blacksmith, repair and other
maintenance shops were established.
Miles of concrete roads throughout the
plant and the countryside were con
structed. Filtration plants with a ca
pacity sufficient to supply filtered
water to a city with a population
greater than 100000 persons or equiv
alent to supply Boston, Massachusetts,,
or Is per cent. greater than that neces-
sary for the city of Baltimore, Mary
land, were built. Almost every de-
vice, engine, piece of machinery or
equipment for power needed for the
development of modern manufacturing
purposes was installed at Hopewell.
construction of the plant, in spite Of
the fact that all material had to be
transported there Or built on the
ground. In the vicinity a comfortable
city arose. Bungalows, cottages, no.
tells, dormitories, mess halls, camps,
service buildings, such as Young Mems
Christian Association and Young Wo-
mems Christian Association h%eadquar-
tiers, postoffices, moving picture houses
and all the other a-ppurtenances and
comforts that go to make a comfort
able American community were con-
structed. The climate is good. The
wonderful transportation facilities not
only by railroad, but also by water, for
the town is situated at the junction Of
the Appomatox and James rivers,
helped in making it ideal for the great
work it had on hand. Hopewell worked
day and night to win the war. Mil
lions of dollars were paid out in
wages; more than a million pounds OF
guncotton were sent out to the smoke
less powder factories each day. =
On December 9, 1915, the old town
of Hopewell, with it's hundreds of ram
shackle dwellings and hastily con-
~structed quarters outside the dupont
village, was destroyed by fire. This
was a blessing in disguise, for imme-
diately the leading spirits of the town
gathered together and as a result OF
their efforts, a new Hopewell, with
modern houses, substantial dwellings,
and office buildings rose from the
ashes. This modern town is no mean
asset in the Petersburg-Hopewell dis
trict.
Hopewell stands today, as it stood a
year ago when it was working over
time to help stop the German drive;
The machinery is stilled, but in good
condition. The great wharves, the
railroads, the towns and villages, no.
tells and the industrial development are
only awaiting manufacturing indus
tries.
The campaign now to be undertaken
Twill extend to manufacturers every
where and is expected to put Hope
well on the map permanently as a
great industrial center.