Evening journal., 1919-08-23
NITRO WONDER CITY
OFFERED FOR SALE
War Department Wants
Quick Buyers for Sm oke-
less Powder Center
BUILT DURI. C WAR
AT COST OF $70,00O,O 900

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23.-If there 4.
anybody In the country or any group OF
people or any company or corporation
that would like TO invest in complete
CITY, modern in every particular, admir-
ably located and capable OF provldinp
souls, application should be made Ia
the War Department.
The Government has such a piece of
property for sale and offers Il al bar
gain price. The director Of sales made
the fact public today in an official
statement OF 900 words. couched In
terms as alluring as might be found
In any advertisement.
The city in question is Nitro. w. Va.
an Industrial suburb Of Charleston.
! This city was built at a cost Of an
proximately S700O0.OOO as the site OF the
second largest smOkeless powder plant
IN the world and was completed a brief
10 days before the armistice was signed.
Al that the plant turned out 6OOO.OOO
pounds Of powder before hostilitles
ceased.
This complete industrial community
embraces total OF 737 manufacturing
buildings, housing accommodations for
10000 workers and utilities and civic
imprOvents that constitute the conyen-
iences Of modern American city. u Is
located upon a Government reservation
Of 1900 acres OF slOping fields that dip
down from the foothills Of the ADpa-
lachian mountains 10 the east bank OF
kanawha river Ground was broken
for the powder plant on February 4,
1913. and in less than eight months the
project was completed.
The statement OF the War Depart
ment says
"Thc industrial community OF Nitro
stretches for moro than rour miles
along the east bank Of the river. Here
are TO be found the sulphuric acid plant
in seven units, nitric plant OF four
units, a cotton publication plant Of
standard pulp mill design In four units
&c shipping houses or magazines for the
storage OF powder, 30 large storage
buildings erected 10 handle essential
crude and raw materials, complete
shop area with flreproOf machine shop
fitted with modern tools, carpenter
shop. Tin shop, paint shop and foundry,
a bOXmaking plant. laboratories, and
scores Of other buildings.
"Set upon the foot hilIs overlooking
the industrial area with iis bristling
smOkestacks stands the civic cOmmun-
ity-mOre than 1900 furnished portage
houses. homes for wOrkmen which will
make the manufacturing units prOduc-
ing Institutions; 70 permanently con-
structed executive residences, notes, /
boarding houses, dOrmiiorics. club /
houses, general and special stores, cafe !
teries and moving picture houses;
a modern i00-bed hospital de- /
signed and erected under the
supervision Of the Public Health
2i-roOm school house
large barracks and mess halls. together
with Young Mems Christian Association
recreation halls, capable OF
proper housing and feeding
facilities for 5000 workmen, who. not
having families, may not require indie /
pendent homes.
standing between the factory section |
and the residential country is what /
may be called the administration area, /
OF large Office buildings. po-
ice station, fire station. Dank disburs-
ng Office, inspection Offices. traffic
,fices, telephone and telegraph build
ng."
There is a lot more apout this prop
'rty which the War Department details
too much 10 be given all at once. Bids
viii be received for il at noon on Sep
ember 30, 1919, at the office of the