Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-12-01
WOMAN JUMPS FROM BURNING
BUILDING ALTHOUGH AID WAS NEAR;
SERIOUSLY HURT; $4,000 DAMAGE
Government 7o%Quit Morgan
Ordnance Depot Within Tvo
Years; Removing Vast Stores
700 Men Now Employed at
Plant Preparing Shells for
Removal and Storage.

The United States government
will relinquish the General Ord
nance Depot at Morgan within the
next two years.
This fact was definitely establish
ed by information received at the
depot yesterday.
1t is, estimated that it will take
at least two years to remove the
vast stores and tear down the build
ings on the place. Just what will
become of the land, could not be
learned. During the past few weeks
there have been reports to the effect
that both Henry Ford and the Bald
win Locomotive Works were seek
ing to obtain the site, but all knowl-
edge of this was denied at the de-
pot yesterday.
The buildings which were con-
structed for war work, are hardly
fitted for other manufacturing busi-
ness, and the general opinion at the
depot seemed to be that the gov
ernment would probably sell them,
as had been done with other build
ings recently removed from the
depot, and let the new owners re-
move them, thus leaving the land
free of all distractions for any con-
Germ which might desire to make use
of the site for manufacturing pur-
poses, for which it is ideally situat-
ed.
200 Men at Work on Shells.
At the present time there are in
the neighborhood of 700 men en-
ployed at the plant. reconditioning
shells. This work consists of re-
painting and finishing shells that
were stored at the plant, so that
they will be ready for long storage,
without rusting. Many of the shells
now being treated are those which
were sent back from France at the
close of the war.
Although it had been rumored
that large numbers of men were to
be employed at the depot to tear
down the buildings and ship the
vast amount of government stuff in
storage there, it was said at the de-
pot that there is no truth in this re-
port, as the 700 men already en-
ployed at the plant can do the work
as soon as the reconditioning of the
shells is completed, which will be
in few months. 1t is probable that
from $50 to ESQ new men may be
taken on as needed. but no more
than this additional number will be
employed.
Many Men Ask For Jobs.
Since the rumor that the depot
was to employ a vast number of
men became circulated, it was said
that as high as 800 men were ap-
plying for positions each day.
1t is estimated that in order to
move the stuff to other storage sta
tions, 10000 railroad cars will be
needed. At the present time from
800 to 400 cars of material are be-
ing shipped to other points each
month. Some months only 100 cars
are shipped. but the average per
month is far above this number.
The material is being shipped to the
west and south where the ordnance
department has permanent storage
places. No new stuff is arriving at
the depot.
Among the stuff to be shipped to
other points, there are approxi-
mately five million shells, great
number of these. however. are un-
loaded. None of the shells have
been shipped as yet but will begin
to leave the depot in about one
month or six weeks. 1t is estimated
that from 500 to 900 cars of shells
will be shipped from the depot each
month.
5000 Trucks in Storage.
There are approximately 5000
motor trucks stored at the depot,
which will also have to be shipped.
Many of these have never been un
packed from their original cases,
and for this reason can not be
driven to their new destination, but
must be loaded on cars and shipped
| by rail.
The last things removed from
the site will be the 800 buildings
and thirty -eight miles of railroad
track.