Henderson daily dispatch., 1941-02-08
BY {. NJ. COOPER Ill

Fort jackson, S. G.. Feb. last
Friday marked the end Of a five
month period OF unprecedented
building and construction at Fort
Jackson. With a full force of 6023
carpenters and Workmen still work
ing at top speed, all night in some
cases with the aid of huge electric
lights. the contractors are rushing
the work on in high gear in order
that the increasing flow of selectees
may be accommodated in stride as
they arrive at the fort, and also to
enable the units already here to
move into their permanent quarters
and continue training without furth-
CT interruption.
The building era which started
on September /, 1910, has moved for
ward at such a rapid pace that at the
present tlme this garrison has achiev-
ed recognition as having made more
progress and being the farthest
ahead e the schedule of any Of the
construction projects in the Fourth
Corps area. During this time more
than 1000 buildings Of a permanent
nature have been built, and over
$500 tent frames for housing the
F~edcrally indicted National Guard
units have been constructed owe the
old IS thousand acre camp area.
About 33 thousand acres of land have
been added to the post proper
through purchases from private
owners in order that the large mum
De- of men may continue training
without being cramped on maneuv-
crS in the fields, which would be in
adequate because of the extensive
construction.
Though all the buildings on the
post are not Of a permanent nature
they are all very important in the
program of training here. All are
not used continually as some IS are
serving as warehouses and storage
houses for the Quartcrmaster Regi-
ment, and others are recreation halls.
latrines. post exchanges, telephone
and telegraph exchanges. and fl
nance buildings.
The buildings have cost a total of
over $4,000, 900. This cost includes
the building of the five post fire
houses, the laundry and bakery and
hostess homes.
The two tent theatres which are
now in use by the troops will be re
PLACID by permanent structures in
the car future. The post hospital
Will also undergo a facelifting and
be enlarged to accommodate OVeN
2.l00 patients. 1t now has a capa-
city Of 1865 beds. The two heating
plants which will be required to
! serve the new building are already
'tnder construction and are almost
completed. The new modern Wea-
o~nS firing range is rapidly nearing
completion and will be used for all
types Of weapons now utilized by
the Army, Over IS miles Of paved
roads have been cut through the old
and new area Of the post and five
new roads running the full length of
the fort are being built. All of the
buildings and other equipment which
was formerly used by the National
Guard during the summer months
has been renovated to meet all
weather use.
~p"cently. the War Department ne
gotiated with land owners in the
NlClllllE OF ule pOSl lOf the treSpaSS
right to land adjoining and in the
vicinity of the reservation for use on
maneuvers during the spring train
ing period. Two hundred and sixty
tive thousand acres CT land were ac-
nuired by this mea for use by the
field units and some 500 land own
ers expressed their willingness to
cooperate with the department Off
cials in the coming years to make ii
possible to have maneuVers in this
state.
Although a large sur has already
been spent on improvements here
a nadditional contract of 5000, O0C
has been let fer more buildings and
other construction work on the post
Under this contract the 3Oth Division