Evening star., 1942-10-07

part of the $4,000 acres, had been
leased in recent years as q tempo
rary solution to the Marine Corps
need for more training area, and
residents had expected all along for
Uncle Sam to take them over per-
manently.
When word comes for them to
move they will move, they say. But
this word may not come in all in
stances in the immediate future.
Residents, including many who
have lived there all their lives, con-
fess they are not reluctant to move.
Farming there is not gainful occu-
patton, and the Navy pointed out in
its announcement that a large part
Of the land may be classified as
submarginal.
Actual title will not pass until
surveys and appraisals of the prop
critics involved have been made,
said the Navy Department in its an
nouncement. ."It will therefore be
unnecessary for any of the occu-
pants on these lands to move until
actually notified to do so by repre-
sentative of the Navy Department. "
Evacuation plans already have
been made in some instances, how
ever. T. Benton Gayle, superin-
tendent of schools in Stafford Coun-
ty, said the two-room Chappawam-
sic School would be closed today
and that its pupils would be trans
ferred to the high school at Stafford
Courthouse. Two others, the two
room Mount Zion School and the
one-room Shiloh School, will be
evacuated within the next week or
10 days and their pupils likewise
will be taken to Stafford.
800 Students.
The student bodies of all three
schools total approximately 800. Mr..
Gayle said he did not know what
other arrangements would be made
for the children at present, pointing
out that further steps could not be
taken until their families had de-
cided where they would move.
Meanwhile, plans for the removal
OF families already are under way,
A meeting was scheduled to be held
today at the Office of Agricultural
Agent w. l.. Browning at Stafford
Courthouse. At this session will
begin survey to determine how
many vacant houses are available In
the surrounding territory.
State and county war boards
established by the Agriculture De-
partment will cooperate with
the Navy by assisting in the
evacuation. These boards will be
advised as to which properties will
be taken and the dates on which
they must be vacated, after which
meetings under their direction will
be held in the locality to discuss
problems involved.
To Aid in Relocation.
The boards will assist farmers in
locating new homes, in caring for
livestock and machinery, and will
aid in providing temporary employ
ment whenever possible. Plans also
will be worked out for the salvage
of usable building material.
A group of land appraisers from
the Fish and Wildlife Service has
arrived to appraise the tract and
now are at work there, From the
appraisals they turn in, as well al
those set by three separate groups
of experienced real estate men, the
Government will determine a fair
value for the land. After this Is
done, the tract will be surveyed for
acreage, an abstract of title will be
prepared and then the landowners
will be contacted.
| In the meatime, two separate
| groups are waiting-the residents of
the $4,000 acres and the marines at
| Quantico. But the landowners may
have to wait longer than the
marines, for Uncle Sam does not
have to delay for a clearance of title
before he moves in.