Evening star., 1942-12-09
Camp Springs Wood
Available for Needy
After Army|s Served
Contractor Admits Some
Was Burned by
'ThouehtIess Gong

Farmers and charitable institu-
tions may get cordwood from the
new Camp Springs-Meadows (MdD
airport project, it was revealed yes
terday by Maj. H. D. Nottingham,
area engineer, if there is any avail
able after the Army's needs are
taken care of.
This revelation was made to a
reporter of The Star who visited
the Fighter Command base to fur
ther an investigation on the burn
ing OF cords of usable firewood while
nearby farmers were denied the
right to purchase it.
There is hitch to the promise,
however. Maj. Nottingham said
that the Army needs must first be
taken care of, and these needs will
not be known until the airport is
occupied by troops. Then there are
some $4,000 fenceposts needed to
inclose the airport, Maj. Noting
ham added, and these are being cut
from the cleared timber.
some COr0WOOd Burned.
During the course of a tour of the
project. J. w. Moss, civilian engi-
neer of the project, was questioned
by the reporter on the burning of
cordwood. Mr.. Moss said, I'VE have
a job to do here and in a hurry. In
some isolated cases there is some
good wood burned, but it is not the
policy of the Army" in some
cases" he continued, ''it would cost
additional money to build gravel
roads into some Of the inaccessible
places to reclaim the cordwood."
The reporter then pointed out
several areas where he had wit
messed the burning OF 10 to IS cords
OF wood on December l and asked
Mr.. Moss what these fires were for.
Mr.. Moss said, THE logs were being
used to start a hot fire to burn
stumps." In reply to a statement
that on that day there were not
any stumps near the fire nor was
there crane to toss the stumps on
the fires, Mr.. Moss replied, 1T was
probably some thoughtless gang do
ing the burning without authority" :"
During the tour the reporter was
shown the burning of stumps on
large fire in the clearing process.
Used for Corduroy Roads.
Maj. Nottingham said the logs are
used at times for corduroy roads in
the low lands to make a base for
the gravel
Both Maj. Nottingham and Mr..
Moss said that they salvage 80 per
cent of the good cord wood and are
hauling and storing 1t for the fu-
ture. They proudly display large
quantities of fence posts all skinned
and neatly stacked Also cords of
fire wood are stacked in various
parts of the $500 acres of the
project.
Meanwhile the War Department
reveals that on August % cir
cular letter authorized disposal of
scrap wood to needy persons and
charitable institutions when not
needed by the Army.
The engineers revealed the men
at the airport are working 10 hours
day and there are two shifts.
Two hours are allowed between
each shift to have the machinery
and equipment creased and re-
paired.
Soldiers who are lucky enough to
be stationed at the fighter COM
mand base will have all the COM
forts of home. The wooden bar
racks on the base have all been VIM
terized and have ample large stoves.
The other barracks are constructed
OF cindef block and are equally as
warm, according to Maj. Noting
ham.
Automatic Potato PeeIer,
The troopers who receive K. P.
duty at least won't have to peel DO
tatoes for punishment for the new
mess hall is equipped with an auto
matte potato peeler along with all
up-to-date new equipment. The
only thing in the mess hall not
new is the ice box, which was bor-
rowed from the Pentagon Building
until the fighter command base re-
ceived theirs that is on order.
The sanitary facilities at the air.
port are modern, with a heated
lavatory and hot showers. The
water at the base will be supplied
by six wells now being dug.
The airport also has its own fire
department and police force of
60 men. The police force has 10
Army horses that are used in the
wooded areas where 1t is difficult
to travel on foot.
1t was learned further In connec-
ton with the airfield project that a
2-mile section of the Washington
Marlboro road between Forestyille
and Meadows will be relocated and
included within the Army reserya-
ton there. The relocation work has
been started and is expected to be
completed within two months. ac-
cording to Joseph Chaney, district
engineer of the Maryland State
Roads Commission at Upper Marl-
boro.
State Roads Commission EMPLOYEES
are at work on survey Of the pro-
posed new concrete road, which win
start near the Forestville Firehouse
and connect with the Marlboro road
about Y Of > mile south Of Meadow.