The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1945-11-08


the war why he couldn't find q
couple Of boards to patch his porch
can blame at least part OF his
troubles on the atom bomb and be
glad. Construction Of the great
production centers in Tennes-
see and Washington drained $780,
O00, 900 board feet of lumber from
the market and only the elect few
who bore the awful secret knew
where it went.
According to Major General
Leslie r. Groves, commander Of
the Manhattan Engineer District,
the code name for the atom bomb
project, 10000 were employed In
the undertaking at the peak. Be-
sides workshops and offices, It
was necessary to create from
scratch model industrial cities at
Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Rich
land, Washington complete
from drug stores to churches.
There were also extensive install
lations at the Pacific island base
which was the jumping-o6 point
for atomizing Japan.
Virtually all types Of construc-
ton lumber and some hardwoodS
were represented in the total, but
naturally, the bulk Of that used in
Oak Ridge was southern pine pro-
duced by q number Of southern
mills. Lumber used at Richland
came from hudreds Of western
mills. Also some IS, 600, 900 50.
feet Of plywood were used for
alone. Used lumber was
salvaged for shipping surplus ma
terial and equipment from the
jobs.
About 20 per cent Of the lumber
was procured on the open market
and so per cent through the auc.
ton system conducted by the Gen.
trail Procuring Agency which pur-
chased lumber for all the war SER
vices and agencies. As an aid to
secrecy, lumber destined for Oak
Ridge was consigned to Eliza and
Blair, Tennessee, two whistle"
stops nearby. .
The town Of Oak Ridge, erected
on a 59,O00-acre, ninety square
mile reservation in q sparcely
area Is miles west Of
Knoxville, had q population OF
Is, 900 fifth largest city In
Tennessee. At the peak $4,000
workers were engag-
ed in building it, reaching a rate
Of 1000 buildings a month.
The plant comprises 425 build
ings. The tWo-story, main office
building is 81 feet long with seven
wings.
The model industrial town u
with all the essentials Of
life BY American standards. Three
hudred miles Of roads and IS miles
Of railroad serve the reservation.
Buses on the area number $50,
while an additional 400 operate
off the area to carry nonresident
workers to and from their homes.
1945, area buses carried q, 252,-
From July, 1914, through June.
40 passengers.
The residential area includes
5000 homes, $3.50 trailers, ia
apartments in three buildings, 80
dormitories housing $4,000 and
barracks for 10000. Also about
1000 demountable dwellings were
moved to Oak Ridge from other
war projects, and 204 farm houses
within the reservation were taken
over as well as several rural
schools.
The homes are attractively ar
ranged and well-spaced on good
sized lots. The majority are equip
ped with electric ranges, water
heaters and refrigerator. Rentals
range from $22 to SIS per month;
apartments from $50 to $50, dor
mitory accommodations SO to SIS
and trailers SIS. Utility buildings
baths, etc. are provided at the
trailer camps.
Roughly so per cent Of the
workers live in houses and apart
ments; 81 per cent in dormitories;
81 per cent in trailers and 8 per
cent in hutments.
Community facilities include S
churches, a library Of 5000 books,
q high school and nine elementary
schools in which faculty Of 317
60 G