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FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1942 ' — THE NEWBERRY SUN riT« LOCAL MAN HEADS FIRE FORCES AT CAMP GORDON Camp Gordon, one of the newest army reservations and containing nearly 2,000 buildings, is protected from fire by Chief H. Burton \^ells and a staff of 60 men and the essen tial equipment. The camp is about 15 miles from Augusta and is situated on a high sandy plateau. It is said by mili tary experts to be one of the best sites of the many in the Southeast. Actual building of the camp was started early in September and on December 8th it was so nearly finish ed that the first troops began to move in. Hards y were they settled in their barracks when orders were received to build an extension to double the size of the project and it is now ready for the finishing touches. It is more than likely that additional troops will be moved in before April first. Chief Wells came to Camp Gor don from Fort Jackson, where he had been Assistant Chief. He had to organize the fire department and at the same time he had the diffi cult assignment of protecting the building material and the construc tion from fire. The only water available was in lakes and a creek that runs through the area. The risk was tremendous. Also there was no fire-fighting equipment in the early stages of the construction. However, water bar rels were loaded on trucks and small hand pumpers provided. At this stage the construction lumber was being received at the rate of one million board feet a day. It was being unloaded in a process ing yard and several million feet of lumber were on hand at a time. The fire risk was constant and the means of combating it limited. The best way was to police the area with the idea of discovering a fire at its in ception. This required the utmost vigilance, hut there was no fire. It may be stated here, as well as elsewhere, that smoking was prohi bited. If a person was caught smok ing either in the lumber yard or where buildings were going up, he was promptly dismissed. Fire engine houses were being built along with the other construc tion and the water mains nearing completion. By the time the troops were moved in, the fire department was able to move into new quarters and some of the essential equipment provided. For the present there are four sta tions, another almost completed. The equipment consists of six pumpers (two more expected any day), one water wagon with pump assembled, a woods fire truck and some 55 fire men. These are working on shifts of 24 hours on and 24 hours off. The number of stations and men will be increased as the camp enlarges. The camp was built to accomo date what is known as a Triangular Division. It is completely motoriz ed. All of the troops formerly known as infantry,. now travel by motor. A number of the men are equipped with the new semi-auto matic Garand rifle. Other units have the light and heavier artillery to be used against tanks and aircraft. The division is said to be one of the best equipped in the army. 'Men sleep in some 242 barracks. These are two-story structures and built to house 74 men each. There are two of these buildings to a company. Each company unit also has its mess hall and another build ing, a combination recreation, store house and company room. The hospital area for the first unit of the camp consists of 72 buildings; one-story affairs connected with cov ered walkways. Some of the walk ways are completely enclosed and gome are of fireproof construction so that a fire may not spread from one small group of buildings to an other. The next large group of buildings is in the warehouse area. There are 16 large warehouses, a bakery, laun dry, cold storage plant, and the large offices for the personnel of the quar termaster. Both hospital and warehouse areas are being doubled as is the ai"ea for housing of the troops. When completed there will be ac comodations for some 35,000 men. In the first unit there are six cihapels, three theatres, a large sports arena, service club for en listed men, officers service club, a hostess house and a number of camp exchanges (stores). In fact there are all of the facili ties for caring for a city with a pop ulation of 35,000 and it is virtually self contained. The water works and sewage dis posal plants were built for accomo dations even larger than the 35,000 men contemplated. FORD TO HIRE 100.000 Detroit, March 28.—Official an nouncement that the Ford Willow Run bomber plant will employ 100,- 000 persons by June, 1943, was made today by company officials at a joint meeting of federal and Detroit housing authorities. With today marking the end of one year since construction of the plant began. Ford officials disclosed thousands already are employed. It was also announced that employ ment in the Ford Rouge plant will swell from the present 85,000 to 100,. 000 workers by next January. e Tanks, ft ■ : The More Dollars You Save in Defense Bonds . . . The More “Axis-Crushers” Our Army Will Have America must produce 45,000 tanks this year! 60,000 .planes! 20,000 antiaircraft guns! Altogether, 56 billion dollars’ worth offighting equipment to smash the military maniacs attacking us. ^ ^That’s why billions offighting dollars—your dollars saved for Defense Bonds and Stamps—are needed and needed now! put every dime and dollar not into auto tires, but into auto matic rifles—not into luxuries, but into tanks—not into spending for the pursuit of happiness, but into Defense Bonds for the relentless pursuit of our enemies. —SDsm.’ An important part of America’s job, your job, this year is to spend less and save more—to invest in safety with per- '{ feet safety! Not only does the U. S. 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