The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, May 28, 1943, Image 7
THE SUN, NEWBERRY, S. C, MAY 28, 1943
World’s Largest Mobile Community,
Built of 3,300 Trailer Coaches,
WiU House 13,000 Naval Workers
Removal After War Will Leave No Ghost Town; Improvements in Construction
Expected to Stimulate Future Use by Migrant Workers.
From wasteland to a city of 3,300 homes in 46 days!
That’s the wartime “miracle” of Trailer City at Portsmouth,
Va., where 13,000 persons will soon make up the world’s largest
mobile community.
When the-navy found it was impossible to recruit workers for
the Norfolk navy yard because of housing shortages, the Federal
Public Housing Authority was requested to supply accommoda*
tions quickly. The huge trailer project is the FPHA’s answer to
this request.
Nothing approaching this feat has ever been seen in hous
ing. Through the combined efforts of manufacturers, govern
ment officials, contractors and local workers, 100 mobile
homes a day were transported to the site and placed on foun
dation blocks, ready for occupancy. Since all the units were
completed and furnished at mid- <S>
western factories, it was a matter '
of a few minutes for four men to
emplace them and connect electric
lines.
The successful completion of this
project, which is expected to be fully
occupied about July 15, is the high-
point of a revolutionary change in
housing techniques, motivated by
war necessity.
Deliver Complete Unit.
Completely reversing the centu
ries-old method of transporting parts
or sections of houses to the site
and then assembling them, the trail
er coach industry has applied as
sembly-line methods to home-con
struction and delivers complete
units, including essential furnish
ings.
Just as mass production tech
niques have changed automobile
manufacture from small-scale out
put at high prices to million-unit ca
pacity at low cost, this new con
struction method for homes brings
speed, quantity and economy into
housing at a time when all these
factors are imperative for the war
effort.
In manufacture, this method saves
90 per cent on manpower. The mo
bile houses require less than one-
third the ordinary amount of criti
cal materials, permitting much
greater volume from a limited stock
pile. The average trailer coach,
furnished and installed, costs about
All other needs of this city, larger
than St. Augustine, Fla., are being
provided by the FPHA. Equipped
playgrounds dot the 290-acre site,
and two schools have been erected
for the children. A non-denomina-
tional church will be available to all
residents. Four community and rec
reation buildings will provide facili
ties for stage shows, motion pic
tures, games, meetings and dinner
parties.
Four large play areas, each large
enough for a full-sized baseball field,
will be available for adults, and sev
en stores will occupy a large com
mercial building, eliminating the
need for traveling into the city to
shop.
Each trailer has a plot at least
26 by 46 feet. Drainage has made
the soil fertile, and a Victory gar
den usually appears outside each
unit a few days after the family
moves in. Some build small picket
fences around their gardens, add
ing the final touch of suburban at
mosphere.
All trailers when delivered were
standard olive drab, but because
camouflage is not important at this
site they are being repainted vari
ous hues, to suit the taste of the
occupants.
FPHA rentals on these furnished
homes range from $6 to $9 a week,
far lower than prevailing rates for
A total of 3,300 trailers dot 290 acres near Portsmouth, Va. Here,
13,000 workers in the Norfolk navy yard will make their home for the
duration. Each trailer has a plot at least 26 by 46 feet adequately
drained, and Victory gardens already have been set out.
60 per cent as much as the low-
priced demountable house. Further
important savings are made in man
power at the s : te, since four men
can have a trailer ready in a few
minutes, while even a demountable
house requires several hours. Since
war housing is needed in labor-
scarce areas, this has made trailers
even more popular.
Employment in the Norfolk Navy
Yard, which is tc be served by the
Portsmouth trailer community, is
due to increase about 40 per cent in
the next few months. The speedy
availability of the mobile homes
will make it possible for the navy
to recruit workers long before it
could have if it had to wait for other
types of living units. The effect
on the naval shipping program will
be important to the early completion
of the war.
Trailers Accommodate Families.
Of the 3,300 units in Trailer City,
2,640 are standard trailers, normal
ly housing two to four persons. The
other 660 are expansible mobile
houses, which are transported like
trailers but have wings that are
opened at the site to form extra
rooms. With a few quick move
ments these expansibles form four-
room homes, comfortably accommo
dating families of six.
This proportion of two sizes pro
vides ample quarters for large fam
ilies as well as smaller ones.
sub-standard quarters in the city.
Electricity is provided at cost.
Although Trailer City at Ports
mouth is the high-point of the FPHA
use of trailers, it is expected to be
followed soon by similar projects in
other severely congested centers.
The government already owns more
than 35,000 units, situated in nearly
200 parks throughout the country.
Portsmouth Enthusiastic.
Portsmouth is enthusiastic about
its infant addition, for the housing
shortage has been its greatest head
ache since the emergency began.
But even more than the speed of its
completion, the project’s effect on
the city after the war is appre
ciated. Residents are glad that when
the need subsides this emergency
“subdivision” will be moved en
masse, leaving only the vacant field
it mushroomed from, instead of a
“ghost” community.
George F. Miles, president of the
Trailer Coach Manufacturers asso
ciation, whose members supplied the
mobile units for the project, sums
up this aspect:
“This city’s birth is spectacular,
its contribution to the war effort
will be noteworthy, and its fate when
the war ends will make a dramatic
sequel to the whole tale. For unless
post-war needs exceed expectations,
the whole community is likely to
disappear even faster than it came.
The workers will move on to peace-
This little girl even finds room for
her dollie in one of the 3,300 trailers
of the settlement near Portsmouth,
Va. Whole families can comfortably
occupy one of the new units. Play
grounds, schools and recreation cen
ters have been built to accommo
date the residents.
time occupations, the trailers will
find wheels again and serve vaga
bondage or house migratory work
ers, and the ground that had been
host to a thriving city will once more
be an open field—no worse for wear.
For Portsmouth there will be no
bad effects, no ‘ghost’ slums, no re
grets/’
In this project also is seen the
forerunner of a vast field for trailers
in post-war Europe. With millions
of persons returning to ravaged cit
ies, communities like Trailer City
will pop up to house them until per
manent quarters can be construct
ed, he predicts. If American manu
facturers can get sufficient mate
rials in time, it is not unlikely that
they will provide units for hundreds
of towns as big as Portsmouth’s tc
dot the European topography.
See New Trailer Use.
Peacetime uses for trailers will
also show the effects of their war
time use. Large groups of migra
tory construction workers, moving
from one reconstruction job to an
other, will use trailers so they can
move their homes with them. Sea
sonal farm workers will do the same
thing. Lighter and more powerful
automobiles will make road travel
more popular with salesmen and
professional men, and trailer homes
will permit them to keep their fam
ilies together while they travel.
An upsurge in travel interest fol
lowing wartime repression will en
hance the normal market for trail
ers, too, and thousands of families
who are finding these mobile homes
satisfactory during the war will de
cide to retain this type of living.
The trailers that were moved into
Portsmouth are tributes to the man
ufacturers’ ingenuity, for they are
as sturdy and comfortable as pre
war models despite sharp curtail
ments in available materials.
The chief shortages—rubber for
tires and steel for under-carriages—
are not serious because the units
are placed on foundation blocks and
are immobilized for the duration oi
the war, unless they are to be
moved to another site after their
first assignment is filled.
However, shortages of such basic
materials as masonite, plywood and
stainless steel have necessitated sub
stitutions. The Portsmouth trailers
have less than 275 pounds of steel,
only three pounds of copper, and
use homeosote in place of masonite.
The experimentation required by
these substitutions will pay real div
idends in the future, experts predict.
“We’ve learned better ways to dc
things,” these experts say. “We
now can save weight, add space and
increase comfort without increasing
cost. After a year or two, when we
get a supply of the new light metals
and plastics we’ll produce trailers
that will be luxurious and practical
—and at a small cost.”
Meanwhile, the Portsmouth proj
ect is doing a big war job. Incom
ing workers pour into the project
every day, bringing their families
into a new type of living experience
Once in, they plan to stay.
“This kind of life,” explains one
worker after five days in his trail
er, “is as much fun as camping and
a lot more comfortable.”
IMPROVED
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
S UNDAY I
chool wesson
By HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST. D, D.
Of The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.
(Released by Western Newspaper Union.)
Lesson for May 30
Lesson subjects and Scripture texts se
lected and copyrighted by International
Council of Religious Education; used by
permission.
PETER’S COUNSEL TO SCAT
TERED CHRISTIANS
LESSON TEXT—I Peter 1:1; 2:11-23.
GOLDEN TEXT—Honor all men. Love
the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the
king.—I Peter 2:17.
Portable Laundries and Washrooms Form Part of Trailer City’s Modern Facilities
Complete mobility of part of Ports
mouth, Virginia’s, Trailer City is as
sured by the use of portable laun
dry and toilet units. If the trailers
in this section should be moved to
another site, these utility units could
move along and be ready for use
as soon as the trailers were re
occupied.
As used in scores of government-
operated trailer parks, these utility
units are transported like regular
trailers, but have extensions that
open out to form extra rooms when
they are placed on their foundation
blocks. The design is similar to the
expansible mobile houses, which
form four-room homes when opened,
and are made by the same manu
facturer.
Besides the expansible trailer and
the utility units, the design of the
expansible unit is being used in
many other ways. Duplex mobile
houses, with center partitions sepa
rating two family-size accommoda
tions, have been installed at the
Willow Run bomber plant near De
troit. By attaching several of the
units at the expansible sides, com
plete mobile hospitals, auditoriums
nurseries, churches, theaters anr
other community structures havr
been formed.
This flexibility completes the plai.
for complete mobility of entire com
munities which began with the for
mation of trailer town' 1
Pe-secution for Christ’s sake has
been the lot of believers from the
first century down to 1943. Some
times it has been official, but more
often unofficial, yet nonetheless se
vere and trying.
The manner in which Christians
face their difficulties is one of the
best testimonies to the reality of
their professed faith. Sometimes,
however, in the midst of their trials
the enemy of their souls brings dis
couragement—and then they need
the counsel and encouragement of
others.
Such was the situation When Peter
addressed his first epistle to the
early believers who were scattered
abroad (1:1). His counsel was just
what they needed, and Is equally
helpful to us. They were to be
I. Separated As Pilgrims (1:1;
2:11, 12).
Christians are in this world but
not of it. They are passing through,
wayfarers on their way to the eter
nal dwelling place of God. That does
not mean that they are not inter
ested in the welfare of those round
about them, or delinquent in shar
ing the responsibilities of life, but
it does mean that they are to have
the pilgrim’s detachment from the
things of the world and the flesh.
In the days of Peter, membership
in the church was not considered a
normal or respectable thing. It
marked a person as belonging to a
hated sect, one which was falsely
accused of many evil deeds. For
example, Christians met at night,
men and women together for com
munion service. Because they spoke
of this as a “love feast,” they were
accused of immorality, and because
they spoke of the body and blood of
Christ they were said to be eaters
of human flesh.
Christians must meet such ma
licious reports. How? By silencing
their accusers by their good works.
n. Submissive As Citizens (2: IS
IS).
One of the hallmarks of Christian
character is willing and gracious
recognition of proper authority,
whether it be in the state, in the
place of employment, in the school,
or in the home. He does this for
the Lord’s sake (v. 13), and even
when that authority is in the hands
of an unreasonable man.
This does not mean that the Chris
tian is to -ncourage or countenance
tyranny and oppression, but that he
is loyal to the state and to his em
ployer, even though the present rep
resentative be a hard, unjust man.
In all well ordered society there
will be proper and effective means
to correct injustice. But in and
through it all the Christian shows his
faith by his behavior.
Observe that government, in the
plan of God, is for the purpose of
keeping order, encouraging the
good, and punishing the evil (vv.
13, 14). The powerful influence of
the Christian Church should keep it
in that right channel, or bring it
back if it has strayed. Always loyal
and obedient, the believer should
use his ballot and his personal in
fluence to establish and support
good government.
HI. Suffering As Christians (2:
19-25).
Christ is our “example” (v. 21).
Since some have interpreted this
word and the statement “that ye
should follow in his steps” as in
dicating that we are saved by our
imitation of Christ, it is well to
point out that this would be quite
impossible. We would have to be
gin where He began—He was with
out sin (v. 22). But we have all
“sinned and come short of the glory
of God” (Rom. 3:23). We need a
Saviour—not an example as far as
redemption is concerned.
In the ever present problem of
suffering, we as redeemed ones do
have Christ as our example. He
who was sinless and without fault
bore the shame and suffering of
Calvary without complaint. When
He was reviled He did not retaliate,
when He was hurt He did not threat
en revenge (w. 22, 23), but was will
ing to leave the ultimate judgment
In the hands of God, who will have
the final word.
We ought to do the same when we
suffer for Christ’s sake. If we suf
fer because of our own sin or folly,
we can claim no credit for bearing
it patiently (v. 20). But when we
have done well and then are per
secuted, we have opportunity to
show whether our profession of be
ing followers of Christ really means
anything. At this point some Chris
tians lose their testimony and influ
ence by a bitter, vengeful spirit.
These are trying days for the
souls of men. In many parts of the
world Christians are forced to drink
the bitter cup of persecution. To
the glory of God we record the fact
that they are doing it heroically
and in a true Christian spirit.
7492
A FEW cheer-up note# make
housework more fun! Take,
for instance, these busy little blue
birds to embroider on towels. They
Blind Enabled to Weigh
Articles on Audio-Scale
A new instrument known as the
“audio-scale,” which enables the
blind to weigh even small articles
accurately by sound, has been
demonstrated at the American
Federation for the Blind.
The idea was suggested by Miss
Evelyn Watson, a blind woman.
The instrument, which can be at
tached to any type of weighing ma
chine, operates on the aeroplane
radio beam principle, giving out a
different note for each different
weight. It will open many new
fie.is for the blind in war indus
tries.
When you see news photos of
soldiers "off duty” in camp or be
hind the battie-lines—notice how
often you’ll see them smoking a
cigarette. There’s a good reason
for that. Army officials say that
cigarettes are an appreciable fac
tor in maintaining morale—and
the soldiers themselves add that a
carton of cigarettes from home is
always welcome. What brand?
Well, sales records in Post Ex
changes and Canteens show that
Camels are the favorite cigarette
with men in all the services.
Though there are Post Office re
strictions on packages to overseas
Army men, you can still send
Camels to soldiers in the U. S.,
and to Sailors, Marines, and Coast
Guardsmen wherever they are.—
Adv.
are quick to do—and bow
brighten up the kitchen I
them to the general color
• • •
Pattern 7492 contains a transfer
of 6 motifs averaging SV* by 7>,4
stitches; list of materials
Due to an unusually large
current war conditions, slightly
is required In filling orders for a 1
the most popular pattern numbers.
To obtain this pattern send IS ce
coins to:
Sewing Circle Needlecntt
22 Eighth Ave. New
Enclose 15 cents (plus one cent
cover cost of mailing) for
No
Name
Address
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