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Show .MOMS HIGH VALLEY FARMS Nitro, West Virginia, Fast Becoming Important.In-dustrial Important.In-dustrial Center. GIANT PLANT GROWS Town Established Only Last April, Now Has Many Residents. ! By H. M. BARRATT. Stretching some miles lion); the foot of-the western slope of the Blue Ridge .fountains in AVest Virginia, and sepa-y sepa-y rating the hills from the lazy Kanawha river, which winds a sinuous courso to tho southward, is a reach of flat country coun-try which, in years goue by, has created for itself an envious record as an agricultural agri-cultural section. The land, typically Virginia yellow clay abounding in elements ele-ments that make for abundant production produc-tion of all manner of agricultural crops, for years yielded of its best to dozens of established homesteaders. It rolls gently to the southt draining its surplus moisture into the Kanawha, and receiving, receiv-ing, "during the spring freshets, abundant abund-ant fertilization from the rich humus that carpets the hills above. Many generations have passed since the virgin soil of this bench was first turned by pioneer settlers, and since that day the land has passed from farmer father to farmer son, each in turn reaping the highest reward in the power of the ground to yield. None there was who considered the land anything any-thing better than farming property, or gave thought to possible evolution that might deprive them of their homesteads. The sequence of years brought little change in mode or method of those who had derived their livelihood from these yellow acres through the preceding cycles They tilled their soil in the spring, cultivated their corn during the growing season and harvested their crops in the fall, gathering their wood for fuel during the winter from the abundance of the Blue Ridge hills of the range that shaded them from the early eastern sun, giving never a thought to the chance of change that might require their acres for something of more importance thau the humdrum workaday routine of farming. Town Overnight. But the unexpected came, and over-Jpfpht, over-Jpfpht, as it were, the scene changed Vt'roin the pastoral to city life. A year ago this stretch of agricultural land was covered thickly with shockB of heavily grained corn.- Today it is the I sito of a bustling industrial city, the center of activity and giving promise soon becoming one of the most im- i , pwtant business places in the east. Tho change was effected in an instant, in-stant, so to speak. It came about through the growing demand by the war, department of the United States government gov-ernment fo,r munitions works. Plans contemplate the final erection of one of the largest powder manufacturing institutions in-stitutions in this country, and, signifying signify-ing the nature of the industry carried on in the place, the name of the city has been designated "Nitro." Nitro is situated twelve miles south V of Charleston, seat of Kanawha county, itself a bustling' business center which, since Nitro was established last April, has grown from 40,000 population popula-tion to a' claimed 66,000. The powder city is, of course, in process proc-ess of construction, but during the fe-fr months that the government construction construc-tion agent, the Thompsou-Starrett company, com-pany, has been in charge the change in the scene has been as rapid as it has been interesting. Buildings dow stand almost as thick as corn- and fodder shocks did a year back, and that more may be raised rapidly a call has been sent forth for" thousands of carpenters carpen-ters and similar artisans from the Nitro camp. Great Plant Planned. The powder plant, according to plans authorized, will itself cover a stretch of ground some two and a half miles in length by about three-quarters of a mile in width. This, of course, includes I all of .the auxiliary institutions to tho actual powder-producing institution. At the present moment powder is being be-ing made at Nitro, but only in small quantities compared with the ultimate capacitv of the plant, which is something some-thing like 165,000 pounds per day. Sulphur Sul-phur in vast quantities is being shipped into Nitro daily, many -big southern states' mines being taxed to supply tho demand. At the present there are tholi-sauds tholi-sauds of tons of raw sulphur stored on tlie ground alaug the railroad tracks at Nitro awaiting the completion of tho nlant and its operation. TTho approximate population of Nitro at the moment is 25,000. These mainly are workers, either in some dapartment of construction or in the executive offices of-fices of the construction company or the Hercules Powder company. The latter will be ih charge of tho plant when it is given over by tho builders. Vor the accommodation of workers and executives with families, the government gov-ernment has already provided nearly 2000 four and five-room bungalows, modern in every detail, and during the last few davs released an order for the erection of 3000 more similar structures. In addition to these cottages a number of one-room frame apartment rows have been erected, principally for occupation by artisans and new arrivals. Barracks have been provided for teamsters, police po-lice and the military, with a number of substantial bunk houses equipped with clean, comfortable cots for workers. work-ers. In the original tract taken over by the government there were 1700 acres, but several hundred acres have been added, bringing the total to something some-thing more. than 2000 acres. In length the tract is something like three and a half miles, while its width varies from 600 to 4-100 feet. Buildings Up-to-date. Every building on, the reservation is electrically lighted, piped with water, connected with sewer and heated by natural gas. TheTe are twenty-seven barracks of a two-story style, accommodating accommo-dating 300 men; twenty with twentv-four twentv-four rooms and caring for ninety-six men; twenty single-room affairs constructed con-structed to accommocHite seventy-five men each. Ten teamsters' barracks have a capacity of eighty persons each. Four two-story barracks have a capacity ca-pacity of 250 men each. . The "color line" is definitely drawn at Nitro, and in none of the barracks are white and colored persons allowed to mingle. Housing of whites with blacks nas never1 been permitted at Nitro, and even in the big mess thall for workers a plan of segregation is in vogue and its operation enforced. The Young Men 's Christian association has even established separate amusement halls for both classes. As far as posi-ble posi-ble various nationalities are assembled under separate buildings. One hundred American Indians are employed on the reservation, separate accommodations for these being provided. Police Barracks. In the administration area one large barrack has been set apart for use by the colored section, which consists of janitors and waiters, numbering 200 men. Three police barracks shelter 100 persons each, and three others, dedicated dedi-cated to the service of fire-fighters, shelter from fifteen to ; twenty men each. In the same area there are four dormitories for girl employees, each having a capacity of eighty persons. There are mess halls and cafeterias scattered throughout the entire reservation. reser-vation. A general store, with departments depart-ments carrying every conceivable staple article, occupies about a half block in the residence section, while at the upper up-per end of town is an immense commissary. commis-sary. The city has a general hospital with a capacity of 400Tieds. The hospital hos-pital is under the superintendence of Captain J. A. Watkins of the United States health service. City's Thoroughfares. The principal thoroughfare, First avenue, ave-nue, is laid out north and south, and is paved with concrete for -a distance of about a mile. Concrete walks are rapidljr being laid in the most important impor-tant parts of town. The city draws its fire-fighting and general water supply from the Kanawha Kana-wha river, but deep wells, numbering upwards of 250, drilled in the mountains, moun-tains, provide an abundant supply of pure water for individual use. River water is filtered, aerated, given a term of sun exposure and treated by a chloride chlo-ride process before being turned into the city's mains. The wells from which the drinking supply is taken range in depth from 150 to 400 feet. The sewage sew-age of the town enters the Kanawha river far below the city proper, while an army plan of incinerator takes care of all the garbage and waste matter. |
