[no source, no date]
MEETING TO-NIGHT AT
HOWELL ON THE TNT PLANT
Government Officials
and County Farm Agent Will Explain Conditions To Land Owners
PRICE AN ISSUE
Farmers Demanding
Fair Price for Land on Which $14,000,000 Plant Will Be Constructed
Growing
buyer-and-seller strife in connection with government acquisition of land for
the proposed $15,000,000 TNT plant near Howell, St. Charles County, appeared
headed for a showdown yesterday when a meeting of landowners, War Department
representatives and state aids was called in Francis Howell High School for
tonight.
At issue is
the question of “fair price,” which the government has said it is willing to
pay for the land it needs for the explosives plant, but which, to farmers whose
tracts are included in the proposed 1800-acre site, must include the cost of
moving and re-establishing themselves on land that is said already to have
doubled in price.
Representatives
of R. Newton McDowell, Kansas Cityan to whom the War Department has delegated
the task of getting options, yesterday said they had “a few” options signed,
but declined to reveal prices. Virtually the entire staff returned to Kansas
City yesterday to vote after saying the “prospects are bright” for signing up
other landowners.
The meeting
tonight is designed to iron out problems confronting farmers in the move they
must make if they surrender their tracts, which range in size from small 50 by
140 foot building lots to 200-acre parcels.
War
Department aids are to join in price discussion and reveal the extent to which
the government will aid in relocating families in homes comparable to those
vacated. Federal and state social and economic specialists are to help in the
work, it was said.
Representative Cannon
Congressman
Clarence Cannon of Elsberry, Lincoln Co., Monday had informed St. Charles
County farmers, business and professional men that the War Department,
regardless of protests, in December will begin construction on a $15,000,000
TNT plant in the county.
Addressing
about 700 persons late yesterday at the Francis Howell High School at Howell,
he pointed out that only two courses are open for those owning the 18,000 acres
sought by the War Department for the cite of the plant—they can sell to the
government, or be dispossessed and fight the matter out in the courts. He added
that the government would make every effort to be fair to all.
Cannon said
there is urgent need for TNT plants and that the location of the St. Charles
plant had been determined scientifically by War Department experts. He
explained such plants must be far away from the sea coasts and borders beyond
the reach of enemy planes, near a great river for the needed supply of water,
near highway, railroad and waterway transportation and close enough to a great
city for labor and materials.
U. S. Must Have Land
“Military
necessity makes it imperative that the government have this land,” Cannon
added. “The government experts will shortly be on the scene. Construction work
will begin in December. That has been decided and it cannot be changed.
“The
government wants to be exactly fair. It does not want to take advantage of
anyone. If you want to sell, you can sign the options at a price you consider
fair. If you don’t, you can be dispossessed in five days and leave the matter
to the courts to determine what you shall be paid for your land.
“It’s a
matter we must face. We are sorry. None of us had anything to do with it; none
of us can stop it. In any event, the government will come in, take possession,
and build the plant.”
Cannon said
the government, in fixing the final price to be offered, will take into
consideration the fodder lost, farm operations not concluded, the cost of
moving tenants and other matters not included in the price of the land. Twelve
agents of the Department of Agriculture will be on hand to assist farmers and
others in relocating.
==========
[no source, no date]
TNT PLANT BUILDING TO
START SOON
Large Number Of
Families To Move. Plant To Be Camouflaged By Heavy Timber.
An
announcement of an evacuation order affecting 100 farm families in the
government’s TNT area here was made by Capt. C. R. Dutton of the Army Ordnance
Department, who is in charge of the war defense project, as contractors made
preparations to begin actual construction of the plant between Christmas and
New Year’s Day. Thirty buildings will be constructed.
The staff
under Capt. Dutton is said to have been directed to serve the moving order on
the families personally because a surprisingly few of the persons failed to
obey previous notices to vacate.
A survey is
being conducted now to locate the plant under natural camouflage of dense woods
in the area. When the government several weeks ago began acquiring options on
property in the area, farmers in many parts began cutting timber to realize
what profit they could. Some of them conducted this work at night.
The timber
cutting has been almost completely stopped, it was learned, now that the area
is being patrolled. It was understood that many of the farm houses and
outbuildings will be left standing to better the camouflage. Some buildings,
however, will be wrecked and a contract was signed yesterday to have this work
done.
Construction
of a railroad spur from the M-K-T railroad to the center of the area has
already begun. Temporary office buildings are being constructed at Howell now
that the government has agreed to let schools in the safety area continue until
May.
Yesterday,
roads leading into and out of the area were closed to general traffic. Only
those still living in the area or having business there will be issued passes,
good for two weeks, which can be renewed.
