[no source, no date]
FIRST OPTION FOR TNT
PLANT WAS SECURED
Louis Schiermeier and
Wife of the Hamburg Neighborhood Option 132 Acre Tract.
PRICE A FACTOR
None of Agents Obtain
Options From Farmers Who Want Time to Consider Price.
Although a
dozen field workers of the R. Newton McDowell Company of Kansas City, authorized
by the United States Government to purchase land in the Howell-Hamburg
neighborhood for the $14,000,000 TNT plant, failed to obtain a single option
their first day out, Mr. and Mrs. Louise Schiermeier of Hamburg visited the
local office of the company Monday afternoon and gave the first option.
The
Schiermeier tract covers 132½ acres in the Hamburg neighborhood. Mr.
Schiermeier was skeptical of the McDowell concern until he accompanied Mr.
McDowell to a bank where his credentials were identified. Schiermeier was then
quick to give his option and said he would inform other residents of the area
that the Government was actually after the property.
The dozen
agents visited an average of three families each and said there was no question
over their authority but the property owners wanted additional time to consider
the purchase price.
A total of
18,000 acres in the area is sought by the Government for construction of the
largest TNT plant in the United States. The site composes 700 tracts of land
and more than 200 families live in the area.
Last night
the St. Charles County Land Use Planning Committee met with the committee,
representing property owners in the area to work out a beneficial plan. The
committee consists of E. M. Miller, Claude Muschany, George Hackmann, L. E. and
R. E. Sinock.
The
Government will have to build about five shell loading plants within several
hundred miles of the local plant as they will obtain in their explosives from
the Weldon Spring manufacturing center.
==========
[no source, no date]
THREE TRACTS IN TNT
PLANT AREA MAY BE CONDEMNED
Two Parties Are
Asking Excessive Prices While Third Refuses To Talk Terms
500 SEEK WORK
Employment Office
Will Not Be Opened Until After Plant Plans Are Completed
More than
500 men were at the TNT office near Weldon Springs, Monday morning to register
for work but they could not be accommodated today and were told to be back in
about a week.
The Atlas
Powder Company has not completed plant plans and construction will be delayed
until after that time. Fraser-Brace Company of New York, plant contractors,
will set up the employment office and will give proper notice through the
press.
Captain
Carl R. Dutton, who is in charge of the plant, said no immediate plans were
being made to move cemeteries. He stated that cemeteries in the safety area
could be fenced off and people allowed to make visits at regular intervals. He
added cemeteries in the danger zone would have to be removed because the
general public will not admitted to that section after work is started.
More than
200 residents west of the plant site have signed a petition asking the State
Highway Department to build the road along the Missouri River, instead of
around the area.
R. Newton
McDowell, purchasing agent for the Government began acquiring about 1000
additional acres in the southwest end of the area. It was reported a pumping
station may be built there for the plant. The new area lies between the
railroad tracks and the Missouri river.
McDowell
stated that condemnation proceedings would be instituted against three land
owners. One tract belongs to an unnaturalized citizen and another to one of the
richest families in this area. Both parties are asking unreasonable prices,
McDowell stated. The third tract belongs to a wealthy St. Louisian who refuses
to deal on any terms. McDowell said all but a [one or more lines missing]
The Farm
Security Administration is attempting to arrange temporary loans for tenants
who might be in distress until the sale price for their land is paid. Families
in the danger zone will begin moving in about ten days and those in the safety
area will be allowed to remain until March 1.
==========
[no source, no date]
Rest of Payments For
Property In TNT Area After January 1
Condemnation
Proceedings Against Property on Which Settlement Was Not Made
Settlements
have been reached with all property owners within the area to be included in
the TNT plant and surrounding safety zone, except with two parties, Edward K.
Love Jr., and the Masonic Lodge at Howell, it was announced at the St. Charles
office of the R. Newton McDowell Co. Condemnation proceedings against these
properties were begun last Monday.
It was also
announced that payments on property taken over by the government will be
resumed immediately after the first of the year. Two parties, Clem Martin and
Elnora K. Smith, have already been paid for their property.
