sidings, electric cranes, locomotive cranes and permanent derricks. A complete water supply was installed and a ten-mile electric transmission line was built connecting the plant with the French power station at Bourges, furnishing electricity for light and power. Plant "B" was erected under Stone & Webster supervision, as was also plant "C," consisting of two storehouses, each 240' wide by 500' long, located at Gievres. Plant "D" was designed for reloading and reforming cartridge cases and was to be located at Mehun, adjoining plant "B." It was to consist of 109 buildings varying in size from primer magazines 20' square to case shops 240' wide by 520' long. On account of the possibility of getting this work done in French shops the construction of this plant was deferred and no work had been started when the armistice was signed. All material had been assembled at New York. At St. Sulpice (near Bordeaux) was plant "E," consisting of one storehouse 240' wide by 500' long, erected by the Engineer Corps. Plant "F" at Montoir, consisting of four storehouses, each 240' wide by 500' long, was erected under Stone & Webster supervision. At Tours was located plant "G,” which was designed to repair harnesses, webbing, leather and cloth goods. Part of the equipment required for this plant was installed by the Ordnance Department in existing shops owned by the French, and the balance was installed in the machine shop at plant "A," that is, at Is-sur-Tille. Plant "H," at La Pallice, consisting of one storehouse 240' wide by 350' wide, was erected by the Engineer Corps, and was not contemplated in the original layout. Plant "J," the Railway Mount Repair Shop, was located at Haussimont. It consisted of one building 110' by 180'. This shop was not considered in the original Base Depot design, but was built from materials intended for tractor shop and storehouses. It was provided with two ten-ton traveling cranes, a jib crane, and with machine, woodworking and forge shop tools. This plant was erected by the Ordnance Department. Several storehouse buildings not required by the tentative layouts for these seven subdivisions were included in the early purchases, with the expectation that additional storage capacity would be established at different distributing points. Two of these storehouses were turned over to the Engineer Corps and were erected by them at plant "A" for use as bakeries. |