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APPENDIX XXI.

HAMPTON ROADS DISTRICT.

The war program-The labor problem-Preliminary action-Selection of sites-Preliminary organization and activities-Organization of branch office-Development of community facilities-Effect of armistice on program-Operation of properties.

THE WAR PROGRAM.

Hampton Roads district comprised what is known as Tidewater Virginia and included activities around Norfolk, Portsmouth, Fortress Monroe, and Newport News. At the beginning of the war there were located in this district one of the principal navy yards, known as the Norfolk yard, though actually in Portsmouth; the naval magazine at St. Julians; the naval receiving ship at St. Helena; naval hospital at Portsmouth; the new naval base under construction at Sewalls Point, Norfolk County; and one of the largest shipyards, known as the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co.

The magnificent harbor and port with a concentration in it of the terminals of seven trunk line railroads and three of the most important coaling terminals of the Atlantic coast marked this region as one of great prospective military importance, and it soon became apparent that perhaps only next to New York, Hampton Roads (that is, Norfolk and Newport News) would be the great port of embarkation for troops and military supplies.

It became evident that such a program would entail huge preparation in the way of construction of detention and transit camps for troops awaiting embarkation, animal and supply depots, storehouses in vast proportion; magazines and ordnance stations for material awaiting in transit and for the assembly of ammunition and munitions of war; extension of terminals and docks, coaling facilities; additions and extensions to shipbuilding plants; both of the private yards and of the navy yard.

The city of Norfolk claimed a population of about 83,000 people, the city of Portsmouth 40,000, and Newport News 30,000, with probably a scattering in Norfolk County on the Norfolk side and in Warwick County on the Newport News peninsula of 20,000 more. The working population found employment in the Norfolk Navy Yard, the Newport News Shipbuilding Co., at the coaling piers, and in connection with the railroads. There was no manufacturing of note, so that those finding work other than that enumerated were employed in branches of work incidental to these, serving the population performing vital work for the United States Government, and were therefore indirectly a necessary part of the military and naval establishments.

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With the entrance of the United States into the World War there was already a heavy tax on the port of New York and other northern ports. In consideration of the many advantages of Hampton Roads and Norfolk as a port, all of the work incident to the upbuilding and development of this great military terminal was taken up with orders to rush to completion. This involved, in brief, on the part of the War Department, embarkation camps and Camp Stuart, Camp Hill, Camp Morrison, animal embarkation depots, and corrals, storehouses and trackage on the Newport News side for the Army; artillery instruction school at Fortress Monroe; heavy artillery camp and proving ground, Camp Abram Eustis; construction and development of Langley Field (Army aviation); taking over and improvement of Chesapeake & Ohio piers, Newport News; Chesapeake & Ohio coaling pier; construction of ordnance depot; embarkation station at Pig Point, Nansemond River; taking over of Norfolk & Western Railway piers; construction of a pier and the improvement and building of warehouses for engineer materials for embarkation at Lambert Point; buildings of a new Army terminal on the Norfolk side known as the Army base; increased work at Cape Henry and Fortress Monroe and immediate steps to secure a 40-foot channel into the inner harbor. For the Navy Department, development of the Smolle tract, new dry docks, building ways, shops, various incidentals, rushing to completion the work at the naval operating base including the supply depot for the fleet, training station for 28,000 men, aviation station, construction of magazines, mine filling and loading plant at St. Julians, construction of a fuel-oil depot for the fleet at Yorktown and location of an ordnance station at the same place, expansion of the facilities of the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., in which the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation had a hand, together with munition work by private enterprise at Penniman and Williamsburg, in all involving new war work to the extent of about $200,000,000.

THE LABOR PROBLEM.

It at once became apparent that the skilled and unskilled labor required in such a project, together with skilled and unskilled labor required in the expansion of the military or allied military activities in the district existing before this, was far beyond the

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capacity of the population then existing in the district. As an example, the Norfolk Navy Yard employed about 4,000 men before the war. With the inception of the preparedness program at the beginning of the war and in the early days of the war they employed about 8,000, and it was estimated that to utilize the shops, ways, and docks under construction it would be necessary to employ from 12,000 to 14,000 men. The Newport News Shipbuilding Co. employed on shipbuilding and on ship repair work at the beginning of the war about 8,000 to 9,000 men, and estimated that to utilize the expanded plant to the fullest advantage would require 16,000 men.

The cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, and outlying districts were soon congested and overflowing with newcomers attracted by the call to work. The United States Bureau of Industrial Housing and Transportation was then nonexistent and only proposed; no legislation had been passed or money appropriated for housing purposes. The Navy Department furnished funds outside of the naval operating base for a labor camp to house about 500 men, and also funds at the navy yard for barracks in the yard to house about 400

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With the requirements for additional accommodations for temporary and transient labor, the Navy Department advanced to the Bureau of Industrial Housing, then authorized by law but without appropriation, $100,000 for the organization of its work, and besides that, under its own authority with its own. funds, built a third labor camp of 1,000-men capacity outside the navy yard.

In February, 1918, the Housing Corporation selected the firm of George B. Post & Sons to inquire into the housing conditions in the vicinity of Norfolk. In the meantime, by reason of the congestion previously referred to and the great demand for labor and the insistent orders from various Government departments in Washington to push to early completion all of the work in this district, it became apparent that regulations for the supply and distribution of labor and materials and some order of priority or precedence would have to be established. Need for such regulation was first apparent to the two military departments-War and Navy-who organized a joint control under the direction of Brig. Gen. Hutcheson, com

mander of the port of embarkation, and Capt. R. C. Hollyday, of the navy yard. Shortly thereafter other Government departments having interest in the district saw the necessity for joining in this coordination of work and expanding the functions of the local organizations, and there was organized the Board of Control of War Construction Activities, representing the War, Navy, Department of Labor, Employment Service, Bureau of Industrial Housing and Transportation, Shipping Board, Emergency Fleet Corporation, Railroad Administration, and the Fuel Administration.

The Bureau of Industrial Housing and Transportation selected Rear Admiral F. R. Harris, president of this board, to represent it on the board and requested him to cooperate with George B. Post & Sons, their architect, in a study of the labor and housing conditions in this district. The latter firm detailed Mr. Ralph S. Warner, of that firm, to Norfolk. In the meantime Rear Admiral F. R. Harris was made deputy director of housing, the Housing Bureau securing the services of Mr. C. A. Nicholls as assistant to the deputy director. Work was immediately taken up of organizing local offices of the homes registration service and ascertaining how additional industrial workers could be housed in the district. Studies were made by Mr. Warner of the requirements of various undertakings in hand and of the shortage of skilled and unskilled labor, and especially of the housing accommodations required for the more permanent or stable skilled labor of the navy yard, Navy and Army bases, and the shipbuilding company. It was ascertained at that time that there was a shortage of over 35,000 skilled and unskilled laborers, even though the population of Norfolk, Portsmouth, and outlying regions had increased from 170,000 to approximately 250,000.

Shortly thereafter the appropriation bill for the Housing Bureau having been enacted under authority of law, the subsidiary corporation was formed, and it was decided to provide on the Portsmouth side for the navy yard 750 houses for white workers and 250 houses for colored workers; on the Norfolk side 500 houses for white workers at the Navy and Army bases, it being well understood that this would merely initiate the work of providing houses for industrial war workers. It was realized the problem was an exceedingly difficult one in view of the fact that construction of so many homes involved again a large draft on the skilled and unskilled labor supply of the building trades where there was already a huge shortage for the war construction work in hand. Much time was spent by Mr. Nicholls and Mr. Warner in considering available sites and parcels of land for the projects in mind. Mr. Warner, with the assistance of Mr. Nicholls, conducted hearings at the navy yard, and conferred

1 Later decisions are shown in the table on p. 392 of Vol. II.

with the industrial manager of the yard, with a view to ascertaining the types of houses, the average maximum and minimum wage of the navy-yard employees, and the probable amount that could be paid by them in rental. At the same time Mr. Nicholls, in cooperation with the city of Norfolk, chamber of commerce, and board of trade, thoroughly canvassed the city and surrounding suburbs with a view to perfecting the homes registration service.

SELECTION OF SITES.

In consideration of probable sites, parcels of land were examined in Portsmouth in various available locations, and two questions of policy were immediately brought to the fore, one being whether various scattered lots available for building construction should be utilized or new, unimproved land purchased and developed and improved into suburban community developments. There was much to be said. pro and con for the two plans. The advocates of the first, consisting of business men of Norfolk and Portsmouth, held that by such means locations could be perfected already provided with streets, pavements, sewers, water, electrical, and other connections and scattered throughout the community and be made readily accessible to already existing transportation facilities. Disadvantages of the plan were that lot holders held their lots at what were considered extremely high prices and the lots were so badly scattered that it would be impossible to have handled these so as to avoid high construction cost. The claimed advantages of streets and sewers were found not to exist in Portsmouth, much of which city was not sewered, and the inadequate size of mains, the inadequate water supply available, the already overtaxed means of transportation, and especially the opportunity that happened to be afforded to develop a modern industrial community carried considerable weight. It was finally decided to secure a tract of land directly south of the navy yard in Portsmouth, of which the Afton farm was the largest part, and develop this as a community for white labor. In the same way a tract was selected in Portsmouth in what is known as the "Black Belt" for the colored community, this latter being partially in the city of Portsmouth and entirely within the confines expected to be taken in by the city of Portsmouth by certain extensions then in process. The architectual firm of George B. Post & Sons was selected as the architect for the former development, it being later on decided to arrange with Hill & Ferguson, engineers, to look after the engineering and utility portion of the project, and Mr. Harlan P. Kelsey being employed as landscape gardener and town planner. Similar arrangements were made at Truxtun, except that the architectural work was assigned to Rossel B. Mitchell, a local architect.

Similar investigations were made on the Norfolk side for use of the industrial workers at the naval operating base at Sewalls Point, about 9 miles from Norfolk, and at the Army base to the north of the Lafayette River, about 5 miles from Norfolk. After a canvass of the several sites, the site known as Glenwood Park was selected, George B. Post & Sons being engaged as architects.

PRELIMINARY ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITIES.

The Bureau of Industrial Housing and Transportation in Washington, in consideration of the projects then in hand, took steps to organize a local construction division, selecting Mr. E. A. Fonda as construction supervisor, Mr. Fonda coming to Norfolk to take charge of this part of the work. Preliminary offices were established for the deputy director; his assistant, Mr. Nicholls; Mr. Warner, of George B. Post & Sons; and Mr. Fonda in the building occupied by the Board of Control, 254 Granby Street. With expansion of the organization the Construction Division moved to 111 College Place, in a building rented to the bureau at a nominal rental, Mr. Nicholls finding quarters at 254 Granby Street with the Red Cross, who voluntarily contributed the necessary space.

As a preliminary to the construction work at Cradock it was decided to erect barracks on that site for 2,000 workmen. Contract for this work was, after competitive bidding, awarded to the Wise Granite Co., and an arrangement made for similar barracks at Truxtun. The contract for the work at Cradock proper was let to Hegeman-Harris Co. At a later date the contract for barracks for 1,000 men was let to the same company for Glenwood, this company being the most satisfactory and lowest bidders when the construction of Truxtun was awarded.

In the meantime with the concentration of work around Norfolk, the question of rents being charged came prominently to the fore. Mr. Nicholls was assigned the duty of consulting with local officials on the question of rents.

With the completion of the barracks it was decided that the Operating Division of the Housing Corporation should have a representative in Norfolk and that they should also take over the operation of the barracks for the temporary labor; that is, the purchasing and furnishing of food. Mr. Charles Partridge, of the Operating Division, visited Norfolk and after a canvass of the situation reported back to Washington and then, on the urgent recommendation of the deputy director, returned to Norfolk to take charge of this division.

In the meantime the second appropriation bill for the Housing Bureau had been passed. On representation of the navy yard and the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., it was decided to provide and construct additional industrial houses in Newport News for the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co.,

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and at the same time expand Cradock and Portsmouth. Mr. Nicholls was assigned the duty of examining various sites, arrangements being made to take up certain property adjacent to Hilton for whites and at Briarfield for colored. Preliminary steps were taken to clear the property by the supervisor of construction. Engineers were retained for this work, the firm of Metcalf & Eddy being selected, and F. I. Joannes, the architect of Hilton, was the architect. tentatively selected for these projects.

In the meantime, with the various unexpected developments of the war, the concentration of work in Norfolk, and the plans of the military authorities to develop Norfolk further as a port of embarkation, the duties of the Board of Control became much enlarged. The Housing Corporation being closely allied with this. board, portions of this organization were used in connection with the board's functions. The War Industries Board had decided to be represented in the district in connection with priorities, building permits, and furnishing of certain important building materials, of which there was a shortage. It had been first planned to have the State council of national defense, through its chairman, Mr. William N. Venable, pass on building permits. This power was eventually lodged in the hands of the Board of Control, through Capt. Campbell M. Krenson, representative of the United States Employment Service, and the representative of the priorities committee of the War Industries Board; W. E. Law, representative of the War Industries Board on materials; and Mr. Nicholls, of the Housing Corporation, these three gentlemen being primarily organized to consider appropriations for private building permits, extensions, etc.

For the various reasons heretofore given, the transportation facilities available in Norfolk were found absolutely inadequate for the demands made upon them. It became apparent that a breakdown was imminent and that they would be unable to care for the self-evident needs incident to the growth of the community with the carrying out of the general war program planned for this district. This question involved the electric street-car transportation on the Norfolk side and also on the Newport News side of the Roads and the street traffic regulation in Norfolk. The Housing Corporation as a consequence sent Mr. Wm. A. Mellen, of the Washington office, to Norfolk with Mr. J. H. Mills. A thorough study of these conditions was made in cooperation with the city officials.

ORGANIZATION OF BRANCH OFFICE.

The program of the Housing Corporation as then outlined in the Hampton Roads district indicated that with the continuation of the war there would be involved the expenditure of perhaps $15,000,000 or $20,000,000, and that this district represented more

concentration of work than any other housing project. The Housing Corporation therefore decided to establish an independent branch office in the Hampton Roads district, with a complete and separate organization, to report through the deputy director and assistant to the president to the bureau and the corporation. On the recommendation of the deputy director, Mr. Fergus Reid, of Norfolk, was employed at the compensation of $1 a year as executive secretary and separate departments were organized under him. The following men were appointed to take charge of these sections: Construction, Mr. Fonda; operating, Mr. Partridge; transportation, Mr. Mills, who was later replaced by Mr. Nicholls; real estate and administration, Mr. Nicholls.

No quarters could be found in Norfolk for the rapidly growing organization. Other Federal representatives in Norfolk were in the same condition, viz, the United States Shipping Board, Tidewater Coal Exchange, United States Fuel Administrator, and the Board of Control. Arrangements were made with the owners of a piece of property at the corners of Granby, Charlotte, and Butte Streets, who then had a building in process of erection, but which had been discontinued on account of the war, to complete this building to a height of six stories, the Government to take the five floors above the ground floor, two floors to be occupied by the Housing Corporation and Board of Control, two floors by the United States Shipping Board, and one by the Tidewater Coal Exchange. This building was taken with the understanding that the rental was to be $25,000, the lease to continue until one year after the end of the war, the United States Housing Corporation guaranteeing this rental to the owners on condition of the early completion of the building. The building was rushed through to completion, the Construction Division of the Housing Corporation assisting the owners and builders in its completion. The Housing Corporation moved into it on about October 1, 1918.

The different divisions of the organization were rapidly expanded and an improved organization plan was drawn up with a view to having all of the work in the district controlled and managed through Rear Admiral F. N. Harris, deputy director of the Bureau of Industrial Housing and Transportation and assistant to the president of the corporation, with Mr. Reid as executive secretary. The different divisions heads, however, continued to operate directly in connection with routine matters not involving policy or affecting other divisions.

DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES.

Early in August, 1918, the concentration of war activities in this locality, the growth of the civil population, the constant presence of a military personnel of

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