The officers looked over dozens of sites before completing their investigations, and when their choice for the ordnance depot was announced, it was Provo.
Just why Provo was chosen over the other sites, the general public has never heard. But The Star has always suspected it was because Mr. Case was able to give the army officers all the facts and figures which they wanted about the site, and that the facts and figures were so convincing that the officers were able to recommend Provo for the depot over the other sites inspected.
Without question, Mr. Case did a bang-up job in presenting his arguments for Provo - but it must also be true that Provo was the location which appealed to the war department's site board, or they wouldn't have picked it.
Robert McDaniel of Provo was dismissed Wednesday.
Will Diamond of Provo was dismissed today.
Herbert Hoff of Provo was dismissed today.
Floyd Hoff of Provo was dismissed today.
Carl Ogden, son of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Ogden of Provo, entered for examination yesterday and returned home again.
Melvin Ogden, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ogden of Provo, a medical patient, was dismissed yesterday.
The car belonging to Robert McCarthy of Aberdeen turned over on the hill near the country club, about three miles from Hot Springs, Friday afternoon. The car was apparently being driven too fast to make the curve and was damaged quite badly. Mr. McCarthy, who works on the Provo project, and one other person were in the car, but neither were injured.
WASHINGTON, July 27 (AP) - The engineer office of the war department announced today a contract to the Northwestern Engineering company of Rapid City, S. D., for the construction of roads and railroads on the project in Fall River county, South Dakota. The announcement did not state the amount of the contract, but said it would be between $100,000 and $500,000.
Mrs. Charles Stearns of Provo entered yesterday afternoon for examination and will return home today.
Mrs. Eugene Jensen and son of Provo were dismissed Saturday.
Ernest Hayne of Provo was dismissed today.
Carrie Walters of Provo was dismissed today.
Morrison Moses of Provo was admitted Sunday.
Among new residents of Hot Springs are Mr. and Mrs. Guy E. Van Nice and two small daughters. They are living at 169 West River avenue. Mr. Van Nice was recently transferred from the Rapid City airbase to the ordnance depot, where he is the head of the safety and sanitation section, U. S. engineering department. Mrs. Van Nice is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Ebeling of this city.
Mr. and Mrs. William Kutz of Ravenna, Neb., stopped in Hot Springs Wednesday night to visit Mrs. Kutz's mother and sister, Mrs. M. H. Bingham and Mary Bingham. They went on to Rapid City Thursday to visit their daughter, Mrs. Rudolph Dusek and returned Friday night. Mr. Kutz is planning to work at Provo.
Miss Elsie Tschetter of Huron was sent to Hot Springs Saturday from Vermillion to take charge of the local Western Union office. She takes the place of Miss Lorraine Thomas, who has been in charge of the office for the past three weeks. Miss Thomas went to Northfield, Minn., office. Miss Blossom Mason, who was in charge of the local office for more than a year, is employed at Provo.
Mrs. Helen O'Donnell and daughters, Margaret and Mrs. Erle Hubbard, Mrs. Kenneth Palmer, and Jim McMahn of Provo toured the Hills Sunday afternoon.
John Melum of Huron recently began work at the Black Hills ordnance depot at Provo and is making his home in Hot Springs.
Congressman Francis Case arrived Monday at his home at Custer to spend several days in the state on official matters.
Mr. Case went to Provo today to meet Col. L. A. Pick of Omaha, division engineer, and Col. Richard Selee of Fort Peck, Mont., district engineer, in connection with problems arising with defense projects in this area.
AN OPPORTUNITY to make some extra money this year is available to Hot Springs people with spare bedrooms which can be fixed up to rent.
Dan Lennon, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, reports that the demand for living quarters in Hot Springs is far greater than the supply, and he believes that if local people with unused bedrooms in their homes would consent to accept roomers, much of this demand could be taken care of.
The demand for rooms comes from Provo workers. The great majority of them are high class people who would like to live in Hot Springs. They are making good money, and they are willing to pay a reasonable price for a good room.
In addition to the demand for rooms, there is, of course, a demand for apartments and houses. This demand is much harder to satisfy, since most of the apartments and houses in town are filled.
But something surely can be done about the demand for rooms, for there must be many bedrooms in town which are not used. If a hundred families each have a spare bedroom, this would mean that a hundred Provo workers could be given living quarters here. The hundred families would each have several dollars extra income a week, and Hot Springs generally would be benefited because these people live here, since they would buy most of their meals here and many other articles which they need.
Hot Springs housewives should look over their homes to see if they have a spare bedroom to rent or rooms which can be fixed up into bedrooms. This is a great chance to do a patriotic turn for the nation by providing living quarters for men and women who are employed on a war project in this county.
Visitors to Bridal Veil park; Sunday, Mr. and Mrs. George McCartney and Mr. and Mrs. John E. Farmer and children, Provo.
Emily McConkey Baldwin to United States of America, nw 1/4, section 9-10-2.
Albert Soske et ux to United States of America, that part of lot 1 lying west of the C. B. & Q. R. R., lots 2 - 3 - 4, that part of the s 1/2 ne 1/4 lying west of the C. B. & Q. R. R., section 3; se 1/4 nw 1/4, w 1/2 sw 1/4, se 1/4, section 3; that part of the w 1/2 lying west of the C. B. & Q. R. R., section 2; e 1/2 nw 1/4, e 1/2, section 10; that part of the w 1/2 lying west of the C. B. & Q. R. R., section 11-10-2.
Albert Soske et ux to United States of America, sw 1/4 nw 1/4, section 28-10-2
Katherina Niemann to United States of America, s 1/2 nw 1/4, w 1/2 ne 1/4, sw 1/4, sw 1/4 se 1/4, section 23; nw 1/4 nw 1/4, section 26-10-1
R. Pfister to United States of America, se 1/4 se 1/4, section 23; ne 1/4, s 1/2 nw 1/4, ne 1/4 nw 1/4, section 26-10-1.
Arthur D. Gow to United States of America, n 1/2 se 1/4, section 20; n 1/2, n 1/2 s 1/2, section 21; s 1/2 sw 1/4, n 1/2 sw 1/4, se 1/4 sw 1/4, sw 1/4 ne 1/4, w 1/2 se 1/4, section 22; ne 1/4 nw 1/4, nw 1/4 ne 1/4, section 27-10-2.
Mrs. Matt McDonna left Monday evening with her husband's brother and wife for Lisbon, N. D., for a visit with her daughter, mother and other relatives, also her husband's mother who lives there.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Jackson spent Friday night and Saturday with his parents at Ardmore.
Mr. and Mrs. William Erschen were calling on Mr. and Mrs. Dunbar and Mr. and Mrs. Soske Friday evening.
Robert Soske is reported to be at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., in an army camp.
Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Jackson, son, Milo, their daughter and husband, Mr. and Mrs. Beck, who are visiting them from Spearfish, were callers here Sunday. Their son, Wayne, took them for a sightseeing trip through the project.
Mrs. Ann Neasham of Rumford was transacting business here Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Clair Kerr were Sunday callers here Sunday, also had business at the ordnance depot.
Mrs. Bertha Bennett, a nephew, and Mr. Nolan were transacting business here from Deadwood, Saturday.
Postmaster and helpers moved the post office to a new location a short distance north, the last of the week. Mr. Coates did not have enough room in the old building.
Have been having a good many nice rains lately. Sunday there was some hail fell, but not enough to do much damage. Grains and corn are looking fine at this time. Some of the farmers are nearly ready to harvest their crops.
Leonard Hunt had a bad car accident Saturday evening near the telephone office. His car is a total wreck, and he was taken to the Provo doctor, where he had some cuts fixed up. He also was bruised quite badly. Hope he soon will be all right again.
Mr. and Mrs. Buss McDonna and her cousin went to Pine Ridge Sunday to visit friends.
r. and Mrs. Roy Robison went to Crawford Monday to attend the stock sale. They had some stock in the ring which sold good. Mrs. Dunbar accompanied them to Crawford to visit her sister Mrs. Joe Publow, and niece and family, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Schwartz.
M. M. Inman and son recently moved a large building from Ardmore and a picture show will start as soon as it is ready.
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Robison were up to see their daughter and family, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Scott, Sunday. They also were hunting for a combine to do their harvesting.
Dennis Keating, who is employed at Provo as assistant electrician, spent Sunday with home folks here. This was his first visit home since May 21.
Miss Maizie McDonald, employed by the government at Provo, plans to move into the women's barracks on the project the latter part of this week.
The hardsurfacing of highway 18 between Hot Springs and Edgemont will start Friday, according to information to The Star today from a reliable source.
The Lien Construction company, which has the contract for blacktopping between Minnekahta and Hot Springs, will begin at Minnekahta and work east.
The S. S. Roberts Construction company, which has the contract for the stretch between Minnekahta and Edgemont, will begin at Minnekahta and work west and south.
Both companies will employ big crews and use much heavy equipment. Their contracts call for the completion of the hardsurfacing in seventy days.
The two blacktopping jobs are among the most comprehensive to be awarded by the state highway commission in recent years, and are virtually the only contracts to be attempted this year. A total of 2,800 tons of oil treated rock to the mile will be laid on some places on the highway.
The first part of the contract calls for the laying of the base course, which will be followed by an oil mat.
An attempt will be made to detour most of the traffic from highway 18 onto the Cascade road during construction, although it seems possible that some of it will be permitted to use the highway while work is going on.
The response of Hot Springs people to the call for living quarters here for Provo workers has been gratifying, Dan Lennon, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, reported today.
Ten people phoned Mr. Lennon up to last night, offering to rent rooms and cabins. Five of the calls were made last evening to Mr. Lennon at his home.
"The fine response from Hot Springs people to the request for rooms, houses, and apartments is very gratifying," Mr. Lennon said, "and I would like for them to keep it up. We need a lot of living quarters for the people who are coming to this county to work on the Provo project.
"Lots of people are coming down from Rapid City to obtain work at Provo, since the airbase there has been finished. They want to live in Hot Springs, and we should make every effort to accommodate them. Here's a chance for local people to rent their spare bedrooms or living quarters of every kind, and make some extra money. The demand for rooms, cabins, houses, and apartments is great. We should try to meet it."
The Hot Springs Evening Star has reprinted some stories indicating that you have access to the complete log of the water well drilling at the Black Hills ordnance depot at Provo, which has been filed in the office of the state engineer and there has become public property.
The water question was one of the major points on which the ordnance people raised some question, after the preliminary inspection indicated that the area was suitable for a depot. In the original prospectus which I had filed with them in July, prior to the visit of the site board the first week in August, 1941, I had disposed of the water question rather briefly by saying:
"Water is obtainable by wells, windmills or dams. Water courses in the area are frequently dammed, and several will be found in any part of the area examined. A fairly good sized lake exists in the north part of the endowment land. Some of the water obtainable is soft, but much of it is hard. Railroad wells obtain water at Edgemont, Provo and Ardmore on the Burlington and at Oelrichs on the North Western. The Edgemont well is deep and is logged in Darton's 'Underground Waters.'
"Further information on the performance of shallow wells will be obtained, but the remembrance of windmills on farms near Oelrichs suggests that what water would be required for an ammunition depot would not be hard to obtain."
The original site board inspected something over 100 sites throughout the west on their August trip and sifted the sites down to a dozen or so for further study. Among them were the two sites we had shown them in Fall River county. A review board revisited them and then indicated some interest in getting additional information on power, water, and a few other items.
In response to that, I assembled considerable data on those questions and submitted a memorandum dated Nov. 4, 1941, from which I quote the water section - which will be of interest to you:
"Abundant water can be had at either Provo or Oelrichs sites. Reference is made to 'Geology and Underground Waters of South Dakota,' by N. H. Darton, U. S. G. S., Water Supply Paper 227, Doc. 1525, 60th Congress, second Session - 1909; a revised edition with later data 1918 entitled 'Artesian Waters in the Vicinity of the Black Hills, South Dakota,' Water Supply Paper 428; and 'Logs of Some Deep Wells in Western South Dakota,' by E. P. Rothrock, state geologist, University of South Dakota Report of Investigations No. 4, March - 1936.
"The Dakota sandstone is the most widely extended and serviceable water-bearing formation in South Dakota and it is the principal source of artesian flow in the many wells. . . . It consists largely of sandstone and averages about 300 feet thick. In the Black Hills there are two water-bearing sandstones separated by a shale known as the Fuson formation, which separates the Dakota sandstone above from the Lakota sandstone below." (Darton, 1909, page 61-2.)
Charts and maps in Darton show the Dakota sandstone as a narrow belt outcropping around the Black Hills uplift, and is exposed a short distance above Edgemont. At Edgemont it is under about 300-350 feet of other formations and has not accumulated enough pressure to flow in wells drilled at that point, although showing a good deal of water. At 669-673, Edgemont wells showed water in the Lakota. To get a flowing well, Edgemont drilled into the deeper geological beds and got a flow of 575 gallons a minute at depth 2,983. (Darton, page 58.)
At Provo, the Dakota has dipped farther and is reached at about 1,200. Rothrock (page 12) says that Edgemont's city well struck water sand (Dakota) at 339-337, which rose within 20 feet of the top of the hole, citing driller's log. A log of a well drilled near Provo in 1929 got water in the Dakota at depth 1,280. (Rothrock, page 15.) This well was drilled in NW 1/4, section 24, T. 10 S., R. 1 E., by W. L. Dillon seeking oil. It went to depth 1,568 and was a dry hole - except for water. Contact with him at Billings Mont., reveals that (some missing from bottom of page) of the surface. He said, "Pumping would be required to get this water to the surface, but there is an abundant supply." Another party connected with this drilling, Paul Martin of Hot Springs, advises that the water rose several hundred feet in the casing and that water was also encountered in the Lakota. The well was not drilled into the deeper beds which provided a flow in three different wells drilled by city and railroad at Edgemont, but doubtless a flowing well can be had at Provo by drilling into those formations which may be reached somewhere between 3,500 and 4,000 feet. I presume the question of whether you would want to go beyond the Dakota at 1,200 to the flowing area at 3,500 would be a question of cost compared with pumping.
In this connection, I might say that another well drilled for oil, but also "dry" a few miles east of Rumford, south of Provo, repeatedly ran into water. A very heavy flow was had there at about 2,200, I have been told, but I lack authentic records on which to base that.
The Dakotas has dipped considerably more at the Oelrichs site due to the peculiar burst of the beds south of the Black Hills. The Provo site lies more nearly in the crater of the burst, so to speak, while the Oelrichs site is on the eastern slope, and is covered by a couple more beds, notably the Pierre shale, which is a loam that runs around 1,000 feet thick. Consequently the Dakota sandstone at Oelrichs should be found at around depth 2,600. At that depth, it may have accumulated enough pressure to rise higher, but there is no record known to me that would indicate a flow in that area from the Dakota. That there would be abundant water, however, is indicated by every authority. It is also possible that sufficient water could be obtained at very shallow depths if a collecting pocket could be tapped. Ranchers get well water in the area along Black Banks creek or dry draw at depths of 30 feet.
The only data I find on drilling costs is given in "Water Resources of the Cheyenne River Drainage Basin," a preliminary report by the Water Resources Committee, South Dakota state planning board, State college, 1937. I quote from page 60: "Depth wells cost about $1.50 per foot for a 3-inch tubular type, or $1 per foot for a 2-inch tubular type. At depths of 1,000 feet or more the cost is slightly less, a 1,000 foot well costing about $600 and a 1,500 foot well costing about $1,200."
It is to be noted that oil rigs and drillers abound in Wyoming, and little difficulty would be experienced in getting a driller on the ground at once so that water would be available at the commencement of construction.
(In view of this you will understand my interest in the reference by the Hot Springs Evening Star to the articles you have carried and the log itself.)
(I would greatly appreciate it if you could have someone assemble for me the papers or the stories which have given information based on the actual log, as I would like to add this to my file on the project.)
Carl Gillaume of Provo was admitted this morning.
Sylvester K. Schonberger and Doris E. Jibben, both of South Shore, S. D., were married Tuesday night by the Rev. John Wild at the Lutheran parsonage. Witnesses were Leona Enskat and Terence Brusie, both of Hot Springs. The young couple is employed at Provo and is living there in a trailer house.
With the twenty WPA recreational workers under the supervision of Carl Bierman and his assistant, Mrs. LaWellie Clark, a full program of activities for young and old, contractor and engineer, lady or gentleman, or anyone, in fact, is being carried out at Black Hills ordnance depot. All sorts of entertainment is planned and being put into execution here.
A general weekly schedule of activities for both the recreation hall and the other camps is now in progress. It follows:
Monday evening - Scheduled kitten ball games for men at recreation hall diamond, 6:30; kitten ball games for women at Provo camp, 7:00.
Tuesday evening - Scheduled kitten ball games for men at recreation hall diamond, 6:30; kitten ball for women at Noel and New England camps, 7:00.
Wednesday evening - Scheduled kitten ball games for women at recreation hall diamond, 6:30; church service in library, 7:30; talent night, community sing, oldtime dancing, recreation hall, 8:30.
Thursday evening - Scheduled kitten ball games for men at recreation diamond, 6:30; community sing and talent review, outlying camps, 8:00.
Friday evening - Women's volleyball games at recreation hall diamond, 6:30; community sing and boxing bouts, recreation hall, 8:30.
Saturday evening - Community sing and talent program, recreation hall, 7:30; big dance, recreation hall, 8:30 to 12:00.
Horseshoe at playground area at all times. Shoes may be checked out at library to any responsible party. Boxing gloves may be checked out at library.
Besides the above program, there is also the Sunday schedule, which always includes church services by guest ministers, and ball games. All are welcome to come and take part.
As the tire situation is becoming more acute every day, Robert E. Smith, district chairman of tire rationing, called a meeting last Sunday in his office in Rapid City.
P. L. Chase, expediter for the U. S. engineers; G. M. Gehrke, purchasing agent for J. A. Terteling Construction company, and Robert S. Harrison, first lieutenant, C. E., attended this meeting in interest of the war workers of the Black Hills ordnance depot. The three men were appointed by Mr. Smith to handle the tire rationing on the project.
Parties who have made applications for tires during June and July are advised that these applications have been returned to the ordnance depot and an inspection must be made by an area engineer inspector even though inspection has been made by other parties.
Inspection began Wednesday, July 29, at 8 o'clock at the area engineer garage. Thomas B. Russell is the inspector.
Mr. Chase was appointed as the chairman of the rationing committee on the area. He issued a bulletin on July 27, in which he stated, "Make your application blank out at once. Go to the area engineer garage for tire inspection between 8 a. m. and 4 p. m. Bring your application to Mr. Chase's office. Make your application for retreads as no new tires are available. Get your tires retreaded and save the carcasses. Inspection available Wednesday morning, July 29, at 8 a. m."
Many interesting incidents occur on the ordnance depot area, one of which took place at the England camp Tuesday evening, when WPA recreation leaders conducted a women's softball game.
The unusual incident was participation in the game by three generations of a family, the grandmother, daughter and granddaughter, while the fourth, a 2-year-old great-grand-son, witnessed the activity.
Stating that she couldn't play, but would try, the grandmother of the trio swung her bat and hit a home run, and as a fielder she also gave a good account. Refusing to be daunted by any ball coming her way, she fielded with her apron when she was unable to get them in her hands.
Interest in the game ran high, and a number of husbands patiently waited for their suppers until the game was finished.
The first community sing was held at Noel camp last Thursday evening, with about forty adults and fifteen children joining in the fun. Sally Thelin, with her accordion, and Mrs. Lu Wellie Clark, both of the works projects administration defense recreation project, led the group in a number of familiar songs. The "get together" was held in the open area at the camp and was so thoroughly enjoyed that arrangements were made to gather there each Thursday evening for similar activity.
Among the new army officers who have taken over their duties on the Black Hills ordnance depot are Major Londry of Des Moines, Ia., who was sent in from the Fort Peck division as the transportation co-ordinator. The major is a veteran of the last World war and has spent many years with the Rock Island railroad out of Chicago, which qualifies him for his present position.
Captain W. L. Lane, who has been working in the Yukon territory, Alaska, has been made executive officer to replace Captain Bernard T. Hensgen, who was transferred to the Sioux ordnance depot at Sidney, Neb. Captain Lane brought his family with him and they are now residing in Hot Springs.
Lieutenant Robert S. Harrison has replaced Lieutenant Frank J. Young as head of the protective security and labor relations. Max Welch was transferred from identification as assistant to the lieutenant. Lieutenant Harrison is formerly of Spokane, Wash., where he was stationed at the air depot. Mrs. Harrison and his young son reside in Hot Springs.
Lieutenant Young was transferred to Omaha, along with Lieutenant Edward H. Martin Jr.
The non-sectarian religious half hour conducted by Mr. Putnam each Wednesday evening from 7:30 to 8 o'clock in the P. X. hall library is proving to be a welcome and popular service. Last Wednesday evening the library and adjoining hall were filled to capacity by an orderly and responsive crowd. Old fashioned hymn singing and a plain gospel message appear to be much appreciated and enjoyed by many who would otherwise be deprived of their accustomed church privileges.
A complete four-chair barber shop will be open in the next day or two in the northeast corner of P. X. hall. Four chairs will be in operation and a barber on duty all of the time, with shaves and haircuts at popular prices.
A laundry and dry cleaning service will also be in operation at the same location as the barber shop.
A lively women's ball game took place at Provo Tuesday evening, enough players being out to line up two teams. The final score was 48 - 45.
At the close of the game, the two groups chose names to designate their teams, one the "Bears" and the other the "Wildcats." The former team was the winner of Tuesday night's game.
The commanding officer of the Black Hills ordnance depot, Major H. G. Curtis, and all of his office employees have moved into the mobilization barracks Nos. 7 and 8.
The entire group was busy Wednesday transferring their desks, file cabinets and other office equipment to the new quarters. Barracks No. 7 will be used to receive applications of workers who will be hired to operate the Black Hills ordnance depot after its completion and will temporarily house the office force when the new administration building is completed, according to Major Curtis. Barracks No. 8 for the present will be used as an auxiliary building.
The commanding officer stated that the ordnance depot is endeavoring to start up a registration and application file for every useful occupation. He also said that they now need truck drivers or classified laborers. The office force is rapidly expanding in preparation for operations in the near future. The ordnance depot will have its own telephone switchboard and teletype machine.
Barracks No.7 is on the eastern extremity of the first row of barracks just east of the post exchange building at the foot of Rushmore road in the mobilization area. No. 8 is next on the west.
The Lance theater, which was recently opened on the Black Hills ordnance area, has been under process of remodernization and redecoration since its arrival and now is rapidly nearing completion.
Among some of the newest improvements are the restrooms, which are complete in every detail. Especially the ladies' powder room that is all done in ivory and blue, beautifully designed. The theater is air-conditioned, and wall decorations and murals are being painted and installed. The man responsible for the paintings you will see on the walls and the rest of the decorations in the theater, is Noah Adams, a Terteling employee, who is an artist in his own right. Elsewhere in this issue you will find a complete list of the coming attractions which are newer than some found in many larger towns.
Over 400 workers at the Black Hills ordnance depot closed their community sing Friday evening by pledging allegiance to the flag, after which they sang "America."
Led by members of the WPA recreation group, the early hours of the evening were spent in singing many old favorite songs, closing with the patriotic salute. This was followed by several boxing bouts.
Eighteen is the quota set for the number of igloos that must be poured each day in order to meet the schedule in record time. All efforts are being put forth by all concerned to reach this quota. Flags with a big red "18" will be hoisted beneath the American flag on the flagpoles, cars, trucks, locomotives and mechanized equipment each day that this number is completed. Watch for the flags with "18" and keep them flying!
Church services, which were started in the theater building a few Sundays ago, attracted many worshippers last Sunday. The Rev. E. E. Whiteside of Lead, S. D., was the guest minister. A large group of men, women and children enjoyed the religious service conducted by the pastor.
Next Sunday, Aug. 2, Elder Loosly and Orville Ellen, two young missionaries of the Mormon church of Salt Lake City, Utah, will conduct the services in a non-sectarian manner. Special music is promised by these two young ministers of the gospel. The piano from P. X. hall will be moved to the theater to furnish the music planned by the missionaries.
Religious services were conducted Wednesday evening, July 22, in the library of the recreational hall, where a group attended, with an ordained minister conducting the services. Meetings of this type are planned for each Wednesday night in the library.
Make your plans to hear the special religious services Sunday at 9 o'clock in the Lance theater building.
The library in the recreation hall is one of the most popular spots on the area. The reading tables are filled constantly throughout the day and evening, and about three hundred books have been checked out to readers about the area.
The room is kept as quiet as possible for the folks who come in to read and also for those who come in to write letters home.
Besides this service the men on the project, the office desk maintains a sort of information service as far as is possible, and all sorts of questions are answered if the information can possibly be obtained for the visitor.
A subscription to one daily South Dakota paper has been received as a contribution to the defense program here and it is in constant circulation. Some late books are soon to be added to the shelves to increase the lists already offered the readers.
The back entrance road to the depot known as the "Negro Bailey road," and used by trucks hauling base-course material to the igloos from the gravel pits, has been graded and treated with calcium chloride, a material that attracts moisture from the ground and air, eliminating dust. The material has been proved in other sections of the country to act as a fine hard surface road material.
All except about one mile of the road is finished at present, and the road all the way to Edgemont has been graded and treated and has the same qualities as any hard surface road.
After a two week search for a piano tuner, one was finally located on the area the first of this week. Result: the piano in the recreation hall at the P. X. is nicely tuned.
The tuner, from Des Moines, improvised a set of tools to do the job, since his set was at his home, and he did a fine job.
Mrs. Lu Wellie Clark, of the Mitchell works projects administration recreation staff, arrived this week to assume the duties of assistant recreation project unit supervisor at the Black Hills ordnance depot.
Mrs. Clark will supervise the social recreation program and the playground activities on the field areas.
Carl Bierman, project supervisor, and Mrs. Clark will work in conjunction with the public relations department at the ordnance depot.
While all the other sports - volleyball, horseshoe, boxing, table tennis - conducted by the national defense recreation service have their enthusiastic devotees, the softball games attract more participants than any of the others. Every available evening, the ball diamond is alive with players and a big gallery of interested spectators, hilariously rooting for their favorite team. Since our last publication there have been three scheduled games, besides a lot of impromptu contests.
On Thursday night, the Coyotes nosed out the Night Hawks by a close score of 6 to 5. The Sunday game between the Coyotes and Teamsters saw the Coyotes take a trimming to the tune of 15 to 8. The Monday night game was rained out, but Tuesday night saw a spirited game between the Carpenters and the Out-of-Town All Stars with the lopsided score of 10 to 3. The All-Stars had in their lineup a number of the negro boys, which was their first appearance on our diamond.
Next week the tournament starts, and a hot contest is in prospect.
The following is the schedule that has been arranged, subject to minor alterations:
Aug. 2 - Wildmen vs. Collegians.
Aug. 3 - Administration I vs. Teamsters.
Aug. 4 - Strippers vs. Terteling Office.
Aug. 6 - U. S. Engineers vs. Commissary.
Aug. 9 - Administration II vs. Carpenters.
Aug. 10 - U. S. Engineers II vs. Out-of-Town Stars.
Aug. 11 - Brown Bombers vs. Coyotes.
Aug. 12 - Black Hills Indians vs. first new team to register.
Aug. 16 - Winners of games I and II.
Aug. 17 - Winners of games III and IV.
Aug. 18 - Winners of games V and VI.
Aug. 20 - Winners of games VII and VIII.
Aug. 23 - Winner of games I and IV with winner of games V to VIII.
Aug. 24 - Championship game.
Private K. A. Ralston, former employee of the U. S. engineers' warehouse, whose home was in Rapid City, S. D., drops a card to his friends from Camp Crook, Omaha. Young Ralston said he had spent some sleepless nights there in the camp and was headed for Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and then to points south. He states that the USO is O. K. Quote, "They gave us everything free except an honorable discharge." He said he would write more later.
The softball contingent, that appears to claim nearly all the younger men, is much in evidence on the diamond every evening. Regular games are scheduled several nights each week and even on open evenings there are plenty of players to make up a good game. There are now sixteen organized teams registered in the recreation service office and by the end of the present week all the teams will have played at least one game. Next Sunday at 2 o'clock the first game of the Ordnance Depot league will be played by the Wildmen vs. the Collegians.
It is planned to play four league games a week, with the losers being eliminated from further tournament play and the winners going into the semi-finals. About three weeks will be required to complete the tournament, under present plans. J. A. Terteling & Sons, prime contractors, are furnishing the equipment, which is much appreciated by the players as well as by the recreation service, which supervises the tournament.
A complete schedule for the tournament will be conspicuously posted about the ordnance area and is published elsewhere in this issue of the Black Hills News.
THE SOUTH DAKOTA highway commission has done everything possible to speed the blacktopping of highway 18 between Hot Springs and Edgemont. W. P. Rooney, president of the Chamber of Commerce, learned yesterday in telephone conversation with Harry Westphal, secretary of the commission, and Engineer Meeker.
Two major difficulties have held up the work, the commission employees said.
One was the tire rationing; the other was that one of the companies which has a contract for the hardsurfacing had its equipment tied up by the government on another project and couldn't get it released.
The state highway commission was successful in getting through the priorities with the Fall River county rationing board for the companies.
The Star said Wednesday that the hardsurfacing of highway 18 would start Friday. Some preliminary work has already begun, we learn and construction operations should be in full swing by the end of the week.
The delay in getting started on the hardsurfacing of this highway has been a pet peeve of local people for some time. The project was set in motion last spring, soon after the Black Hills ordnance depot was assured. But because of difficulties encountered in getting tires and in getting machinery released from other projects, the contractors were unable to get started at the time the contracts were awarded them.
But now that they are on the ground, with big crews and ample equipment, they should be able to hustle the hardsurfacing through to completion in quick time. They have seventy days in which to do the job. Let them show their patriotism and construction skill by finishing it in half that time, or less.
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