Dust, Drought, Depression, and War No. 3
E Barracks, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va1
General Butler Sends 700 Marines on Leave As Drought Depletes Quantico Water Supply2
WASHINGTON, July 31 (1930).—Seven hundred marines left Quantico, Va., today on special liberty granted them by the commanding officer, Major Gen. Smedley D. Butler, in an effort to conserve the water supply of the marine base.
Following an inspection of the base and the troops stationed there yesterday by Secretary Adams, the officers and men were gathered in the post gymnasium, where Mr. Adams addressed them and praised their appearance. At the conclusion of Mr. Adams’s remarks General Butler told the men that he would allow all who could be spared to leave camp until Tuesday morning to aid in the conserving of the water supply of the reservation, which has been seriously depleted by the drought in the eastern part of Virginia.
The special liberty did not apply to the Nineteenth Reserve Regiment, now in training at Quantico. This regiment, which consists of 800 officers and men from New York City and vicinity, will leave camp Saturday, and their absence, according to marine officers, will greatly relieve the situation.
A tank barge, with a capacity of 54,000 gallons, was loaded at Indian Head, Maryland, today, and is expected to reach Quantico this afternoon. Two other barges are on their way from Elizabeth City, N. C., and Deep Creek, Va. With their arrival the Quantico authorities believe the supply of water will be adequate.
An order rationing water is now in effect at Quantico. Enlisted men are bathing at a beach established for the purpose on the shores of the Potomac south of the main reservation. The post laundry has curtailed its output.
The Quantico base and the town of the same name, which is entirely surrounded by the military reservation, get their water supply from a series of large tanks fed by streams in the hills back of the base. Five wells recently were connected with the pumps to increase the normal supply.
The construction of the new 2,000,000-gallon concrete tank is now under way, and when this is completed, three months from now, engineers report, there will be no further danger of a water shortage.
- “E Barracks, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va.” Flickr, uploaded August 12, 2021. https://www.flickr.com/photos/exit78/51374097791/.
- “General Butler Sends 700 Marines on Leave as Drought Depletes Quantico Water Supply.” The New York Times. The New York Times, August 1, 1930. Accessed August 12, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/1930/08/01/archives/general-butler-sends-700-marines-on-leave-as-drought-depletes.html.
