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By George Kennedy Star Staff Comamandant ELLENTON, S. C. Mar. 30— Although there was quite a stir on Capitol Hill when it was real ized that some persons had ad vance information on the Savan nah River site chosen by the Atomic Energy Committee for its $260 million hydrogen bomb plant,| | the secret was pretty well kept. |! The Corps of Engineers had|! been making soundings for some Second of a series of articles on effect of| bomb-plant project in South Carolina. most Southerners, the Ellenton fans are a very patriotic people. “It was like there was a death in the family,” said Mike Cassels. “We expected a big boom in Ellenton,” said H. W. Richer, a hardware merchant, who is mayor of the town. “It made a big boom all right.” “We're going to be the first DPs of World War III, was a thought that occurred to a lot of Ellenton’s suigens. A lot of Government men ar rived in Ellenton of the crest of the announcement. A mass meet ing was called in the Ellenton High School, and it was addressed by Gordon Britton of the Corps of Engineers, who is in charge of buying up the land. Both white and colored at tended. Segregation was waived time all over the 210,000-acre site on the South Carolina side of the river 27 miles below Augusta, Ga. There were rumors that a defense plant was coming to Ellenton, a _ little town of 700 not far from for the moment, as it would be in the river. In general, surprise was manning a lifeboat, achieved, to use the military. Mr. Britton’s principal message, phrase, and when the announce to the citizens was that their ‘ment was made on November 28 Government was not going to there had been little transfer of/cheat them. Uncle Sam would properties, pay full value for every house and outbuilding. Fences, wells, every~ thing that had been done to im prove the property would be con~ petition; it is freedom of speech It reads. “It is hard to understand why. our town must be destroyed to make a bomb that will destroy someone else's town that they love as much as we love ours. But we feel that they picked not just the best spot in the United States, but in the world.” And someone else tacked on a second sign quoting from the song made so popular by Dinah Shore: “We love these dear hearts and [gentle people who live in our home town.” Ellenton has many attractive houses, but it is not a pretty town. Many of the structures, in design and maintenance, have that ab solute indifference to appearance so characteristic of the small Southern community. Principal among these is the town's most successful business, a big sooty wooden building facing the railroad with a sign “Cassels Co. Inc.” across its full width under the front gable. There is Bas pump on the dusty road in Trent under a tired looking shelter, a shingled roof propped up by four poles. ‘They heard how it was found that the Savannsh River had fewer minerals subject to radio activity than any sizeable stream neig al and 56k case. There was one definite leak. An employe of the AEC, W. C. McKelvey, told Walter V. Pace, a Salt Lake City (Utah), grocer,sidered in making the estimates. he location of the plant andi Crops in the field would be suggested that property on the counted in. The Government also ‘and to Aiken north of the developr would consider the cost of el ment would be a good buy. ‘The taiing a similar farm in that sec; Utah business man obtained ation of South Carolina. )0-day option on a tract ideal for The Government would make 8 1 housing development from its price for an entire farm, buildings owner, a clergyman. The option and all, he said, then confer with Was obtained the day before then the owner to see if the price was ‘announcement was made. Before mutually satisfactory if the owner the 90 days expired, Mr.Pace wanted to move the buildings, the sold the land to a Charleston Government would sell them backinary cow oe soum. (S. C.) builder at a profit of to him at a salvage price. They also heard a story that $75,000. ap | Perhaps just as important in President Truman had asked, “Do The clergyman is suing to set the ears of many of the people you have to knock out this little aside the deed. I was the message from Curtis A.|town?” when shown the map of In Barnwell County to the|Nelson, manager of the Savannah /|the site selected for the project. southeast of the development, a|River office of the AE.C. and Rob| They heard that he was told number of options totaling 2,000ert K. Mason, engineer in charge that the project's border lines on acres were filed the day before for the E. I du Pont de Nemours|the map had been changed again the announcement in the name|Co. of Wilmington, Del., which is and again In efforts to leave Ellen of the mayor of Barnwell. With building the plant, that those beten out, that it would be necessary two exceptions, these options were long evacuated from the area to run huge water mains through, for taken up by the expiration of would be given No. 1 priority when the town alte to reach the river the 40-day period.it came to jobs. to carry the Savannah River water . | The Atlanta lawyers who made) There was also the word that|to the plant and back. They heard Beautiful. . |inquiries about optioning property only a few areas in the project|the President was told that it It would be grossly inaccurate to) I said they had done so for a client would have to be cleared right would be a sabotage hazard to say that all the people of Ellenton [who wanted to build or industrials away—their occupants moved out.I leave an open town existing above I accepted the death decree meted plant in the neighborhood. The Most of the farmers would have those pipes. Any break in those bout to their town. They are) ABC announcement ended their/a full 1951 season. The residents|mains would shut the whole plant|Americans. If interest in the area, they said, of Ellenton would not have tojn down immediately. They could) The protest of one was affixed' . ‘The announcement stunned the|move until June, 1952. understand that, in awkard hand lettering to the| Nothing to it, he says. “That | people of Ellenton. They began| ‘The people were a little relieved! The people of Ellenton flocked/highway sign marking Ellenton was an idea of the preachers and to realize that they really loved /but still dazed by it all, to their churches on the following/on Route 28. It is still there bel school teachers. Once the farm their town. . .. “Why? they asked. “Why did Sunday. The Little minister ofjcause this is America and thelland around here is taken over. There was no bitterness. Likely have to be our town?” the Baptist Church, the Rev. Rob right to protest is the right to the economy of the town is done. meeweanee manages eons. ‘The parable was pertinent be cause the brook dried up andj) Elijah had to go forth, Eliah went forth and in time brought, rain and fertility to the land of, Israel. ‘The Baptist Church has a caril lon of bronze bells of which the) congregation is very proud. As, they left the church that night); the bells were pealing out, “God, Bless. America” and, “America thei r FUnywUOWUCMUE is wear, aluminum helmets. One is order ing 1,000 gallons of diesel oir, another a large quantity of mill supplies, Cassels Co, is going out of business with a big flare of activity. This reporter asks Mr. Cassels, who is called “Mike” or “Mr. Mike by all his customers, about reports that it was planned to create a “New Ellenton” about two miles beyond the boundaries of the Savannah plant area. Beft D. Parkinson, a Yankee only il recently arrived from New York,I tried to comfort them with the story of the brook Cherith. It ‘iwas at that brook that the ravens Ineaneht Bittah land. It is when you walk eee you get the surprise. ed. with merchandise, on both walls and in the center space between the counters, i goes back and back and back for about a city block—and there are’ side wings ‘at the rear. Work clothes and yard goods are stocked in front; groceries, meats, fruits and vegetables in a center section, hardware and auto mobile accessories behind that and harness items, including dusty horse collars, in the rear. The day {s cold, and the pro prietor is fond near the store in the middle surrounded by Du Beas rabid saheb Setea Cael Catt Ellenton has a number of attractive new homes of the rambler type. This one belongs to Jack D. Handegan, an executive of the Leigh Banana Crate Co., the one industry in the area to be evacuated. Mrs. Handegan is on the steps. Two of the children are ers. ~ Efflenton has no newspaper. To know what's going on, townspeople listen to the talk around the store in Mike Cassels' big store. Mr. Cassels is seated to the right of the store. —AP Photo, iv Sk ioeeere ELLENTON iCORPORATED by WHO) The people of Ellenton expressed their sentiments by addi tions to the highway sign at the town limits. —AP Photo.
Newspaper Details
Washington Evening Star
Washington, Washington-DC, US
Fri, Mar 30, 1951
Page 26
Full Page
Clipped by
William B.
USA 28 Jun 2026
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