Title: "Use of Grounds to House Japs Won't Halt Fair at Puyallup," Seattle Times, 3/29/1942, (ddr-densho-56-727)
Densho ID: ddr-densho-56-727

Use of Grounds to House Japs Won't Halt Fair at Puyallup

Work started yesterday afternoon at the Western Washington Fair grounds in Puyallup on what was reported to be an assembly center to be used as temporary quarters in the evacuation of about 8,000 Japanese from the Puget Sound area.

Fair officials announced, however, that the temporary use of the grounds will not interfere with the fair next fall.

The Puyallup development first came to light when crews of workmen arrived at the fairgrounds parking lot yesterday and began an extensive grading operation.

The crews were augmented by more men during the day and it was evident that plans were under way for three shifts. The local of the Building Laborers' Union in Tacoma, No. 52, said it was prepared to stay open all night to certify workers for the project.

Puyallup was agog over the development. Fears that something was in progress that might preclude a fair this year were put to rest by fair officials, who said there would be a fair.

While no announcement was made by the Army, it was learned from sources in Puyallup that the fairgrounds had been taken over by the Army for the establishment of an assembly center.

Japanese will not be housed there permanently but only will be gathered there, as now is being done at the Santa Anita race track in California, until they can be dispatched to permanent evacuation centers.

From Tacoma sources it was learned that contractors are to build temporary houses on the fair parking lot to house about 5,000 more persons. They have been asked to complete the job in four weeks.

Workers Available

Men in building trades unions said this would take about 1,000 skilled and semiskilled workers. Tacoma union men said sufficient workers are available in the immediate area.

Fair officials said they were not at liberty to discuss the use to which the fairgrounds will be put. A.E. Bartell, president, said only that arrangements for the fair are going ahead as usual.

"The fairgrounds and the parking lot are being diverted temporarily for another purpose," Bartell said. "We have been given to understand, however, that we will again have use of the grounds, if not the parking lot, by September, in which month we will have our annual event."

The parking lot comprises 29 acres.

When Santa Anita was taken over by the Army, it was announced that Japanese in process of evacuation would be kept there from a week to three months. A similar situation here would result in the Puyallup grounds being cleared in plenty of time for the fair.