The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-12-05
FORT SINABOI e.
[Continued from last week.

brick except the guard mouse, ana LIal
il of stone, so the place has a very sub
~stantial look. Lieut.. Campbell, the post
ouartermaster and commissary, showed
ia through the two long root houses,
which were filled to the top with 1850
bushels of potatoes and 10000 heads OF
cabbage. These vegetables were all
raised on the post and various company
gardens, mostly without any irrigation,
and are a fair sample of Montana's agri-
cultural capabilities.
The water works are in good shape, SO
there is not much danger from a drouth
or fire. A Blake steam pump lifts the
wafer out of Beaver creek into an ele-
waited reservoir, having a capacity OF
81 800 gallons. An oil stove under the
wafer pine which fills this reservoir
heats the pipe and the water, SO that
il has never frozen up, even with the
severe Montana winters. Nearly a mile
of six-inch iron pipe, laid eight feet
deep so as to be beyond the expansive
force of the frost, carries the water to
the different quarters. There are TWEEN
tv-six hydrants where water can be pro-
cured and ten fire plugs where water
can be thrown, in case of tire, by the
pressure from the supply in the reser-
yoir, on to the highest building in the
garrison. We were given a sight of the
commissary stores by Sergeant Heron,
and then had some idea OF the large
quantity of grub it takes to do ten COM
panies of soldiers for a year. Maj. Bonn
ford and Lieut.. Anderson were KIND
enough to show us through the quarters,
and we were surprised at the cleanliness
of the men everywhere displayed. John
Dyer, of Co. G, 18th infantry, who can
boast of seventeen years of continuous
service, has one of the best polished
rifles we ever saw, and that he can use
it was soon demonstrated by making 70
out of a possible Is OF a gallery target.
Mai. Klein, the present commander
of the post, is a fine gentleman, and did
everything to facilitate our pursuit OF
knowledge. Col. Coppinger is not ex-
pected until spring to take the COM
mand.
The hospital has two large wards and
one isolation ward-in all fifty beds for
the reception of the unfortunate ones.
Everything around the place was as
neat as a pin and showed that the sick
soldier would be cared for in good shape.
Capt. I'll. G.. Burton, post surgeon, with
Drs. Cline and Adams, have charge OF
this department.. A fine gymnasium is
fitted up and is open in the evenings.
The apparatus can lie cleared out n
the room used for dances, lectures or
theatricals, as q good stage is IN the
room. The upper floor is used as band
quarters. An elegant gothic chapel has
been erected for the use of saints and
sinners, anG is provided with a good Or
gan and bell. The church is generally
we'll filled at Divine services, Sunday
mornings. On the first floor there are
two large school rooms. Day school is
here kept for children of enlisted men,
attendance being compulsory. During
the winter months an evening school is
kept OPEN for the enlisted men, which
has an average attendance OF hftyeo OF
sixty. In addition to the elementary
branches, classes are formed in history
constitution Of the United States, physi-
cal geography, and lectures on astron-
omy and other sciences by Post Chaplain
Dodd. who also is in charge of the post
school.
The general reading room Of the post
is well supplied with newspapers, with
the exception of having no Benton pa
per. and seems to be we'll patronized oy
the men. Adjutant Bates is in charge
There are also company reading ano
library clubs. which should be highly
commended for the literary good they
must accomplish among the enlisted
men. Among them we noticed espec'
tally the reading association of Co. ID
18th infantry, the Anderson reading
club of Co. G., 18th infantry, and the
Metzger library association of troop q
ID cavalry.
There is a fine view of the Bears Paw
to the southeast and the Sweet Grass
hills in the distance away to the west
Timber and fuel are obtained from the
former, but good coal has been founc
not far away on Milk river, and VII
undoubtedly in a few years be suosti
tuted for fuel.
A~ssinaboine is noted for being n O
- "a 49,
the finest posts in the United States anc