San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-04-09
ART ENGINEERING.
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ARSE
NAL GROUNDS.
Major Isaac Arnold's Beautiful Improve
ments in Them-A Competent
Engineer.


erty at the corner OF South Flores and
Arsenal streets was purchased and laid
out by the United States Government as
an arsenal in this city, this place has at
tracted a great deal Of attention from
our citizens and strangers, situated, as
it is, on one OF the principal thorough
fares of the city, and just so much in
terest and comment as il eXcites, so
much more attention should the govern
ment, through its representatives In
charge, pay to identifying and improv-
ing II. Since 1865 but little attentiOn
was paid to this point by any OF the ord
nance officers in charge, and for years
the place was allowed to take care
Of itself, the beautiful lawns being
choked out Of all semblRncs to lawns
by heavy growth Of mesquite and
buffalo grass, nOpal or cactus, the Span
ish dagger, and the scrubby ouisaChe
tree. The drives were more or less ir-
regularly laid out, and consisted mainly
Of white, spongy clay and little gravel,
as did the foot paths, dignitied by the
name of promenades. The quarters tor
the officers in charge consisted Of an old
cottage in the Queen Anne style, very
picturesque and very uncomfortable, sur
rounded by q pile Of building rubbish
and debris several feet in depth and by
servants houses in true Southern plan
tation confusion. The buildings looked
always as though in need Of fresh paint,
and the whole ensemble spoke OF rack
and decay.
When Major Isaac Arnold, the chief
ordnance officer of this department, was
appointed in charge of the San Antonio
Arsenal, vice Major Kress, he gradually
changed all this. Unlike his predecessors,
while they put all the appropriations
into buildings, he, while finishing the
buildings which they began, put the
major portion Of the public moneys set
apart for the arsenal, into identifying
the grounds, and walk down South
Flores street, with cursory glance at
the arsenal grounds, will exhibit the
great change and improvement brought
about by the Majors policy.
For the past three months Mr.. ThOs.
Franklin, a talented typographical and
landscape engineer, who came to Major
Arnold with the highest of Recommended
tions, and who was the principal en-
gineer in charge OF the street improve
ments in Washington, ID. c., and the
landscape engineering about the United
States Capitol grounds, has been EN-
plOyed, with a large force Of workmen,
in identifying and improving the
grounds. From the entrance gates TO
every part Of the grounds the most
beautiful cement walks have been
laid and have stood the test
of the weather SO we'll that
not q crack Is visible to the eye in
the entire 1000 square feet Of cement
walks laid. For grading the grounds,
filling in great hollows, ETC., $50 loads of
black earth were used, ever which, when
graded, the beautiful Bermuda lawn
grass was planted. Some $50 loads OF
rubbish and debris from about the
grounds and buildings were taken away,
and when the drives about the
grounds were begun. $50 loads Of
gravel, screened to uniform size,
and broken stone were brought in
and used. The drives are models of
solidty a d finish, and will last forever,
iftheir,,hs -dness is any critic cioa. A beau
tiiul drive, which formerly ran too close
ly to the beautiful two-story stone resi-
dence which has taken the place of the
old cottage, has been removed to a short
distance from the house and forms an
irregular, though almost perfect
eclipse. This Is finished with a
good solid foundation of broken
stone, screened gravel, and hard,
| tenacious binder, crowned in the middle
| to shed water and the lawn borders
| trimmed closely and symmetrically
This drive is $40 feet in length and Il
feet broad. The cactus has been up.
| rooted and the Spanish daggers, Of
which there are many superb specimens,
have been transplanted and placed In
regular order. A fine broad gravel road
has also been built to the artillery sheds.
| the armory, storebouse, Shops and maya.
| zine in the rear, and the heaviest artillery
in the service has thus far made not the
slightest impression upon its surface
These drives are about 800 feet in length
| and of regulation width. A new ditch,
made of hewn stone and cemsnted, has
been run through part Of the grounds
to the right Of the house for use
as an irrigation ditch, and small
| bitches will be run from this &c
all parts OF the grounds to keep every
thing fresh and green during the driesi
season. A great many shade trees have
been planted, and others will be plant
ed. The idea of Major Arnold in regarC
to shade trees Is correct one, anC
should give hint to others. Instead o
setting out the short-lived china treei
SO plentiful in this city, he intends pro
curing forest trees Indigenous to TexaI
| soil-Oak, elm, etc.-which are l0nge
lived and make more beautiful shade.
The general stOre-house. q magnificen
cut-stone building Of two stories, haI
recently been completed by Major Ar
mold, and an inspection through his ele
CANT residence will exhibit some Of thu
finest finishing ever done By any carpen
tiers. This has all been done under thu
personal supervision Of Major Arnold
while in the grounds Mr.. Franklin ha
been his able co-aajutor. The works o
Improvement is yet going On, and whei
the whole is finished, no prettier or NOR
substantial work can be seen anywher,
In the State than can be seen at the Sal
Antonio arsenal grounds.
Mr. Franklin is engaged in other enter
prises as well as landscape engineering
has made specially of cement and WOO
psvements, masonry, bridges, dams
tanks, roadways Of all kinds Of material
ornamental thing, curbisg, sidewalks
etc., and his work will speak for itself.
Regarding I" M ichael Strogoff," or tn
"Courier OF the Car" the New Yor
Herald says: "As brought out by tn
Andrews Company, Ii is both maj esti
and massive representation. Its ap
pointments are grand and picturesque 4
chromatio detail, and there Is a peculia
fascination about the successive scent
accomplishments that defy imitation.
is an imposing spectacle Of rude bal
barrie significance, attended with tn
delicate coloring Of Asiatic imaginatio
and the SURPRISING richness OF NOLAN
| ma q Il nj