Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-12-07


reports that the army OF date of last consolidated
returns consist of 2ls9 officers and "a ~ enlise
The actual expenditures OF the war department
for the fiscal year ended June 50. 1855, amounted
TO SAL l65 1e7 o. of which S9I5S,5I6.t3 was eN
pended for public works, including river and har-
Dor improvements.
The beard OF ordnance and Notifications pro
vided for under the act approved September 2-
last was convened October 30, 1883, and plans aud
specifications for procuring fergings for eight
ten and l2 inch guns, under provision of section 3
and also for procuring twelve inch breach loading
mortars cast iron, hoped with steel, under the
provisions of section ) of the said act were sub
initted to the secretary of war for reference to
the board by the ordnance department OF the
same date.
promptly approved by the board and by the sec
rotary of war, the necessary authority TO publish
advertisements, inviting proposals, IN the news
papers throughout the country was granted by
the secretary November 18th, and November
18th the advertisements were sent out to the diff
ferent newspapers designated The bids for the
steel forging are to be opened on December Goth,
1888, and for the mortars on December 18th, 1888.
A board of ordnance officers was convened at the
Watervliet Arsenal on October 4th 1855 to prepare
the necessary plans and specifications for the
establishment of an army gun factory at that
point. The preliminary report Of this board, with
estimates for ship building and officers quarters,
was approved by the board of ordnance and forti-
fications. numbers six and eight. The specitca-
tons and form of advertisement and instructions
to bidders have been prepared and advertisements
inviting proposals for the excavation for the
ship building and for erecting the two sets of
Oil1CcrS quarters, nave DtcH lhuISLtu llAS
detailed drawings and specifications for
the gun factory buildings are well IN hand, and
will be finished within three or four months, when
bids will be invited for the erection of the build
ing The list of machines, ETC. is made out, and
il is expected that the plans for the large lathes,
etc, will be completed within about four months,
and after approval By the beard Of ordnance and
ratification for furnishing the same VIII be
invited. The machines and other fixtures Will be
completed as soon as the shop Is in readiness 70
receive them, probably about 1890 Under the
of pneumatic dynamite guns the necessary Specl-
ficatious now being prepared, and advertise
ments for proposals will Je issued early lii Decem-
Eer The guns will prc6hbly be of fifteen inches
calibre, and fire a projectile that will carry q
charge each of about 500 pounds OF explosive
gelatine with full calibre projectiles; the guns
will probably be delivered in from six to ten
months from the date of the contract, so that
all the guns of this class that can be
procured under the provisions of the law will be
purchased during the year 1889. earnestly re-
quest that the recommendations contained IN the
Secretarys report, all of which are in my opinion,
calculated TO increase the usefulness and dlScl-
plne of the army may receive the consideration
of the congress, among these, the proposal that
there should be provided plan for the eNamina-
is of the utmost Importance; this reform has been
before recommended in the reports of the secretary
and its expediency is so fully demonstrated by the
argument represented IN Its favor that IT'S adoption
should no longer be neglected.
The death of General Sheridan in August last
was national affection. The army then lost its
greatest of chiefs. The country lost brave and
exDerenced soldier wise and discreet counselor,
and a modest and sensible man. Those who in
any manner came within the range of his personal
association will never fail to pay deserved and
willing homage to his greatness and the glory OF
his career. But they " IL cherish with more ten
der senSibility the loving memory of his simple,
generous and cOnsiderate nature
The Apache Indians, whose removal from their
reservation in Arizona followed cdputdre OF those
of their number who engaged in q bloody and
murderous raid during a part OF the years 1885
no11s
Mount Vernon barracks in the state of Alabama
They numbered on the EST day of October, the
boys, and 50 girls, in all S83 persons. The com;
mandng officer states that they are in good
health and contented. and that they are
kept employed as fully as r is possible
as they arrive at { ,Iitable age are sent to the
Indian Schools at Carlisle and Hampton Last
summer some charitable and kind people asked
permission to send two teachers to these Indians
for the purpose of instructng the adults as well
such children as should be found there. Such
permission was readily granted, accommodations
were provided for the teachers and some portions
of the building at the barracks were made available
for school purposes The great work contemplated
has been commenced and the teachers engaged are
paid by the ladies with whom the plan originated.
/ am not at all in sympathy with those benevolent
but injUdciOus people vino are constantly insisting
that these Indians should be returned 10 The feSer-
walton. Their removal was an absolute Necessity.
l. the lives and property Of citizens upon the
frontier are to be at all regarded by the govern
the scene OF tTcfr repeated ana cruel murders and
OutrGCcS is still necessary. 1t Is mistaken philan
thrOpS in every way injurious which prompts the
desire to see these savages returned to their old
hauntS They are in their present location as there
suit of the best Judgment of those having official
responsibility i'll the matter, and who are by no
means lacking in kind consideration for the In
dams. number of these prisoners have for
feited their lives to outraged law and humanity.
Experience has proved that they are dangerous
and cannot be trusted. This is true not only of
those who, on the warpath, have heretofore been
actually guilty of atrociOus murder, but OF their
kindred and friends, who, while they remained
upon their reservation, furnished aid and
comfort to those absent with bloody intent.
The prisoners should be treated kindly and kept
in restraint far from its locality of their former
reservation; they should be subjected to efforts
calculated to lead to their improvement and to
the softening of their savage and cruel instincts,
but their return to their old home should be per
sistently resisted.
The secretary in his report gives graphic his
tory of these Indians and relates with painful
vivfdness their bloody deeds and the unhappy
failure of the government to manage them by
peaceful means. 1t will be amazing if a perusal
of this history will allow the survival of desire of
the return of these prisoners to their reservations
upon sentimental or other grounds