The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-25
The Military Post,

The military post known as Boise bar
racks was established on its present site in
June, 1863. Major Lugenbiel, with his com
mand Of two or three companies, had been
securing the plains hereabouts with the in
tention of establishing a military post
there being none at that time between Fort
Hall and Walla Walla. The location was
settled upon at the place now occupied. The
amount of land laid off for the reservation
proper was one section, but claim was also
made upon the mountain to the north of the
present grounds of a plat of timber for a
wood supply, and of Government island.
lying in the Boise river, for hay ranch. 1t
was afterwards decided at Washington
that these last claims were invalid and they
were abandoned. Since the taking up of
this reservation the grounds have gradu-
ally been improved, as money has from
time to time been devoted to that purpose
by the government until both men and Off
GERS have
EXCELLENT QUARTERS AND CoNVENIENCEs.
Upon a terrace north of the parade grounds
are three substantial, pleasantly located
buildings overlooking the entire camp as
well as the city. Colonel John Green occu-
pies the middle of these, Captain Webster
and Lieutenant Andrus the west and
Lieutenant Lewis and Surgeon Girard the
one to the east AT intervals in trout of
these buildings are shade trees. and in all
appropriate places IL is sOdded. Coming
down from thence at the foot of the hill is
the hospital, stone structure surrounded
by trees and rose bushes and every appuI-
tenance conducive to its comfort and con
Venience. South of these are the barracks
for the infantry, cavalry, bakery, head
quarters, barber shop, tailor shop, commits
sary, quarters for non-commissioned staff,
wkg wsnNV
other buildings. The grounds in the Vi
cinity of the barracks are interspersed with
shade trees. An excavation has been made
into which water is allowed TO run at the
proper season that ice may be
farmed for the use of the garri-
son. To the west of the parade ground
are large gardens where an immense
amount of vegetables are raised by the
soldiers to a greater amount than can DOS
sibly be made use of for themselves. They
sell their salt meats and use the avails for
fresh. The great amount of vegetables
raised enables them to dispense with much
of their ratiOns and increase the variety of
their food which equals in quality and
quantity those of the best boarding houses
in the city. They have library and a
billiard room, their clothing is much tiaer
and better than it was few years ago, and
as the way is open to promotion to the in
telligent and worthy, there seems to be no
inducement to the frequent assertions that
take place. Soldiers are not required 10
perform the laeorious work that was ex-
acted of them few years ago and are only
50 detailed when it is unavoidable Why
THE LIPE OF SOLDIER
may not be made quite pleasant, especially
in a camp like Boise barracks, it would be
hard to tell. The post has, since its first
establishment. been supplied with water
..Y,k oh, ht~h hut hot
source has, to certain extent, failed, and
the government has expended the sum of
l0,0VO the last summer in the conveyance
of that very necessary element to the
camp from Curlew gulch, bringing it from
a mile distant in a A. Inch pipe. II is pure
spring water, has a great fall and will
doubtless prove sufficient for all purposes,
irrigation included. The gardens of which
we have heretofore spoken on the south
western side of the reservation are watered
from the Walling ditch, which
skirts its southern borders. The
following is the force of officer
and men at the post at the present time:
Colonel John Green, commanding; A. c.
Girard, surgeon with rank of major; Cap
tain George o. Webster, Company 6,
Fourth infantry, with forty enlisted men,
and Lieutenant Andrus, post adiutant, or
diuance and signal officer and engineer;
First Lieutenant Lewis, commanding Com
pany d, Second cavalry, with forty mine
enlisted men and Second Lieutenant
Mickey of the same company. Besides
these, there is hospital steward with five |
assistants. Unlike many vicinities where |
military posts exist, the kindest relations |
exist socially between the officers and the |
towns people, there being seldom any |
cause for complaint on either side, and if |
any it has been OF light and trivial charac- !
ter.