Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1890-06-02
FACTS FROM FORT STANTON.
Its Beauty of Location-Perfect Water
and Sewerage system-Military
Improvements.
Correspondence New Mexican,

| FORT STANTON, N. M, May rs, 1890. .--
Fort Stanton was established May 4, 1856 !;
latitude SO degrees 20 minutes north,
longitude los degrees 81 minutes west,
and is situate on the Rio Bonito, a very
pretty lttle stream mich finds its source
in the White mountains, twenty-five miles
vest.
The post was abandoned by U S. troops
in 1861 and partially burned at that time !;
u year later it was reoccupied by
NEW MExICo VOLUNTEERS,
by whom it was partly rebuilt. The
present capacity is three troops cavalry
and two companies infantry. The post is
built OF stone and adobe, in the center Of
the reservation, which is two miles wide
and eight miles long. It's furnished with
complete system Of water works, the
supply being obtained from well near
the Ronito and forty feet below the level
of the parade ground. From this well
the water is pumped into reservoir on
a hill just northwest OF the post, having
A CAPACITY OF 10000 GALLONS;
| from the reservoir water is conducted
through three lar e iron mains all around
the parade grounds, stables and corrals ;
the barracks and officers quarters and
other occupied buildings being supplied
by smaller iron pipes tapping the mains
at most convenient places. The tire
department is very complete; the water
works are supplied with numerous plugs
and cut.oils, and the hose is sufficient to
reach any building in the post.
A splendid sewer system is one OF the
important features connected with this
post. 1t consists of a tWelve-inch main
of vitritied pipe, with connections, and
draws all the savage into settling tanks
Il quarter Of mile northeast. These
tanks work automatically, and require no
water for completely disposing of all mat
ter carried through the main.
Forage and fuel are supp led principally
by local parties. Wood Is cut only few
miles away, and hay and grain are OBJ
tainable from the farmers in the imme-
diate vicinity, who furnish corn, oats,
hay, alfalfa, bran, etc.
COAL HAS RECENTLY BEEN DISCOVERED
seven miles northwest of the post, and
contract was recently let to the owners of
this mine for supplying part OF the fuel
here. The coal is bituminous, of high
grade and suitable for all practical pur
poses. Excellent gardens are grown on
the reservation which supply everything
in the line of vegetables, excepting pota-
toes, which will not grow here.
The present garrison consists of two
troops OF cavalry and one company of in
fantry, which is soon to be augmented by
another company, now under orders to
take station here
WHEN UNION IS ABANDONED.
The officers at present are; Major Emil
Adam, commanding; quarternaf Ger, &.
L. Scott Capts Kirkmar KIM " and
johnson; Lieuts. Scott, Kirby, Paddock,
Brewster and Pershing.
The post is surrounded by beautiful
grove of cottonwood trees which are
watered from an acequia taken out of The
river Oue anu bHt-iIHIl HllleS dDOVe. ltlS
itch also affords surface drainage and
helps to supply water for irrigating gar
dens. Many ynewimprovements, planned
by Lieut.. Scott, have recently been made
that add greatly 10 the
BEAUTY AND CONVENIENCE
of the post, and reflect credit Oh the
management.
A telegraph line connects the post with
Lava, station on the A., T. & s. F., and
the nearest railroad point is Carthage,
ninety miles west. The nearest town in
any direction is Lincoln, the county seat
OF Lincoln county, nine miles east. Ele-
vatlon of the post is 6,l5l.5; mean tenn
perature in summer, 90; in winter, A..
The climate is very ieautiul and equable,
there being no prevailing disease.
1t is claimed, and only yesterday too,
that this is the prettiest and most cOnven-
ently arranged post in the department.