New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-06
FINAL DAYS AT WEST POINT
A ROCK OF CONSERVATISM IN A CHANGING
WORLD.
CADET JoHNsToN's FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE
PREss-THE SLIM CADET AND THE BLOOM
ING MAIDEN-PICTUREsoUE SCENES


AT THE OLD ACADEMY.
West Point, June Special. D.-Once more the
revolving seasons have brought the last week OF
the graduation exercises at West Point, ana irom
the shadows of the green mountains and the shell
ter of the old gray walls class of cadets, nAe"
all with martial ardor and high Ideals, are pre-
pairing to go forth to continue the sustained record
of the Nations military history. One class OF
cadets is so like another: there the same gleam-
ing uniforms of officers and helmetcd orderlies
flashing on the sunfooded plain and along the
shaded walks the tide of military life flows at the
| ancient post so exactly it has before, that IL
seems impossible that many years have van
shed since first the writer heard the bugles greet
| the morning, saw Gro Nest catch the glory OF the
| rising day. All around institutions change or
perish administrations and dynases ris, and fall,
and behind the onward rush of mankind are things
| forgot but West Point continues on in the lines
| laid down for it by It's founders, a rock OF con-
servatism where the glorious memories of the past
are active living principles in the preaent.
| The number of visitors to the post this year
| is rather smaller than usual, but the piazzas OF
| tho hotel are made beautiful by the regu atloh
number Of blooming girls and ny the boundary
| hedge which he may not pass the slim cadeo
waits as usual for the one he loves 10 go ana
stroll with him on the plain. They drink of the
magic waters Of Kosciusko's spring. he gives her
| bcll button from his uniform the graduate
| 1oes 70 a Western post and marries the c0lon"ls s
| dauoh-er willie she weds the rich banker ana
life zoe, on lust the same and the river flows on
TO the sea Now all prosaic things are chni
mated from the life of the cadet lie Is iiiiei
with hich ideas Of that honor winch teis
stain like a wound" and he feel the r'ilectei
glory of hundred well-fousht battleiields OF
who's, fame hr is the heir.
The examinations proceeded to-day in the order
! laid down. In the examinations In law Caoe.
1ohrston cav, a recitation on the Liberty OF
| rho Pross- Mr. Johnston very compliment
tary to the press and evidently considers IL d
cool and useful institution. Among the peheh''
| of tle press he enumerated its power In Keeping
Office seekers in check. Cadet Johnston eV"en'iS
docs NOT look with favor upon politicians, pu'
he is young yet and has never haa occ"s'o" ~
apply tor a much desired detail.
| rolonel Ernst went before the Board OF Nlsi'orS
today and ravc them general discourse on the
oc,demv IJe told them that he had never seen
the discipline Of the academy good as it is now
A. he has only recently taken command this was
not self-prase but good expert testimony lhis
testimony of the Colonel set the officers TO tallhH
in a reminiscent way down at the 'mess afterwari,
and heavy times through which the academy han
passed in other days were called up IL s'|'"'
,b., ~ one fine in the course OF the Clvll war,
| the Government forgot TO pay the cade'e' ah'
only half the corps could 20 10 dinner Tor want
| OF shoes one day.
| The work on the new academic building is get
| ting along slowly. and the Board OF Visitors Is
tryinr to devise some way of hurying up the con-
| tractors The south wing WAS 10 have been M
| ishcd last December but extension was grant
cd and there are fears that another will he asked
for. Tn. board is opposed TO granting any such
extension. AS the building is urgently needed
, One reason of the delay is the unexpected trouble
which the contractors had in tearing down the
old bnilding They built well in the DAYS when
that old building was put up. ana when me ..H voh,
tractors came 10 tear il down they found walls
three feet thick. with mortar as hari as the stones
| il hold together Finally il had 10 be blasted
down with dynamite -,
| At : c',lock this afternoon details from fhe
first and second class under command OF C1uet
Captain kntz threw ,rontoon pTiu9e ,1o ac,IoS
| tho little bay back Of IN" hotel, Two tr,stles
| and eleven pontoons were used and the completes
| bridrc was 21s fee. long. II was good strong
| bridge and was rapidly constructed. caesar dih
| NOT eXnorinrce more satisfaction whcn no saw MS
celebrated bridge across the Rnlne complc'cd inih
did Cadet Captain kutz when his was suc'csIuiN
| finished under the eyes of the Board OF VISITOR,
| The d,y here was intensely hot. but cool breczes
| hIoyy at evening and while the Dand plaNed lh
front of the hotel its sweet strains straNing up
| the mountain sides and uiugling with the cries
| cadets and fair maidcns sat or w1lhed amour III
The starlight and civilians looked on ana s9nen
| Tomorrow light battery drill on the pam VIII
! be one of the features of the day.