Brookings register. (Brookings, S.D.) 1890-1894, 1893-12-01
THE STATE MILITIA.
What GOV. Sheldon Has Done and:is,Do-
ing for II.

ing for It,
The Reg,inental Target Contest and Its
Results.
Gov. Sheldon was in the city last
evening, returning to the capital from
visit to Fort SiSSeton. 1t will be re-
membered that all the buildings at
the fort, many of them Of large dimen-
Sions and erected at great cost, to-
gether with a tract OF land covering
an area of nine miles wide by fifteen
long, have been donated to the state
by the general government for the
uses and purposes of the state militia.
A number Of the buildings are wooden
affairs, which are rapidly going to ruin
and which at their present shape and
condition are of no Use or benefit to
anyone. There are no state funds
which can be properly used in repair
| ing these frame structures, and even
| if there were the benefit to be derived
by the state from their good cOndi-
tiOn and care would not Justify the eX-
penSe which would have to be made
from year to year. Consequently the
governor has assumed the right to sell
them. and his visit to the fort at this
time was in connection Herewith.
He was accompanied by three respOn-
sible citizens of LangfOrd who acted
as appraisers of the property, the re-
cord of the whole transaction with the
appraiSement being placed in the
hands of the states agent in charge,
Mr. Daniel Hubbard. 1t is thought
the buildings can be disposed Of for
several hundred dollars. In case this
| is done the governor will favor the eX-
penditurc of the proceeds some time
next summer in transporting a num-
Der of companies of the state militia
to the fort and keeping them there in
! enCampment several weeks, to the
end that the state may fulfill its Obli-
cations to the government in accept
ing the property. In order to make
| the expenses Of the enCampment as
| light as possible, that they may be
! liquidated by the funds from the sale
Of the property mentioned, only those
| companies most accessible to the
fort and grounds will probably be call
ed into encampment. The apprOpria-
tiOnS made by the state for the militia
are not sufficient to cover the expenses
Of the enCampment, and so none can
be held unless other funds are prOvid-
ed. The governor is of the opinion
that many Of the officers of the militia
will pay their own expenses, and prob
ably many citizens as WELL so that the
whole outlay can be reduced to a mini
mum. The buildings grounds, etc,
are delightfully."- located, and no better
place for summer outing can be
| found. There are many fine lakes ad-
| joining which are well stocked with
fish and can be drawn upon for great
deal of amusement and recreation.
The stone buildings at the fort were
erected at a cost of $580,OO0.
The governor inclines TO the Opin-
ion that the property will some day
fall absolutely into the hands Of the
state and hopes, in that event, that it
| will be disposed of advantageOuSly and
the proceeds devoted to fund for the
maintenance of the militia. He, as
well as other leading state officials,
are taking a live interest in the
guards, and the recent competitive
target shoots, which have put new life
and energy in the organization, were
largely provided by his efforts to raise
additional funds for that purpose, the
state appropriation being but paltry
800. He authorized the News to
state that he and his staff would visit
the several prize winning companies
and award the trophies in person.
Aberdeen Daily News.