The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1895-02-02
THE STORY or THE rosr.
Lei the Responsibility Rsss whsr. II
Belongs.

: 1eAShxb
Tue discussion and final passage b,
congress Of the bill locating a military
post ut Spokane has developed the fact
that some Of the army officers high IN
rank and supposed to be gentlemen
whose honor and integrity is above
feproaeh, have placed themselves In an
ahensiable position. In the hands OF
spokane's bankrup. business men and
bankers their opinions were moulded AZ
easily as one would shape ball OF
putty. Misrepresentation were made
10 the war department under the
guise OF Official correspondence and
used as arguments for forcing the spo,
Kane bill through congress. Our rep.
resentatiyes were derelict In their duty
or These statements would have never
gone unchailenged.
| While Senator Mitchell, of Oregon,
was lighting for Walla Walla, the Con.
gressionai Record does not show that
our senators raised hand or uttered a
word In our behalf. What excuse can
they offer for this apparent neglect Of
duty?
The Spokane people are now claim
ing,-but their reputation is such that
the people OF c9ar d'Aiene would not
believe them under oath that they did
not start the agitation for the abandon.
ment Of Fort Sherman. Let us see.
During the high water in the spring Of
1854 they sent men here and photo.
gfaphed the post. These photographs
and the grossest Misrepresentation were
used by them In favor of abandonment
and the fact is mentioned in some of
the official correspondence of the army
officers, as We will prove. We will also
prove by quotations from this cores
poiidenee that the people Of Spokane
inst proposed the new post In that
town.
The following extracts are from u
letter aEt;en by Bngadier General
Otis under date OF July -, 1884:
In connection with the subject |
have the honor 10 transmit herewith
the proposition Of representative ci,i.
xrns OF spokane, accompanied by Il
faiifnad map OF the section of country
tributary 10 that city, also blue PRINT
showing the manner la which the city
las been laid out or plotted. The
proposition contains Il presentation Of
the military advantages which would
rrstiit from the establishment Of "A per.
nanrHt post within or In near contae,
10 the place. abd 50 ably discusses the
subject that further comment Is un-
necessary.
The GO acres mentioned therein
embrace the site TO which particularly
Invited attention III my repor, Of the
18Th OF ia. month. from which have
above made quotation, and It's location
10 northwest Ut The city. or IN its north
Western extremity, be.o,d the Spokane
r1svf. aud Is well represented upon the
accompanying blue pflai- By reference
thereto II alil br s-rn that II Is situated
In the brsid Of The river and is conneer
ted with tilr city by sinsie bridge
The river, which here has deep chan.
Bsi, Constitutes one half Of lis boundary
| did hot make a c.oee inspection Of the
gtusissd by passing over II. but viewed
4 |, from lie bridge. which is probsbt, lu
s-ci above the bed of The stream: and
this after had casually observed other
psurrswd sites. one Of which Is a stony.
ssartwts plain. up The rtsrr about miles
from tho brsiuess crnirt vi the city.
and tSriaecn The river aild the Northern
Pacific ltallrusd.
This proposition Of the citizens Of
~ssokahr ~ very literal. The ground
Offered has great natural beauty, has
fscsn used IA suburban park. and lis
p~canlAgy value Ia estimated AT high
figure. Ia presenting 1; am influenced
by tits fscruisy ascetsalisesd knowledge
that Fort sherman must sooner or later
bc abandoned. because the possible
usrGfsow Of the tsrar d A.rne Lake a,
Any time irisacrs It's tenure very pre-.
cafseHs. ard further by tie great tmpot
sancn Of permanently maintaining
Troops IN that section Of ;hc country.
iiy The establishment Of large military
resss In tho city Of Spokane. Forts Sher
man. So ksae. and Wai.a " ala could be
abandoned
Another site Is TO the south OF aud
near 10 The city. ihrre OF four hundred
fec, above IL. ia reached by road OF
VERY steep akcra,, and IL also wairr~d
by springs. The poin, would be de.
sirablr csse we're II no, for its elevation,
, it's distance from railway facilities, and
The prrrarions nature OF continued
sufficient wafer privileges.
; An attempted rcaiosal of troops
. from northern Idah= :nigh, bc met with
op,ms,iis from tho citizens OF ina'
state az endangefing The safety Of the
inhabitants of Ia mining regions and
? .Asir railroad connections In fact,
i however, a military force n, Spokane
/, would hold the key 10 all their eIldan.
gryssi painss much better than If
p II a,lusneri a, Fort sherman OF a, any
! u,sc, place. N regards southern Idaho.
. Tie smrr-encica of the past three
tnousiss indicate The Importance OF
liniar barracks and the impression
!, which has generally prevailed in mill
,Agy eiry-lra "a to the uselcssRess of that
post must he modified II IL q conven
, len, rsoin, for 4 garrison Of four com
! pan;ea and IL could be made Ia accom-
! mediate feyce Of that strength at
q VERY moderate expenditure. Its wa'el
!, prnblrm appears 10 he solved through
" Tho efforts II the Boise city authorities
= SEQ. therefore. Ito apparent difficult!
c, in retaining Igoise barracks as per
a man.nt station for troops.
). should the accompanying PROPOSE
y lion of the citizens of spokane be favor
d ahly considered by The War Department
e and shauli the Department eone'nae u
r. ry,luesi the necessary Congressional nc
lion for tho establishment of a post
or near tina, city. would tespectsnil
Suggest that measures be TAKEN ~ gu
RI srasnn to select on appropriate sue Az h
70 To ascertain how great may oe 'he NJ
:, etal feeling of its citizens Win ''g''
to H."