The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1895-02-02

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Col. Hall reports as. follows on n.
Spokane site. ~ ''
SIR: = i''s
IN compliance with Special Order,
~. ~ ,,y Headquarters Department ~
tnc oo!lmbia. current series. / have ths
nonor 70 report that on November iii
accompanied by First Lieutenant ~.
ucii. Fourth Infantry, ] proceeded Il
ooaahe, wash, to examine n tract M
!ahd rendered to the Government hv
sne cltizens of that city for the estaI.
ilshinent thereon of q military most
osee Enclosure, marked Al
u w the morning of the 9Th Mr.. Lewis
IL FL alafk, representing the citizens by
mnon Tue lender was made. accomDan.
.cu ny 70 Indicate the boundaries OF The
tract In question.
=. FROM the accompanying man M I,
" VIII be seen that the plat Ia located
Oh the banks of the Spokane river
west OF, and about 2Iz miles i'm a direct
iine from, the center of the cify and
miles. ~ ""'"'
The present approach TO the tract il
~ the county road, about AZ miles
a1oni tiie city; q shorter route, less than
miles In length, exists. but will re-.
quife the reconstruction Of a bridge
across the river, the old bridge having
peeh destroyed last year.
In Total acreage the plots examined
aggregate about 900 acres. Concern
ing the suitableness OF the tract for
military purposes 1t was, In some de.
gree, essential to assume maximum
strength OF the proposed garrison. I'm
on The basis that the post should ac-
comnodate a regiment of infantry. a
squadron Of four troops of cavalry. and
a battery Of light artillery, with a DOS.
sible strength of twelve to fifteen hun
dred men, made a careful examination
OF the ground, extending over two DAYS
OF rather unfayOrable weather. As a
result OF that examination my judgment
Is that the tract is suitable. and in
many particulars highly desirable. for
the ordinary purposes VI garrison OF
the strength indicated.
The main and most desirable portion
OF the tract Is plotted addition called
Iwickenham. The greater part of this
addition. about 253 acres. is high and
approximately level plateau that ap-
pears admirably adapted for the site Of
The post proper and for parade and drill
grounds. This main plateau, as shown
~ the map tSo. - is about 100 feet
above the river; but on the slopes to
The river banks there are several ben
ches or terraces of considerable extent.
especially toward the bend of the river.
that seem adapted for stables, corrals,
storehouses. etc. The lowest Que OF
these terraces is from 30 to 80 feet
above extreme high water.
Of the remaining portion of the tract
the ground Is more or less broken, but
there exists large plats that seem adap-
led 10 the location of smaller or sub
posts for cavalry or artillery. should
such be considered desirable.
There Is no difficulty in locating
known distance target ranges up to 600
yards In length, but for skirinish practice
soine expenditure OF money and labor
viii be required 10 construct n range to
lnltill desirable conditions. Reference
s here made 10 a portion of the map
No. :. marked in blue pencil.
concerning water supply, invite
attention 10 the Enclosed proposal of
h- city authorities tmarked b. IL IN
presumed tina, hundred gallons a day
Is "A liberal allowance per capita for
ordinary drinking and domestic purpo-
ses. The water Offered is from the city
mains, aud but small expenditure will
be required TO connect, near the bound.
AIRY Of the tract. the necessary mains
for the post. The location OF the tract,
being downstream from the city. is
sslch that water from the river could
mol be used for domestic purposes. For
Tire, irrigation, flushing tanks. etc. an
auxiliary supply could be pumped from
the stream.
The drainage of the tract Is natural,
and the establishment Of a sewerage
very simple matter.
The county road is located on the
southern portion OF the tract and ii
would seem 10 interfere but little with
any military nss of the ground in ques.
ton. The Seattle, Lake Shore and
Eastern Railroad. now operated By the
Grea, Northern Company. has a right
Of way through the tract as indicated
on map No. =. The location OF the
railroad. like the county road, is such as
Ia interfere very little, If any, with
requirements.
Accompanying this report are eight
views leitered TO CORES.
jtond with the points on map No. =,
from which they were taken.
Lieutenant Leyden has given me very
valuable assistance in the performance
of the duties deyolved upon me In this
matter.
Yer! rcsptfnlly, your obedient servant.
RoBERr II. HALL,
Colonel Fourth Infantry.
While his letter does not contain the
miss,atcmen;s so apparent In that OF
Gen. Otis. attention is called TO the fact
that he says the bridge mentioned by
the letter was destroyed last year
lie also takes particular pains to pre-.
sent nil Of the advantages Of the site
while its disadvantages are not men
toned Any one acquainted with the
topography OF the site knows that II is
no, what IL is represented and that II
will cost many thousands OF dollars TO
make Of II a desirable site for a military
post aside from the money expended in
the erection Of buildings.
Our people should not forget tina,
Spokane started this agitation and
when her business men come whining
around with statements that they had
nothing to do with it, simply remember
that they are not telling the truth.
The letter Of Gen. Otis favors the re-
,en,ton Of Boise Barracks and explains
why no efforts were made by our Sen
a;ors 10 save Fort sherman, which was
sacrificed to save Boise. This is the
niger in the wood pile and shows
that northern Idaho needs a represen
t,.;ra In tho L - Senate