Omaha daily bee., 1895-06-09
General sheridan's Opinion of the Location
from Strategic Standpoint
oRT CROOK AN lMPtRTANT STATION
General sChofeld Impressed with Its Ad-
vantage as a Distributing Point.
EST POINT WORK TO Be SUPPLEMENTED

The recent visit Of Lieutenant General
John NJ. Schohed to the Department Of tho
Platte and his hasty inspection of Forts
Omaha and Crook has revived interest in a
military training school for boys prepara-
tory to their entrance into West Point or
Annapolis. For several years, or rather
since the determination to change the loca-
tion of the present Fort Omaha, The Bee
has urged upon the people Of this community
the necessity of acquiring from the govern
ment title to the old garrison and its SUR
roundings, that the school might be estab-
lished which would fit young men for the
higher military training to be obtained at
West Point and Annapolis. Senator Man
derson when asked to give his views upon
this question, as well as any suggestions
ne had heard General Schohed make on his
last visit here concerning the establish
ment of such a school, said
ITO give you full report Of the motives
that induced the construction of the new
fort at Omaha and the history of its erec-
ton would take more space than your paper
would probably like to give. Years ago
when General Sheridan in command Of
the army and Robert r. Lincoln was Sec
retary of war, l sought to have the then di-
lapidated Fort Omaha bettered and en-
ldIBtu. Cdlltu lut attention Ol lne war
department to the fact that the eighty acres
upon which the garrison is built was do
mated by the citizens of Omaha, and the
condition of the buildings erected many
years ago was such that they were scarcely
nhabitabe. General Sheridan. in frequent
interviews and in response to my persistent
urging, said he would never recommend
the expenditure of another dollar on Fort
Omaha. that hp smply wished n keen tina
post so that it would be barely inhabitable.
in the hope that a larger garrison could be
erected He insisted that he wanted a new
post farther removed from the town and
containing no less than 500 acres of land.
PROPER LOCATION FOR A POST
"He said that Omaha, by reason of its CEN
trail position, it's commercial Importance and
cheapness for the supply of troops one
Of the best locations in the country for
large garrison. He said that he considered
the Department of the Platte one of the
most important in the country, not only on
account of the Indian situation, a formid-
able band of Indians known as the Siouxs.
| numbering about 10000, being on the north
ern boundary of Nebraska, but because 1t
was a natural distributing point along the
main line of settlement and emigration, and
should be maintained and everything should
be done to make the headquarters
of the department at Omaha a permanent
one. His idea the building Of COM
| modious quartermaster depot and ordnance
station, the erection of full regimental gar
rison and the building Of department head
quarters. Seeing that 1t was impossible to
| do anything in the way of improving old
| Fort Omaha, l took the necessary steps and
| the result was ultimately the purchase Of
| about 600 acres OF land most admirably
| lected by General John II. Brooke, that now
constitute Fort Crook
"The new garrison is now ready for the
occupancy of four companies of infantry, and
| the buildings now under erection will accom-
modate eight companies, or a full regiment
under our present Objectionable organization.
| | hope to see the three battalion organization
adopted by the United States, and when this
is done a regiment will consist of twelve
companies, and Fort Crook will be capable Of
holding a full infantry regiment.
! General Schofeld on his late visit to the
| post, was charmed with its situation and es-
pecially delighted with the character OF tho
buildings The cost Of Fort Crook thus far
has been, including cost OF ground over $780,
900, and before / went out of congress had
additional appropriations providing for the ex-
|
expended will almost complete eight COM
pany post but the ultimate expenditure to
make Fort Crook what 1t must be- will be be-
| tween 81 100000 and 81 500 900.
SCHoFIELD'S IMPRESSIONS.
"In conversation with General Schoaeld on
his late visit he said that he was particularly
| impressed with the situation Of Omaha as
distributing center for troops when an emer.
| gency should arise and realized that for
| speedy distribution OF men and the material
of war to any point in the center Of the coun-
try no place afforded such advantages as
Omaha. Its situation, Joined to the presence
Of the new fort the large and wel-equipped
corral, and the present postoifice and custom
house building which, on completion OF the
new postofice is to be turned over to the
War department as headquarters for the De-
partment Of the Platte, all induced him to
look with favor upon the enlargement OF tho
department by taking in some Of the country
naturally tributary to us. He said that he
expected to visit for the first time Forts Nj
obrara and Robinson in this state, and Fort
Meade in South Dakota, and 1t was almost
like a new revelation to him that all the
BLACK Hills country was tributary to Omaha
by the two railroads known as the Elkhorn
and Burlington
| In 1850 anu again III iooii pVi"b ihS"'p0i
Of the committee on military affairs OF the
senate, was on the board Of visitors to the
West Point Military academy. In the report
OF the committee in 1885, the Board Of Visi-
tors recommended to congress an increase in
the number OF cadets to be educated at the
Military academy. The board Gays In its re-
port with reference to the fostering care OF
congress:
"The country receives back many times Its
cost In the valuable service OF body Of
men distinguished for Intellectual ability,
strong conservatism, keen sense OF honor
and unimpeachable personal integrity.
PLAN FOR TRAINING CADETS,
"In this report nothing is suggested az TO
1 the manner of increase In the number Of
cahats hnf In 1871 when had the honor n