The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-30
JEFFERSON BARRACKS


WASHINGTON, b. c.. Dec. .9.-in
view OK the commot!on that has been
caused among the people OF ST. Louis
and vicinity over the reported deter
mlnation OK the war department tu
abandon tho fine army post it Jefferson
Barracks. No.. the following official
statement OF the facts In the case has
been given out al the headquarters Of
the army:
The last Of October General Miles
commanding the army, In returning
from his tour " inspection Os military
posts IN the west found a. jefferson
Barracks more complaint concerning
the location OF that post than unY q:
all OF other stations he inspected. There
has been complaint that there was
many cases or typhold and other fC-
SerS anu that the principal cause 10
which this was attributed was the fact
that the ground WAS honcycombed with
deep lagoUns. some OF whose depths
reach below the lever Os the :!ver, and
X was OelieVcd that the sewerage from
st. Louis Seeped through the quicksnnd
at high water, and aS the waters reccd-
rd lcft poisonous germs at ;ac base OF
these gCclt laEoous: THAI there were
large number OF them on the resrrra-
ti0n. WhlCh also rendered Il dit!icult to
muuOcuyer Il considerable body OF cav
NirE. In fac; the commanding officer
stated to the commanding ETnc:al OF
the army that It could never bc made n
cavalry post. He said that It cost 5000
10 oil up one OF these lagoOns and that
there were at lrns. ATTY on the reserva-
tiOn which would render the expense
appalling.
The commanding general ot the
P~VNNs Il aN.4N ~ I'll P..l
officers 10 make Il thorough invcstiEa-
ton OF the sanitary condition OF that
ground nHd report results. II was a
matter OF ordinary aud 5u1icous nd-
ministrit!on 10 properly guard the well
fare OF the troops and the public Inter
ests. The silly preteHSu that General
Miles was actuaiel by any prejudice
toward 81. Louis or the action OF any
fccmberS OF the loyal legion, H. utterly
without foundation. General Miles hes
HotNthe slightest prvjudiCs against 81.
Louis, or any other section OF the
Emitted States. aud he never knew I'M
I'll he saw Il IN tirs papec that the rep-
resentatiyes OF tie loyal legion rotcd
Cur his old friend GcncCl! Gl3bOn In
| stead OF for himself. In fact, the mec.-
Ing In this City at which General Glib
bon was made commander UC the Loyal
Legion, General Miles did not attend,
although urged TO DO 80 ~ his friends.
The cle.,tion of General GLbbon was en-
tircly satisfactory to him.
The question pf the condition OF the
Arcadia valley was a matter already
decided as far as General Miles was
concerned. as he had before this No
YcFnbcr 1O). recommended the pur-
| chase OF that ground for "A r!nc range
so that any discussion concerning the
hcal:hfulnesS OF that region was not
called for by his Instruction. General
Miles has never recommended tho
abandonment oe Jefferson Barracks
and his future action sviI be governed
| by the professional and official reports
and facts concerning that station.
There are Jus. three questions to be
| determined:
One Is the sanitary condition Of that
ground: the second, the causes FOR any
| unsanItary condition; and the third, ;rc
necessary action TO De taken BY the
| government.