St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-04-03
THE POLICY OF THE WAR DE-
PARsrMENps 49,
IN TIE OLD SMELLING CASE
BUILDINGS AND SITE OF NO USE
TO THEs SOLDIERS
NOW.
TOO DAMP FOR UsE,As BARRAck.
And Not Large Enough Anyway for
"a Considerable Number of
e Men,
The Following special Telegram from wash.

The following special telegram from Wash
ISington appeared in. yesterdays Glob e:y.
An adverse report was today made on
+ congressman kiefer's bilr granting to the
state CT Minnesota in perpetuity the old
buildings and grounds which constitute the
original Fort Smelling to be used for a
+ state museuma The report is based on, the
opinion OF Secretary of War Lamont who
7 urges that fehe' buildings, and. grounds re-
ferred to are valuable part of the military
z reservation of Fort Smelling and cannot he
given up without detriment to the inter-
+ ests- Hof the government. The old buildings
that have an historical value would be pre-
served in any event. ~ @ ~, -, i.
The dispatch further stated that the bill
would hardly pass.
Gen. E. c. Mason, formerly in command at
Fort Smelling, was asked whether his observa-
tion indicated that the government could af-
| lord, from military standpoint, to abandon
the old buildings at the fort.
Certainly, the department could do without
those buildings" replied Gen. Mason .Au
the business of the fort is now conducted at
| the upper barracks and in that vicinity. While
| was out there we used the old buildings for
while, simply because the new ones weren't
. completed, and after we moved into the new
barracks mad the floors taken out of the old
barracks, so that they could be turned into
storerooms for the ordnance But they are
altogether unified for the shelter of troops.
They are, all damp, badly lighted and nm.
wholesome. The old round tower is an at
tractlve structure, from historical or ro-
mantle point Of view, but it is absolutely use
less for any military purpose. For a time
they used IL some years ago as guard house,
Out II IS altogether too damp. No, can't un-
derstand what the department means by saw
ing that the old buildings could be utilized. in
case OF necessity, as shelter for battalion
OF troops. At the most the old barracks could
house few companies-about 200 men. and
they would be overcrowded at that. II seems
10 me that the request of the historical So
elety was not an unreasonable one, and can
easily understand why the old buildings sit
uated on such beautiful bluff. might nrove.
very attractive to strangers and citizens
An officer of the State Historical society ex-
pressed himself as much Disguised with the
actlon OF the war department. Its a sort of
Jog IN the manager policy" said he, "for the
government to keep what it cannot use. and
what mas no value except from its historical
associations and its picturesque location
Ihese two considerations might readily pre
vent the Old site and buildings from being dis
P0seo VI " any private party, but the histOri-
cal society undertakes to preserve the build
lhgs, with the utmost care to make them a
permanent exhibit of various interesting me-
mentoes OF the early history of this state and
TO hoid them forever free to any citizen or
stranger desiring to''inspect the buildings. the
historical collection or to- enjoy the beautiful
view from the bluff. There are hardly anv
buildings in this state now standing that are
SO filled with historic reminders as those at
Fort Smelling. The fort was established in
1873. The original structures disappeared long
ago, but the old stone barracks were erected
not many years after the fort was founded.
The guard house perched on the bluff was
sort of Northwestern imitation of an old Nor
man tower, or the fragment of medieval
castle on the Rhine. l can't see what possible
use the war department could make of the old
buildings. In case of necessity larger and
better quarters could be secured for reserve
force in tie modern buildings near the fort
and in ordinary times of peace the old barracks
good for storage purposes only. Surely
the government could erect storehouse at
slight expense and near the new barracks, If
such a building is really needed But, after
all, think that although Congressman Kiefer
has been disappointed, in spite of his hard
work, yet he may be more successful later on,
when congress is better Informed as to the
situation