Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1896-12-11
BOSTON LETTER.
ESPECIAL CoRREsPoNDRScK. :
Dilapitated Fort Warren.

oPttottu II OEt " "afftn.
Since fort Independence has been
virtually surrendered to the city of
Boston, TO form with its immediate
surroundings portion of her park
system, the only conspicuous pretense
OF harbor protection which We could
point out to the visiting stranger or
foreigner has been fort Warren. AL
though this structure is not one of
our most venerable defences, having
been built less than 80 years ago, its
particular use, during the rebellion,
as place OF detention, for dis
tinguished prisoners gave it consider
aole prominence in the events Of
that exciting period. Its guest regis
ter for the four years of that strug-
gle will always make very interest
ing chapter of its history. Here were
entertained, IN rather confined quar-.
ters it is true, Mason and Shdell, the
commissioners captured on the Trent,
general Buckner and a number of 9th.
er gentlemen whose society at that
time We were very eager to have and
~ ASSBs w" SbLICo Tue uumlllhI-
ing revelation, that our single garri-
soned fort Is not fit for habitatlon.
Its solid looking exterior and its green
slopes and terraces have given the
harbor voyngers or the long distance
travellers no intimation that it's inte-
rior was damp, unwholesome and fall
ing to decay. 1t Its none of
-
the public's business, and the officers
ana men are not supposed to
carry tales to the world, whatever
reports they may have to make to
their government superiors. The
rlgor OF the weather at this post, es.
pecially i'll winter, and the sharp in.
sistence of the east wind at all times
OF the year, would seem to suggest
that this should be one of the best.
protected and best appointed forts in
the country. On the contrary, if We
are to accept the recent representa-
tions of the government inspector at
their face value, no other fortitication
of equal pretensIou and Importance
can compare with this in dilapidatiou.
1t was hardly necessary to say that
although fort Warren mad been CON
demned, the troops would not with
draw. We imagine the citizens of
Boston would develop considerable
excitement were such a suggestion to
be officially made. Some of the bes,
and most modern of our service artil-
lery is located here, and an equipment
of the disappearing gun has been
ordered, If not already furnished. The
fort aud the Winthrop battery com
mand the channel and give the city
reasonable confidence in time OF peace,
at least, and if nothing more than the
proprieties of the situation are TO be
considered the government cannot
afford to deprive Boston of her body
guard. What | hope to see is rs
prompt recognition of its detici-
ences by the government as the cir
cumstances will permit. There are
two ways of providing for the health
and comfort of the officers and men
kept in garrison. Comfortable bar
racks can he erected within the forti.
ticatlop, or classmates, which are now
said to be breeders of rheumatism and
other bodily atflictIons, can be made
not only habitable but enjoyable, with
a reasonable share of modern conven-
iences OF course, now that the con-
dition of our only fort is officially
known to the government, we may
reasonably expect that remedy will
be applied and that the outpost will be
put in condition worthy of the New
England metropolis and the dignity OF
the United States. Then we can cele-
brate the event with that newly found
powder which is good for salutes but
not practical for modern service.