Arizona republican., 1897-10-26
MILITARY POSTS.
An Extract From the Report of Gov ernor McCord.


 In his annual report to the interior department Governor McCord has the following to say regarding the mili- tary posts of the territory:
 There are at the present time in Ar izona five military posts, Huachuca, Grant, Apache, Wingate and Whipple. with regimental headquarters at Whipple Barracks, Col. I. D. DeRussy in command. I respectfully urge that it is of the greatest importance to Arizona that the beneficial influences so noticeable throughout the terri tory as a result of government troops, be not disturbed, unless for the pur pose of extending the same. While it is true the conditions in Arizona are rapidly changing, and the necessity for a large number of heavily gar risoned posts Gin order to be ready to cope with marauding Apaches) does not now exist, the new conditions are worthy of serious consideration and amply justify me in vigorously pro- testing against the further abandon ment of military posts in the terri tory, at least for some years to come.
 It is only within the past few years that the vast commercial possibiH- ties of Arizona have been understood I'd appreciated by even a few repre-
 tatfve men of the east,~Rho. with
 sassrr2nce we are able to give khem under existing circumstances that all reasonable protection is guar anteed capital in Arizona, the same as is given in states or more thickly settled parts of the country-have be- come investors, and nave undertaken the reclamation of the vast tracts of rich valley lands susceptible to irri | gation, as we'll as employed millions >ef dollars in building railroads and Developing the mineral resources of he territory.
 The building of the Santa Fe, Pres Ott & Phoenix railway, connecting as | does the two trans-continental rail- Way systems fhe Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and the Southern Pacific). k affords Whipple Barracks exceptional
 ities calculated to make it's loca
 eecially desirable for a large
 post. The commercial inter
 Inbraced within radius of
 fred or hundred and fifty miles
 |iWhipple, re practically limitless. Additional railroad construction to /various mining camps is being seri ously considered at this time, and it is but reasonable to expect that with in the next few years many thou sands of men in excess of those now engaged in working the mines, vii! be employed in this particular part of the territory. The same condition of things, however, applies very gen. erally throughout Arizona
 .L able to expect that, in lieu of the present smaller outlying posts, it will probably be considered desirable, within a few years, to concentrate the troops now distributed about the territory, at two or three principal points. With such prospect in view, and having in mind the commercial interests rc--ctcfore referred to, I in sist that it would be unwise aud un- just to Arizona and her citizens for the general government now or here after to restrict and narrow the strong and beneficial influences now being realized as result of the maintenance of the various military posts in the territory, without first seriously con- sidering the requirements that will in all probability exist and be fully demonstrated within the next few years as a result of continuation of the present extensive development of the territory's natural resources
 It might not be out of place for ms to call attention to the fact that dur ing the strike of 1894, which so seri- ously affected all transportation com panies, every available soldier sta- tioned at Whipple Barracks was called into service to protect the United States mails and the travelling public