Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-12-30
IRONTON, MO-.
THE WORD THAT GOES!
Gen. Henry and His Surgeons
Turned Down.
The RIHe Range Question Settled.
Special Dispatch 70 the Globe-Democrat-


Special Dispatch to the Globe-DemOcrat-
WASHINGTON, d. c.. Dec. %.
The Secretary of War to-day gave
his decision upon the proposed pur-
chase of rifle range at Arcadia, Mo-,
for the use of Jefferson Barracks He
reviews carefully all of the testimony
respecting the character of the ground
and surroundings. Tie stories started
that the location is unhealthy are
shown to be without foundation. In
conclusion the secretary declares:
cit is my judgment that no superior
location could be secured for the ap-
preparation made for target practice
range within the same distance from
Jefferson Barracks.
The necessary steps to complete the
purchase are ordered to be taken The
decision is of considerable length. and
is interesting in view of the attempts
made to defeat the purchase. The
secretary says:
The proposed rife range is situated
at Arcadia, Mo-, and was personally
inspected by me in November, 1897
1t is situated one and three quarter
miles east of the town OF Arcadia, a
station in Iron county. Mo-, on the St.
Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern
Railway. eighty-nine miles south of
jefferson Barracks by rail, and about
the same distance by wagon road. The
public road is a very good one, with
numerous streams of water crossing it,
furnishing excellent facilities for camp
ing when troops are en- route to and
from the range. 1t is located in the
Ozark Mountains, near Pilot Knob.
1000 feet above the sea and 200 feet
higher than SIT. Louis. The facilities
for shipment, by rail, of freight and
supplies from the post to the range
without charge are excellent, being
only about an eight-hour run by local
freight.
''By reference to the map it will be not
ed that Stout's Creek runs through the
proposed site, near the northern boun-
dary. It is beautiful mountain stream,
running over a granite bottom, far
nishing an abundance of clear, excel
lent water for men. horses and camp
purposes. There are also fine noun
tain springs on the tract, furnishing
an additional supply OF pure water at
all seasons of the year"
The secretary takes up the question
of the water supply and cites an analy
sis made in the laboratory of the Sur
geoI Generals Office He confines:
lin the report relating to the water
supply on this proposed range, there
appear to be contradictory statements
as to whether the source of supply is
springs. The immateriality of this
controversy is apparent when the con-
sensus of opinion of the citizens resid-
ing in this reighborhood aud Arcadia
is that the water in the wells is abso-
lutely pure, without traces of germs or
deleterious substances. A personal in
spection of the well or spring from
which the water was taken by the
troops. during their annual rife prac-
tice in 1896 aud 1897, indicated to me
that, whatever may have been the
source, the water was pure and uncon-
taminated. The conclusions are sup
ported aud absolutely eorroborated by
the scientific investigation and analy-
sis hereinbefore mentioned. The wa
ter aralyzed was taken from the we'll
or spring from which water was used
by the troops in 1896 and 1897.
SURGEONS Divergent VIEWS.
There is a remarkable divergence
of expert testimony from army sur
geous, who, from time to time, have
been detailed to report on sanitary con
ditions existing during the time the
troops were camping upon the proposed
site for target practice in 1896 and 1897.
Under date of September p, 1896, We
have the report of Capt. Charles B..
Ewing. assistant surgeon, in charge of
camp, in which he states that the loca-
tion is not an ideal one. Still the ob-
iections presented to the site occupied
by the troops for camping ground don't
hold good as to the proposed site on
land adjoining, which is much higher,
with excellent drainage. In conclu-
sion he says:
From sanitary standpoint. | am
of the opinion that the proposed site
for target range is as good as can be
obtained for the money appropriated.
-Following this, on date of NoEem-
Der 18th. 1896. we have the report of
Mai. j. B. Girard. who diagnosed some
of the fever cases among the troops,
after returning to the post from their
| eucaupmeut at Arcadia, as typhoid.
On November 10th. 1896, Surgeon
General Sternberg says the cases re-
ported are evidently typhoid infection.
Following this. under date of Nosem-
Der 25th, 1896, we have another report