The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-03
TO IMPROVE Fl. DOUGLAS.
MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS INTRO
DUCED BY MR.. KENNER.
Request For an Appropriation of
Half Million Dollars-Need For
the Improvement is Urgent.

In the lower house yesterday Rep
resentative Kenner introduced a me
mortal to congress asking for an ap-
preparation of 100000 for the improve
ment of Fort Douglas. The pressing
need of such an expenditure is fully
set forth, as follows:
To the congress of the United States:
Your memorialists, the governor and
legislature of the state of Utah, beg
leave to call to the attention OF your
honorable body the following facts:
The present site of Fort Douglas,
adjacent to Salt Lake City, was Sc
lected in 1861, and ever since that time
it has been retained and used as
military post and reservation, ana oc-
cupied by troops belonging to the army
of the United States. From time TO
time additions and improvements to
the buildings and grounds have been
made, but while these have answered
temporary purpose, they have been
more in the nature of repairs at the
least possible cost, than of work that
would be permanent and creditable IN
its character and in line with modern
and advanced ideas of construction OF
army posts. AS a result OF TINS polcy,
the buildings now and for years have
the troops therein quartered. AS
matter of fact. a computation OF the
floor and cubic space of the barracks
referred to shows that each man under
the crowded condition and Imperfect
ventilation existing actually gets only
one-fifth of the air which the latest
authorities declare to be necessary TO
keep an adult in good health. A sim
liar condition prevails as TO the oihcers
;,I,
insufficient in number for the accom-
mediation of the officers necessarily as
signed to a post of this size.
Besides these defects, a condition OF
manifest dilapidatiOn exists in nearly
all the buildings: the floors are worn
and unslab BILE, the walls are badlv
cracked in places, the roofs and cell
ings are imperfect, if not unsafe. ana
the structures used for quartermas-
ter's and commissary stores are neon
venient and liable to destruction from
fire: while the walks and grounds need
Improvement and extension, the pres
ent parade ground being notably IN
sufficient in area for the proper ma
neuveripg and drill of the number of
troops now stationed here, which num-
Der the post is presumed 70 have full
accommodations for
The foregoing condition ave ben
aSCertdlneC Dy ptiSOlldl -'.Nf- sbisSeheA--h
of the governor and appropriate CO..
mittees of both houses of tae legis-
Iature of the state; and while the ex-
penditures authorized for the improve
ment of the buildings and grounds of
the post have been properly and eco
nomically made, we respectfully submit
that the time has now arrived when
small repairs will no longer correct
the conditions pointed out The health
of the nations defenders here located,
the credit of the government for ad-
vancement inSwhatever pertains to the
comfort, convenience, safety and orna-
ment of it's structures and grounds,
the Importance and beauty of the site
in question. all seem to your memo
riaiists to suggest that a liberal outlay
of means for it's Improvement and re-
building would be a matter not slly of
pressing necessity, but of true econ
omv-
Wherefore, Your memorialiSts re-
specially ask for an appropriation of
$500, 000 to be made available at such
time and to be expended under such
as your honorable body
may see proper to stipulate.
And as in duty bound your memorial
lists viii ever pray.