The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-22

Special Dispatch 20 the Post-Intelngencer.
WASHINGTON. May z.-It is believed
that the secretary OF war will accept the
recent offer OF the Seattle people regard
Ing the army post site and allow them TO
omit the Scheuerman homestead. which
fronts on Salmon bay. and which the
original army commission which selected
the site decided was necessary Strong
letters written by j. ". cAse of Seattle.
have been put In the hands OF the secre-
tsry OF war by Washington members. A
few days ago Hon. E. O. Graves. presi-
dent OF the chamber of commerce OF Seat
tie. was here. and had several interviews
With Secretary Of War Alger, In company
with ex-senator Squire. whose thorough
familiarity with the details OF the army
post site enabled him 10 point out all Of
its advantages. and showed that the orig
inal location for the wharf might Just as
well be abandoned when the commission
offered Just as good a location a little
further away on the bay. though not i'm
med!ateiy contiguous 10 the go acres
which the city is prepared to deed 10 the
government In return for the establish
nient or the army post. No decision had
been reached at the time Mr.. Graves left
for home, and the matter Is now in the
hands Of Mai Davis and Capt Miller
Their recommendation. il is said. will
have much weight in determining whether
or not the last offer OF the Seattle people
VIII be accepted Capt. Robinson, the
local engineer officer at Seattle. has writ
ten a letter 10 the war department. recon-
mending the acceptance of the alternative
proposition.
1t has been strongly urged upon the de-
partment officials that the people Of Sc
attic are giving TO the government not
only an army post site. but site for
heavy ordnance fortifications. long since
selected as the most important point on
the middle sound for the location of heavy
artillery for the protection of commerce.
II was undoubtedly this fact that caused
Gen. Elwell 3. Otis to insist that Mag
nolia Bluff. and no other location. be ae-
eepted as the best for fortiHcation site.
The policy of the government has always
been to acquire these by condemnation
and purchase. In this instance. however
IL gets the site free. II is stated In Mr..
Ciise's letter that the army post commit
tee has already obtained title to $50 acres
of the site, and that the county commits
sioners have already begun condemnation
proceedings that viii give good title to
the remainder.
All that is necessary now is the accept
ance OF the land by the secretary of war.
and his permission to exclude the Scheu-
erman tract. When the commission which
examined the post site insisted upon hav-
ing this tract included. one of the reasons
why they did so was because II IL were
not included. saloons and Objectionable
houses would be erected there. to the
detrIment OF good order and military dis
cipIine among the soldiers. This has been
obviated. however. by the city of Seattle.
so the secretary of war has been Informed
by the embodiment in the charter amend
ment Of the city of a provision to the
effect that liquor shall not be sold within
a mile of the post.
The assessed value of the land which
IL is proposed to donate 10 the govern
ment is s60o ooo and this Is claimed to he
much less than the actual value OF the
land For this reason the Washington
representatives are insisting that when
the post IL established that IL shall be
a full regimentsi twelve company post.
claiming that their iiherality In the matter
warrants them In making such demand
upon the United States government.
IL Is most apparent that nearly all OF
the officials with whom ! have talked
are pleased with the location and without
committing themselves In any way give
one the impression that eventually when
congress shall have furnished sufficient
appropriations for the construction Of the
necessary buildings and the beautifying
OF the grounds this post viii be rot only
the finest in appearance, but also most
important from military and strategic
point OF view of any In the Pacific North
west