Iron County register., 1897-09-09

IdIuS, Win satisfactory results. i ne
valley in which the range is situated
is over 500 feet above the level of St
Louis, and the nights are cool and
pleasant.
Each night during the past few
weeks the troopers slept under two
blankets, and after some of the cooler
days these were found to be Insufficient.
The valley is now cut up into farms
when not occupied by the troops, and
a small portion Is planted in corn.
There are rail fences, some small
barns, o1tbuilding and three or four
farm houses. These could be cleared
away at comparatively small cost, the
fences taken down, shrubs and small
trees uproOted, and a clear stretch to
the targets secured. An idea of what
the effect of this would be is to be
range. One Of the advantages dwelt
on by army officers is that the range
of mountains shutting In the valley
makes natural ''butt" for the rife OF
carbine bullets. The government al,
ready owns stretches of rocky and un-
even ground, which never viii. be till
able, beyond this natural s'butt, and
could declare it a part of the range.
This insures permanent range for
several thousand soldiers, both caval.
ry and infantry. and if in fifty or 100
years from now jefferson Barracks
reaches ten times its present impOr-
tance as a military post the range
would still be found ample in the op-
portunities it affords for rifle practice.
With the requirement of the land by
the government would probably come
permanent improvements, not of a
pretentious nature. possibly, yet SUBJ
stantial and serviceable. The artesian
well would settle the question of suf-
ficient and acceptable water supply.
At present the troops are using an old
deserted cabin for target house, but
for a thousand dollars long, low sub
stantial target house, could be erected.
This would provide place for storing
canvass, frames paste and tools with
much more order, and would greatly
facilitate their handling. At present
the larger targets have to be rugged
out in open air, owing to cramped
quarters, and the paste cooked on
camp fire. The present pit for the
scorers. parters and target manipula-
tors is simply trench dug in front OF
the targets and re-enforced at the top
by heavy oak logs.
Instead of walking behind this inse-
cure barricade, with the bullets whist
ling over their heads, a stone wall
could be erected providing absolute
safety for the men. One of Capt.
Cnase's men in the squadron which
preceded this one at the range had a
narrow escape in the pits, a bullet
passing through the barricade, graz
ing his neck and burying itself in the
mountain. A magazine for storing
the ammunition used by the troops Is
a possible feature of the new range.
At present the ammunition is stored in
a wall tent and has to be watched with
the utmost care, aired daily, and ev-
cry precautiou taken to prevent 1t be-
irg damaged.
Arcadia, the nearest town, is less
than three miles from the range. Ii
is on the Iron Mountain Railroad,
which passes through Jefferson Bar
racks. and transportation of supplies
to the range is greatly facilitated oy
| it. The location of the range is such
as to obviate the necessity of passing
supplies through the intricacies OF the
terminal roads of ST. Louis before get
ting them to the range. Capt. George
K. Hunter. in command of the squad
ron here, declares that he has Travelled
on horseback through the greater par
of Eastern Missouri, but he has yet tC
find a spot available which offers tht
same advantages as those OF the area
dia rifle range. As to its heaIthtuI
ness, he simply pointed out that Area
dia is already a summer resort Tor st
I,ouisans. Tie wide stretch of fertile
valley furnishes excellent pasturage
for the horses. and after their month
stay here the animals fatten up ant
are in much better condition afte
their outing than if housed in the Bar
racks stables. None of the officers ad
j wise the establishment of permanen
onarters here for either officer or men
To the contrary, they declare that sucl
action would be detrimental. The dis
tance from St. Louis, about 100 miles
il such as to afford excellent opportu
nfties for a four days practice marcI
and school for the troopers IN tlel
work The object of the range Is t
,arfect the men in field work, and thi
tobiact couId not be subserved If the
slept beneath anything but the canva
lof their own tents and accustome
themselves to the duties of camp life.
The life of the soldier at the ritl
range is one of uuceasing activity. ii
rises early and is constantly empioye
nntiI retreat" at Z o'clock. In tn
evening he is so tired that he does nc
annlv for leave to visit Arcadia o
Trnnton. ueighboring towns, but after
vieit m the troop sscanteen" he Is gla
tn ..turn in for the night. There
the regular routine of GUARD mount
and camp labor, and, in addition
itbis and details in charge OF the horse;
!, eigbt hours of each day are spent b
fbe men at the targets. The uninitiate
night imagine that this work Is cas-
topd that all a trooper has to do
stand mr. SQUAT, then bang away at
> bio canvas target, but such Is not tn
: case. A visit to the rifle range Will
> the men are at work brings many su
nrises to those not acquainted with th
. .fring regulations" :" From the heat
ouarters tent of Capt. Hunter TO th
!. taroets on the sides of the mountain
a distance of about 1900 yards. Thre
; | hundred yards of the distance
> tbronoh the company streets Of th