The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-25
{ FORT DOUGLAS NOTES.

Events at Fort Douglas for the past
week have been rather quiet in everything
but athletics. Baseball has been the all
absorbing topic. and all else has been for
gotten, especially by the enlisted men.
However drills and parades are still in
progress. and the other duties of the gar
rison are still being done in regular rou-
tine.
The post has put on a most beautiful
and smiling appearance. The lawns have
been put in nice condition, the trees are
covered with leaves and the locust bios
SONS fill the neighborhood with a most
delightful fragrance. The fountains are
running full blast and the place teens
with life and sunshine.
g g g
Company d. which is known as the
most 'high-toned" company in the post,
has laid out small plot back of the
quarters and has it under cultivation.
Grass seed has been planted within the
enclosure and a nice lawn is in embryo.
II the center of the space is a fascine,
about ten feet in length, standing on end
a-6 vines have been planted at its base
which have already begun to climb. Near
by stands gabion. filed with earth. max
inE very artistic stand on which are
growing profusion of pretty flowers. A
sylvan retreat has also been started. It
IS being built of willow boughs and will
be covered with luxuriant climbers Under
this viii be placed hammocks. settees and
chairs.
Tia library one is struck with the way
in which it is fixed up. A soft carpet COW
erS the floor, pretty pictures are artistical
" arranged about the walls large book
cases. filed with standard works, stand
about the room. and in the center is a
long sable covered with the latest rs
papers and magazines. On the front porch
are placed several settees and many
chairs, all newly painted and the property
of the company. And yet people say that
a soldiers life is without comforts.
% g g
The post gardens. under the direction of
Chaplain Allensworth. are in fiourishing
condition All the ground is planted and
most of the seeds are we'll up. Several
issues have been made of radishes, lettuce
and spinach and more are being made
every day. The chaplain says that part
of the ground in the garden is pretty well
used up and that next year they will
abandon the present site and move it
further west.
For several years the troops have been
bothered by not having sufficient room in
which to nanoeuvre in regimental or
battalion drill The lower parade ground.
though much larger than the upper one.
IS yet too small. so that another site is
wanted. 1t is said that Colonel Kent has
decided to use the lower parade and an
mex the present post gardens to it for a
drill ground. This will necessitate the re-
moval of all the buildings that occupy
the ste of the old suffers store and
which are now used for quarters for some
OF the men. If this annexation is made,
It will make drill ground of Is or 20
acres in extent.
Some time ago requisition was sent TO
headquarters for an appropriation of S24,-
900 to- be used for making needed i'm
provements in the post. AS a result of
this. Mr.. Smith, an expert building in
spector, has been sent to the post TO make
an inspection into the condition of af-