The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-02
" I iSsSTh4 Go.
MIssoULA. MONTANA.
GOING TO HELENA.
In spite of Carriers Promises, Fort Mis-
souIa Is Being Abandoned.

Missoula. June 1.-The work OF
packing and loading the equipment at
Fort Missoula Is progressing as rapid
ly as the limited force of men at the
disposal of the quartermaster can pro-
gress IL. Three car loads have been
shipped to Fort Harrison and the rest
is being sent along as fast as IL can be
made ready. The task of getting the
stun shipped is an enormou task and
IL will be the end of the year before
Lieutenant Shattuck gets away. unless
he is given more men than he has at
present. The very lightest portion of
the work is all that has been attempted
yet and there remains an immense
amount of stun to be loaded. There
are four heavy ang in the compa-
ny barracks with all of the fittings and
attachments. There is "A big boiler. an
engine. a saw-mill, a planing-mi and
all sorts of other plumber. The three
car loads that have been shipped have
not made any impression on the stack
of supplies i'm the auartermaster's de-
partment. and the ~rehou will be
emptied of their stores before the out
side stuff is tackled. Lieutenant Shat
tuck has three or four men and the
work of moving the saw-mill and plan
ing mill with this force will naturally
be slow. What Will be done with a
saw-mill or a p~laning-m mill at Helena is
a question. There Is no timber within
many miles of Fort Harrison. and the
post there has no use for a mill. The
cost of maintaining the post there will
not compare very favorably with the
expense of keeping up Fort Missoula.
Here the men made most of the lumber
used in the fort and here, too. there
were large gardens where the soldiers
produced their own vegetables. Every
thing that was needed for the post is
al1aA ~ ka.l AA0a h... 49, 81, -
Harrison. as Major McKibbin-now
colonel-said when he learned that poll
itics had located the post over there.
Why, a g~rasshopper couldn't cross
that fiat without packing r%ations."
That is the difference between the two
pots
Fort Missoula's site was selected
originally by Gen. w. T. Sherman. The
definite location OF the post and the
laying out of the fort was done under
the personal supervision of General
Merritt and General Brooke. All mill
tary authorities who have been person.
ally acquainted with the situation
here have agreed that there Is 10 finer
natural location for a large post h a
there is here. Ii has the endorsement
and recommendation of the present
commander of the army and of all OF
the secretaries of wal who have Wis
tied 1T. Colonel Lamont was enthusi-
astic in his endorsement OF the site.
But politics and the Unsuitable appetite
Of Helena have brought about the
change. n the very people who have
70 often made specious promises as to
what they would do for Missoula are
now taking away the fort from here.
IL Is said that there is a possibility
of staying the removal. III there Is il
is high time that the citizens of Mis-
soula Weakened TO the fact that the fort
II going. Senator Carter has promised
that h remova would not be made.
but 1t is going just the same. Ii is
hoped that some mean will be found
by which the abandonment of the
splendid fort will be prevented. Here
is a problem for the board of trade or
some one else with influence. IL the
board has quit business.