The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-29
FORT CASWELL.
h Garrison Getting Down to Work
Their Daily Routine-Another Ten-Inch
Disappearing Gun to be Erected-A Nor
tar Battery to be Added

d DattoTy Co Do Auueu
The garrison Of United States army ar
tillerymen at Fort Caswell are getting
things in good shape now. They have
been drilling regularly for an hour and
a half every day since Monday with the
three eight inch disappearing guns. They
are getting the work down fine, and by
July, when the regular annual season for
target practice comes round they ex-
pect to do some splendid shooting-un-
less they can get a chance to practice
sooner on some Spanish vessel.
When Battery I arrived at the fort on
Friday, the 18th instant, they found a
tough place to pitch their tents. They
had to level the sand hills, and after
getting up their tents the SAND blew in
on them at it's will. They are living in
nineteen tents arranged in a street, and
this week they have used up $4,000 feet
of lumber in flooring their tents and
planking the street. They are now sod
ding the grounds around their tents and
by summer expect to bake a nice camp
of it. There are nineteen tents in the
village. The commissary occupies a
small house on the reservation. A hospi-
tai has been established and the hospital
steward or dispenser and two assistants
nave dI1lN6u l. "o men VIC "cIc SICK
before the battery left Norfolk are con-
fined in the hospital with German
measles" Among the arrivals a few
days ago was Sergeant Wood.
The regular routine in camp is as fol-
lows: The stars and stripes are run up
on the flag pole and reveille is sounded
at $50 a. m. At reveille the men fall into
ranks and after roll call they go to
breakfast. AT Z a. m. some of the men
go on police or guard duty, and later
others to practice with the guns. For
the present that is about the routine.
1t has BEEN reported that no visitors
are allowed, but we receive Information
from the fort that this is not true. Wis.,
itors are allowed to go on the reserva-
ton and are welcome to do SO, but none
but government employees are permitted
to go near the batteries. The men will
appreciate the appearance Of visitors and
will show them around.
The hundred or more laborers working
on the new emp1acement for the fourth
disappearing gun are making good pro-
gress under the circumstances. The cleo
trio light plant will be up this week and
work will be kept up all day and all
night till the empacement is competed.
We learn that the new gun will be a ten
inch piece. The three already up are
eight inch guns. A mortar battery is also
to be constructed, and several mortars
will be added to the Qualifications. The
electric plant is intended to fire the tor
pedo and submarine mine system. The
off shore and will be connected by
cables with electric wires running
through them. Either one mine or tor
pedo can be fired at a time, or the whole
string can be sent off.
Yesterday seven more car loads of
crushed granite arrived over the Allan
tic Coast Line from Columbia, S. c., to
be used in the new emplacement. The
Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley railway
also brought down several or loads of
granite from Mt. Airy last night.