The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-04-01
ISLAND CITY ITEMS.
ARTILLERyNIEN FROM NEW or
LEANS ARRIVE.
Old Postonice BniidinS Has Been
Converted into n BARRACKS
for the Present.

| Galveston, Texas, March s1,--Ancther
battery of Federal troops reached Calves
ton today. The men this time comprise
Battery G, heavy artillerymen, and are
from jackson barracks, New Orleans. The
| battery is commanded by Captain Clermont
| l.. Best and Lieutenant overton. and is
composed of sixtyfive men. They were
| ordered here by the war department aud
| will probably remain permanently
The troops presented a fine appearance
| as they marched up Market street with
banners flying and busles sounding.
They are big men, stand six feet. and
are well proportioned. They haze to be
big men TO get into the heavy artillery.
Little men are not desirable for this SER
vice, though they are all right for the In
fantry and light battery companies.
The soldiers are attired just as they
would be on forced march. They wore
leggngs, aud carried knapsacks, canteens
and muskets.
The special cars conveying the battery
We're attached to the regular Santa Ee
train due here ut II O'Clock
II was just about 11:20 when the train
pulled into the Santa Re depot. The
crowd gathered about the big iron gate
which separates the main building from
the shed and clamored for adnittance
But the guard had received strict orders to
allow no one TO enter. All kinds of offers
We're made to him for admittance, but they
were of no avail.
Finally Major Dllenback Lieutenants
Smith and Ferguson OF Light Battery X,
stationed at The Denver resurvey, accom-
panied by General Manager Polk of the
Santa Fe and General Passenger Agent
Keenan,. pushed their way through The
crowd and succeeded in passing the iron
Ia, .txN,. NJ.
which were the members of the heavy arr
tillery company. The cars were attached
to the rear of the train.
The men were marched at once 10 the old
postoffice building, which will be their
headquarters for the present.
The battery has been ordered here for tho
purpose of handling the Notifications at
Fort Point, on the cas-. END Of the Island
The big teu-inch rifle is now ready for
any emergency and Is In shape for the men
TO famIliarize themselves with its ilse at
once Tho mortars, however. are hardly !
In shape to be worked while Contractor
Breneman Is busy piiIng up sand around |
the mortar pit. When the sand is dry II |
fairly rains down upon the mortars, and IT. |
would probably prove injurious to the
of both the mortars and their
carriages to work them when gritty with
sharp sand. This objection, however, does |
not apply TO the big gun, as tho fort e,,-
except the mounting OF the other ten-inch
gun, which is expecteGsto arrive here with |
In the next few weeks
One great reason for having the battery
ordered 10 Galveston was that the men
might be available for working the big
guns In case OF need and caring for them
md the large quantities Of ordnance stores
which are being congregated here These
stores are now In change of Lieutenant
Riche OF the engineer corps, but Will be
turned over at once to the quartermaster OF
the battery.
The Notifications at Fort Point are not
yet compleSsd. and at this time II Is not
Known whether they will be turned over
by the engineer corps NJ their uneompIated
tate or nor. But In View Of the 6xigencles
y the occa1ion. coupled with the fact thst
he battery has been ordered here. II IL
houeht that Captain Best viii be placed In
harge OF such work as Is completed and
he work OF construction VIII be vigorously
pushed under direction Of L.cufenan,
iiche ~