The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-04
Fort Douglas Soldiers Are Ready
For Immediate Action.
ANXIOUS FOR THE FRAY
THE OFFICERS VERY CONSERVA-
TIVE ABOUT OPINIONS.
Monthly Inspection-The Merry
makers Will Give a Ball-ord-
nance Sergeant LANCE Busy With
the Stores-Aiming Drills of
Daily Occurrence.

At Fort Douglas all is serene and the
dark shadow of the war cloud seems
not to have fallen over its fair face
There are no outward signs Of excite
ment among the people of the post
but under this seeming serenity there
/ is spirit of restlessness and eXpecta-
ton that is felt by nearly all. There
are no warlike preparations going on
and the same peaceful atmosphere
| seems to surround the little city. But
( every man in the post is ready for i'm
mediate service and should the order
come, they are ready to leave at any
moment. Each report concerning the
present trouble is watched with great
interest, and the possibilities and
probabilities of war are discussed by
both officers and men. The soldiers
are very anxious to be ordered to the
front and are loud in their hopes that
Uncle Sam will give them chance to
fight.
But the officers are more conserva-
tive. They do not wish TO advance any
opinions, but it is plain to be seen that
they are in favor of putting a stop TO
the Spanish outrages and of making
Spain pay indemnity for the desruc-
ton of the Maine. Around the post,
things are going along in the same old
groove. A detail of men are at work
each day on the target range. The
butts are in very poor repair and so
weak as to make it dangerous for
those in the pit during target practice.
But this is all being changed now. The
old butts are mostly being torn down
and entirely new ones built. and when
the coming season opens in May the
range will be in perfect condition.
The large parade ground in front of
the barracks has been seeded and an
attempt is being made to have it COW
cred with grass. Heretofore it has
been a barren fiat, but now it will be
changed to a lawn, if it is possible to
induce the grass to grow upon it. This
new order of things is in accordance
with a recent order issued from head
quarters, directing post commanders to
beautify their posts as much as posi-
BILE by planting seeds, setting out trees
and making other improvements.
The baseball grounds are also being re-
paired. The diamond has been sown
with grass and it is hoped that during
the dust will be overcome by having the
diamond changed to lawn. Other neceS-
sary repairs will also be made and base
ball teams are being organized for the
coming season.
% @ @
On THURSDAY the regiment was turned
out for monthly inspection and muster.
Some visitors were in the post at the
time and when they reached the city
they Immediately proceeded to spread the
report that the Twenty-fourth was
ordered away. OF course this kept the
telephone busy for a while answering the
questions as to the supposed movement.
g @ @
Work on the reservoir in Red Butte
1or ha= hoe -ta tod rafr nd 2
will be pushed to a speedy completion.
The work has been discontinued through
the winter and the late snow storms have
retarded it considerably. but it is hoped to
have the reservoir in good working order
very soon-
On the morning of the 9TH, some con-
auction in the post at 10 a. m.
The Merrymakers will give a ball in
the post hall in the near future
The enlisted men gave a very success
full dance in the post hall last week at
which there We're a great many people
present from the post and the city.
Ordnance Sergeant LANCE has been
busy recently with his ordnance stores.
He has taken the Hotchkiss, gatling guns
carefully so they are ready for active
service. Then too he has overhauled his
other stores and is busy preparing for +,
the opening of the target season next /
month. Target frames are being fastened
the canvas stretched over them I
and the silhouettes pasted upon the CLOTH /
When the season opens it will find him /
prepared.
% 8 o
Aiming drills are of daily occurrence /
now and the little paper targets dot the |
fences in rear of the barracks. while /
the tripods for holding the rifles stand in
lines in front of the targets like silent
sentines.