The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-11

The Committee on Military Affairs of the
House of Representatives, which has had
under consideration the bill authorizing
the Secretary OF War to reconstruct the
post OF Fort Hamilton. y. Y, according to
a new and appropriate plan. to purchase or
acquire by exchange, the necessary ground
adjoining the Government reservation,
and to erect buildings thereon, has pre-
scented a favorable report.
The object of this legislation is to enable
the Secretary of War to have reconstructed
and completed this important military post
and to have built, according to an appro-
pirate plan, suitable accommodations for
a garrison large enough to man the guns
which the United States Government has
had erected there at great expense. The
necessity for this legislation is fully recog-
nized by the War Department. and also by
the public officials OF the city and State of
New York.
Among those who have expressed strong
endorsement and request for the passage
of this bill are Lieut.. Gov. Timothy L.
Woodruff, former Mayors Charles A.
Schieren and F. W. Wurster. Borough
President E. NJ. Grout, F. II. Wilson, Pest
master of Brooklyn; former Congressman
James r. Howe, William Berri, the Man
ufacturers Association of Brooklyn, the
newspapers of the city, the government of
New York city by memorial to Congress
passed by the municipal assembly.
The present buildings are the result of
a piecemeal growth, having been built
from time to time as necessity demanded.
They are scattered all over the reserva-
ton, and are in most instances either brick
structures, entirely inadequate for even
present needs, or of wood and crowded
with valuable quartermaster's supplies.
which are liable TO be destroyed by fire at
any time. A large number OF men are now
quartered in wooden structures, covered
only by thin sheathing. which serve very
inadeqUately TO protect them from the in
clemency of the weather, and the heating
and drainage arrangements OF the build
ings are 10 all intents and purposes nil.
The barracks are located from one-oighth
to nearly one-half a mile from the fortif-
cations. and in the haphazard process OF
building they have SO encroached upon the
parade ground that II is very circumscribed
IN dimensions and entirely inadequate for
the use TO which it is put. Even the best
of the present buildings are badly in need
of repair and are much too small and il
any patchwork efforts are made the ex-
pense will be very large, and the renewals
from time TO time would be so expensive
that in a short period the outlay will be a;
great as the proposed appropriation now
asked for. The reservation is very uneven,
being low in places and st others rising
into unsightly mounds of earth. notably the
old redoubt which was built under ancient
military science for army occupation.
The committee. in its report says:
To properly man and protect the guns
of the most improved type that have Just
been put in this fertilization, at the ex-
peDse of millions Of dollars, and the mortar
battery, which is now being constructed.
there should. and will of necessity. be
stationed at this post a regiment of ar
tillery, and. besides, in case of war with
any first-class nation this would be most
important point to assemble he greater
part Of the troops necessary for the pro-
lection of New York city.
Another important feature fully under
stood by the QIartermaster Department
and contemplated in the plans proposed IS
the provision, by the proper laying Of the
water pipes and sewer pipes, to make it
possible to camp large body of men
here without danger of the typhoid or |
other camp sicknesses that seized our |
troops in so many of our home camps in |
1898
The guns at this post command the |
to New York city. Should a |
hostile man-of-war ever pass this fort it |
'ould do more damage by one shell dropped |
On one of the buildings in this city than |
the entire amount that this Improvement |
would cost. The Importance of the post !
cannot be overes timated.
SO far as this post is concerned. the |
'ortification, as advised by the Major Cen |
sral Commanding the Army. is now near
ng completion. There should be no DELAY |
in providing proper accommodations Tor
, force large enough to man this important |
defensive work.