The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-06
SALUBR|TY OF SNHuNGI
Makes 1T A REAL HEALTH RE
SORT FOR SOLDIERS SICK
AND SORE
UNCLE SAM RECOGNIZES IT
Recent Orders of the War Depart
ment Give Formal Expression
to It's Value as
Restorative.

Uncle Sam, who is popularity supposed
to abide somewhere in the vicinity of
Washington, the seat of the govern
ment" has conferred on a ST. Paul
beauty spot a distinct honor. Its signifl-
tcanoe viii not be appreciated perhaps by
those who annually expend enough hard
cash to keep a small family through the
winter in search Of health and summer
resorts, but, backed by the consensus of
opinion Of a dozen distinguished army Of
hcers, the popular figure who represents
the nation has selected Smelling as the
place where his war-worn and invalided
soldiers may find rest, health and
strength.
st Paul people do not appreciate the
prominence which Smelling has as a
health post" remarked a colonel of the
regular service yesterday. ''Why, In
Washington the post is considered one of
the healthiest and most picturesque in
the whole United States"
The comment on the lack of apprecia-
ton Of home localities would not apply
as general rule perhaps, yet it contains
sufficient truth to make 1t worthy of
thought. Though not one Of the largest
military posts In the world, nor cne Of
the most important, Fort Smelling has
many features which are distinctive and
peculiar, one of them it's allowance of
glorious Minnesota ozone and bracing
healthfulness.
There was a regiment of brave men
and tried soldiers once upon a time.
which followed the flag into a foreign
war; camped in swamps and fever breed
ing lowlands, fought In the morning, at
noon and at nigh; swore at the ratlons a
kind and cOnSiderate government furn-
ished, spent its money freely and got
partially drunk on pay days and finally
after an arduous campaign, was divided
into little squads Of men and sent to keen
peace in a country attached to Uncle
sam domain through benevolent assimi-
lauon. The process through which it won
special mention in the Headquarters re-
ports was not pleasant one and when
the fighting ceased there were hundreds
of men sick with malarial fevers home
sickness, want Of care and proper facid-
ties for maintaining their physical superb
oTity and generally run down.
Even in the MINDS OF the departmental
dignitaries at Washington, it began 10
dawn that unless something was done
with the men whose strength had been
undermined, the country would need more
soldiers. Raw ones, with a gait like a
barnyard fowl and no notion IN the world
taking care of themselves These
would have TO be broken in and because
the process is expensive and tiresome the
government decided it best to keep tho
old boys and let the new ones stay at
home where they belonged
Then the vital question was the choice
Of a suitable place for the old Eighth to
gather itself together, weed out the In
vali1ed and get back into peace-time
trim. OF all the many posts in the United
"healthfulness, convenience and facilities
for the care Of the sick" as the official
report said.
One hot day last September, when tha
grass by the old West Seventh street road
was dried and dead, a decimated battalion
of Infantry filed past in heavy marching
order, through the dust and heat to the
fort The sentries on the bridge saluted
and q long file Of brown, begrimed and
unkempt soldiers stumbled across the
line and over the smooth lawns Of the
most pic Hsque military post In the
West. The were reviewed and those
too sick to do duty were sent to a brand
new hospital, with clean, fresh beds and
cheerful and kindly nurses. Those too
sick for duty and not sick enough for
hospital were given a few weeks play
time, and a chance to lounge around the
barracks with short clay pipes and tell
how it all happened. Business-like Of
hcers and surgeons, professional looking
In spite Of the uniforms, scurried about
and finally the winter closed in.
During the past week an officer from
the fort remarked
THE depot battalion of the Eighth is
in excellent trim"
The government, which never sleeps
and is always in on every secret heard
the remark and forthwith an order came
designating eighty men of the Eighth as
recruits to fill the places made vacant
by illness and death in the battalion of
the regiment still in the field. Tomorrow
evening these men will go East on their
lor Journey to Brooklyn, thence to
Ta. I, and thence to Havana, where
they i'll be parceled out and sent back
I. to active work in the colonies again.
Army officers concede that the fort is
an ideal place to build up soldiers worn
out and disabled by the terrific strain
of work In the new colonies. Even Capt
Stamper himself, who IS now In command
of the post and its soldiers, only recently
came from Cienfuegos. Capt. Walker
after recuperating, has been drafted fo-
the department of Alaska and with his
men is already en- route to the northern
gold fields The situation of the post
al the conjunction of the Mississippi and
Minnesota, assures plenty of fresh air,
the bracing breezes from the river in
summer and a Whit of nature occasion
Smelling has no complete garrison On
the army roster Lieut.. Col. Philip H Ell
lis is designated as the commanding Off
Ger, but a note explains that he IS serv-
ing at present as a member of the head
quarters staff in Havana. Maj Pitcher,
an excellent fighter and one Of Uncle
Sans good military business men, is
also with the department of Cuba Capt
Wilds p. Richardson, the roster explains
is on duty IN Principe, Puerto Rico, and
Lieut.. Faulkner Is with the department
Of Alaska. Capt. Alfred E. Bradley, as
sistant surgeon, u. S. A., and few 9TH
ers OF the regular establishment, consti-
tute Capt. Stamper's associates.
Since the government first ordered the
Eighth to Smelling the Eighteenth has
alsc been ordered home from the Philip
pines, and viii recuperate at Fort Keogh,
Mont It's depot battalion will be estab-
lished there and the sick will be sent
back as fast as possible and their places
filled with trained men.
The policy of giving a regiment on for
eign service depot battalion. established
at some home post, is becoming general.
These battalions act as recruiting sta
tions for new men, where the farmer
boys from the fields are turned into sol
diers through a Wearisome mill made up
Of setting up exercises, manual drill,
bayonet exercises and summer work at
the butts on the rife ranges. These un-
der the eyes Of the experienced veterans
the most aristocratio class Of soldiers
in the world, gradually lose their edges
in the daily contact with their betters,
become familiar with army traditions
and customs, and eventually, and only
at ha end of q VefV long nartoS tho re-