The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-29

major general l. :. Army, who eomniapded the
fEzt troops in Alaska and who died November 90,
1879, after Shirty-three years active service IN
the Army. ELftft hooI,
Secretary of War
There is something pathetic in the choice
of the site for this new post, as II will
mean an American Siberia to at least one
regiment of United States troops. who
would rather have an opportunity TO re-
main in civilization or even TO get a chance
to go TO China and obtain distinction AL
ready there is something of a marked IN
easiness on the part of the commands sta
toned at northern points. and those ON
GERS who have any influence with the War
Department are using it to save them
selves from the Alaskan assignment
There are few men in the rush and
hustle of city life who can realize just
what four years service in the barracks
at Fort Davis would really mean, and II
IS regarded as doubtful by some II one
man in ten could put up with even one
year of the service without going crazy
Here in an icy waste. thousands Of miles
from any human being or settlement, sew
eral companies CT men will be compelled
to remain until the War Department, IN
! its Judgment. shall decide to allow them
| to return TO freedom
| The term will mean eight months OF
night in every year and four months o.
weather of such an undecided character
! that there can be but little hope IN Its
coming. Special uniforms viii have to &c
devised to prevent the men from freezing
to death and guard duty Will mean hours
in the open in a temperature ranging
from 40 TO 60 degrees below zero. With
the exception of a few starving miners IN
each year there will be no visitors and
! nothing viii serve 10 disturb the stiffness
! of the routine.
! Il is therefore not regarded as strange
! that there should be general movement
/ toward lodging duty at the fortress on the
| Nome River, and the War Department eX-
| poets to experience a good deal OF trouble
| in retaining a guard of any size at the
| post as there are sure to De numerous
! assertions and few men will ever care
! 10 re-enIist when term has run Out. The
! question CT insanity is also bOthering the
! officials. as troops have been known TO be
| come mentally unbalanced through mo-
! notony al stations which are lively IN com
parison to what can be expected AT Fort
| Davis.
The fortress will be isolated even from
! Nome City. and Will for nearly the entire
! wear be cut off from that interesting min
! ing town The number Of miners IN
! Alaska and the frequent disturbances
| have forced the authorities to establish
| the military post, however, and there Is
cow no help for IL For many years the
! place a garrison in far northern Alaska
| and in the interest of the men who 'Tcuid
be condemned to 90 there were successful
| in doing without it. Today, matters and
/ conditions have changed and the inSTeds-
| ing importance of the section eonpels the
! ereCucn or fort
| IN Amy officer said this morning;
| With all due pity for the unfortunate
! officers who viii be assigned to duty at
| Fort Davis the department has granted
I permission for them to take their wives
and families with them if they SO desire.
| Few men wauIi relish this however, as 1t
/ viii mean solitary imprisonment Tor
| term CT years. There can be no society
| and no intercourse. II Will De bat huge
/ penitentiaFy for innocent men Any con-
! Wet serving a term IN Sing Sing viii ind
! himself enyied by the garrison at Nome
! River. as the criminal has at least light
] all the year around and has some recTea-
ton. There viii be none OF this Tor the
] men at Fort Davis. and every enlisted
/ man in the Army breads shrinkingiy the
fearzome ordeal which he may be selected
I to undertake.
Fort Davis will be cut off from the
world during the entire year except for a
| be reached by Government steamships. 1t
/ will be the most isolated fortress III the
| world when completed and Will be calcu-
| Iated to drive terror into the heart OF any
| man. Practically. it is nothing short OF a
! terrible penal institution beside which ST.
| IBERIA can have few horrors to exhibit