The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1901-01-27

REPRESENTATIVE HULL
chairman of the house committee en- military
affairs
both branches of congress, but there
are other things of vital interest con-
nected with our military and naval eS-
adjustments to receive consideration
Among these is the proposition to i'm
prove and enlarge the military station
at Governors island. in New York bay.
which also cOntemplates the deepening
of the Buttermilk channel between the
island and the Brooklyn water front.
Though it is essentially an army meas
Gre. the proposed improvement would
greatly facilitate the operations Of the
navy in New York harbor and the
Brooklyn navy yard.
Some months ago Secretary Root ap-
pointed special board TO Consider the
subject of the expansion of Governors
island and the concentration there of
much of the work carried on at various
points in the vicinity. In general the
board, which was composed of General
John r. Brooke. Colonel George l..
Gillespie of the engineer corps anu
Colonel Amos s. Kimball of the quar-
termaster's department, was instructed
to lay out its work on the following
lines: To provide barracks and quar-
ters for at least one battalion of
troops. to provide storage and ship
ping accommodations for every branch
Of the army service in New York har-
Dor. TO concentrate the ordnance build
ings. to rearrange the buildings on the
Island and to enlarge the island.
The board gave special attention TO
the question of providing additional
area to Governors island by building
sea wall exterior TO the present wall
and filling in the water area. 1t was
considered that for the present pur-
poses of the post the existing accOmmO-
datiOns are sufficient, but in view Of
the great national Importance of New
York harbor it was deemed advisable
that there should be at that point a
spacious government reservation. con-
venient TO the city and adapted to
every military requirement. The con-
templated improvements and enlarge
ment would make Governors island
the most important military post on
the Atlantic coast and would transfer
to the island practically all of the
transport shipping now done at Erie
basin. whica would effect a great saw
ing Of time and expense.
The beartl found that Governors is
land is well suited to the project of
adding TO its area by filling in the adj
Joining shoal areas. THE low shoal,"
the report says. forming that part of
Governors island and projecting from
its southern border and lying between
the two navigable channels of the up
per harbor, can be easily raised to
any desired height and utilized for
government purposes. The desired en-
largement may be effected by inclos-
ing a portion of the shoal by means
of solid timber bikes and filling it in
with excavations taken from the adj
5acent channels undergoing improve
ments by the United States. Should
more permanent Improvements be de-
sired at later period. the subaqueous
part Of the bikes may constitute a
foundation for stone sea walls. 1t Is
estimated that the filing in will cost
the government only a nominal sum,
as 1t Is believed that the contractors
will be glad to avail themselves of a
dumping ground which would obviate
the necessity for long towage TO sea
Of dredged material. A dixie running
east and west across the shoal at a
distance of 800 feet from the sea wall,
together with marginal dikes, will
provide an enlargement of 10 acres,
and dixie 1000 feet out will give an
enlargement Of 20 acres. The improve
ment which the board recommends as
the most desirable is an enlargement
by dixie located 1000 feet from the
shore, which will provide an increased
area Of nearly 80 acres. The bikes
which will form the east front and
south boundaries Of the made land
will measure about $500 lineal feet
and may be put in position, 1t is esti-
mated, Tor the sum OF S725.OOO. The .