The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-10-12

The annual report of Maj Gen. John
r.. Brooke. commanding the Department
Of the East. with headquarters at Gov
oruors Island. New York. was made pub
iic ly the Adjutaut General today The
Department Of the East comprises the
New England States and States ot New
York. New Jersey. P,uusg lygula. Della
ware Maryland. Virginia, West Virginia.
the District of Columbia. North Caroliu1.
South Carolina. Georgia. Florida. Ala
hanna. Mississippi. and Louisiana, and th,
J uisJrie, oG Porto Rico. which includes the
Island of Porto Rico and the islands and
the adjacent keys.
In commencing his report. General
Brooke says.
"I have visited ana inspected aU of Che
posts i'm this department. with So few OK
c,ptiuus. and ann grJtiu,I 40 tn, progress
made nj ala OF the ARTILLERY posts whrr,
She modern armament has boon installed.
and particularly So when ,he small num-
Ter of mon ayaIIalI, for drills and care
and preservation CT the grwameu, at an
OF these posts la taken into consideration
The numerical strength If ,he EarrisuuT
had not boon increased beyond that given
in my last reports. wherein DO was ur-
gently recommended that the strength OF
an sea coast Earrisvls Dee such ass 90 allow
one relief Tor each sun mounted, giving
+ the miuiT4lm required IN each case. Ii is
hoped. however. with the gradual increase
of the artillery. which is now i'm progress.
. that q sufficient number of troops viii Dee
available To- supply the majority of the
J sea coast Notifications with the number
/ of men required TO fulfill these conditions
The barracks and quarters authorized
for quartering these companies are most
/ " under construction. but it is feared,
: in many Instances. that they viii not be
completed in time for occupancy. as the
recruitment Of these companies Is pro-
crossing quite rapidly. and il is believed
that the entire number authorized 10y
. Congress VIII have been enlisted by De
Cember 81. next
General Brooke suggests that It would
3 be well 20 modify the refusal to- the gen
cTal community OF visiting She new de
fences. although he is careful TO say that
. he does not mean that permission should
D De given TO explore the whole Of the bat
ieritS- so lar as they relate to the case
/ mates, in which il is expected to store
] IN. ammunition and electric light plants
The Navy Department permits, "a suit
able times, he says. 'Ou- people TO visit
/ its newest ships. and this procedure has
no doubt Increased the great interest
4 manifested en- the navy j can see no
good reason why these dtftuctS may not
. be thrown open. TO the extent mentioned,
/ to the public. Of course during such hours
E as may be best suited for IA. purpose. |
. am strongly impressed with the idea that
no harm can result from this departure
/ from the present system
Reports of Inspections.
J The following reports Of Inspections Of
/ posts near Washington are made:
At Fort Monroe. Va. the barracx
building has been raised one story since
/ my last inspection, and can now com
. forably house COO men. No effort has
/ been made 10 erect barracks in the Vi
7 Clnity Of the mortar battery. as recon
mended by me last year. ] renew that
recommendation, and also the rc-Ummen-
/ dation that a covered way be constructed
connecting the various batteries aIong the
4 shore. and that broad walk. preferably
I OF artificial stone, De laid along inside iLe
covered way The present glarGhuue,. Oc-
/ cupies several classmates IN the old fort
. new guarahouse should De constructed
. at q different point There are several
+ ola buildings within the walls ~ the old
+ fort which might be removed 90 great
advantage Carroll Hall and the old hos
. pItal and some other old buildings whose
. usefulness has passed constitute these
. j again strongly recommend that the
& street railway built on the street leading
. 10 MIL Creek be removed. and that here
p after any street cars coming into the res
. CrEatlOu ~ Fort Monroe bc required to
. use the old tracks from tho north end Of
/ the Mil Creek treStle. and that double
I tracks be not allowed south Of the Cath
D Ole chapel This does not contemplate
! the removal Of the switch now on the
. u mari rom Illt. lSI incarnation OBJ
/ tainihlt ali traffic can be carried on over
! the tracks recommended TO be- retained
within the last year an electric rail-
way has been built AT Fort NIyeT. Va
/ between buildings and the drill ground.
cannot see that this road is a necessity
20 the post. There is another electric lire
IN the hollow 10 the north Of the post
and running apparently In he same dir.c-
. ton. II is recommended that this extgn-
. sion Of the electric road beyond the old
terminal near the gate Of Arlington Gem
. etsry BE- taken up There is considerable
/ work necessary To improve the drainage
about the barracks. The outside stair
WAYS leading To the Easements Of these
barracks are not properly covered. and
foundations Of the buildings.
At Washington BARRACKS
''The post. Washington Barracks. d. c..
should be reconstructed on modern and
improved plans The barracks were for
meTiy stoTehousce, and to meet an emer-
. gency and iu the cause Of uuwise econ
omy they were converted into barracks
. They should De torn down and replaced
by modern structures. suitable 20 the
] changed condition OF the army and TO the
. SIlu@lioH OF Lhe post at tho Capital Of
I the Nation. There is land enough TO cor
: struG post which would comfortably,
/ shelter much larger garrison chau is
/ now possible under present conditions
/ The buildings IN process OF erection AZ
D , orr huul. a., last year have been com
Rt'N'A 7 lit 'aI RACKS LAlIEl.Es is
enough 70 accommodate the number Of
men that 70 viii be necessary TO hav. ia
. the company Of coast artillery stationed
here The kitchen and mcSsr0on are
now occupied 10y men Of the COMPANY.
ana the old temporary mcssrOOm and
kitchen are stiil I'm use. Owing to the ma
ture Of the soil In this part Of Virginia
. IL is necessary 70 have the roads about The
military posts wacadamiZed- otherwise
the movement Of vehicles Iu bad weather
must Of necessity be practically abandon
. ed Inls post needs permanent bIke-
Oyenf that now IN use is a galvanized iron
Z affair intended FOR field purposes. The
uOn-cOmmisSioned officers quarters would
De very much improved II back porchoS
were constructed. Certain little details
about the buildings have not received the
+ attention necessary The hinges furnish
. ed are Of poor quality. and the blinds
/ break away and are shattered in falling
These details have been called 10 the a
/ tention Of the QuHrterm8ster General YER
hally- All the guns are not yet mounted
I tho raDid-nTe guns having not vet been
! received. Ny recommendation about the
requirement Of land, mao last year WAS
4 as follows It is understood that the
+ original plan was to include iT This reSer-
I walton the three farms that occupied the
E best ground for the purpose in this vi
/ cinity. Only one Of these farms has been
I purchased. and at least one other adioin-
| ing the present location should be bought
az soon as possible / now renew that
| recommendation.
! AT Fort Washington, Nd, the bar
I racks and officers quarters recommended
last year are now IN process Of construc-
/ tiOn. The hospital has just been com
/ msnccd. In the bdrrack building now OC-
Z cUpied. il Is apparent that care has not
been taken with the foundation there
49,. rEHf trHHN 80 w r-h ha