The Savannah morning news., 1901-02-04
A TRAINING STATION
GOOD THING IN STORE ron BRUINS
WICK.
BLYTHE ISLAND THE PLACE.
SECRETARY LONG is FAVORABLE
TO THE PROJECT.

Navy Department Needs n Training
station in This Quarter-GOvern-
ment Has Owned the island Over
80 Years and Overlooked It-Rep-
rcscntative BrnntIcy Pushing the
Mattcr-An Appropriation RECON-
mended-aepresenta bartlett Is
Very III.
Washington. d. c., Feb. 3.-Brlnswick
has filed a well-sustained claim upon the
Senate and House Naval Committees for
the establishment of a naval training sta
ton at that point.
At the instance of Representative Brant-
ley who has been quietly but effectively
at work on the project for some timo
past, Secretary Long has recommended
that provision be made in the pending
naval bill for a naval training station at
Brunswick. where landsmen may be edu-
Gated to man the ships of our navy now
so much in need of thoroughly trained
crews.
Definite action was taken late yesterday
by Secretary Long, after consultation with
Representative Brantley and Senator Ba-
con- The plan Is for tl-~ development
of Blythe Island about two miles away
from Brunswick which has been tho
property OF the United States government
Tor more than forty years II was orig
inally purchased for the use of the navy
but has never been utilized
This island contains 100 acres OF land
Is well-wooded and is a valuable piece of
property. but II seems that the fact that
1t Is government property had been prac-
q Of
when Mr. Brantey called on the Secretary
of the Navy and Admiral Crowninshiel
Mr. Brantley has for some time been in
vestigatlng the facts concerning the pur-
chase and ownership of the island and
when he informed these officers that the
navy had this property, there was little
delay in getting them committed to his
plans of development.
AS soon as he knew the character of
the property and it's surroundings. Ad-
miral Crowninshield declared that this
was exactly what the naval authorities
have been wanting for a training station
and he made his recommendations to Sec
retary Long accordingly.
There Is plenty Of water around the ISL
and, and the land itself it admirably
adapted for these purposes. The authori-
ties have wanted TO place training sta
tion in the South because of the better
climate. and Blythe Island fills the bill
IN every particular. Secretary Long has
addressed to Chairman Foss of the House
Committee and Chairman Hale of the Sem
ate Committee letters which will reach
them to-day In which he recommends The
appropriation OF $25 900 for a wharf road
and storehouse or other original improve
ments for Blythe Island and states that
it is the purpose of the department %
utilize the island for a training station
for landsmen.
There are but two such stations in the
country, one at Norfolk, and the other
at San Francisco. The department has
long felt the need of another, and the
secretary and chief of the Bureau of
Navigation are enthusiastic over the dis
covery that they have just what they
want in this island at Brunswick
The establishment of this station at
Brunswick will undoubtedly bring most
important results to that port This will
mean that with the navy back OF IT,
thirty feet of water on the outer bar will
surely come, for. as Admiral Crownng-
shield said, they will certainly want the
facilities SO bettered that they can take
the big ships of the navy in there at any
time.
MIR. BartIetGS Condition.
Representative Bartlett of Macon. is
seriously Ill at the Riggs House, and his
friends are concerned over his condition.
Two days ago he was taken III at the
Capitol and had 10 be conveyed to his
apartments in a carriage His friends re-
qUested that nothing be said about his in
disposition, stating that 1t was nothing
more than an attack Of indigestion. to
which he is a frequent victim. To-day
Mr.. Bartlett's condition suddenly changed
for the worse. and fears are entertained
that what seemed at first to be a mild
attack OF grip. has developed INTO pneu-
monia. DR.. johnson, one of the most
skilled physicians here has been called
into the case. and his relatives have been
Notified NJ bie sariotta iIInaga