The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-02-20
FOR ARMY CAMP.
The Citizens of Oakland Organized
For the Purpose of Land
ing the Prize.
MT. GRfTNA MAKES A POOR SITE.
Lack of Water There in 1900 Was the
Cause of Much Suffering Among the
Troops, So the Pennsylvania National
Guard Say.

I the proposed permanent army camps
if the efforts begun in that direction
at a meeting of her citizens last
Thursday night is any indication.
Pursuant to call large number
of the leading citizens of the town as
sembled in Offutt's Hall and was pre-
sided over by Mr.. Gilmor S. Hamill.
The object of the meeting was to de-
wise ways and means with which to
place the claims of Garrett county as
an ideal section for the location of
one of the camps prominently before
Congress and the country at large.
For this purpose the officers of the
meeting including the president, Mr..
f. A. Thayer, its secretary, and Mr..
ID. +. Offutt, the treasurer, in con-
junction with an executive committee
composed of Messrs. Scott 7. Jones,
A. &. Sturgiss and E. H. Sincell, was
appointed to prepare a circular letter
addressed to the members of Congress
setting forth the advantages of Gar
rett county as site for the location
of the camp. The committee was al
so empowered to have a number of
views taken of the proposed site and
then adjourned to meet at the call of
the presiding officer.
Fromgan unexpected source there
comes great objection to the Mount
Gretna pa site which was recon-
mended by the board of Army officers
in its report to the Secretary of War.
In Pittsburg the military men are
dissatisfied with the selection, assign
ing as cause the scarcity of water
which worked great hardships and
suffering among the National Guard
of that State when it encamped at
Mt. Gretna in 1900. Sickness pre-
vailed to an alarming extent during
the time the soldiers were encamped
there and a number of deaths re-
suited.
Many Congressman have become in
terested with Oakland in securing the
camp for us as have also number of
newspapers, the Maryland Legisla-
ture and various boards of public Of
details. At Cumberland Tuesday the
Allegany County Board of County
Commissioners passed the following
resolutions favorable to Oakland:
ReSolUed,. By the County Commits
sioners in special session as follows:
WHEREAS, 1t has come to our
knowledge that our sister county of
! Garrett is making efforts to secure
| the location in her territory of one of
the four great army encampments,
and
WHEREAS, We believe the location
suggested is suitable and will prove
beneficial alike to this section and to
the government; therefore be it
ReSOiUed, That the Board of Com
missioners in special session stands
ready to cooperate with the citizens
of Garrett county in their endeavor
to secure the location of one of the
four permanent U. S. Army camps
near Oakland; and be it further
ReSoloed, That a copy of this reso-
luton under seal be sent to each
member of the Maryland delegation
in Congress, praying their utmost en-
beavers to carry out the intent and
purpose of this resolution.
Major j. NJ. Burns, one of the prime
movers to have the camp located at
Oakland said recently:
"The site selected in Pennsylvania
is inaccessible. 1t is off the main
line of the railroads and cannot be
reached as rapidly as the one at Oak
land which is on the main line of the
B. & o. and can be reached for the
number of States tributary to the
camp in very short time.
Another thing that will help Oak
land is the difference in the price of
the land. That at Oakland can be
bought for twenty-five dollars an
acre. The other land in Pennsyl-
vania will cost 5000 an acre or eight
times as much.
1.-THE advantages that Oakland
have are so many and obvious that
Congress isn't going to spend eight
times as much money as is necessary
to get what is wanted
1T is understood that the Secre-
tary of War to whom the recommen-
dations of the board have been made
will submit them to Congress without
any recommendation. This will give
us good chance to get the thing full
ly investigated by the committee
which will receive it for report to
Congress and we will place the facts
before them in such light that there
isn't any way out of selecting Oak
land"
Pacific Coast without Change.
In new Pullman ordinary sleepers.
wide vestibuled and with every mod
ern convenience, in charge of compe-