The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-09-06
Order for Vacation of Buildings
on Military Reservation in
Oklahoma Issued.
GROUNDS TO BE TRANSFERRED
Reserve of 1,760 Acres Re-
linquished by Act of Con-
gress Will Pass to Pos
session Of Territory.
SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Guthrie, Ok, Sept. 5.-An order from the
Interior Department for the vacation of
all buildings in the Fort Supply Reserva-
ton In Woodward County, September 80,
preparatory TO its formal transfer from
the National Government to the Territory
Of Oklahoma, marks the passing of one of
the most famous military reservations in
the United States.
There are 1.760 acres in the reservation
As far back as the time Washington
Irving made his ""Tour of the Prairie"
there was a trading post on the site of
Fort Supply. Irving wrote of It in one of
his sketches as IAN old camp of the
plainsman." General Miles planned from
Fort Supply most OF his famous indian
campaigns and inaugurated the military
movements that radiated TO the Texas line
On the South Arizona on the west and up
across Kansas to the south boundary Of
Nebraska, beating out the last v~estiges Of
barbarism on the Continent which occa-
s~ionally broke out among the red men and
outlaws in violent FORM the more violent
because 1t was a final struggle with ex-
tinction.
It is said, though not authoritatively,
that 1t was at the suggestion OF Presi-
dent William Henry Harrison that the
first garrison was established at Fort Sup
ply, but it was not until the administra-
ton of Buchanan hat the Fort became
an important factor in the development Of
the West.
Even before the reservation became the
home Of the frontier troops It was the
base of supplies for ranchmen and pio-
neers who located In Kansas and Colorado
while 1t was yet a risk Of Indian mas
sacres and raids. 1t was not an unusual |
thin to see. in the spring and fall months,
a string of wagons leave the fort stores
sarly in the morning for a drive of q
hundred miles across the prairie to a COL
ony of settlers
All Southern Kansas bought -four.
canned goods. meats and household arti-
cies from the fort tradesmen until the
Santa Fe Railroad reached Newton, on
It's way across tie Continent. Wichita.
now a city OF $4,000. then consisted of a |
sod house, where one might buy hour and
matches IL he reached the place the day a |
Load had been hauled across the State
Hutchinson had not a board to mark the
site OF its present big jobbing houses and
Fort Supply got the last part of its
ply for a decade before the Government |
troops were stationed there, and a long
hOuSc VI Llli6 lCES, DuliL at the direction |
Of General Zachary Taylor before he be-
came President, was constructed and fit
ted in an Indifferent way for a fort.
The construction of the little old log
house was the transition from Camp
supply to Fort Supply"
Fort Supply in its palmy days was the
scene OF many brilliant social functions
by the military
Army officers who afterwards held high
civil positions. Federal Judges and their
families attended the affairs.
There are now about 800 persons who
i've at Fort Supply. Its military glory
has. departed, and the activity of pioneer
Trading has long ago been superseded by
local interests OF dull indifference. The
had built a little schoolhouse and
hired a teacher for the winter.
The order for vacation works a hard
hip on them, for they are turned out of |
house and home on the threshold of win
They are the heritage Of fort life,
and had just settled down to the new
state of affairs, when the Government, as
D last act in disposing OF the noted old
grounds, orders them to leave.