The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-02
WILL ADD TO FORT
FIVE SETS OF OFFICERS QUAR-
TIERS AND A GUARD HOUSE
WILL BE BUILT AT ONCE
TEN NEW STRUCTURES, IN ALL,
WILL COST OVER 100000.

Officers at Fort EIated over APP
prevail of War College Board Rec
OmmendatiOn-COI. Taylor Will Be
Provided With Quarters Costing
$I7,OOO-Bids VIII Be Advertised
For by Lieut. Orr-New Guard
House to BE Built Near Railroad
Will Be Three Times as Large rs
the One Now in Use.
The announcement that the recon-
mendations of the War College board
for the construction of quarters for Off
GERS and non-commissioned staff Off
GERS, and a guard house at Fort Screw
en-, was received with delight by the
officers at the post yesterday. While
it is not yet known how large an
amount will be expended in improve
ments, it is thought that it will exceed
$780, 900.
1t is expected that within a brief
time Lieut.. Orr will advertise for bids
for the construction of a part of the
proposed new quarters. 1t is under
stood that of the $5,OOO,OOO appropriated
for use in the United States, over ST.
900, 900 is now available. The reason
for not announcing the allotment of
money at the various forts is that it
would be inadvisable before letting the
contracts.
Ten New Structures.
The appropriation will result in the
construction of nine more quarters for
officers, and a guard house. Five of
these, costing from $4,000 to $4,000
each, will be erected right away, while
the others will be constructed as the
appropriation becomes available. The
guard house will be nearer the rail-
road than at present, and will be fully
three times as large as the one now
used.
No order has been received yet, but
it is expected. The first knowledge of
the approval of the appropriation was
conveyed to the officers through the
columns of the Morning News. Gen.
Chaffee had assured the officers on the
occasion of his recent inspection, that
ne would recommend the necessary
appropriation for the construction of
the new quarters and the guard house.
Needs of the Fort.
The headquarters for this artillery
district is at Fort Screven, so that in
addition to the regular line officers,
there are colonel, three staff officers
and a surgeon stationed at the fort,
for whom no quarters are provided.
The fort is one of the few at which there
is not a special set of quarters for the
colonel commanding. Although each
officer should be provided with separate
quarters, there are but six sets of quar-
ters at the fort, though there are fif-
teen officers.
The most costly structure to be erect
ed under the appropriations will be the
quarters for Col. Taylor, which will
cost about $4,000, calculating on
basis of the cost of the quarters built
at Fort Jetty, Charleston. The quar-
tiers for the Iieutenants will cost in
the neighborhood of $4,000 each, though
the set of quarters which will be con-
structed especially for the commission
ed officers will cost somewhat more
Col. Taylor is now living in quarters
originally constructed for a captain in
the artillery.
The New Guard House.
The guard house now used was con-
structed for use in fort where one
company was stationed. There are
now three companies at the post, 50
that the guard house is but one-third
large enough. The new one will be
built to accommodate three companies.
The old one will probably be used as
Canteen, where miscellaneous articles
will be sold to the soldiers such as
candy, soap. towels, etc. The fort be-
ing about sixteen miles from Savan-
nah. the canteen has been found very
serviceable.
The reservation is being continually
improved by the men. and now pre-
sents a splendid appearance. Among
the most marked improvements is the
installation of the big searchlight on
the northern flank of the S-inch bat
! terry and the placing of the two Is
pound rapid-fire guns. The latter
have not yet been placed, but will be
| in a few days. A notice has been re-
ceived that they are en- route from
Connecticut, and will arrive in a few
| days. Lieut.. Winslow will be in charge
of their erection in the quarters built
| for them as long ago as 1900
The submarine work. under the
charge of Lieut. Pease, who has recent
| ~ been especially detailed to the work.
is going ahead, and has been so inn
proved that it would be an impossi-
! bility for the enemy's craft to effect an
| entrance to the harbor before it was
! blown I'D by a submarine mine.