The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-13
Anonymous Letter from Doctors De-
cIaring 1t Unsanitary, Followed by
Letter Booming SchOheld Site.
AN INQUIRY TO BE MADE
SURGEON EDIE AND ARMY BOARD
ORDERED TO INDIANAPOLIS.
Architect Rankin on the North Front
of the Federal Building-Craw-
fOrdsvilIe Site Selected.

Staff Correspondence of the Journal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.-The latest fea-
ture regarding the proposed military post
for indianapolis is communication from
doctors of that city declaring that the
Valley Mills site. the one which seems to
be the most favored of any yet mentioned,
has not the proper sanitary requirements.
In short, the department is warned against
using it for a post. About the time this
communication was received there came a
long anonymous proposition in the way Of
an offer of land. This is known to the
department as the ''Schofeld site. The
proposition was received to-day, and pho
tographs were sent along to show the lay
of the land.
The secretary of war and the adjutant
general of the army are somewhat con-
fused in regard to the whole matter. Gen.
eral Corbin expressed surprise at the COM
muncation from the DOCTORS but 1t was
seriously considered and an order was made
directing Maj. Guy l.. Edie, a surgeon at
tached to Columbus barracks, to proceed
to Indianapolis and ascertain the real con-
dition of the property in question from a
sanitary point of view. General Corbin re-
marked that the original board which in
vestigated the site question at Indianapo-
lis included an eminent medical man, and
he failed to report any special unsanitary
condition of the Valley Mills site. The
War Department has decided not to send
General Wood to indianapolis, but instead,
has decided that the first board which went
site hunting shall go there again. This
was deemed advisable from the fact that
this board Is familiar with the locations.
The board will be expected to make a
specific recommendation. Then, IL the land
can be purchased for an amount that can
be realized from the sale of the arsenal
grounds. and Major Edie finds it is all
arsenal will be promulgated. The board
probably will go TO indianapolis this week.
Architect Rankin, of the firm of Rankin &
kellogg. the Philadelphia architects who
drew the plans for the Indianapolis
federal building, is in Washington,
and late this afternoon he and
Knox Taylor. the governments su-
pervising architect, had a conference with
Senator Fairbanks relative to the appro-
priation which Senator Fairbanks and Mr..
Overstreet are asking for. The north
front" which has come to be a sort OF
by-word i'm the Treasury Department, was
discussed at length
Il regret very mucn tnat tnere mas Deen
so much agitation about this north 'front.'
said Mr. Rankin tonight, ''for / fear 1t
has endangered the chances of getting this
appropriation" The architect declared that,
even If the present plans are not changed
the north front will not be at all un-
slightly. I'VE did the very best we could
for the money available" said he. Had
we had more money we could. of course,
have prepared for a different kind of front,
and if this 100000 additional appropriat ton
is secured we will try TO meet every objec-
tion in making a different 'front.'"
Mr. Rankin in defending their present
plans points to the fact that when the
different architects furnished the original
designs for the building the firm that sub
mitted the second best design had for its
| Ohio-street front a design very similar TO
one Rankin * Kellogg have drawn for
New York street. Mr.. Rankin says IL this
new appropriation is secured he will go
| to Indianapolis and try 10 find out about
what the people want. II won't agree to
| stand on the corner and get the views OF
| every man and woman who passes" he
| said "but will do the best l can to get
| in touch with the general sentiment re-
| garding this matter"
Mr. Rankin said tonight that at this time
hs could suggest no particular design for