The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-11-14
Maneuvers May be
Held at Fort Sill


mans are hopefet that in 1904 the fall
maneuvers Of the regular army in the
southwest will be held at Fort sill
They are not unmindful of the fact
that the influence of senators and
members Of congress may go a long
way in determining the place of rem
devious. and believe that this is the
greatest obstacle in bringing the man.
euyers to Fort Sill. Oklahoma being
a territory without a vote in congress
or prestige ia national affairs They
are able however to offer tne opin-
ion Of army officers throughout the
country that in healthfulness. acreage
and strategic value Fort Sill is not
excenei by any military post in the
west.
The reservation contains $1,000
acres of land and is contiguous TO the
$4,000 acres of land embraced in the
Wichita forest reserve. making a to-
tal Of nearly 100000 acres available
for maneuver purposes. The topogra.
ply of the Fort Sill reservation is
such that il is said to be more suit
able for cavalry drills than any other
post in the United States The ad-
vantages for infantry drill and maneu-
vering are no less discernible. The
Wichita mountain forest reserve Of
fo,c a.. op.lloe- ,arfo+,, a.. ,,tos., ,,,d
nountain for almos, every maneuyer
that land troops would be required to
make in time of war There are
streams to cross. bridges to build, al
most unscalable peaks to climb, and
the roughest imaginable country for
artillery and transports. Unlike the
high, rolling ridges at Fort Riley. op-
portunities for the concealment of
large bodies Of men abound every
where The mountainous aspect of
the forest reserve is unlike that of the
larger ranges further west, the peaks
of the Wichi,as rising abruptly from
level plain. as if ones thumb were
thrust through a sheet Of paper The
peaks and ridges are shorn of the us.
ual foothills, so formidable to noun
tain travel
oklahoma's Fine Weather.
October and November, the time
for maneuers, are probably Oklaho-
mas two most delightful months. The
sky Is cloudless. the atmosphere dry
and invigorating. and the weather
ideal for camping Fort sill, at pres
ent, has inadequate facilities for the
storage of supplies, but Il might not
be necessary that supplies for the
field should be housed There is an
abundance Of pure. soft water. but
the engine for the pumping is too small
and ancient TO bring up enough water
for large body of troops The size
Of the post in buildings is limited TO
one squadron OF cavalry and bat
terry of artillery
Fort Sill was established in the
early 70s TO protect the southwestern
frontier against the Cheyenne and
Arapahoe and Kiowa and Comanche
Indians. Construction was begun in
the spring of 1868. When General
Sheridan directed the washita cam
paign in the winter OF 1869. his
troops moved from Fort Cobb to
more desirable spot, now the site OF
Fort Sill. and remained in camp here
several weeks, Fort Sill is oh enough
for its buildings to take on the quaint
ness OF age. The officers quarters are
on the east and north sides of the pa
rade ground These residences are
old fashioned in architecture. one and
three-fourths stories in height. and
.embowered in ivy and honeysucllles
that have clambered over the long
cool porches and covered the tall
stone chimneys TO their SUBMITS
Beautiful naples, elms and cotton.
woods shade the lawns and flower
beds and line the well kept driyeways
that encompass the parade ground
The stars and stripes hutter from a
flag stan that towers aloft like a Nor
way pine On the south are official
buildings and on the west with the
Wichita mountains for a back door
view, are the troopers quarters Near
ly ali the buildings at Fort slll are
of stone, quarried on the reservation, /
The hospital Is an attractive and sub
stantial structure, comparatively new.
and equipped according to the needs
Of modern surgery and medicine. II
contains about hfty cots. The post
has good system Of sewerage and
water svorke