The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-05
MILITARY POST LOCATION.
CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE1

CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGEJ
Brightwood and accessible over the Big
Four Railroad and the electric road TO An
derson. The Pendleton pike, a continue
ton of Massachusetts avenue, well-kept
free gravel road leads directly to Ii, and
will probably be the popular drive fror=
the city TO the army post when ii is erect
ed and the parades and military maneuvers
of the soldiers will be another show place
of the city.
The land can best be identified by resi-
dents OF the county familiar with the
geography of Lawrence township as the
John Harper farm, the John Roberts farm
the many acres held by the Reddicks and
the Spies and the 22O-acre tract owned nv
the Nichols family. Some of the Baker
interests are also represented in this site
on the western portion in what was offered
TO the government as separate tract. At
the south boundary of the land the point
known as Days Crossing will probably be
the nearest postoffice to the tract. Min
newa springs, once celebrated in Marion
county as springs from which pure hill
water could be obtained and a favored
spot for camping parties and picknicers, is
one of the well-known portions of the land
geographically the site will be an ideal
one for an army post, it is said. The
north part is watered by Fall creek in a
most beautiful part of its course, and for
about two miles the creek wends it's way
through the land and for half a mile on
the northeast corner furnishes the north
ern boundary. The creek also furnishes the
bluffs against which rifiemen may practice
Win Siiidu over TWO OlHerenC ranges
of shooting distance of 5000 yards or over
each. Level land for the most part is the
average OF the tract, although here and
there gentle undulating prairie stretch is
found The highest part of the land has
an altitude of ninety feet. For two miles
along the southern portion, with a width
of one-half mile, a level stretch with but
little timber, furnishes an excellent portion
on which may be erected the barracks
storehouses, drill halls, mess halls, stables
clubhouseS, quarters for officers and nom
commissioned officers, guardhoues maya
zine and other buildings necessary to the
army post with ample ground left for the
parade needed for the troops, as we'll as
the large corral necessary for the accom-
mediation of the horses and mules of the
garrison Buildings for forage will also
probably be located on this portion Of the
tract, subject TO the plans of the engineer
ing officers who may be designated 10 plan
the proposed fort.
The land is not entirely free from timber
and many acres of beautiful wooded land
will have to be cleared to permit the cree
places, but of not so great an age as to be
difficult TO remove both above and below
ground Much of the timber is so situated
that it may be left standing to add TO the
natural beauty of the post.
The land is held by options and little or
no difficulty will be experienced in securing
a deed TO the various tracts included I'm
this site. The majority of the options are
such that within short time after the off,
cial announcement of the selection is made
and the preparatory steps 10 purchase il
inaugurated, the land can be vacated and
turned over to the government. Some of
the land, however-the farmed part OF it
its purchase in order to give sufficient time