The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1903-04-25
Q. s. MARINE CORPS.
Barracks It Occupies Have 4 Wide
Historic Interest.
Tine was when TAsy Were the Osa-
ter Of WaahlnEtOn's Social Life
-BuIR ~ Camp for BFlt-
Ish Cavalry.
TspsclaI WaahlnEton Lsttar.l

he marine band IL . famous
musical organization Of which
everybody has read or heard,
but very little is known concerning
the marine corps itself. The marines
are the policemen of the navy, walk
ing their beats and maintaining order
abOaSd ship, just as the policemen in
/ our cities walk their beats and make
crime and disorder dificult.
As the navy has grown the marine
corps has increased in numbers until
It is now as strong as brigade Of sol
diers, and as eIficient, for the men are
well drilled and disciplined. The bar
racks in this city is as heavy with
"reminiscences and quaint memories as
grandfathers and grandmothers, and
as interesting. The story of the life
Of the old barracks is as interesting as
q book; the right kind Of a book, Of
course.
This ancient post was originally
British, and Il was erected under the
reign Of George III. At the time when
old Dayy Burns was farming the best
land now covered by the national cap
ital the old marine barracks was q
camp for Bitish cavalry, and after
wards for the colonial cavalry, those
who were loyal to King George. So,
you see, this is quite an ancient land
mark in this new republic. One Of the
old officers has said of the marine bar
racks: "The first sound it woke to
hear was reveille, and the last 1t win
ever hear will be taps"
Located as it is southeagterly from
the capitol, while society revels ataF
to the northwest, the barracks long
since ceased to be in the social swim;
but time was when there were greater
echoes Of fiddle and banjo for the two
step and merry waltz than of the notes
Of evening bugle. There II was that
Nellie Grant was introduced to the
English lout and gurgler who made her
life miserable, and clouded the happi-
ness Of the entire family Of the great
general, whose unappreciative daugh-
ter she then was.
Everybody in society used to speak
of it as ''the dear old marine barracks"
There the widow of a brave confeder-
ate general, whose troops made a
charge famous in history, often met
with handsome young officers and
mingled with them in the may hay
lancers, until rumor had her engaged
70 be married to a score Of them; for
they all fen in love with her. It has
played its part as beau par excellence
as not another military or naval sta
ton in this country has done. But
society has gone, and one Of the
young officers has said: "An we do
now is work-and read the Bible"
The old barracks mounts guard on
IN the eastern branch side of the city,
locks arms with the navy yard, and
surveys the rest Of the town with that
exclusive English air It has. It fills
up the eight square acres there, lying
between Eighth and Ninth streets
southeast, and and G streets, and
has built around itself a high brick
wall pIastered over milk-white, with a
dark red rim running all around its
top, like a streak Of blood, and its base
tarred black as a cannon ball The
long white wings Of the grisly quar-
ters stretch ont on either side Of the
center house. In the dark the whole
place grows ghostlike. The little
chimneys Of the barracks come peep
ing over the wall, but their roofs run
up away from Il, and all the buildings
In the yard throw shadows over such