The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-15

When seen by a reporter this morn
ing the general spoke very pleasantly
on all subjects concerning himself, but
when the conversation touched upon
government affairs he refused to talk
General Miles will remain in Fort
Riley for a few hours today and Will
then resume his journey east.
Probably not a dozen people in the.
city knew that the cosnIna nder of the
United States army WAS paying Topeka
short visit. The generals private
car was sandwiched between sew
eral box cars on the Union Pacific
monocle wedged into his right eye
arose and greeted the State Journals
reporter and asked what the newcomer
wanted. He was informed that the re-
porter wished to talk with General
Miles for few moments. General Miles
was in the observation room at the
time, and on the intrusion of the re-
porter he arose from reclining pos
ture, took a knife from his pocket
with which to pare his nails, and wait
ed for the questions.
Il wish to compliment you on that
extraordinary horseback ride which
you took yesterday from Fort Sill to
Fort Reno" said the reporter, and he
fidgeted in his chair, wondering how the
general would take the compliment.
That was pleasant ride said the
general as he pared his left thumb
nail. Il enjoyed it immensely The
ride was inVigOrating. One thing l no.
ticed, however, during the ride was
that the roads in that country are not
what they should be. In a country
where it is necessary to transport all
goods in wagons the roads should be
built the same as railroad. This is
not the case out there, however. The
roads go up and down with the rolling
prairie, and in some places the grades
are so steep that it is almost impossible
to go faster than a walk in going
either uD or down"
The reporter asked the general if he
would have any influence in brineina
about change in the building of these
roads.
That's not in my line" said the gem
eral, but I hope that some day the
necessity of good roads in that vicinity
viii be brought to the attention of the
right authorities and the system or
grading changed
When the reporter had started out on
his hunt for General Miles he had made
rough plan of the questions that he
would ask him but this plan was not
brought into use All through the con-
versation the general was the one who
asked most of the questions For a
while the flood and the devastation that
it had wrought was the topic under dis
cussion, then the city of Topeka would
come in for its share and finally the con-
versation veered around to the subject
of the trip through the west which Gen.
Miles has just completed.
L nave enjoyed the trip immensely,
said the general. THE west is a good
country and is inhabited by a class of
people who are to be comDlimented on
the improvements that they have made.
Many years ago when I came out west
Hayes City was the terminal of the rail-
roads and if one went farther west than
that place they had to go on horseback
or in wagon. Now there is no limit to
the many. miles of track that have been
laid
Were you once stationed in Kansas"
the general was asked"
Il was stationed at Fort Leavenworth
and Fort Riley was under my supervis-
ion. 1 was stationed at Fort Hayes and
Fort Harker at one time but never at
Riley. Hayes and Harker have long
since been abandoned ard Riley and
Leavenworth have been improved until
they are now two Of the best military
posts in the United States. This is only
a very small part of the many changes
that have taken place in the west since
l was out here. One who had been out
here at that time could hardly recognize
the country now
During the conversation that followed
General Miles spoke of the improve
ments that are to be made at Fort Riley
and Fort Leavenworth He did not go
into detail but simply spoke in general
way of the buildings that are to be put
up and the many Improvements that are
to be made He said that when the two
posts are finished the two will accommo-
date about three thousand men, He did
not say that that many men are to be
stationed there but it is supposed that
such Will be the case.
do you think that there is any prob