The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-09

man from Cooks to Fort ST. Anthony,
that they had come, instead, to some
new and tawdry government post of
Spanish South Americans.
One line of barracks, towards ST.
Paul, has been removed entirely. As
surance was given that they were I'M
safe for use-as if the United States
army were beleagured between the
ancient walls and -whooping foe
prevented any possible excursion into
the rest of Minnesota. On the other
side, the old barracks have been re-
modelled for cavalry officers
Remodeled, of course, appropriately?
Remodeled in close imitation of the
original buildings?
No, far from it.
Remodeled, then, in some style kin
dred to the climate, the people, the
history of this state
Still farther from it.
Coated Like a Caramel
The commandments house-the same
house probably where, in 1921, the first
Sunday school in Minnesota was taught
by Mrs. (Col.) Smelling and Mrs.
Uieut.) Clark-has been coated like a
caramel with stucco, and has been
blessed with fancy wooden portico,
glass windows, and various external
holdings in the characteristic stucco
so becoming to the current revival of
1890 styles. An old soldier at the post
was asked yesterday what the house
had formerly been.
II can't say for sure" he answered,
"only it didn't look like that
The hexagonal tower on the south
still retains its embrasures and it's
loopholes. But it's new Spanish roof
is the reddest and most southern Of red
tile. Its sturdy stone walls. built to
stand indefinitely, are coated thick
with that monotonous Mediterranean
"adobe" called stucco.
But all the hardy characters of the
Minnesota pioneers: all the story of
those first long winters at Fort ST.
Anthony; all the suffering of the In
dian women who went insane and
leaped from the fort walls one winter
because of cold, exposure, hunger, even
cannibalism, in nearby camp:
all the frontier experience of the men
who lived and served in these build
ings-the explorer, Leavenworth, the
indomitable Smelling, the 'true-blue
Winfield Scott, and "Old Rough and
Ready" Gen. each" Taylor, not to
mention that rugged miracle the hon
est Indian agent, Taliaferro-these will
rise at once before Minnesota school
children, students from the Minnesota
university, Minnesota pioneers, mem
bers of the Minnesota State Historical
society, when they open wide their
| eyes before the marvellous remodeled
| barracks. the new Minnesota home for
fighting men-a typical mission build
ing, or monastery, from Spanish Cali
| fornia, with arcaded facade and red
| tiled roof, a view that lacks only a
few cacti and some tonsured monks to
complete a picture of semi-tropic heat
and peace ecclesiastical.
Restorative Vandalism
The supervision of these thaumatur-
| gic Improvements at the lower post
has been intrusted to Capt. R. McA.
| Schof1eld. He is a special construct
| ing quartermaster. He has super
vised the erection of all the recent
buildings at the fort. But Capt.
| Schofield is not responsible for this
preservative and restorative vandal-
| ism at the lower post. Like Gentle
Jane or the Light Brigade, it was his
to do as he is told to do or, figuratively,
| to die.
'T can't tell who designed these
changes at the old fort" said Capt.
| Schofield yesterday. II think know,
but I'm not sure, so 1 prefer not to
| give an opinion. But I'm merely carry
! ing out my orders.
T What would it have cost, the cap
tain asked, ito put up an entirely new
building for the cavalry headquarters
instead of using the old tower?''
$ 20, about $1,000. may be. There's
nothing left of the tower now but the
| walls, and they are not worth much
WAS the round tower really needed?
Did it have to be made use of?''
why, / can't say; l don't think it
will prove very useful anyhow. But it
will make a headquarters or office for
the major in charge of four troops of
cavalry"
| That major, when he arrives, will
congratulate himself A great state
has been belittled so he may have a
cozy den in which to sign receipts for
forage and certify to muster rolls. If
! he prefers Italian history, he may COM
| pare himself merriiy with the reck-
| less gonfaIonier of Florence; he may
boast that he is monarch of splendid
L L..