The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-03-03

On last Tuesdsy Congressman
Pearre appeared before the Con-
gressional committee having in charge
| the selection of the permanent army
camp sites and submitted his argu-
ment in behalf of the Oakland site,
as follows:
1t is respectfully submitted, that in
selecting the camp site the committee
should first ascertain what the requis-
| ties are therefor In this matter the
only available guide thereto is found
in the "MemOTGndum on Camp Sites;
their Requisites And their Uses" by
Major j. Parker, U. s. Cavalry, Assist
ant Adjutant-General, to be found on
page 1924 of House Document 61S, of
the first session of the Fifty-seventh
Congress. There Major Parker says,
1.-The uses to which these camp sites
will be applied are various" They are
81. For the concentration of large
bodies of regular troops for maneuyres
and instruction"
80. The concentration from the var
rious States of their State National
| Guard for the same purpose.
'3. In war time, concentration of
volunteer troops for muster, organ
| ization, and instruction
~. AUGMENTATION of armies in war
| times for offensive and defensive pur-
poses, or for combined maneuvers on
land and sea-"
"5. Concentration of troops In time
of civil disorder, to protect cities or
Government property"
"6. AS sites for permanent army
posts, the troops of which shall form
| the nucleus to guard the storehouses
needed to fulfill its functions as camp
site.n
ITO carry out these different pur-
poses, is is evident that camp site
must have the following requisites:
Il A large area. A tract of five to
seven miles square of available ground
is desirable.
Cheapness. Land which is not
valuable for agriculture may be en-
| tlrely suitable for maneuvres A camp
site of valuable agricultural land in
| such large tracts costs more than is
| desirable"
y II Wv suIldCC-uOD iOO
| flat, not too mountainous-affor
cover and allowing free movement of
all arms
"a A soil which will drain quickly
after rains, making it possible to drill
| in all weather"
IS. Sufficient timber for fuel and to
afford occasional cover, but MOTORISTS. {"
~. Plenty of pure water. Facilities
| for SVStpnls nd IiSnnSal of
sewerage
| 'S. Superior trans portation facii-
| ties, making it possible to collect the
troops or to send them to their homes
| quickly. Transportation by water is
especially desirable, that icing cheap.
Access to the ocean facilitates combin
ed maneuvers of the Army and Navy
and practice in embarkation and dis
| embarkation on a hostile shore"
80 Strategic position in offensive
operations with reference to tn. en-
emy's frontier, his lines of commEni-
cation, and his great cities, and also
with reference to the embarkation of
an army to operate beyond the sea; as
| to defensive operations, with refer
ence to the protection of our own
| great cities and depots of supplies,
and our ownlines of communications. p"
40. Position, with reference to the
bulk of the National Guard or of the
Regular Army, in order that it may
benefit the greatest number"
The next question for the Com
mittee, in selecting a site. is to deter
mine which of the offered sites most
fully meets these clearly and concise.
ly stated requisites. 1t is respectfully
submitted that the Oakland site meets
them all to peculiar degree of full
ness.
1t meets the first requisite of large
area, by offering to the Government a
tract of land containing twenty thous-
and, or if need be, thirty thousand
acres, bounded on the North by Mason
and DiXon's line, on the East by the
Youghiogheny River, on the South
by the main line of the BALTIC. & Oh 10
Railroad, and on the West by range
of mountains forming the division
line between the States of West Vir-
ginia and MARYLAND.
TIC seCOHu, clledplleSS, III meets by
an offer of land at not more than
twenty five dollars per acre.
The third, a diversified surface, it
meets by providing rolling surface
with stretches of fiat land, and is ideal
in this respect.
The fourth, a quickly draining soil,
it meets with a soil composed of the
weathering and wearing of shales and
sandstone, as stated in the Report of
the Maryland Geological Survey,
already furnished to the Committee.
The fifth, a sufficient timber for
fuel, ETC., it fully meets by wooded
hilllocks, ample for fuel with no for
ests.
Tie sixth, a cool climate in summer,
it meets with the salubrious temper
ature of Summer resort. The Oak
land, Deer Park and the Loeb Lynn
hotels, and Mountain Lake Park, long
famous as Summerresorts, are within
a few miles of this site Tho aIayatio,