The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-16
SMELLING LAND
DEALS NEAR END
AL J. Smith Submits Plan for
e. Closing Purchase to Gov
eminent.
From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building,

From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building,
Washington.
Washington, Sept 16.-Secretary OF
War Taft has received from the de-
from al J. Smith, assistant United
States district attorney in charge OF
proceedings for the, condemnation OF
the additional land required. at Fort
Smelling, asking. for. information as to
the DEPARTMENTS views of the recent
decision of the condemnation commits
sion 1t will be recalled that the com
mission. reported the land in its entirety
worth over $4,000. The appropIrdlaa-
tion made by congress IS only $llo,ooV.
to how much land the government IS to
Cation. To add to the complications;
the officer in charge of this feature OF
the war department s business has been
advised that the engineer departmene
cinity of Fort Smelling, and he doesn't
know whether this is included In the
tract recently condemned for govern
ment use. With a view to clearing up
the situation and making an 1ntelhgent
reply to Mr.. Smiths inquiry. he has
been asked to go more into details:
When all the information is received
1t is probable that the secretary OF war
will advise Mr.. Smith that the law
providing for the purchase OF TINS aqal-
ClOual S4U acres uOpS uOJ duCuo11AC i1tAA
to approve an award IN excess OF the
appropriation of $4,000.
Mr.. Smith g plan to have the. excess
payment met by local subscri ptions,
while highly gratifying to war depart
ment officials, and regarded. as go9d
the secretary at all if he IS called
upon to paw, on the face Of the records,
more than $4,000 for the land desired
by the government.
Scheme to Meet Problem.
It has been suggested, therefore, that
MI Smith get up his subscription and
pay it on a pro rata basis to the owners
Of the land, and get them to consent to
scaling Of the values equal to such
pro rata payment, so that the official
records will show a total X3tHat ION
record before him in that shape, the
secretary will certainly approve the
award and direct the disbursement OF
the appropriation.
Officers Of the war department. are
gratifed at the prospective early settle
to Fort Smelling reservation, as it is an
other step in the accomplishment Of
plans for the enlargement of the post
to one of the first class. Plans to thi:
end have been pushed step by steI
for the several years, largely thru the
GuOIuS Ol OOuS lt0SluCtu L ICN koGO' OIio
who, as a member of the committee OF
military affairs, has looked after thu
Legislation necessary to carrying then
out.
Authority has been given and con
struction work almost completed TO
the accommodation Of representative
of the three branches of the mllltar,,
service-infantry, cavalry and artil
lery. Two battalions-eight compa
nies-of infantry are now stationed a
Smelling. They will be succeeded mex
month by ten companies of infantry
and eventually there will be lively
companies, or an entire regiment, a
mental post. Two batteries Of artiller
are now stationed there, and within
few weeks the quarters for two troop
of cavalry will be completed and filled
Orders have already been issued fC
the transfer OF troops E and +, Thir
Fort Smelling.
Buildings Will Go Up.
This force is about all that will b
sent to Fort Smelling under the plan
of the war department for the distr
button of the regular army. But tn
presence of such large representatio
for drilling in the cold weather of tt
Minnesota winters and ridinghall wi
be provided. Some other buildings fl
minor uses will also be constructed.
It is expected that the additions
land, for which negotiations are no
pending, will be used, when secure
almost exclusively for rifle rang
and possibly for maneuvers on sma
scale. This will leave the two batteri
of field artillery without a target rang
Last season and this arrangements we
made for this necessary part of II
training Of the artillerymen by leash
tracts of land near Anoka and Ne
Ulm. But officers of the departing
say that eventually it will be nece