Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-02-25
CONEWA 90 SITE FOR
r1NIITARY CAMP

President A. ]. Cassatt of the Penn
sylvania Railroad in a letter to Con-
gressman OImsted cummends the Con
ewago camp site az the most advan-
tageous as from a, transportation point
of view of any Of she Pennsylvania
points proposed az one OF the great
maneuvering grounds. Sir. Olmstead
read the letter Friday at "a meeting
of the Committee Giz Military Affairs,
having the matter as,der discussion
Several gentlemen were heard in be-
half of sites in tho tar West. Repros-
entativo Pearook, # Maryland, then
spoke in Eehalf ct eire Oakland site
the advantages Of which he set forth
in glowing terms He dwult particu-
larly upon its characterization facilities
and said that "a ore than fifty thousand
of the National Guard Ot the different
States could te transported there with
in twelve hOurg. ,de thought the Con
ewago site was coo close TO Harrisburg
and to the Chaagauqua camp meeting
for the morals OF the troops.
Representative Olmstcd, replying
to Mr.. PeaIooIl said thaJ the mora Is
of the people Of Harrisburg would not
suffer in comparison with those of the
people of Oakla or any other part Of
the State Of Maryland and he thought
that the morals of the troops would be
improved rather than injured by as
sociation with tho good people who
gather every summer upon the Chau-
tauqua grounds Of Mount Gretna for
religious and educational instruction.
| He said that fifty thousand of the Ma
tional GaaId Of the adjoining States
| could be transported from their homes
| to Conewago in one-halt the time. at
one half the expense, AMI less than
they conId bo transported to either
| Oak and OF Somerset.
"What about Long Icland2" iuquir-
ed a member of the committee, "the
committee has received \ proposition
| TO locate camp there.
Mr.. Olmsted reTlied that the fact
OF ferrage Of itself, would prove an
inseparable objection to Long Island.
tie then read letter from President
| Cassatt, of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
who, he saidy had charge of the Long
Island system, as well as the roads in
| Pennsylvania, and was as good auth
ority as could be found anywhere in
the United States upon the tTanSpoTta-
tion question President Cassatt. IN
his letter, unheSitatingly declared tht
| COneWagO site TO be the most advaBt-
ageous from a transportation stand
point. Mr.. Olmsted then showed from
railroad charts the distance from var.
ious points in New York New Jersey,
Ohio. Maryland, Virginia, ana New
England points, and proved that nine
tentIls of the National Guard III these
States could reach Conewago much
more directly, ,exneditiously and cheap.
~ than either Somerset IT Oakland.
Even the Maryland troops could reach
Conewago more qnlckly,a rs it was on-y
about half as far to Conewago from
Baltimore as trom Baltimore to either
Somerset or Oakland.
He paid high tribute to the chgr,
acter Of the citizens in the region OF
the proposed camp site, and dwelr upon
the purity Of its water and climate and
its natural advantages for military
purposes, declaring in conclusion that
Secretary Root, shortly before retiring
from office, had told him that it los
ses-od more of the requisites for a
camp site than any other place he had
ever known.
1t is understood that Lieutenant
General Chaffee and the present Sec
retary of War are rather in favor of
an appropriation for tCur camp sites.
leaving the localities 10 be selected bv
the War Department afterward. Some
of the members Of the Military Com.
mittee also incline to this Wow. bat il
is the present opinion that the com.
mittee will report u bill providing 70,
and naming four camp sites and tha
Conewago stands very coed chanc,
of being named as one Of the four