Evening journal., 1904-10-11
HUGE MORTARS
BELCH FORTH

practice recently. the forty-hfth and /
one hundred and twelfth companies OF /
heavy coast artillery We're engaged. the /
range being four miles. A floating tri- |
pod target was located In the river
south OF the fort toward Reedy Island /
and under tow OF the government tug /
General Riley. In the manner above |
described twenty-five shells were fired, |
eleven by each company. the forty-hfth
scoring eight hits out OF pos
sible eleven and the one hundred
and twelfth drawing blank. In esti-
mating scores all shot that alighted
within radius OF 126 feet Of the tar
get were counted as a hit. owing to
the short range but about forty pounds
of powder were used per mortar. This
Workmanship on the part OF the forty
/ ffti Is considered remarkably good. So
great was the detonation OF the dis
charges that windows were shattered
miles away.
The Fertilization.
! In addition TO these mortars Fort Du-
Pont Is equipped with a battery Of dis
appearing guns and another OF s-inch
rapid firing machines. Each soldier has
at his disposal the Krag-Jorgensen ri-
/ ne Two field pieces to repulse inva-
sions are placed on the ground facing
the river.
Fort Dupont Is considered by enlist
ed men and officers as one OF the most
desfable posts in the service. Located
but a short distance from Delaware
IClty Il Is easily accessible by either
/ land or water, but Is yet far enough
removed from civilian life 10 do away
with many of the temptations incident
thereto. rG
7 When the land was reclaimed by the
government several years ago II was
/ practically marsh ground and unavail-
able for any purpose. Today over two
hundred acres have been reclaimed and
where reeds once grew and stagnant
water lay broad lawns radiant with
grass plots. and blooming flowers ex-
tend. upon which are erected the quar-
ters OF the officers and the men. The
reservation Is equipped with its own
water and electric light plant and Of
ficers and mems quarters are fitted up
With modern improvements Including
hot and cold water baths. closets and
isinys. and In fact every appliance re-
qusite to a modern home. The roads
about the reservation are maoadam-
lied and board cement walks extend
about the grounds.
In a short time the present parade
ground win be utilized for other pur-
poses as al present work of retaining
the marsh land on the river front is
progressing and when finished viii be
used as a parade ground.
In the mems quarters everything Is
as neat as possible and so clean is the
dining hall that one might readily "eat
on the floor The men say that their
rations are excellent especially for
army life.
Moro Ground Purchased.
! Some time ago the Clement Reeves
farm OF some $50 acres lying to the
7 south OF the reservation and adjoining
2 II was purchased and as soon as tn,
3 crops are harvested It will se levelet
$ and remodeled and buildings erecte,
t thereon. IL Is said that when this worl
Z. Is done an Infantry and possibly cav
r airy post viii be established and use
d to a great extent as a relief post 10
d cavalrymen who are serving on tn
p frontier IN order that at times regi
r ments may come East for a period n
b order 10 be put in touch with the coas
. defence system OF which many OF then
$ are ignorant. Yesterday small arm
practice was engaged I'm at variou
ranges and should the foot soldier be-
e come a part of the fertilization he vii
= find his brother artilleryman an up-to
:. date marksman.
r For DUPONT is under command o.
. Lieutenant-Colonel Humphries and thu
1 boys say that "a better man neve
I pulled his boots on" He Is ably as
4 sisted by a corps of efficient officeri
y who are we'll liked by the subordinates
$ Although the public are at liberty {,
inspect the reservation at viii no on
s is permitted TO enter the mortar pit
d without a pass from the Secretary o
t War. It is said that when they wer,
d constructed many foreigners were EN-
d ployed and that the best recommenda
S tion that an applicant who applied fo
= work could have was that he was uI
s able to speak the English language