Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-02-07

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name OF Sudsville. because these sol
diers' wives were usually laundresses
to the rest OF the forces. and then
the grand square around which are
ranged the long structures which
were company quarters. mess rooms,
officers quarters, etc, In the army
days. A shallow conduit lined with
small stones, carries water all around
this square, which is perfectly level
and bordered by, first, a row OF trees,
and then n board walk. Within this
is tho parade. a noble square OF
500 feet, ence covered With
green turf, now bare, from the center
Of which rises the flagstaff with Its
starry banner. Picturesque are the
buildings. with their roofs OF many
angles, their numerous chimneys.
their porticos of various patterns, all
harmonious, although so varied, With
thankfulness one observes that the re-
modelling done here last year by our
own M. Nj. Sundt was designed to cor.
respond with the architecture OF struc-
lures already standing, and 1t Is
neatly and tastefully carried out. as
would be expected from so conscien-
tious a builder as Mr.. Sundt. The
walls Of the buildings are OF stone.
thoroughly set by the government
forty-five years. They are mostly one
story high, although the officers
houses, on the north side Of the
square, are two stories. as are those
remodeled last year. on the south.
An air of roominess and comfort
pervades all the premises, while the
artistic sense Is quite satisfied by the
evident lack OF any premeditated ex-
actness in architecture or accessor-
les.
But | saw more than all this last
Sunday morning. | saw the great cor
raj crowded with neighing chargers;
saw the noble expanse of the parade
ground thronged with uniformed
troopers and infantrymen; saw the
artillery parked at the foot OF the
flagstaff; | heard the stirring strains
of martial music; the thrilling calls
80 tl, l,,r1n nc than, unS p,nitnfiny
in hot haste and swift departure of
flying horsemen, all under the splen-
dor of this same brilliant sunshine.
and beneath the cleaning SHOWS OF
solemn Sierra Blanca. | don't know
that such scenes were ever enacted
in the confines of this old fort. but
they seemed real enough to me yester-
day to have been actual occurrences
What would life be without magma
ton?
The old military cemetery at the
base of the high southern hill Is no
longer the resting place of the brave
dead who were once sleepers there.
| Their bodies were oil removed to other
! burial places when Fort stanton was
abandoned as a military post. The
headstone of the infant son of Gen.
eral (then Captain) w. II. Lawton lies
upon the ground, and the monument
of Paul Dowiin. one-time post trader,
| Others are of Francis Goodin, who
was a cattleman of the vicinity. and
who died In $50, and Of James RI. Hud.
gems, a boy of eighteen. who was bur
led there in 1879.
How different now the uses OF the
old army post, given over to the re
lief Of suffering sailors from all
waters Of the earth where the stars
and stripes are carried,
There has been so much In print
concerning this institution, its pur.
poses and methods, that 1t could
scarcely BIO of interest for me to so
into those subjects in this letter. I'll
tell you only what | saw In a leisurely
stroll with Doctor Strother about the
various buildings.
There was the surgical ward, with
it's three suffering inmates sleeping,
apparently in merciful forgetfulness
OF pain; the operating room, with its
sterilizing apparatus aud all manner
of dreadful implements for the dis.
membering of the living body upon
the operating table. which stands
close by. Here patients with tuber-
culous bones and membranes undergo
the most skillful efforts to save the
remainder of their mortal frames
from the progress OF the disease.
Then are the great dormitories with
their rows OF single iron beds, each
with its metal. glass-topped table and
a chair beside 1t. The name of each
occupant Is printed at the head Of his
bed and the physical condition Of each
Is carefully noted day by day.
Then come the offices. laboratory
pharmacy, examining room, the post
office and in an upper story OF the
administration building the reading
room hall and library. the