Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1906-03-24
CAMPAIGN LIE NAILED.
Statement of Mr.. Martin Shows That Sale
of Land was Made After Sanltar-
ium Site was Located.

lum Site was Located.
Answering an unwarranted and libel
Gus accusation which appeared in the
Keystone Recorder in its issue of March
Is, regarding the location of the Battle
Mountain Sanitarium at Hot Springs,
and the ownership and sale of certain
lands in connection Herewith, Congress.
man Martin has given out the following
statement:
My attention has been called to an
article published in the Keystone Re.
corder of March 10th rehecting upon
Capt. II. Z. Palmer and myself in con.
nection with the location of the site of
the National Sanitarium at Hot Springs
The article is most malicious and false
in its essential statements. If the at
tack were upon me only, ! should make
no reference to it, for make it rule to
ignore newspaper assaults, however false
and unjust they may be. But the article
in question scandalously attacks the
good name and motives of Capt. Palmer,
whom l personally know to be an hon
orable and upright gentleman as ever
held public position Under these
circumstances / am not willing to allow
the statements to go unchalenged. I
understand that the substance of the
article has also been telegraphed to
Omaha papers and perhaps elsewhere.
"The article states that the site for the
sanitarium was first selected by Gen..
Mcmahon, president of the Board of
Managers Of the National home, and
that Capt. Palmer subsequently changed
the site and adopted another near GER
tain property owned by himself and
others. 1t nsinuates that Capt. Palmer
received one fifth interest in certain
lands owned by myself and others as an
improper inducement for selecting the
site in question.
"The facts are as follows: The bill
locating the National Sanitarium at Hot
Springs provided that the citizens of the
place should furnish the government
free of cost a suitable site and also a
perpetual lease on one or more Of the
medicinal springs. The citizens of Hot
Springs selected representative com
mittee of business men to ascertain
what sites could be offered for the con-
sideration of the board when it should
visit Hot Springs for that purpose No
site whatever was selected by Gen. Nc
Mahon or by Capt. Palmer. The seec
ton was made by the Board of Managers
Of the National Home, which visited
Hot Springs for that purpose on July %,
1902. There We're as | remember it, at
least seven or eight members present
and they inspected the sites in company
with the citizens committee. Three
sites were offered by the committee
one a small site in the southern portion
of the city, another in the extreme
northern portion of the city, and third
centrally located and referred to as the
central site The committees were
unanimous that the central site was the
best and indeed the only suitable site
for the sanitarium- They az once made
the selection and at the same time en-
tered in the minutes of the board their
action as follows
Hot Springs, S. D., July 2S, 1902.
After the board had visited and care.
fully inspected the various sites offered
for the location Of the National Sanitar.
ium, recently authorized by act of con
gress, it was found that what is locally
known as the central site was the best
for such purpose, and the people of Hot
Springs having offered to donate to the
board said site, consisting of not less
than one hundred acres of land lying
south of Eleventh street, and east of
said street and the bluff along the Main
street of said town, and the people Of
Hot Springs, having also offered a deed
of perpetual lease to one or more of the
hot mineral springs located near said
site, upon motion it was
Resolved. That the Board of Managers
of National Home for disabled volunteer
soldiers selects as the site for the Nation
al Sanitarium of the National Home for
Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, authorized
under the act of congress approved May
20, 1902, what is known as the central
site, consisting of not less than 100 acres
lying south and east of Eleventh street
and the bluff along the main street Of
said town, in Hot Springs, S. D., and
that said board accept one or more Of
the hot mineral springs rendered, the
particular springs to be designated at
future time.
Resolved further, that the sanitar-
ium shall be officially known as the
Battle Mountain Sanitarium. National
Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers
THE central site chosen by the Board
of Managers was by far the most valu
able and expensive site for the citizens
of Hot Springs to furnish. Many lots
were donated by the owners, and the
citizens in addition raised cash fund
of about $1,000 to buy other lots that
were not donated. Some forty acres of
the ground being part Of an addition to
the town, was owned by myself and as.
socates. This was donated to the gov
ernment outright without any compen-
sation whatever. The Board of Mana
gers also selected the Mammoth Spring
for the supply of additional water to the
sanitarium. This spring was owned by
Mrs. Martin and her mother and per-
petual lease of the spring was executed
to the Board of Managers on behalf Of
the government as donation to make
good the obligations of the citizens in
,h;o ragard Tho forfv arrae of land and