Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-03
Former Salt Laker Exerts InfIu-
ence for Discipline in Chosen
Army Career.
COMMENDED BY sUPERloRs.
Erection of Building for Resort for
Men at Fort Lcaycnworth Due
To His Efforts.

In the last report of Brig. Gen. Thcor
dore j. Whit U. S. A., on the Camp
of Instruction, Fort Riley reservation,
Kansas, he says, relative to the eri-
tertainment OF the mem
I'm this connection | desire to COM
mend the excellent work of Chaplain
j. T. Axton, Eighteenth infantry, who
was interchangeable in his efforts TO pro-
vide wholesome entertainment for the
men by means of moving pictures, d
recreation tent, music, games, et,,
During the warm summer evenings no
frequently had more than thousand
men gathered in front of the moving
panorama. His influence was effective
~ on the side of contentment, good
order and military discipline
Chaplain Axton is also pleasantly re-
membered in a pamphlet recently pub.
lished at Fort Leavenworth. entitled
public Worship Fort IseavenwortH.
KAN being a history of divine service
al that important post. The first chap
lain was appointed in 1888. since which
time there have been Ia chaplains Or
feiatng there. the last--Rev. John L.
Axiom Eighteenth United States la
fantry. appointed in 1905. Chaplain
AXtons activity has been such that too
church going population of Fort Leav-
enworth has outgrown the seating ca
pacity OF the post chapel, and in ac-
coqdance with his recommendations
$4,000 has been appropriated by the
war department for the enlargement of
the building. But the chaplain's inter-
est has not stopped here. The Pubic
Worship pamphlet tells the following
story:
"rhe post, through Chaplain Axtcn,
receives handsome gift for Y. NJ. c. A.
Agitation in favor of the erection OF :,
Young Mems Christian association
building began While Chaplain John A.
Randolph of the Sixth infantry, was
serving at this post. Through his eff
forts the support of Warden McClaugi-
~ OF the federal prison was elicitec
and 1t was hoped that the building
could be constructed almost entireiy
by prison labor, but the department of
Justice ruled that Ii would be Illegal
for prisoners to be employed for this
purpose and the plan was abandoned.
Upon his arrival at this post in Feb
ruary. 1905, Chaplain John T. Axton of
The Eighteenth infantry, who was ems
ployed as a general secretary of the
Y. NJ. c. A. before entering the army.
saw the urgent need of wholesome
place OF resort for the men and i'm
medlately presented the matter to Miss
Helen Miller Gould through the inter-
rational committee of the Young Mems
Christian association. The assurance
of support came In n letter dated March
Is, 1905. and with the endorsement of
Gen. J Franklin Bell and Col, Charles
B. Hall eighteenth Infantry, an app
picaion was made to the war depart
mcnt for a license to erect the building
IN site ut the corner OF Pope and Nc
Clellan avenues. Immediately upon the
granting of this application plans for
the building We're drawn by Mr.. It. c.
Link of st. Louis approved by Miss
Gould the International committee and
the military authorities and the con-
tract was awarded 10 James McGon-
lyle of Leavenworth.
The building is to be memorial
to one of Miss Gould's relatives and
when finished and furnished will rep
resent an outlay of about $4,000. 1t
will contain the appurtenances of
modern Young Mems Christian asso-
citation. All aof the officers and men of
the post are IL hearty sympathy with
the project and are looking forward
70 the time. about July, 1907, when the
building viii be completed and occu-
pied
Since the banners of the Young
Mems Christian association have al
ways been dedicated to virtue and not
70 creed and Its methods of work have
been SO sane and practical It Is GER
tain that Miss Goud's gift w:ll be a
very large contribution to the moral