The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-09-02
WILL ENLARGE
FORT DOUGLAS
Secretary Taft Gives ASSur-
anGe That Salt Lake Post Is
to Enter RegimentaI Class.
VAST SUMS TO BE SPENT
IMPROVEMENTS IN BUILDINGS
AND GROUNDS NECESSARY.
VAST SUMS TO BE SPENT

In an interview given ont in Danvar
Secretary of War Taft, who last Thurs
day stopped over in that city on his way
to Seattle and the Orient said that Fort
Douglas, the army post at Salt Lake CITY.
a. wen as Fort Logan. twelve miles from
Denver, would be increased to the regf-
mental post class. The secretary seemed
thoroughly informed upon the merits of
the lntermOuntain posts and to have fol-
lowed the agitation in this city and in
Denver for an enlargement of their mil
itary establishments along the lines on
which the war department has developed
Forts Riley and LeavenwOrth in Kansas
and Fort D. A Russell near Cheyenne.
The Denver business men and railroad
officials have been no less backward than
the business men of Salt Lake in urging
the claims of their city for a brigade
post as against Cheyenne General ]
Franklin Bell and Secretary Taft together
started to make a tour Of all the posts
in the entire west with view to suggest
ing increases in garrison and improve
Uents in buildings, last June. but the sec
rotary only got as far as Minneapolis
whence General Bell made the rest OF
the trip alone and it is upon his recon-
mendation that the secretary will prin-
cipally depend in his estimates for apprO-
priatiOns for congress this winter which
he will write on his trip 10 the Orient
and mail back TO Washington
The result Of these various agitatiOns
in the two western cities appears from
the following interview in the Denver
News to have been productive OF some
effect. A regimental post will, however.
mean more to salt Lake City than TO
Denver as that city's post is much near
er now to the regimental standard than
is Fort Douglas
What Secretary Says.
An interesting announcement that Secre-
tary Taft gave out was that Fort Logan.
near Denver, and Fort Douglas, near Salt
Lake City, would be made regimental
posts.
1--WE were in hopes it would be made
brigade post" said a questiOner.
We'll, a regiment will help out some,
was the reply. THE reservation at Fort
Logan is not large enough to accommo-
date a Brigade II I remember correctly
there are about ten companies there now
and by making it a reSlmentai post TINS
number will be increased 10 twelve com
Danies We have been drawing on the
troops considerably for service in Cuba
and the quota in the country available
for the army posts IS not as large as
usual. We have about 3cJU men IN Cuoa
During General Bells stay in Salt Lake
City he said that the war department
owing TO a provision in the last army ap-
preparation bin had no authority at TINS
time 10 provide for brigade posts he
was. however, pleased with Fort Douglas,
its location salt Lake City and its eli
matte and strategic availability as a mil
ita-y- center He intimaJed that he would
do what he could toward the making or
4
the largest and most important KIND OF d
Garrison he or the war department IS
now allowed TO recommend to congress
That he was impressed upon and that
he was able to make effective the argu-
uents presented TO him here by the DuSl-
ness men and the press IS shown IN me
secretarys attitude in the above interviews
Means Many improvements
There are at present only three ecmpan-
les at Fort Douglas There IS DarIdck
room Of a kind for twice that NUMBER
and at times in the past, notably While
the Twenty-ninth infantry was mere, there
were as many as eight cOmDates crowded
into the fort. regiment consists OF
twelve COMPANIES and ct most OF the reg
mental posts there are also two batter
les of light artillery ~.
bring the post up to a regimental class
would require its enlargement in the way
Of buildings to twice its present size. rms
will mean the expenditure OF several nun
dred thousand dollars in this city.
The recommendations Of the secretary
are submitted annually to congress This
wears requests for appropriation, which
will contain the items for the new posts
if enacted into law. will place with the
war department fund for carrying out
IFS prOeram available at the beginning
of the next fiscal year, July 1, 1908. There
is. however. a small balance Of this year
appropriation for barracks and quarters
which might be drawn upon at an earlier
date