River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-06-24


Since the United States took it's place in the
of the world following the SpanishAmerican
the navy has been growing at rapid rate. The compile
ton of each batteshp meant the employment
800 additional and occasionally it necessary
resort to strong get sufficient recruits
The heads of the navy department took the problem in
hand and recognizing that the greatake district
the past furnished large number of the navy
it was decided to establish vast naval station at the
favorable site that could be obtained Accordingly
after dozen sites had been submitted and examined the
Lake Bluff site selected the centrally located
and possessing natural advantages than
other.
The site of the new institution is about an hour and
halfs ride by railroad train from the of this city
little by electric line TIE ride is through
the aristocratc suburbs of Evanston ake Forest High
land Park, Wilmette and Winnetka. @he station is To-
Gated about mile and half beyond the station of Lake
marked by trim little depot of the electric
line You are first appraised OF the fact that Uncle Sam
is engaged project from the signs which pent
fully boundaries of the reservation warning the
passerby that he is in the vicinity of government
erty, and that he should keep off.
The larger buildings the station are so completely
by that the general public passing by the
trains the way Milwaukee Waukegan would have
idea of the extent of the institution were not for the
tower of the administration building which itself
front The hills and intervening trees Of
the neighborhood almost completely screen the large
buildings from view.
Extending from the fence which separates the main
enclosure from the main thoroughfare the smaller
brick buildings in which will be housed the applicants for
admission to the station pending the time When their
qualifications and general health examined into.
There some half dozen neat two-stored brick
buildings, admirably lighted and finished in which the
recruit will housed comfortably at any average
Chicago hotel They extend in row toward the lake
front where the larger buildings located in which
will be housed the regularly admitted members of the
institution.
The first structure which approaches at the main
of the grounds is the general Office building,
which is occupied by the government inspectors, con-
engineers in charge of the work This is
compact twosory structure and is situated in proximity
to the electric trolley line, which was built into the
grounds facilitate the transportation of the construc
ton materials.
All last summer and fall more than 1000 men were
engaged upon the grealakes naval station it desg
official of the secretary of the navy
result of their efforts is in the practical
completion the "a buildings of which the station is
composed and this spring and will the
completion of several more large structures.
Proceeding toward the lake from the inspectors
offices gradually descends deep ravine bordered on
each by large Nature has been exceedingly
generous to neghborhood about Lake Bluff and it is
doubtful if a picturesque region anywhere about
Chicago could have chosen At the bottom of the