The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-08-26

wen under way on number Of other
contracts. Two shifts Of men are
working day and night on the artesfan
well. and are. something more than
loo feet In depth. II il expected the
drill viii be kept going day and night
Tor an entire year and the depth OF
the well will be about 1000 feet
Bridges are being constructed. A
large sewer and drainage system In
being prepared and the grounds
graded. The weekly pay roll for the
workmen on the building alone aver.
ages about $4,000. In q few weeks II
Is expected this win reach $4,000 a.
new contractors win appear with their
crews.
The original contract for buildings
IN the new post was for the aggregate
sum Of $750.000 and included 81 build.
ings. a. follows: One colonel's quar-.
tiers. two field Officers quarters.
eleven double officers quarters. one
four set ofacers' quarters. six iield ar.
dliery barracks. four double non-com-
missionel officers quarters, one ad-
ministration building, one post ex-
change. two storehouses, one bakery.
six battery stables. one band stable.
ono quartermaster's stable, three
double stable guard and shop build
ings. six gun sheds. one granary, one
coal shed. one wagon shed, one pump
house. To this number Of buildings
have been added eight more, includ-
Ing one guardhouse, two storehouses,
one repair shop and the four just con-
structed. at cost Of $4,000. The adj
ditional contracts include the build
ing Of two field officers quarters. one
double officers quarters and one four
set officers quarters at a cost of $685.
600; wiring for the building $3.50,
and plumbing, s5.94s; water reservoir,
$26,6OO; sewerage and publication
plant. $4,000. and a steel bridge
across Cache creek to cost $3.50.
curtiss' Aeroplane Excltes Comment.
Washington.-The experts in both
the army and the navy are watching
with keen interest the development
of the heavier-than-air craft. While
the officials are not willing to say
much publicly about the possibilities
of the use OF airships in time of war,
they are saying privately that the
probability is that when the next
great war comes the airship will play
a more effective part than battleships,
land batteries. or great masses Of
troops.
The prediction is freely made by
army and navy officials in private that
not dollar will ever be spent in for
tifying for the protection of the Pan
anna canal. They have arrived at
this conclusion because they think
they foresee that within few years
the airship will be brought to stage
Of perfection that will enable 1t quick
~ to destroy any Notifications that
might be erected along the route Of
the canal.
Congress at the recent session de-
clined to appropriate moneyfor the for
LITIGATION of the canal. No public
reason for this failure to make an APP
preparation was ever announced, but
Is now pretty well understood that the
experts In both the war and navy de-
partments suggested that It would
be well to defer action until the gov
eminent understands better what to
ovroc< ~ tho oirehir
Officials in the army and navy de-
partments are greatly impressed with
the performances OF Glenn Curtiss
with the aeroplane at Atlantic City re.
Gently. Those performances were
not under the auspices OF either the
war department or the navy depart
ment, but agents Of each Of the fight
ing arms were present, and were deep
" impressed with what Curtiss was
able to do.
Some Of the experts from the de-
partment who saw the Curtiss per-