El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-01
MOVE To ENLARGE
POST STARTED
WITH RUSH
Chamber of Commerce Also
Plans Excursion to
Damsite.

FL Paso is going to make hay while
the sun shines, strike while the iron is
hot and do various other things and
do them now for the enlargement Of
Fort Bliss to be reginental post. A
meeting to arouse interest in the post
enlargement was held at the chamber
Of commerce Friday afternoon which
was attended by large number Of
business men.
Strong resolutions are to be pre-
pared and submitted to the war de-
partment, setting forth the need of
regimental post at Ell Paso as the
strategic point on the Mexican border.
The rough draft of these resolutions
was submitted by W. II. Burgess and
referred to a. committee composed Of
Mr.. Burgess, judge ]. M. Goggin, Fred
w. Freeman. and J. A. Smith with
power to prepare the resolutions and
forward them to Washington. These
resolutions are to be followed by per-
sonal appeals to the members of con-
gress In behalf of the post enlarge
ment and the necessity for such en-
largement will be urged
1t was said at the meeting that Brig.
Gen. Duncan, comman ding the depart
~ment of Texas. had expressed himself
in favor Of charging the post to two.
battalions and that Gen Leonard Wood,
said that he would recommend the en-
largement of Fort Bliss at once. The
distance from San Antonio. the nea rest
brigade post, was brought out at he
meeting. and the helpiessness of FL
Paso should resumption of operations
occur in Mexico.
Talks were made by chairman ]. G.
McNary. by J. A Happier and Felix
Martinez, all urging the immediate &C
ton on the post enlargement. It was
shown that the enlargement Of the
post would mean the expenditure Of
s25O.000 at Fort Bliss in additional
buildings and that the increase would
mean $4,000 a month with tthe pros
poets of further increase to a brigade
post later. A target range near Hueco
Tanks or at some other place near
Fort Bliss was also brought up and It
was agreed that the chamber Of COM
merce would undertake to secure such
grounds for the government
Col A. c. Sharpe has been ordered
to prepare plans for the enlargement
of the post and it is believed that if
the citizens of FL Paso. take immediate
action the post enlargement can be OBJ
tanned at this opportune time, when
the conditions in Mexico are unsettled.
Excursion To Dam Planned.
The enlargement Of the post was not
the only thing that was done by the
men who attended the meeting. 1t was
voted to run an excursion OF business
men to the Elephant Butte dam as
soon as possible This excursion will
not be a popular pleasure excursion.
but will be under the auspices Of the
chamber of commerce and will be for
the purpose of showing the business
men just what is being accomplished
at the dam. The directors of the
chamber were instructed. to arrange
for the excursion. which will be run
on a week day and the business men
entertained at the dam by the reclama-
ton service officials.
st. Louis Invasion Postponed.
It was decided to postpone the st.
Louis business mems excursion until
fall in order that they could be better
shown what was being done in Ell
Paso and could see the country tribu-
tary to this city. The committee that
has been appointed to arrange for this
excursion will continue to serve and
will arrange for the excursion. A
Schwartz suggested a scheme for
financing this excursion and pledged
500 as one of 40<or so business men
or business houses to give 500 each
toward the fund for entertaining the
business men of St Louis.