El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-03-04
REPORT MADE
on TEXAS
FORTS
Number Of Men at Fort Bliss
Average 325- Desertions
Decrease.
ENLARGEMENT OF
FORT BLISS URGED

Washington. .. c., March THE re-
port Of the secretary of war contain
ing the reports of the department COM
manders for the fiscal year ending
June so. 1910, has just come from the
government printing office. From this
a number Of interesting facts have
been compiled regarding Uncle SAM
regulars in the southwest.
In the department of Texas to which
Fort Bliss belongs, there was an aver
age. of 1856 men at al the various
posts in the department during the
year, Fort Bliss averaging about 325.
and Fort Sam Houston garrisoning
about 20ea on an average.
Desertions During Year.
There were 146 desertions during
the year as compared with 254 the year
before OF this number q deserted
from Fort Bliss. while S3 deserted from
that post during the previous year A
peculiar thing about the assertions is
that the majority Of them took place
during Nay, June, July, August ana
September. Is Of the p taking French
leave from Fort Bliss, leaving during
the months named. while four of the
remaining seven months had clean
record in this respect
The post school for enlisted men was
1IA6nGCu Il - en- the average at Z OF
Bliss, ard by only % at Fort Sam
Houston. although there are almost
seven times as many men at the latter
post
The cost OF the average ration in the
department Of Texas was 20.S5 cents.
with Fort Clark holding the record
for the most expensive ration, 22-25
cents. and Fort Sill feeding its men
at the least cost. 2OIS9- cents.
eli
men in the commard was 5.71 to the
thousand
Report on Fort Bliss.
In the individual reports on the
various .posts. the department com
nander makes the following remarks
about Fort Bliss. There has been some
trouble with the water supply, but
buildings are in a satisfactory state
OF repair It is recommended that the
general mess han should be replaced
with individual company messes as
soon rs possible. It is also recon-
mended that the post should be in
creased so as TO accommodate at least
a regiment of infantry
The recommendation + made thar I
Fort Clark be abandoned
Work on the new post, Fort Crock !
EFT at Galveston, is s. percent COM [.
pIeted. The buildings are Of reen- .
forced concrete i
The department commander praises
the railroad company and all concern /.
ed with the movement Of the 10 troop I
trains to and from FL Paso on the Oc- !
casion of the Taft-Diaz meeting
The department Of Colorado consists I.
of Forts apache, Huachuca and Whip /
pie in Arizona: Fort Wingate, in New /
Mexico. ard two forts in Utah During I
the year the average size Of the force /
WAS 102 officers and 1892 men, There T
were but two deaths among the force i
during the year.
The cost Of the average ration in /
this department w2s p SO cents, and
it was declared very satisfactory to
those who ate it.
Forts 40 Longer Needed.
The recommendation is made that
Fort Apache be abandoned. because it
is 80 miles from = railroad. Fort Win
gate is also recommended for abandon
ment. and it is suggested that regi-
mental post be established at Albu-
cuerque, n n, on the mesa ABOVE the
city.
The. suggestion is made that on ac-
count of its importance Fort Huachuca
should be increased TO garrison a fun
squadron of cavalry, and much con-
struction Eork and an increased water
supply are badly needed The report
continues that If the seni-negiect of
Fort Huachuca means that il is to be
lbandoaed, then a new post is recon-
nended IN the sulphur Springs valley
gear Douglas Ariz-