The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-18
FAVORABLE REPORT ! ON ANN|STON STE Sets Out Advantages as
 Maneuver Ground PRESENTS DETAILS Army Finds It in Every Way Suitable
 for the Purposes of the
 War Depart
PRESENTS DETAILS
BY WALTER HARPER

Washington, January 17.-(Special)- Congressman Blackmon of Annston has just received most complimentary and encouraging report on the availability of Anniston as a site for an army maneu- yer camp. The report is made by Col. Inspector General S. c. Mills, who recent 1y inspected the proposed site.
 Mir. Blackmon offered a house joint resolution asking that investigation of the site be made and that the proposed camp be located at Anniston. General Mills was assigned to make the investigation. MT. Blackmon desires that it be under stood that the plan to locate a maneuver camp at Anniston does not interfere i'll any way with the plan of Georgia con- gressmen to maintain a regimental camp in that state.
 Following is the full text of the report of Inspector General Mills:
 Headquarters Eastern Division,
 Inspector Generals office,
 Governors Island,
 New York City, January 1, 1912. The Adjutant General, Eastern Division, Governors Island, New York.
 Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of an examination of certain tract of land near Anniston, Ala, as to it's suitability for permanent man euver grounds, in accordance with the second indorsement on a letter from the Hon. Fred l.. Blackmon, Member of Con gress, to Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, United States army, GA. G. o. No. 1S5950), The original papers in the case are re- turned herewith by indorsement referring 10 this report.
 On receiving the papers in the case, I W IN I mon, Member of Congress, and Col Will liam II. McKleroy, Anniston, Ala, and visited Anniston going over the lands in question with these gentlemen and others interested in the question.
 Annston is situated in Calhoun county Alabama, about 100 miles west from At lanta, Ga, and 30 miles east of Birming- ham. Ala It's population is about 5000 1t Is located in a pocket in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. the eleva- tion of the city above the level being from 700 to $50 feet.
 Anniston Is the crossing point of the Atlanta Birmingham and Rome Meridian divisions of the Southern Railway sys- tenn, and is also station on the Ala bama Mineral division of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad company. The Seaboard Air Line Railroad company has purchased terminal facilities In Anniston and has a right of way into the city from the nosth and west
 Anniston. by virtue of it's geographical situation and it's railway facilities. is cen trally located, and easily reached from the natural points of concentration for the militia of the states of Kentucky, Tennessee. North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Missis- sippi. Appended marked A is sec tiqn of a map on which the militia points '-0f concentration are shown inclosed in red circles, for geographic illustration of ths central location of Anniston.
 Anniston is, by rail. eight hours from Mobile. Ala; eight hours from Pensa- cola, Fla; 10 hours from New Orleans, La; F hours from Savannah, Ga; P hours from Jacksonville, Fla. 12 hours from Charleston, $. C., and b hours from Norfolk Va
 The health conditions of Anniston are extremely good. The death rate of the city last year was II per 1000 There is comparatively little malaria, few mosqui- toes, and not many cases of typhoid fever and smallpox. The climate is good.
 The water supply of Anniston is most excellent Ii is a spring whose capacity, as shown in the courts, is 100000 gall Ions daily. The city uses about 100000 gallons daily, the water being pumped from the spring to a receiving tank and distributed by gravity.
 Lumber and building materials are cheap. Coal IS mlned fl miles away, ana sells at mines from $1.10 to sl.90 per ton, with a freight rate of 9 cents to An niston.
 The hills are largely covered with sec- ond growth pine and oak and wood for fuel is cheap
 There are three large cement plants within a radius of 35 miles, Sandstone, limestone and chert are found in large quantities in the hills and are easily reached by surface mining.
 Roads, the good roads" movement is well started in the vncinity of Admission considerable work has already been done and the question of bonding Calhoun county for $l0o.0OO for road improvements Is under consideration. to be voted upon at the next election. Anniston is prohib- tion and the law seems to be fairly well enforced.
 Iands for Moro,,- D.,-.