Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-18
Fort Shafer Notes

II
FORT SKATER, July H. Major
Il. r. Cheatham visited the post on
Wednesday and in company with Col
French made an inspection of the
ground wherein il is proposed to con-
struct the cantonment for the troops
lowing 10 the increase in the size of
the companies from sixty-fiye to one
hundred men, material changes in
ipreyious plans for the cantonment will
be necessitated, both as regards the
size of buildings and the location OF
the same. As has been stated pref
Lviously in these columns, the buildings
will be located on the fairly level pla-
teau on the eastern side of the reser-
walton, practically on thea site of the
lpresent camps of the engineer and
signal companies. A desirable and
ACTUALLY necessary building for
amusement purposes for the use oil
the enlisted men is not included in the
present plans, owing to the lack of
funds; but Col. French has represent
ed to the authorities the need of such
Istrueture and it is hoped that funds
may be found available to provide the
same. At present, with every room in
the post filled to capacity as a dormi-
tory for the men, none of the amuse-l
ment rooms are available for their
purpose. The gymnasium is used as
quarters for the band and the COM
tpany reading rooms are filled with
hunks. An expedient to fill the re-
uirement for company billiard tables |
and reading tables has been to place
these entertainment arrangements in
A
but the. plan is, as a whole, quite UNI
satisfactory. The men are therefore
practically without means of diversion
and in Consequence seek it without the
garrison limits. A building sVffi-l
cientIy large to accommodate goodly
percentage of the enlisted men and
suitable for use as moving picture
theater with pool tables and reading
rooms as additional features Is a pos
Iitive necessity and good policy would
seem to demand that an allotment of
funds be made therefor. All work and
no play, or the lack of facilities for the
latter has large Influence for discon-
tent or aimless wandering along thel
city streets.
Owing to the limited amount of
| funds available for salaries for fire.
men and engineers at the post pump
ing station but one shift of employees
| is at present employed. In conse-
| quence the amount of water that can
be pumped into the reservoir during
| the tour of one shift is seldom sufi-
cient to supply the extraordinary de-
mands of the increased garrison. AMI
additional sum has therefore been re-
quested to be asked in employing adj
| ditional help.
Z An example that shows the necessi-
| ty for this was furnished on the 18th
when for over an hour in the early
morning no water was in the reservoir
/ though eleven and one half feet had
been In storage at four o'clock on
| Wednesday afternoon. Fire protection
| alone would demand the funds called
| for to say nothing of the ordinary
needs of the garrison with its elab-
crate system Of 1avatofies and bathing
facilities for the more than fifteen
| hundred people in the post.
There is no lack of water available
for the big artesian well supplies an
abundance but employees cannot work
daily the necessary extra hours to
pump the needed supply.
- -
The Third Battalion returned from
field duty on Wednesday and will
now devote a greater part of its time
| to the work of preliminary instruc-
| ton of its recruits, preparatory to go
ing on the target range. No acct
dents or mishaps occurred during its
tour of mountain work, but much |
hiking for all of the companies was
the rule Company K, under Captain
p. B. Malone, was especially success
full in its efforts at crossing the Pail
| from the windward side. Leaving |
their camp beyond the main ridge at
| an early hour on Wednesday the COM
pany, with arms and field equipment, |
climbed to the backbone of the bar
rier in a little over two hours. From |
thence the descent to the head of the |
Kalihf valley was, In comparison, an
easy march and they reached the post |
by noon. It is believed that this is |
the first time a full organization with
complete equipment has made the
ascent of the almost vertical slopes of |
the Pail section of Koolau.
y -
~ P. =
The Second Infantry exchange, as |
is well known, built a handsome |
amusement building at Schofield Bar
racks and at cost of over $1,000. |
inasmuch as the cost of this struc- |
ture has not as yet been paid back |
to the Second Exchange by its pur-
ehasers, owing to lack of time, the
Second is not now financially able to |
undertake the construction of SINH |
lar building at Shafter, profitable as
such a venture would undoubtedly |
prove.
y y
Mrs. Fred A. Cook os the garrison
has sent out cards for an afternoon |
at bridge in honor of Miss E. L. Coo
ley, of New Orleans, who is the honor |
guest of Mrs. Franklin P. Jackson.
y y
n L H.