The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-01-03
Has Many Advantages.

4
These things alone, In my opinion.
would Justify its location as a pcrma
nent post, both for tho housing of
full regiment, and as effording en-
cellent facilities and adva ntages as a
cally, 1t could not be better located,
being but twenty-four hours from the
coast and a shorter distance TO San
could be completed. railroad termi-
nal from Salt Lake City will be es-
tablished. and a fine harbor COM
pleted: Our army has been increased
lance that some suitable place be Sc
lected for taking care OF the soldiers
returning from the Philippines. Fort
Douglas, as il strikes me, is a place
and I know Of no place better situ-
ated for hospital. II is directly on
the line of the great trunk railway
systems. making IL easy OF access.
that occur TO me at this time in sup
port of my earliest recommends ton
that Fort Douglas be improved and
made a reg1mental post. with hos
Douglas is well known to all army
officers and II would be needless for
me to enter Into any further discus
sion as to Its relative merits. Very
THOMAS KEARNS.
Following the receipt of this letter
the board, In its report to Secretary
Root, recommended that Fort Douglas
be made a permanent regimental post
and that there be constructed twenty
nine additional officers quarters, three
noncommissioned officers quarters, ten
barracks remodeled, four new barracks
constructed, one stable remodeled and
one new stable constructed.
Kearns Plan Followed.
The board reported that all of the
buildings at the post were in poor con
dition, but repairablet In accordance
with the recommendation Of Senator
Kearns and the report Of the board the
work OF enlarging and improving Fort
Douglas was commenced at once, and
before Mr.. Kearns left the senate pro.
vision was made for the construction
of new buildings and the remodeling Of
tho old buildings, the work extending
from 1902 until 1912, during which pc,
riod $667 1884 was expended, making the
total cost Of the post to date 1929 pol
Included in the expenditure for enlarg-
ing the post have been sixteen officers
quarters, two noncommissioned Off
GERS quarters, six double barracks, one
hospital building, quartermasters
warehouse, crematory, ordnance store
house, bowling alley, bakery, granary,
guardhouse, gun shed, band barracks,
stable, guardhouse and many other
buildings. The funds used in enlarg-
ing Fort Douglas were not appropriated
or specifically for the purpose,
partment from the general fund appro-
priated for construction at milita1y :
posts.
During the term Of Senator Suther-
land he has made constant efforts to
have funds apportioned for continuing
the improvements at Fort Douglas, and,
in the estimates submitted to congress
for the fiscal year 1908, $164 900 was
recommended, and the same amount
for 1909. No specific appropriation of
these amounts was made, but part Of
the amount was expended from the gen
eral appropriation for military pur-
poses,
Its Strategic Value.
On January 90, 1912, Secretary of
War Stimson submitted letter to
congress embodying the recommends
tion Of General Wood, chief of
staff, that Fort Douglas and practical
In regard to Fort Douglas the report
said:
HSalt Lake City is strategic point
on account of the railroad radiation,
but this in itself is not sufficient rea-
son for stationing a regiment at Fort
Douglas. Such a regiment must forfeit
opportunities of field training in COM
bipation with the other arm, cavalry
and artillery, except ct heavy expense
for rail transportation
Immediate fear of abandonment Of
Forts Douglas, Russell and other west
ern posts, Included in the recommenda-
ton, was obviated through legislation
secured by Senator Warren and other
western senators providing that a post
should not be abandoned BY act of con-
gTess.
Secretary Garrison. in his recent re-
port, did NOT mention the matter of
abandonment proposed iby his prede-
cessor, Secretary Stimson.