The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-10-24
WEST POINT cadets
COMPELLED TO LIVE .
Three IN A ROOM
academy overcrowdsd As a Re-
! suit ofsDoublIno Of Corps
BY Congress ii :.
win Be Resorted 10 As Corps
Grows; New Construction
p Is Delayed i nF5 @..I

passed the bill doubling thu, sAdst corps
at West Point 1t did not appropriate a
cent for the constructions Of buildines
necessary for the accommodation and
training of the increased number. Plans
for these buildings had been dawn By
officers at West Point and had been up,
proved by government board Of which
Maj. Gen. Hugh J.. Scott, chief Of the
general stat, was president, and Rnal.
ly by Secretary of War Baker. But
congress postponed action until next
session and inserted in the military
academy bill paragraph directing the
secretary to appoint another board to
take up the matter.
The first contingent Of the increased
quota Of cadets has arrived at the
academy. So crowded are the cadet
barracks as result that the authori.
ties have been compelled to assign
three cadets to room in 100 Of the
rooms, while the limit of the mess hall
has been reached 20 far rs feeding all
the cadets at the same time is con-
cerned. In June the second contingent
of the increased quota win report, ne.
cessitating the placing of three or even
four cadets in every available room,
and for the first time in the history
of the academy II first and second table
at all meals. .,n-a ... .".a..
The new construction necessary calls
for $3.074,079, Of which S77O,S43 Is
needed to build new mess hall, 4869,.
236 for new cadet barracks, and $685.,
600 for additional quarters for officers.
In his report for 1916 Orig. Gen.
@. p. Townsley, who recently completed
his four years tour As ,saperintendent
OF the military academy, speaking OF
the increase of the corps, said: ~
This increase, although spread over
period of -four years, makes it i'm
perative that the erection Of the nees-
sary buildings should be- started at the
earliest date. 1t will require two years
and perhaps more In some cases to com.
Plete the large buildings after they are
started, This coming years increase
can be bundled with the present plant,
but further material increase = in the
corps of cadets calls for more accom-.
modatiOns and it will be difficult to
have the buildings ready in time even
If aeTe Va apth9rity t9 start them q
The new construction suggested u
shown in the following table: -,
Cadet Cadet S S:ss.t ss!l ' Sc IS
Gadet hospital .................. 10000
Officers quarters . .....,........ 268 900
Cadet laundry. ..........N....... ll8.UOO
New roads, paving, etc. ......... l5O,OOR
Architects' and engineers fees =. iO0s00O
Quarry work for foundations, walls,
Alterations academic buildings -. 1900
Camp grounds, drainage, etc 4. 49,. 4I,O00
Heating, lighting. sewers, etc. ....- 5000
Cavalry and artillery stables $50. 5000
enlisted mems barracks ..... 6OOOO
Miscellaneous expenses ..!..... so00o
Total .........,,.". -! ...... Fao74 90
The new construction board consists
of Colonel Issac N. Littell of the Quar-.
termaster Corps; Colonel John. Biddie,
the new, superintendent Of the academy,
and Lieut.. Col. Edwin r. Stuart, Pm.
fessor OF drawing at West Point. 1t j.
believed it will approve the plans al
ready approved. This board Ii diI
reeted to report TO congress on the frat
Monday in December, but the opinion
is general that nothing will be done in
the matter by congress until January
or February. =. -
! lin the meantime" an officer said
yesterday, 1.-THE second increment of
new cadets, which will bring the
strength Of the corps to between 90
and 1000, will be getting ready to re-,
port. II was to obviate the present de.
lay that Colonel Towusley worked 90
hard in, 1915 and again in 1916. Had
his recommendations been followed by
congress the barracks and mess hail
would be well on the way to compile.
tion by the time the 1917 increase be,
I, gan coming in" '',
| The total amount appropriated by cop,
gress last session for buildings and
grounds" 1T West Point was $500.
6O3.35. =