El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-18
GREATERFORT
BLISS DELAYED.
War Department Decides
Not to Take the Land Of
fered: No Cantonment.

= ONA ~ ~ $500 " $1,000
Ell Paso has been refused a canton
ment by secretary of war Newton D.
Baker, and the war department has
also announced that it will not at
this time purchase land near Fort
Bliss to enlarge it to a division post
This information was received by
John NJ Wyatt. president of the
chamber of commerce. Sunday in a
telegram from J. 4. Happier, in
Washington. Mr.. Happier stated in
his wire that Mr.. Baker had declined
to give FL Paso a eantonment, owing
to sand and wind storms. and that the
land purchase was postponed indefi-
nitely.
Mr. Happier. who was a member Of
the committee that went to Washing
ton recently representing the cham
Der Of commerce and city, conferred
with Mr. Baker regarding the canton
ment, after other committeeman had
zone. He also discussed with the sec
rotary Of war the proposition 10 sell
to the government $1,000 acres OF land
near Fort Bliss. DR.. B. NJ. Worsham
several weeks ago was at Washington
to confer with government OFFICIALS
on the sale of the land and at that
time it was believed the government
would purchase the acreage and en-
large Fort Bliss. The 10000 acres has
its south boundary near Tobin.
From the telegram sent by Mr.. Hap
per FL PasO will not receive any ad-
ditional troops soon. Deming Will De
the principal training camp for milf
/ tia for this section Of the south est
Decision Appears Final.
In speaking Of the action OF the
l government. Mr.. Wyatt said Monday.
/ ssThe decision Of the wa depart
ment not to give FL Paso canton
ment appears to be final The UNI
usual wind and dust storms Of the
past several weeks was the main
cause Of this city losing the camp.
/ But there were contributing causes
also. such as our failure 10 meet otner
I towns in the dOns ton OF lands to the
government Then TOO; IN some S. .-
! merchants overcharged the soldiers
! Failure to provide wholesome, clean
places Of recreation for the soldiers
in the city was undoubtedly another
factor
Let's Get Busy Otherwise, Says.
While we have lost we want 10
congratulate our little sister city OF
Deming. FL Paso was not built by
the presence Of soldiers, but only en-
joyed an added prosperity for a few
months by their presence Failure
to secure one Of the environments
can have no bad effect on the con-
tinued growth and prosperity OF n
Paso. Other large enterprises and
Industries are contemplated any one
of which will take place OF several
training camps So let's forget the
loss and get down to the business OF
building our city on a peTmaneni
basis, without the aid OF so transient
a thing as a soldiers training camp
Time will tell whether Fl Paso ougni
to have had camp when compari-
sons are made as to the health OF the
$4,000 men here last summer as COM
pared with that OF the health Of the
men in lower attitudes, such as HouS-
ton, Waco. and other places.
A P. Coles. chairman OF the mill
tary affairs committee OF the cham
Der Of commerce returned from Wash:
ington Sunday night. R 3. Orndorfr
another committeeman. returned sat
urday. James G. McNary and L ;
Stewart went to New York on pri'
vate business after the committee me
the officials Of the war department
SAYS FL PnsO Must Wake Up.
"El Paso people must wake up anc
work for these things" said A
Coles. discussing the loss OF the can
Torment. Except for a few business
men and the chamber Of commerce
FL Pasoans took no interest in the
training camp until the very last
minute. If we are to get Things 1oi
Ell Paso. we must keep working con
I'VE were treated very nicely BY
the secretary Of war. The action OF
mayor Charles Davis in closing the
restricted district and in cleaning VI
the town made a very favorable i'm
preston with Mr.. Baker. Even though
we will not get the training camp
Ell Paso will continue to have large
bodies OF troops. The war department
feels the necessity Of keeping troops