The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-05-07
BOX URGES USE
OF LINCOLN AS
FLYING SCHOOL
Secretary of State Council of De-
Tense Calls Attention to
Advantages
PERSONAL CONFERENCES
Called Upon Various Military
Heads During Recent Visit
to Washington

Fort Lincoln, North Dakota's onl,
army post, lineal descendant of Ole
Fort Abraham Lincoln, where Custer
and his gallant Seventh cavalry were
quartered against Sitting Bull, may
be reopened in the near future as an
aviation field, in the opinion of Thorn
as Allan Box, secretary of the North
Dakota Council Of Defense, who dis
cussed this prospect with officials of
the war department and other bur-
eaus during his recent visit to Wash
ington.
The Bismarck commercial club sew
eral years ago advocated the establish
ment of training school for await
ors at Washington, and it received
from the war department assurance
that when the proper time came the
advantage offered by Fort Lincoln
would receive due consideration. Un-
til the outbreak Of the Mexican trou-
Bile, when the troops stationed at Fort
Lincoln were ordered to the border,
the beautiful post, erected at an ex-
pense Of more than a million dollars,
housed a battalion Of regular infan-
try. Originally, old Fort Abraham
Lincoln, on the west bank of the Miss
ouri, quartered both infantry and cav
airy. For several years Fort Lincoln
has been idle, except during the last
two summer months, when it has been
used as a mobilization station for
North Dakota national guardsmen.
i, Following up his personal confer
ences in Washington, secretary Box
today wired Senators McCumber and
Gronna, Reps. Baer, Young and Nor
ton; Secretary of War Newton D.
Baker, Secretary of the Navy Josephus
S. Daniels, Secretary of Agriculture
David F. Houston and George Cree.
chairman of the committee of public
informa ton, as follows:
referring further to our conversa
ton during my recent visit in Wash
ington, please permit me to especial
~ urge your consideration for the ad-
vantages which Fort Lincoln, at Bis
rnarck, N. D., offers as an aviation
field. The fort is located in the cent
er of a broad, treeless prairie, afford
ing ideal starting and landing condi-
tions; the physical characteristics of
surrounding country, which is very
rugged, and which is intersected by
the deep valley of the Missouri, pro-
duces diversity of air currents which
will present any condition which an
aviator is likely to encounter on eth
er hemisphere. The percentage of
clear days is unusually large; the rain
fall is light, and from early May until
tie time in which cadets Of the aviation
mid November there would be very lit
service could not be in practice. l
wish, too, once more to emphasis the
splendid moral conditions midst which
Fort Lincoln is situated. There is not
an open saloon within $50 miles; there
are no large cities within 200 miles;
no red light districts or open vice any
where within the whole state. The
climate is most invigorating; health
conditions generally are the best to
be found in America. l feel that these
facts merit your most serious consid-
Grafton in the selection of training
camp, for aviators or for any other
arm of the service. ....
THOMAS ALLAN BOX,
... Secretary.
North Dakota Council of Defense.