El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-08-23
ny FIRST LIEUT. FRA SIX s FRICKLETON.
AdIutant Of the Conatru etsnE auarts.ma.ter.

MO adequate conception Of the
~ amount Of construction work now
In progress in the FL Paso military
district or Of the actual value OF the
improvements added this year. has
perhaps been formed by the public.
for the reason that the cost figures
heretofore published Included only
additional outlays OF money for build
ing purposes and did not take into
consideration the great quantity Of
building materials already on hand
from which the Improvements are
largely being built
Though the appropriation made this
year for new structures and improve
ments az Fort Bliss was in the neigh
borhood Of $1,000. 900, the value OF the
new work and the actual outlay OF
money represented. II all building ma
1 terlals consumed are added IN at their
real valuation. viii approximate
: double that amount
Last April construction for war
emergency purposes was practically
Z finished. or stopped. and the construc-
ton division OF the army then turned
its efforts to the problems OF con-
ent army.
series OF Border Camps
Inasmuch as troops along the Mex
lean border had in the past been
obliged 10 live under adverse eondi-
lions, owing to the fact that efforts
were being spent only in the training
] Of troops ard in the necessities OF the
war. the general staff decided to build
a series Of some so camps for the bet
ter housing OF permanent garrisons OF
fighting forces. Headquarters were
established at Camp Travis, Tex for
the Mexican border work. under the
charge OF Col F. G. Chamberlain OF
the Construction division. and an ap-
preparation OF S3.500.0o0 was granted
to carry on the proposed building
A large part OF this appropriation
was to be spent on labor. as the gov
ernment at the signing Of the armis-
tice had throughout the United States
a large surplus OF all sorts OF building
material available, and transferred It
to this work
Fort Bliss was fortunate in being
allotted the lions share OF this appro-
pridtion. practically s1000.000 going
10 build camps in the Fl Paso district
From this appropriation the con-
structing quartermaster at Fort Bliss
Is building. under contract. two COM
plete cavalry environments. including
officers quarters. barracks. mess
halls stables. blacksmith shops. hay
sheds. store houses. roads. walks. rail-
, road spurs. sewerage and lighting
4
tonments viii be finished by N0vem-
Der 25. and viii be occupied BY the
Seventh cavalry and the SIND field
artillery, respectively The new con-
struction work. added to what Is al
ready on the ground. win make Fort
Bliss a permanent brigade post
Construction Is Modern
These cantonmeuts are OF brick con-
struction, with asbestos shingles. and
are strictly modern in all conveniences
for both men and animals.
IN each OF these cantonments there
are about 500 separate buildings
The buildings are constructed OF
Made In e Paso" brick
A little over 1000 skilled and IN
skilled laborers are employed in the
construction work
No aliens are employed in this Work
by the construction division OF the
army
Under the GomDers agreement the
union scale OF wages is paid on all
government work In this vicinity
Other than the work at Fort Bliss
proper, the constructing company
quartermaster IS building a fine brick
infantry company camp one block
east OF the Santa Fe street bridge on
leased ground in FL Paso.
Adobe camps capable Of housing one
fun troop OF cavalry each are being
built at Fabens, YsletG an Fort Han
cock. Texas
Extends All Along Border.
The Fort Bliss district is only a
part Of the Mexican border Project.
there being new construction work in
progress at each point where troops
are stationed from Nosales east TO
Brownsville. Tex
The full scope OF activities OF the
construction division OF the army is
little known to the public at large. as
during the war publicity and the pub
lie conception OF what was being done
was rightfully confined to the deeds
and training OF troops The work.