The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-01-04
FORT LINCOLN
AN IDEALHO
FOR SOLDIERS
Senator Frazier Writes War
Secretary Urging That It
Be Again Used
HAS MODERN BUILDINGS
Letter Follows Report That
adequate Shelter" Is
'esGravest Problem

The use of Fort Lincoln, located
three miles southeast Of Bismarck.
for quartering part Of the peace
time army has been suggested to
Dwight F. Davis, secretary Of war,
by Senator Lynn ]. Frazier Of North
Dakota, following statement made
by the secretary in his annual report
to the effect that "no graver prob
lem faces the war department today
than that Of providing adequate shell
ter for the U. S. troops"
In his letter to the secretary Of
war Senator Frazier points out that
The buildings at Fort Lincoln are Of
permanent construction and have all
modern convcniences, the fort is
ideally located for target practice
and air maneuvers, that this section
has ideal weather conditions and is
healthy community, and that there
could be no more ideal location for
quartcring peace-time army.
Adequate Shelter Needed
The section of Secretary Davis
report which prompted Senator Fra
zicr's letter reads as follows:
mo graver problem faces the war
department today than that OF pro-
viding adequate shelter. Over 4O,-
600 troops are at present quartered
in wooden barracks of wartime con-
struction, the life of which barracks
was estimated at from three to four
exception in all such quarters the
lumber has shrunk, the underpin-
nings rottcd, and the roofs require
repair after each storm of any vio-
lencc. The repair of such structures
has required an excessive amount of
manual labor on the part of the
troops. 1t is not too much to say
that should such barracks be used
for many more years, the amount of
money expended on their upkeep
will soon have equalled the original
cost of the structures at their war
time prices. Such expenditures con-
stitute an extravaganza, not an econ
omy.''
Wartime Buildings Are Fire Hazards
Secretary Davis brought out q new
phase of the results Of the continu-
ed use of the old world war canton
ment buildings which "are mere
tinder boxes" when he stated that
during the past fiscal year there
were $50 fires on military reserva-
tions involving total loss to the
government exclusive OF all losses
suffered by individual officers and
enlisted men, Of $9l4,894 for the
buildings destroyed and $669,146 for
the contents, by far the greater por-
tion of these fire losses being oc-
casioned as the result of the bury
ing of old wartime cantonment build
ings still used for the shelter of per-
sonnel and supplies.
Mr.. Davis quotes his predecessor,
Mr. WnokS cfot;nn in, ho 1904
annual report that "at Fort Sill the
present temporary buildings :.
represent serious fire hazard"
Within a few months after Mr..
Weeks made this statement 1l6 of
these sets of officers quarters, most
of which were occupied by officers
and their families, were burned to
the ground at Fort Sill. Mr.. Davis
adds that the commanding officers
Of troops in the field are in constant
dread Of conflagration in wooden
cantonmcnt buildings which might
result, not only in the destruction
of public and private property, bat IN
a narrowing loss of human life.
Fraxier's Letter
Senator Frazier's letter to the sec-
retary OF war reads as follows:
my dear Mr.. Secretary:
"In you Annual Report to the
President, I have noted with deep
interest your summary Of the de-
plorable conditions existing at many
Army posts where thousands Of
troops are quartered in temporary
wooden barracks now rapidly becom-
ing unfit for occupancy; that officers
and their families are crowded in
cramped quarters wholly inadequate
k4s~ h. -
these flimsy wartime buildings is
not only conducive to lowered NOR
ale and dissatisfaction on the part of
the troops, ineconomy in upkeep and
inadequacy in providing shelter. but
there is also heavy fire loss with
increasing probability Of grave con-
flagrations, unduly endangering the
lives Of our men and the families
stationed there. As solution for
this grave problem, the Report rec
ommends the erection Of new, fire.
proof structures to replace the un-
inhabitablc buildings.
"In view of the undesirable cOndi-
tions to which your Report calls
attention, there is no question that
some action should be taken at once
to safeguard the health and morale
Of our troops. The Army of this
great nation is entitled to decent
housing and comfortable living quar-
ters. It seems such condition
should not be permitted to exist
:. when suitable' quarters are already
avilable and wholly unused.
A Well Equipped Army Post
II respectfully invite your atten-
tion to fine fort in my own State
Of North Dakota that is ideally fitted
and equipped to do its part in re-
lieving the present embarrass nent
Of the Department. This is Fort
Lincoln located three miles south
east Of Bismarck, the capital city Of
North Dakota, and which has not
been used since 1917. This military
reservation, including the target
range, contains nine hundred acres
Of fine, level land. with. plenty Of
room for ultimate expansion. The
principal buildings on this reserva-
tion are Of stone foundation with
brick walls, and are supplied with
steam heat, electric light, water and
sewer connection. There are thirty
five buildings in al, including ofi-
, GERS quarters. n0ncommissiQhed Of
(Continued ON .sge three.)