THE OMAHA ILLUSTRATED BEE.
DKfxbfr 31. IWV.
Fori Niobrara and Us Natural
Splendid Place for Locating Central Depot for the Training
N VIEW of the fact that the presi
dent In his annual message ex
presses his belief that many of
the smaller army posts should be
abandoned and some of the larger
posts be made Into brigade and division
posts, where the troops can get more
actual field training, it Is ' Interesting to
look over tho Fort Niobrara reservation
us a place suitable for army maneuvers
and a permanent brigade er alvlslen post.
The present post Is lecatee about five '
miles eust of Valentine, Neb., near the
Chicago Northwestern railroad. If a
new post be built It will, without doubt,
be placed much nearer the railroad. The
original reservation embraced an area of
sixty-four square miles, and by executive
order of 1904 26.800 acres were added to this
already Immense tract. Tills post Was In
tended for cavalry, and quarters and
tables were built for the accommodation
of eight troops. The construction work
was begun over twenty-flve years ago, and
since tho year 1SS0 Fort Niobrara lias been
continuously occupied by troops. Of late
years, owing to the bad condition of the
cavulry stables. It has been occupied by
Infantry. The Twenty-fifth Infantry (col
ored) rami) to the post tn August, 1902, di
rect from tho Philippines.
ram
I:.35j
v ; . .r., . ? .-.; '
PARADE GROUNB AT FORT NIOBRARA TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY ON DRESS PARADE.
Curious and Romantic
A Real Romano.
EN the face of the record It only
I ( j I appears that on Wednesday even-
1 I Imr In lha rttf.ti.i-v tt li Church
of St. Francis Xavier, New York
city, Rev. Father lUarn united in
matrimony Dr. Henry Ellys Rae and Mary
Bella Eluood. But friends to uln.ui an
nouncement of this marrlugo came de
clared that If it was not the best romance
anyone had heard In a long time then there
was no more romance any more. They told
this Ftory:
Mary Bella El wood, In Cleveland. Ohio,
sixteen years ago, was a daughter ft
Thumus El wood, a leading business man.
She was young, pretty, educated, accom
plished. In that year she met Dr. line.
Jt was love at first hight, followed b
fashionable marriage.
Hardly hud ink on the announcement
cards dried when there ca:ne a rumor of an
estrangement and afterward a bare men
tion of u decree of divorce. Dr. Hie left
, Cleveland. Mrs. Rae again took her maiden
name.
-Flvo years after these events Mis. El
wood found she would have to- nmke her
own way In life. Her father fallnl in busi
ness. She pai ked her trunk, came in N w
Tork city and becume a salehwenu' n in u
.department store. Two or throe years later
iHhe accepted a better l-oslti.m. and this
fycar saw her fur live years nmnugnr or u
;large department In a wholesale house
i downtown, practically Independent mid
S business clear through.
Meanwhile Dr. Rae had live! in the west
!id prespered. and about four years auo
tcanie to New York city and established un
office In Twenty-first street. He was known
to patients and friends as a bachelor de
voted to his profession.
Miss F.lwood lives in West Fourteenth
street, and ono evening. llttl more than a
(month ago, she started to walk between
'Fifth and Sixth avenues. In a crowd of
ahoppcrs and hoinegoers she bumoed
against a man. He steped back and lifted
ills hat. She raised her eyes te find her
self Easing into the eyes of Dr. Rae for the
first time in 111 teen years.
After a Lone Walt.
A romantic .wedding, which for many
years hod been delayed, owing to a wom
an's promise, took place at Sowerby, near
Trisk, in the North Riding of Yorkshire.
England, the other day. For nearly a quar
ter of a century the bride had acted as
confidante and housekeeper to a malduii
tidy who possessed considerable means.
Many years ago the housekeeper met a
fordo ner and was woeed by him with suc
cess. But the housekeeper had promised
er mistress to stay with her until she
Sled, and so the love story became one of
The country for miles around Is open
and the climate la excellent. Malaria is
unheard of in this part of the country.
The reservation abounds In springs of the
purest water, and many small streams flow
through the canyons that would furnish
water for several large commands. The
water used by the present garrison Is fur
nished by a spring ju::t east of the post,
and the supply Is abundant enough for
several large commands. As a result of
hard service in the tropics many of the
officers and men of the present garrison
were greatly run down when they arrived,
but their appearance now would be evi
dence enough that this Is the most healthy
spot In the United States for troops to
serve.
North of the Fort Niobrara reservation,
separated by only four miles, lies the great
Rosebud Indian reservation of South Da
kota. The four miles that separate these
reservations are open country with scarcely
a ranch and few fences. The Indian reser
vation abounds in small streams of pure
spring water and along the beautiful Keya
Paha creek Is an abundance of wood. The
grazing is the best and from the few
ranches sufficient oats and hay can be pur
chased for commands of any size. The
prices paid for these supplies would be
Capers of Cupid
patient watting. Three or four weeks ago
the mistress died in her ninetieth year,
leaving to her faithful housekeeper her
house, plate and furniture, as well as 1,000
In money. Many messages of congratula
tions reached the bride and groom from
friends who km-w the story of their court
ship. Woman l.Hwyer a Hrlde.
Since l he passage: in ISii'J of the act ul
lowliiK women to practice as barristers the
number of French i'ortias has become
liUltu considerable.
At the tin:'- of tlie debute over the bill
In the Chamber of Deputies ene of the
many arguments advanced to kill the meas
ure Wat that it would lead to further de.
ma mis on irt ofj'frce" woman, audi
us the auoliiloii of nmrriuite. "lt woniun
stick 10 her proper sphere," suld the un
tuucmsWc deputies, "and be content with,
the rule of wife and mother."
As an emphatic answer to this. Paris so
ciety has Just been largely attending the
marriage or Mile. Josee Martin. the
youngest and prettiest female lawyer in
Fiance. She lias only jusi received her de
gree; ia lact. her doctor of laws came al
most us a Weduiug put-cut. She is married
to M. Vialla, ,i well known engineer, and it
! understood : ,ai her marriage will in no
way Interfere with her practice of the pro
fcM!on of law .
iiraun) of t'lrrnuiatuucea.
Tyranny of circumstance forced K. J.
Bayer or Rochester, N. Y., and pretty Miss
Jeanmtte I'elu.-e of Cleveland. .)., to be
come l:i:tlai,U and wirn hi Colorado
Springs.
They were among scores of wearied tour
ists who clamored for holil i.cco.nmodu
tlons In that city. Not only wire rooms
not available, but cots In offices a. id cor
ridors were ut a premium. Ilnully Bayer
and Miss Peltree, who had for some hours
Ikm-ii agreeable traveling companions, found
a singje unoccupied room at the Spuuldlng.
I'nder stress ef emergency the friendship
of a few lieurs blc-somed into a more cor
dial appreilaton and an hour later thev met
the emergency with a marriage certificate
and were awarded the one remaining room
In the cit. They had married in order to
have a roof above their heads.
I nioa of Anrlenla.
The marriage of Duvld Onslot. aged 77
years, and Mrs. Margaret Hartshorne. ageU
" years, at I'oma City, okl., last week,
was in some respects one of the most
notable weddings in the territory. There
were thirty-five descendants of the con
tracting parties in attendance, including
sons, daughters, grandchildren and three
great-grandchildreu.
COMPANY K. T W HINT I' -FIFTH INFANTRY. TTNITED STATES .ARMY CHAMPIONS OF TITO REGIMENT IN DRILL. AND ATHLETICS.
lower than the same supplies could be
bought at any other place in the country.
Objection to the Locution.
The Fort Niobrara reservation, the moat
healthful and the most favorably located
of any of the larger military reservations,
has been slated for abandonment for sev
eral years by the military authorities. It Is
disliked by many on account of Its dis
tance from any city, but if a vote should
be taken from all the officers who have
had the good fortune to be stationed at
Fort Niobrara. It is believed that the
general opinion would be that this post Is
a must delightful place In which to serve
for many reasons. The life differs from
thnt of the modem post to a great extent.
There is a large yard In the rear of each
set of officers' quarters, In which they have
gardens or keep chickens, cows or horses.
These luxuries cannot be had in the mod
ern posts, where there is not sufficient
room. In addition to these the outdoor
life is seldom equaled. Grouse, prairie
chicken, ducks and quail abound, while the
fisher enjoys catching black bass and
trout. The officers and men enjoy these
outdoor sports and a spirit of content
ment prevails, outside the fact that the
quarters are very old and In bad condition.
One of the World's Biggest War Vessels
Magnificent Fighting Ship Now Being Completed at Seattle
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IIS
THE V. 8. BATTLE8HIP NEBRASKA AS IT WILL APPEAR WHEN COMPLETED.
The Nebraska U building at the. works of Moraa Broa., Seattle, Wash., and will probably be rvaly for.coiiiini
biou about Jane 1, 1907. Tlw weasel ia now In the dry dork at the Brvnienton navy yard, but will mhmi be tuken to
Meat tie tor it gun.
Displacement, 15,000 tous; speed, ll Loots, with 10,01)0 I. II. P. Complement, 86 ofticcrs, 712 men, IO marines;
total, 808. Pay roll per month, about .!0,0OO. Armor, .1,32 tons, costing $1,45A,1H1. Ordnaiue, till tuns, cost.ng
$1,125,200. AminuiUUon 622 tons, coatiut; -liM,iao. Total rost, ready for sea, over $7,0O0,OOO.
HATTEHV.
ithuH Weight of (iuui!,,. . . 4 . "W'Ktit of Charge Wfiglit of .......
CaUber Xo aa MounU Meiht of Shell, s lmer Muzle Vel.Hlty
tin-) jTou) (Lbs.) (Lbs.) (Lbs.) (Ku ,)t.r B1H.oud)
12 4 8TO 330 3S
8 iff 211.0 200 lOO H 700
la 1WJ.8 . 05 40 4 E00
12 SEi 13 4.5 .3 .,700
12 J -3 Jt .123 2200
Advantages for a
of Soldiers and the Holding of Army Maneuvers on
The government maintains troops at Fort
Niobrara as economically as at any other
post In the army and officers' expenses are
sreatly reduced.
Some Manifest Advantages.
The surrounding coutry could easily raise
vegetables enough to supply any size of a
garrison and the corn and oats now raised
are abundant enough for uli the mounted
troops that could be put on the reservation
and the quality of these products is as
good as can be purchased anywhere. The
grazing land avallublo is a great factor
in considering this reservation, either as a
permanent post or for maneuvers.
In rebuilding it might be designed, prefer
ably, for field artillery or for oil arms,
cavalry, artillery and Infantry. The ex-i
tensive reservation presents many target
ranges for field guns. There are many loca
tions where guns could be fired at objects
from one to six miles without any danger
to private citizens or their property. This
Is one of the few reservations where the
artillery could have long range target
practice without any chance of doing dam
age to private Individuals.
It is probable that the present congress
will authorize tho organization of some
field artillery regiments, owing to the suc
cess these organizations had In the lato war
in the Orient. Not a better place can be
found to organize and train one of these
new regiments than at Fort Niobrara.
Better ranges, better ..climate and better
country in goneral, does not exist in the 1
United States. Opportunities are offered
here that would mako our artillery arm the '
equal, if not the 'superior, to any in the
world. -
As a maneuver ground Fort Niobrara tn
without exception. In the first place the
government would not be at any expense
for renting ground. The government owns
the whole place. There is not a fence on
the reservation to cut and the few excepted
pieces of land would not interferu with any
maneuvers. In fact, the government could
buy all the excepted pieces of land east
of the Niobrara river for a few hundred
dollars, thus doing away with the slightest
possibility of damaging private property.
Plenty of Open Country,
Then, consldor the immense tract of gov
ernment land adjoining the Niobrara res
ervation. The Rosebud reservation, within
thirty-five miles of Fort Niobrara, is open
country with very few ranches. These
-anches are" located Just at the prc5per
places where troops would want to pur
chase forage for their animals. Every ten
miles can be found streams of pure spring
water sufficient for large commands.
After considering the many ideal places
for camps, the many springs of water suffi
cient for large cummunds, tho next Im
portant factor in selecting a "maneuver
ground is the climate din ing the fall months
when maneuvers must be held. So very
little rain falls after July In northwestern
Nebraska that no maneuver would bo hin
dered thereby, and, owing to the pecullur
quality of the soil, there would never be
any mud to make travel difficult. All
troops present during the maneuvers at
Fort Riley In 1U03 can see the necessity
of selecting a maneuver ground where
such mud as was found there would not
be possible.
If the post ehoul 1 be rebuilt near its
present site capitalists are prepared to
build and operate an ekctrli railroad be
tween Valentine and the post. This road
would be equipped to handle passengers,
freight, mail and express. The electric
plant would bo further equipped to llcht
the post. Authority has been granted by
congress to dam the Niobrara river to ob
tain water power to operate this electric
plant.
Nine large army posts within 00 miles of
Fort Niobrara that could send to take part
in the annual maneuvers three infantry
' regiments, three cavalry regiments and
'V V.'i;
Greal Army Post
a Scale of Actual Warfare
about six batteries of field artillery. These
with Sfyral militia regiments would cer
tainly make interesting maneuvers.
Health of the Twenty-fifth.
The Twenty-fifth regiment of Infantry
now stationed at . Fort Niobrara, is one of
the best regiments in the service. It has
been at this post for over three years. Not
a more healthy body of men can be found
anywhere in the world. During the summer
months the afternoon Is taken up with base
ball, while in the fall months association
foot ball Is enjoyed by every soldier. The
early summer morning is utilized In various
kinds of athletic exercises. In the fall a
competition Is held to see which company
Is entitled to be called the athletic cham
pions. Company "K" was the winner of
this last October. A series of base boll
games Is played during the summer by
company teams and this year Company
"C" was declared the winner. The men
also take great prldo In drill. The competi
tive drill held In October was won by Com
pany "K."
During the summer the troops get a great
deal of field training. Forty different
maneuvers are prescribed each year and
these, maneuvers always terminate In an
eight-day practice march. Each of these
forty maneuvers Involve a march of from
ten to twenty-five miles, while the practice
march must be longer than 100 miles. The
route taken the last two years has been
east ai,d north, so that the second or third
day's camp would be on the backs of the
Keya Paha. The march would then be up
'Jan -
FORT NIOBRARA FROM THE BLUFFS NORTH OF
Quaint Features
Dandy Darning Ball.
ERQ Is a little tale from Pennsyl
H
Ml
vania, unaccompanied by photo
graphs or affidavits: Twenty-mo
years ana Miss Anna II. Miller of
Mill Grove, near West Newton,
being about to mend some stockings,
looked about for something to serve as a
darning ball. Finding nothing better
suited to her purpose, she (selected a nice
round potato. Afterward the potato was
put away and forgotten. The other day
tho potato w:is found. During its mor
than two decudeg of ditrknens It hud be
come petrified and welched nearly a
pound. It is a better darning hull than it
was lu l&U.
Reared III Own Monument.
A hurd-woiklng and frugal I'enr.sylvu
nlan devoted his entire fortune, which
amounted to about $30,000 and which had
been accumuhUed in a life of industry,
t-- te wnri, netion of h monument over
tils own grave. It was his ambition that
his memorial xhouhl le the most umbi
licus in ih" crn-ctery in which hi mor
tality w.M (leiiy.sited. it is eic.hty-Kix feet
hlfch and weighs iUU tons. The foundation
of th4 struct m e was luln in his lifetime,
under hix pi riemal direi lion. He had no
kindred. There was nobody to fibt his
deposition to p.rpetuate hid own memory.
Hitvlne VtlKTvau.
e nuoie this Interestinif rontrihutioii
to Hclenee fnm the McMinnville i)re
News Reporter: Am Hhuridcn, living
liorthwet of town, hus a cow, we are told,
that can "wiggle her horns." Pot this
accompllshm nt of his cow Ih not ihe re
sult of Inventive genius. It appear? to
be natuml. It was discovered last sum
mer In fytime. As the cow would switch
her tail violently her horns would Mop
quite perceptibly. SclentiKts have diag
nosed her ca-c and have come to thu
conclusion that there in an understand
ing between the nerves of the cow's spine,
permitting tlx- two extremities to act In
unison and to wigwai? sympathetically.
Hut tiB
J. B. Corey, uncle of the steel trust pixai
dent, being annojed by the leul of reports
for i.ews of the family scandal, sent the
following signed statement to I'l'tsburg pi
pers: ''I thought I had escaped the annoy
ance of the reporters after you luui pub
lished my offer of iltio.ouu to furnish copies
of letters I had between Mr. Bchwab, An
drew Carnegie, W. E. Corey and myseif.
But last evening the reporters started In
on mu again, keeping it up until 1 1 : -5 p. ni.
The one great and all-Important news Item
which they were on the hunt for waa where
Mrs. W. I'- Corey waa slopptog. X aaeuxed
or down the Keya Paha, and on the sixth
day the troops would start fur home. Ivery
ten miles up or down the Keya Talia are
small streams of pure water.
The men enjoy these marches. There are
no stragglers. After getting In camp every
one Is allowed to hunt or fish, so that aside
from tho regular ration they have plenty
of fish, prairie chicken or greuse. The
quartermaster on these trips has no trouble
In hiring camp ground. It la all govern
ment property. The water never needs
to be boiled or filtered. There Is plenty of
gTazlng for the stock and hay can 'be
purchased from ranches for the stock at
nlthu
Xothlns Dolns; tn Told Weather.
During the months of January, February,
March and part of April, when It Is gen
erally too cold for outdoor exercise, no
place Is provided for the amusement of the
troops. The gymnasium has been one of
the features greatly missed at this post.
In addition, there is no amusement room In
any of the company quarters, except the
new barracks occupied by Company IC A
large gymnasium should be built when the
new post Is constructed, so that the troops
can enjoy the Indoor gumes of basket ball
or have bowling aheyr.. With a good gym
nasium and the canteen, where the men
could enjoy themselves during the winter
months, there Is not a better place In the
country In which to serve. Fort Niobrara
has fewer desertions than at most posts
and It is believed that the men are a con
tented lot.
' - .
THE POST.
of Current Life
them I dhl not know of the lady's where
abouts no more than I did of the man in
the moon. But I think they can find her
at Mrs. Busy Body'B, on the corner of
Newsmongers' lane and Tattlers' alley, be
tween Bev. Mr. Whispers and Mrs. Tell
Tale. Pit-use give the reporters this very
Important news and save a 74-year-old man
from being awakened out of Ids bed at mid
night." Tribute to a tiooil Wife.
In u Toledo. O., court recently waa
heard a renin rkahle pica against grunting
a divorce. The defendant husbund, accused
of habitual druiik-iuieHM, admitted the al
legations and said:
"I make this admission with shame and
humility, hut it is too true. My conduct
along this line I us been most reprehensible
and I deserve the condemnation of all good '
men.
"I believe mv wife is Incapable of un
truth and incapable of lending her sanction
to the unjust blackening of the name her
children hear, of ihe unjust condemnation
of her huxbiiml, the father of her children,
no matter how much she may want a di
vorce. My t,Tcat at desire In these pro
ceedings ii that not the slightest reproach
or censure shall fall 011 her, for Ood knows
she does not dekerve It. if tills divorce
le grunt d. and I pray that it be not done,
I still have lett the one t-onsolutlon that
my children Mre in the keeping of a mother,
for she is Indeed, and in truth, a mother,
In its hiiiadi " 1 and most comprehensive
ser.re.
"It bus always been my pride to leok
upon my wife c the embodiment of purity
und truth, good wifehood and motherhood,
and aM other attributes to be found ill
Oml's noblest work a good woman."
Trimbles of a lire Faueler.
A German beekeeper undertook to carry
some of Ills choicest lu-cs to a bee shew,
lie took a train at Hanover with his
bees in a basket at his fnet. The bees
escaped from the basket and crawled up
his trousers f (rs. His actions soon aroused
surplcion in the hearts of two women
who occupied Ihe s:iino compartment with
him. Tiny puINd hell cord and slopped
the train. When the bee fancier explained
thu situation he was placed In an empty
compar'.n cut to buve il out with thu bees
Kll by himself. Hero lie removed his
trousers and began shaking them out of
the window t. free 'them uf the swarm,
t'liforlunalely they caught a telegraph pole
and were swept away, bees, numey and
all. At the next station the Irate station
inar.ter brought forth the reluctant bee
fancier in a rug and he pawned his watch
to acquire decent raiment to walk back
along th-s line la aearuh ef his bees aad
Lis trousers.