Plan of FORT Rl NGC OLD, Texas Sewer. Water P/>es. 5ewe,r Manholes. Fire. Sn-ioll Mi^cirarity. Old Cis'terks U N I T E D STATES A R MY H 0 S P I T A L, FORT RINGGOLD, Rio Grande City, Texas, June 50th,A 1895. : The Surgeon General, O.S,Army, Washington, D.C., Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith, in obedience to General Orders ike, A.G.O., 1895., the following report giving a description of this Fost and of the conditions present affecting the health of the troops* Location.-- Fort Ringgold is situated on the left tank of the Rio Grande in latitude 28°SO and longitude 2! cO'w from Washing- ton -- 90°47'W from Greenwich. Relations.—'It lias on the southern boundary of 'ftarr County, Texas, one half mile southeast of the county seat, Rio Grande City,a village with a population, mainly Mexican, of about 2000 souls. This village alias contains the post office, receiving a daily mail by stage, a distance of 72 miles from Pena Station on the Texas Mexican Division of the Nacional Mexicans Railway. Upon the right lank of the Bio Grande and about five axles distant is situated Camargo, a Mexi- can city of two or three thousand inhabitants. The historic city of Bier is located upon the Mexican bank of the river, about fifty miles above, and the battlefields of Bes&ca de la Palma and Palo Alto lie respectively upon the right and left banks of the Rio Grande, about ilC miles below. The Post is connected by military telegraph with Fort Brown, ll17 miles to the southeast, and a line is under construc- tion to Laredo, 141 miles to. the northwest, the general telegraphic system of the country being accessible in either direction. Means of Access.-- It is ordinarily reached by the mail route men- tioned above, but is also accessible by a route consisting of the Morgan Steamship Line from Galveston to Brownsville, Transfer to Matamoras, Mexico, railway to San Miguel, Stage Zt miles to Camargo*. and transfer and ferry five miles to Fort Ringgold* A third but much less comfortable way consists in an all rail route to Monterey, Mex- ico, stage to CamargojSO miles, and transfer to the Post. Fort Ringgold is also the head of navigation on the Rio Grande and during the greater portion of the year is reached once or twice a month by a flat-bottomed stern-wheeled steamer, which brings from Brownsville a, large part of the supplies; this vessel makes the trip up the river in from one to three weeks and down in from two days to a week. The remainder of the supplies are brought in by two-wheeled Mexican cart.? hauled by bulls or mules. History.— After the clo.se of the Mexican War, it became desirable to guard the newly-defined boundary by a cordon of military posts. A small settle- ment, known to Americans as Davis's Landing and to i'iC xicans as Fancho Debis, was evidently a ■suitable Fig.2. Rio Grande Steamer and Mexican Bull-cart. point, because of its adaptability for the surveillance of the neigh- boring Mexican territory through its proximity to Oamargo — a city of great importance in early days — and because of the convenience with which it could be supplied by reason of its position at the head of steam navigation. Accordingly, on October 26, 1848, Captain J.F. La Motte, commanding Companies C and G, 1st U.S.Infantry, established a cantonment there, called Camp Ringgold in honor of the gallant Brevet Major Samuel Ringgold,Captain of the Light Battery (C) of the 5rd Ar- tillery, who had recently fallen in action while working hits battery at Falo Alto. Its official dadgnatisai was changed to Ringgold Bar- racks by General Orders No.8, Headquarters of the Army, July IB, 1849, and in 1850 the erection of permanent quarters was begun on the pres- ent site. On March 5, 1859, the trodpU were withdrawn, but it was re- garrisoned by a small detachment on December 29 of the same year, to protect the country from the ravages of the bandit chief, Juan N. Cor- tina, afterward a general in the Mexican Army. During the War of the Rebellion, from March 7, 1881 to June, 1865, it was again unoccupied, but since that time it has been continuously garrisoned by a force varying from a small detachment to eight companies andheadquarters with band. Under the provisions of General Orders NO. 79, Headquar- ters of the Army, November 8, 1878 the designation of the Post was finally fixed as Fort Ringgold. The present garrison consists of two troops of the 5th Cavalry, a Company of the 18th Infantry, the Com- pany of Seminole Negro-Indian 'Scouts and a detachment of the Hospital Corps. Altitude.-- The altitude of the surface of the Rio Grande border- ing Fort Ringgold,is at low water 127 feet above the level of the sea. The parade ground i.z 50 feet higher, giving the Post an altitude of C-W 147 feet. Geological Formatiicn.-- This portion of the Rio Grande valley is of aqueous formation and referable mainly to the Cainozoic period. A plain, broken by occasional dry water-courses and slight elevations, extends back from the river nearly a hundred miles. Much of the sur- face is covered by extensive deposits of sand, largely of wind forma- tion and constantly shifting to a certain extent; the grains of sand by attrition during this movement have lo.st their angles and become so ncunded as to render it useless for plaster. Considerable deposits of gravel, the stones of which present the same feature, are found throughout the country. Numerous modifications of Quartz, such as agate, jasper, flint, carnelian and opal are found in these gravel beds; and deposits of colloid quartz are found in narrow fissures in the clayey sandstone composing the bed of the Rio Grande. The low. hills and bluffs are founded mainly upon calcic carbonate, and sodic chloride is a fre- quent constituent of the soil. “Water-holes” containing a strong saline solution are not infrequent, while the Sal del Rey, a small lake some fifty miles fnom the Post has been the source from which the natives have drawn their supplies of salt from time immemorial. Soil-— While the vegetation is sparse and dwarfed, this condition is due not to the infertility of the soil but rather to the lack of rain or irrigation. Where the water supply is sufficient, the produc- tive capacity of the land is practically unlimited. This is particu- larly true of the river bottoms, where a rich alluvial deposit renders the ground practically inexhaustible. Climate.-- The Post is only a hundred and eighty miles north of the Tropic of Cancer and, while its climate must probably be classed as subtropical, its temperature record during much of the year 'would fair- ly entitle it to be considered tropical. The following table shows precisely the thermo-metric indications for eight average years: - 1376-77. Month. T EMPERATURE Rainfall in inches TEMPERATURE 1 Rainfall in inches y,o nth 1. v Average Monthlv Average. Max Min Mean Max Min. Max Min Mean Max. Min. July 10 5 70 88.-25 98. 16 74. 09 . 37 107 59 82. 50 100.90 6 3. 20 . 76 Au g. 104 70 85. 55 97. 11 74. 20 1. 15 110 60 83. 67 103.87 63. 48 . 35 Se.pt 100 54 78.07 89.06 67. 08 2. 30 103 50 78.71 98. 10 59. 30 3. 34 0 et. 103 44 74. 50 88. 24 59. 29 . 5 2 96 47 76. 28 89.45 6 3. 12 .94 Nov. 105 22 70.56 SB. 28 55. 04 2. 33 9 5 40 64. 28 79.33 49. 23 1. 18 Dec. 93 22 63. 65 83. 19 44..12 1. 25 85 36 5 3. 57 63. 70 43. 45 1. 54 Jan. 9 5 41 63. 63 7 5. 21 52. 06 1. 30 81 10 54. 7 4 67. 00 42. 48 . 53 Feb. 94 29 64..16 81. 25 47.08 . 25 83 43 59.6 5 6 8. 50 50.80 2. 74 Mar. i03 23 58. 10 86. 10 50. 10 . 4 5 93 41 69.61 82. 00 57. 13 1.04 Apr. 109 33 72. 63 9 3. 66 51. 66 » • • • 108 46 76. 16 89.76 6 2. 56 * • • May 112 39 76. 15 93. 00 54. 30 1.5 2 111 56 34. 58 97. 61 71. 55 .83 June 110 49 81. 53 99.76 6 2. 53 1.62 111 61 89.70 103. 36 75. 54 .66 112 2 2 73. 75 39.67 57. 6 3 12. 76 111 10 72. 79 87. 0.1 53. 49 13.92 —T3W =75 1378-79 t-jsjn *-*• cd pc* E3CS C3 £» b M* t—*C3 t-1- C3 c+ cy TKMyERATURE ZZ'ir—rj OP-5 TEMPERATURE Cj Hj 0 • cst—> &* 1—* C £>*—• CD l—J Monthly Ave rage 02 Mon tnly Average Max Min Me an Max. Min. Max Mi n Me an Max. Min. Ju ly 109 38 88. 49 102. 16 72. 60 . 5 1 107 70 87. 88 100.71 73. 86 5. 27 Au g. 108 70 90. 31 103.93 71. 70 2. 40 109 6 5 85. 09 101.81 39. 20 2. 30 Sept. 106 p; p, b 81. 80 101. 11 70.90 • • • • 107 55 82. 19 97. 26 38. 34 . 48 0 ct. 107 40 70. 85 93. 55 6 2. 00 . 21 10 5 36 75. 82 93. 20 3 2. 11 1. 25 Nov. 104 33 6 3.90 85. 00 50. o0 . 07 96 33 57. 21 8 3. 43 £3 *7 7 rr t> KA 9 f 2. 00 Be c. 87 28 80. 50 72. 58 4 5. 57 5. 54 90 28 • 3.9 6 39. 19 40. 19 . 45 Jany. 88 26 56. 45 7 3. 6 5 43. 48 • • • • °8 24 53. 87 7 5. 55 38.42 • • • • Fe by. 95 35 8 2. 8 0 84. 04 51. 50 . 25 1Q3 23 39. 13 73. 10 43. 37 1. 90 Mar c'a 10 3 37 70.98 O.O. 3 Q 54. 71 4. 7 5 106 39 74. 57 9 3. 8 7 55. 48 • • • • April 106 43 78. 70 97. 73 53. 50 • • • • 103 41 78.0 1 98. 50 57. 5 3 . 40 May 103 3 2 8 5. 8 5 99. 26 71. 33 4. 75 123 60 86. 59 108.35 86.34 . 80 June 1 1 ft 59 39.00 108.03 73. 1C . 0 J 112 5 0 87. 73 105.04 70.43 . 25 112 96 74. 52 92. Si 60. 95 10 • £■ 123 24 74. 73 91. 50 58. 29 15. 10 1888 -39 1889-90 July 104 69 87. 50 101. 30 73. 40 . 28 110 70 89. 39 103. 73 73. 06 . 46 Au g. 110 68 87. 90 103. 20 72. 90 1. 48 109 6 5 84. 56 99. 19 89. S3 3. 00 Sept. 99 56 79.80 91. 30 87. 43 5. 71 9 9 49 77. 20 90. 40 34. 00 2. 52 0 o I# • 96 49 76. 55 33. 27 64. 22 1. 54 oq 42 74. 17 89. 30 52. 5 5 1. 87 Nov. 92 30 S3. 90 74. 00 53. 7 3 . 9 2 91 30 30.83 76. 6 3 44. 73 . 04 Be c. 87 30 50. 50 75. 32 45. 87 . 53 90 43 70.88 85.06 53.70 • • • • Jany. 92 32 57. 50 69. 52 45. 49 2. 0 4 97 29 6 5. 9 0 79. 45 52. 35 . 78 Fe by. 9 5 38 81.50 70. 14 52. 93 2. 6 2 99 32 33. 35 78. 1C 54. 30 . 94 March 88 38 64.85 78. 35 51. 32 2. 08 10 5 20 67. 99 84. 29 51. 37 . 50 April 101 51 73.70 89.60 5 3. 30 3. 5 2 101 39 74. 38 90. 56 58. 20 a r r ±9 /CU May 100 r. r 79. 45 91. 29 56.8 4 .04 105 0 2 80.3 5 93. 54 6 <8. 16 . 07 June 1Q8 32 85.65 99. 50 »tt. 83 5. 45 10 4 60 S3. 91 93.70 71. 13 1.7 3 110 30 T3.48 33; 07 50. 79 S3 4. "2 5 TTTT 20 74.6 TT S3. 9 5 50. 26 13. 13 1890 -91 1891-92 Ju ly 107 87 86. 32 100.96 71. 5? 1. 13 107 65 86. 49 10 2. 22 7£. 77 • • • • Au g. 10 5 70 98. 23 101. 29 71. 16 . 38 107 56 85. 91 101. 25 70. 38 9 9 9 9 Sept. 103 48 81.63 9 7. 28 68. 00 • • ♦ • 103 58 3.1. 43 95. 23 6 3.60 4. 72 Oct. 1.00 45 75.08 90.08 60. 09 3. 77 93 70 O *y 70. 32 85. 48 55. 16 1. 38 Nov. 93 53 64* 56 79. 40 49. 73 . OS 91 31 6 4. 58 80. 96 48. SO 9999 Bee. 92 26 60.75 79. 29 4 2. 22 . 19 80 24 58.0 1 72.30 45. 22 .... Jany. 90 25 59. 3.1 75. 9 0 45. 42 9.0 3 90 £ 2 5 2. 72 5 9.93 3 7.51 9 ( KJ Fe by. 99 30 85. 22 82. 04 48. 40 • • • • 93 50 6 9. 19 82. 17 0 i m A* J. . 15 Mar. 97 39 6 4. 50 81. 32 47.70 . 59 9 5 31 68. 30 80.06 K O * K rJ *i 4* V r<: nn 4* *] + i O ■ n «•> «1 l»A/| /%/->. y> r- va /-s V *i n off 4* xx \j in eout u o' 1 uou uuh 00 0 j x L* a.o jL.i.*\o c< o X l o»ocmX vs 1 ait uO entire country in it., course- and. carrying clouds of dust in its train. In the v,inter months, north winds, with or without rain, known as "wet or dry northers”, arise suddenly and reduce the temperature for two or three days at a time. Any breeze stronger than a zephyr, carries more .. or iss. £ 0.US8& with ±x ano the deposits tens for men render cleanliuess bf habitation or person difficult ts preserve . Togs are very rare, snow is unknown, and the rainfall — as seen by kwe Table -- is very light, so that agriculture without irrigation is practically unknown. The air is usually devoid of moisture, so that dessication rapidly takes place. The Mexican preserves his meat for an indefinite periad by simply drying it in the open air under the sun's rays. Topography.— The reservation of Fort Ringgold consists of 250 acres The spaco occupied by the Rest is an irregular psnta* agon, enclosed by wire fence on four sides and by the Eio Grands on the fifth. The river front is 1200 feet long, the northwest side is 1500 feet long, the north and east sides coo feet each, and the southeast side is 2150 feet long. The Post gardens and a portion of the target range are situated in the triangular north eastern portion, which is not shown in the Plan of the Post,(Fig.1). In the Plan, however, the general arrangement of the rooms on the ground floor of the buildings is shown, as well as their location and relations. The parade ground is the conventional parallelogram,850 feet long and 400 feet wide, with the Hospital at one end and the Guard House and the Adju- tant's Office at the other. On one side is the officers' line while the Bakery and two sets of Barracks front on the other, the remaining barracks standing inthe rear and at right angles with the first. In the rear of each set of Barracks are several small buildings used variously for bath- OF POS'T. houses, reading-rooms, barber-shops and kitchens, while in the extreme rear is the General Sink. Just southeast of the fence, with its south- west extremity about on a line with the barracks, is situated a block containing the harried Soldiers7 Quarters. In the rear of the officers7 line are situated the Commissary Storehouses, the Non-Commissioned Staff Officers7 Quarters, the Magazines, the Water-works, the various Quartermaster’s buildings and the Stables. An irregular ridge runs Fig.4.The Parage Ground At Fort Ringgold. back of tfce officers7 line, presenting two curious spurs, on the higher of nhick are situated the Water Tanks, and on the lower one an old house, formerly the commanding officer's quarters and known as the "Lee Rouse”, owing to the fact that it was occupied by the late General Robert E. Lee, C.S.A.,when an officer of the United States Army. From the river bank, four large arroyos have eaten their way into the Post. These arroyos vary in depth from two to thirty feet and are bordered with copious #growths of mesquite brush. About half a mile southeast of the Post is Fig.6.The Cemetery. situated the Cemetery, an enclosure 180 feet square, surrounded by a strong brick wall six feet high, and closed by iron gates. There have been 101 interments in this cemetery The Post is situated on a rolling plain with no hills or considerable ; elevations within a radius of several Files. There are in the vicinity no marshy grounds, pools of stagnant water,nor other natural topographi- cal causes affecting health. The neighboring town of Rio Grande City, which immediately abuts* on the reservation, however, is a mo.st favorable soil for the development of epidemic disease. Not only is it an active nidus of venereal maladies, as will be stated hereafter, but small pox is almost endemic and the filthy surroundings, improper food, insuffic- ient clothing and total absence of hygienic conditions among its popu- lation, render it a constant menace to the health of the Fost. Immediate contact with the town is obviated by the existence of a strip a quarter of a mile wide between the fence of the Fost and the town limits; but considerable care needs to be taken lest the Mexicans neutralize even this provision by using the strip as a dumping ground for offal and refuse. Water Supply.-- The water for the use of the Post is obtained from the ; Rio Grands and is supplied in two forms: (1) distilled water for drinking and cooking, and (2) river water, clarified by precipitation of silt, for all other purposes. The distilled water is almost absolutely pure. The river water contains more or Isbb septic germs due to the constant pres- ence in the stream of decaying animal and vegetable matter; it also con- tains a small percentage of alkali, a considerable quantity of sodium chloride — readily appreciable to the taste when the river is low — and other inorganic matter, which contribute to render it less po- table. The capacity of the water works is from a quarter to a half a million gallons of clarified water per day, the less amount being produced when the river is very turbid; but even in this case, the full capacity of the pumps is available in case of fire. The capacity of the distilled water apparatus is two thousand gallons per day. The full capacity of the wa- ter syUtem has never been reached, and it is entirely sufficient to meet all requirements; in rare cases, when the demand for water is very great and the river very turbid, the water haLi to be used before it is fully clarified, but there i.s always enough. It is hardly possible for any source of contamination to reach the distilled water, provided that proper precautions are taken to secure cleanline.es. The water of the river, however, in addition to a large amount of suspended silt which is extracted in the water works, and a constant taint from decaying animal and vegetable matter, derives more or less contamination from the presence of the village of Bio Grands City on the river bank just above the Post; but as this water never enters into the nutriment of the garrison, these facts may be ignored as not affecting the health of the Fo.st. The water is obtained from the Eio Grande by a pumping apparatus consisting of two boilers — one of thirty five and one of fifty dorse power -- two engines, two settling tanks and four distributing tanks, together with their connecting pipes and water mains, as seen in the Plan of the Post. Fig.6.The Ice Machine and Engine House. Tie engine house is situated upon the bank of the river.. The en- gine drawing the water from the river is a Dean pump with double plun- ger, of fifteen horse power and a capacity of 18 000 gallons an hour. It is located in a well, sixteen feet deep and eleven by sixteen feet at the bottom, which is thirteen feet above the level of low water. In this well is located also a Elake pump of I twelve hor.se power, as a reserve in case of breakage. The turbidity of the | river water, due to the suspension of a large a- iiiount of inorganic mat- ter, is extreme at times, so that it can hardly be used in its natural con- dition. In order to per- mit the subsidence of Fig.7. Profile View of Pvmpihg System- the suspended matter, two settling tanks have been provided. These are situated upon the side of a small hill, respectively eighteen and twen- ty seven feet a- bove the level of tas Dean pump, anu respect- ively 410 ana 558 feet from it . The Settling tanks are built of brick with walls twelve inches thick and well braced by strong brick abutments; they are lined with Portland cement and are thirty five feet square and nine feet deep, affording a capacity of 85 5~0 gallons. The bottom of each tank inclines fifteen inches from the northeast tc the southwest corner, where is- locat- ed an eight-inch locomotive valve connecting with a pipe of the same cal- iber opening into an eight inch brick drain which empties into the near- est arroyo. Each tank is cohered with a well-ventilated shingled roof. The water from the river i.s pumped directly into the upper settling tank Fig.The Settling Tanks. through a 5-inch pipe. After tie suspended matter has subsided, a pro- I cess requiring from a half to eight hours, the clarified water is de- ! canted through two 4-inch pipes into tile lower settling tank, where such further subsidence as may be necessary occurs, the water remaining here until needed in the Distributing Tanks. The mud remaining in the bottom of the tanks is drawn off whenever desired by opening the locomot ive valve at its lowest point, when the semi-liquid sediment passes off into tie brick drain; the process ofremoval is assisted by flushing and sweeping as required. Fig.8.The Distributing Tanks The distributing machinery consists of (.1) a Worthington duplex pump of twenty four horse power, with a capacity of 20 000 gallons an hour, and (2) four Distributing Tanks at a sufficient height to deliver the water by simple gravity. The clarified water gravitates through a 4-inch pipe from the lower settling tank to the Worthington pump, which stands on the floor ;cf the engine house, and is forced through a 5-inch pipe into the distributing tanks. These tanks are tub shaped, with staves of Louisiana cypress, strongly banded by wrought iron hoops, and each is mounted upon a pier of solid masonry; they are sixteen feet in diameter, twelve feet high, and have a capacity of 18 0(00 gallons each; a circulation throughout the four tanks is obtained by connecting pipes of 5- or 8-inch caliber, rendering them equivalent then to a single tank of 64 000 gallons capacity. The hill upon the summit of which the dis - trihuting tanks are located, is twenty five feet above the level of the parade ground, and they are further elevated by the masonry piers to a height of thirty five feet, shove, the mean level of the garrison. At this mesa, level, the wat&r pre ssure obtained is forty-five pounds per square inch The water is carried, as shown in the Flan of the Post, from the dis- tributing tanks by one 8-inch and two 2-inch iron mains. The 8-inch main passes from the northeart side of the tanks down the hill 2c0 feet on a line perpendicular to that of the officers' quarters, to a point thirty fest in the rear of the quarters, nhere it meets a line of 6-inoh pipe 1000 fest long, running parallel to the offleers'line. Upon this main are situated five fire-plugs from which any of the officers' quarters, the hospital, the chapel,and the quartermaster and commissary store- houses may be reached hv a. moderate length of hose. From this main pass off two 2-inch iron pipes from which 1-inch iron pipes pass to small hydrants between the officers' quarters, supplying water for the grass and trees, and t.o pseh set. of officers' quarters, feeding faucets in the kitchen and urinal on the first floor and the bathroom on the second floor. These 2-inch pipes connect with another set of the same caliber, which completely encircle the parade ground and send off a branch to the hospital. Upon this circle are situated three fire-plugs for the protection of the barracks, £>uard house and bakery ,and the officers' quarters. The circle gives off in 1-inch pipes- the water sup- ply of the hospital, the barrackapd company bath houses, the general sink, the bakery and guard house, the married soldiers' quarters, and contributes a small fire plug to the chapel and two hydrants to the post gardens. A 2-inch mail; passing from the southeast side of the distributing tanks, goes to the hay corral and to the commissary storehouse, sup- plying a fire-plug to each, and to the engine house, supplying the boilers and the water condenser* It also gives off a 1-inch pipe for the supply of the “Lee House” and the non-commissioned staff offi- cers 1 quarters. A 2-in ah main, passing off fro eg the northwest side of the distrib- uting tanks, goes to the quartermasters’ and troop corrals, supplying fire-plugs there and at the quartermasters’ storehouse. Ey 1-inch pipes, it supplies the blacksmith shops and the water troughs of the stables. There is at the Post a Hyatt patent water filter aith a capacity of about 15 000 gallons per day. This apparatus has never been set up, the settling tanks supplying the clear water necessary for the ordinary needs of the garrison. But in the summer when the needs are greater and when the river is rendered exceptionally turbid by the freshets from the mountain streams, it is not always po.ssible to supply clear water from the tanks. To meet this emergency, themedical officer has recommended that the filter in question be put in serviceable condition. All of the pipes used in distributing water are of iron, some of' them plain and others galvanized, the character varying apparently according to the fancy of the purchasing officer This Post was formerly a hotbed of typhoid and malarial disease and diarrhoea! and dysenteric complaints. Now these case.* are unusual qvi/3 + ,A o Q11 Q ff c + r\ t "ho c+ CJlIrtVi CQ OVTiAOllfC l’ r + V •? -J ■ % "! A aua auv uw auu_ixo* j. og uiiv' x w u v_>u ct-o wAyaoua w Xij uUo iiciu* ibis is uUg uO uijw inorgducuioii o i u.i>s oij.xgQ h i0i Grinnmg and culinary purposes. The value of the use of distilled water as a rr-O 1 p r-f in o rjc ■? no + rrp 1 c r= q 1 c r f' f 1 p t»y» V ] of f o i rm Q ' c c f t v-q f hi v *.«*,/ X <-** i> X *•> pd<> u u.d m Vrf" J- C* I jL v> Uiui i ii Juui. ui iv>uuxv;iivj n CiO 1 1 i. O t i n Perrier- i Ap ■? f p + Vo orr of fl-sp, fr*:f nc*or! o bcwi y J.U Ow il li O j j 1 w ii h 1 uii v> ii; p XU j Jiiwil u J i biiv UvJ iiu Olio t/O m Zj, UOOU ■7 v*i *J» t-s A tv- yyt*| *P o A' "4* ’*! V> A O V< *S *) "j /*> T A* .' *? a a «*» •»* 4* T* /*> T C/*S O "4* h*.: V* r-. v 4* t> a Si j> 4« »it (-«, •>»# y-j X Ii OnO ;iiC ii U i <3*0 b Ul O \j i CX 0 UU O I Oo u * ialdb ii (%& 4.wU ktcU , a idl oODueiiScl u as C L ufi iucu , n.y oho use of II ill Ch u:.Q u u0u~* sand gallons of distilled water are obtained per day. ?Ms ic l- * J.U4.U MUivMi XO Fie.10.The Tank Cart for Delivery of Condensed Cater. hfi.Uj.6c. L»o ths qu&rters in a tani^car«, &UQ .wept aor u&c in cm*i>.y ii»c/ gallon galvanized iron cans. The neutralization of diseases due to the use of impure water can hardly be obtained in a Fost mors economically than by the provision of distilled water. The apparatus in use at Fort Einggold, as shown in Fig.il, is simple and inexpensive, while its operation is practi- cally without cost. It consists of four parts: (11 a condensing can, (2) a set ox condensing coils, (g) a set of filtering and aerating boxes, and (4) a storage tank. The condensing can, made of galvanized iron, is twenty inches in diameter and three feet hieh: twelve inches from the bottom is a dia- phragm connected by a 5-inch flange union (D) with a 5-inch pipe (E);, which passes out through the apex of the can; the bottom is perforated by a 5-inch piped) fixed by a flange union (E). At the side are fixed two 1-inch nipples with lock nuts(M,V) and an opening for a 2-inch pipe (L). A 2-inch escape pipe (W) is soldered ill the top and a 1-inch drip pipe (X) is fastened with lock nuts in the bottom. The condensing coils consist of fifteen pieces of IK-inch iron pipe nine feet long, arranged in three sup vi L 0 U. interconnected rows (!;,K.,F0 all opening into two 5-ineh pipes 7 -,2) running across the ends of the lower row. (0ver each vertical row of pipes runs aKdneh pipe (I( per for- 24 FIG. 11. diagram of condensing apparatus. atsd on its under side with M-inch holes, five inches apart, through which cool water from the general water supply continually drips upon the condensing coils into the tank (U), whence, to avoid waste, it is carried into the boilers. The ,dx E-inch dripping pipes are capped at the distal erA and at the proximal end open into a 1-inch pipe running at right angles nith them and connecting them with the water system. The filtering boxes (Q,P,0) have ends and sides of wood and linings and bottoms of galvanized iron; they are three in number, each 20 by £0 by ? inches, the bottonu of the two upper ones (0,P) having numerous perforations and that of the lower one (G) a single opening into which is soldered a 1-inch pipe (TO leading into the storage tank. These boxes are filled with a filtering mixture of equal parts of charcoal and gravel, the charcoal on top, covered only by sufficient gravel to keep it from floating. The storage tank (S) is a cohered cypress tub, - feet in diameter and 4 feet high, with a capacity of £c0 gallons. Through the top pass- es the inlet pipe (E), and from tie bottom passes the discharge pipe (T) by means cf which the water is drawn off The pipe A then is connected with the exhaust pips icf the engine and the steam passes through E into C, a chamber in which the oil ta- ken up by the steam, settles to the bottom and is drawn off by means of the drip pipeX; the steam then pas.sss through the opening D into the pipe E,F, which connects with the pipe G of the condensing coils E,H,R, into which it spreads being condensed by the eoolnelss main - tained by the cold water continually dripping upon them from the sprink- ling coils I; the water now condensed, parses down into the nine J,and thence into K and through L into the condensing can M,K, where.it ac- cumulates (any uncondensed steam,that may ha'vs passed through the coils, escaping through ) and flows off through the pipe N into the upper fil- The parts required for the construction of the condensing apparatus are as follows: [.1] Acondensing can construct- |: ed as stated in the tekt. [2] Condensing coils constructec as in the text.ox the following parts: Two pieces 3-inch pipe, 3 feet long, bored and tapped for 1U inch .pipe, five holes, 6 inches from can ter to center. Two caps fcr 3-inch pipe. One 3-incb union for G. One reducer from 3-inch to 2- inch for J. Fifteen pieces iV-inch pipe, 9 feet long. Fifteen pieces ik-inch pipe, l foot long. Fifteen lV-inch unions. Twenty lU-incb nipples, 4 k incb-i es long. □ Ten lk-incfc elbows. Ten ik-inch tees Two 3-inch elbows. Enough 3-inch pipe to connect with exhaust pips or engine and with coils at G. Enough 2-inch pipe to connect the condensing coils at J with the condensing can L. [3] Sprinkling coils construct- ed of the following parts: Five pieces of k-inch pipe,nine feet long, with caps for one end of each piece, and 58-inch holes drilled in a line on one side,and v inches apart from center to cen-. ter Sne piece of 1-inch pipe 3 feet long, with cap on one end and five holes drilled in a line on cne side and tapped for pipe, holes 8 inches from center to center.. Two pieces of pine, 1 by 3 inches by 3 feet, with k inch holes as a- bove; these to hold pipes in place over condensing coils [4] Drip tank constructed of the following materials: . Nine pieces plank, 2 by 8 inches by 12 feet. Two pieces plank, 2 by 8 inches by 4k feet. [5] Three filter boxes construct- ed of the following materials: Six pieces pine, l by 8 by 20 in ches. Six pieces pine, l by 8 by 22 in ones. Sixteen feet galvanized iron, 24 wide One piece i-inch iron pipe, 12 inches long Four pairs of blinds with station- ary slats, 29 by 50 inches [8] One storage tank: One cypress tub, with top and bottom. 5 feet in diameter and 4 feet high. [7] One tower, constructed of t*,ie following materials: Four pieces,? by 5 inches by 24 feet. Sixteen pieces, 6 by 6 inches by O f 0 G t Eight pieces 2 by 5 inches by 15 0 "J feetEight pieces 2 by 4 inches by 8 i£0 feet i by 3 inch pine sheath i i n g gf.O shingles .. ..Spikes, nails, etc. as recuired. ter box 0, through which it percolates, dropping into the second filter box,F, from which it drop.s into the third filter box,Q., being twice aer- ated as it drops from 0 to F and from F to Q. Fro a. the filter box, Q, it passes through the pipe,P, into the storage tank,S, from which it is drawn as needed through the pipe, T. As already stated, the intense heat, :rhich prevails during the great- er part of the year, is not only the source of great discomfort but the cau.ie of much illness at this Post. Heat exhaustion and headache from excessive heat are the most frequent complaints here although this fact does not appear in the medical statistics of the Post, since subjects of these disorders usually receive treatment without being excused from du- ty. However, these cases are much less numerous than formerly, an im- provement due to the product of the Ice Machine, one of the most import- ant features of the Post. The machine is a Schuehle engine of eight horse power operating two freezing tanks producing about eighty bars of ice per day, amounting to more than a million pounds a year. The machine is run in connection with the boiler for the water supply of the Post, careful experiment having shown that the power required to operate it may be ob- tained .without a material increase in the amount of fuel over that re- quired to furnish the water supply. The machine is self-supporting, suf- ficient income to meet all expenses being derived from the sale of ice at prices ordinarily varying from a third of a cent to a cent a pound Fig*12*Interior View of the Ice Machine. There are still at the Post six cisterns of a capacity varying from SO 000 to 100 000 gallons each. These were used for the storage of rain water at a period prior to the introduction of the settling tanks when the turbid river water was the only other source of drinking water. These cisterns are now useless and the Post Surgeon, recognizing in their stagnant contents the seeds of future infection, has recommended that they be emptied, their bottoms knocked out and their concavities i filled with earth. They are located one at each end of the hospital, one at each side of the space between the two barracks fronting on the parade ground, one in the rear of the commanding officer's quarters and one at the end of the old Quartermaster's storehouse. The cost of the pipes and fitting.* contained in the water system was approximately $2780.00. The expense of maintaining it it is about $170.oo a month. Drainage.-- The subsoil water, inhere it exists at all, lies so deep that it may practically be ignored in relation to the health of the Posit. Never nearer the surface than twelve or fifteen feet, it usually lies at a much greater depth and in many localities in this vicinity, none whatever can be found. These facts are gained from various excava- tions which have been observed throughout the country, no systematic series of borings having ever been made.. The rainfall is so light that the water is quickly absorbed by the parched earth. What is not taken up by the soil and its products, is carried off all too quickly by evaporation and natural surface drainage. The disposal of subsoil water and of adventitious superficial fluid waste then may be regarded in this locality as silent factors not to be considered. Most of the roofs are provided with gutters but, with the exception of the buildings in the vicinity of the old cisterns, the rain leaders empty upon the sur- face, and this will be universal when the cisterns are destroyed. The liquid refuse of the garrison is carried off by a system of pipes opening into the Bio Grande at a point just above low water mark and two hundred yards belo.w the water pipes. The sewers thus formed are composed of cylindrical salt-glazed vitrified earthenware tiles with socket and spigot ends. All connections are made by angular junc- tions tsc facilitate the passage of sewage. The joints are tightly cdIk- ed with oakum and sealed with Portland cement. The system, shown in the Plan of the Post, consists of a main sewer, composed of o-inch tiles, and two principal and several minor branches, composed of 4-inch tiles. The longer branch begins at the hospital and passes behind the barracks, which front on the parade ground, receiving branches from the other barracks and the general .fink, and ends at a manhole in the rear of the guard hou.se, where it is joined by a branch from the married soldiers' quarters;. The second principal branch begins at a urinal in the rear of the large quartermasters' storehouse, whence it goes to join the pipe running in the rear of the officers' quarters, « emptying into the main sewer at a manhole situated on a line with the rear of the officers' Quarters. A third branch begins at the Quarters of the quartermaster sergeant near tils distributing tanks and runs thence parallel with the preceding branch, connecting with the other non-commis- sioned officers2 quarters and the commissary storehouse. These branches contain *19? feet of 4-inch pipe. The main sewer runs at an angle of 70° to the officers' line, from the manhole in the rear id the guard hou.se to a manhole near the rear of the hay corral, whence it passes into the river in a direct line. The main sewer consists of 1594 feet of *-inch pipe. The fall of the sewer is six inches to every fifty feet. There ane five manholes in the system, each three by four feet and of a depth varying according to the depth of the sewer at that point. They are located (1) at a point halfway between the hospital and the barracks, iZ) at the southeast end of the barracks, (5) in the rear of the guard- house, (4) fifty yards beyond the southeast end of the officers” line and (5) near the eastern corner of the hay corral. They are simple rectangular pits with brick walls faced nith Portland cement, with which they are also floored. The sewer pipes open into them at the level of the floor. They are covered with heavy iron gratings so that, with the exception of the second one which is covered by a plank platform, they also act as ventilators. The entire system of pipes is flushed weekly by plugging the in- gress pipe in each manhole in succession and playing intothe manhole with a 2-inch hose. The flushing thus obtained is very inefficient and the introduction of a tumbler automatic flushing tank into each manhole has been recommended by the medical officer. The arrangement pro- posed, as shown in Fig. IS, is simple and inexpensive. The tank, A, is so balanced that when filled it will au- tomatically empty itself into the sewer,returning to its original po- sition to be filled again. By vary- ing the amount of the flow, from the water pipe,B, the time required for filling.the tank, A, can be regulat- ed to occur at any desired interval, each discharge throwing thirty gallons of water into the manhole, completely filling and scouring out the pipe emerging from it. At the hospital, besides the kitchen sinks, the bathroom and lava- tories, one urinal empties into the sewer. At each set of barracks it FIC.I3. VERT/CAL SECTION OF PROPOSED AUT0/Y1AT/C. SEWER FLUSHER. receives the w.aste from the kitchen sinks and the bath houses. At the enlisted men’s general sink, it receive.? the contents of six ur- inals. At the guard house it receives the waste of the bath room,and a little farther on the guard house urinal. Each set of officers’ quarters discharges into the sewer three pipes, one each from the bath room, the kitchen sink and the urinal. At the non-commissioned staff officers.’ quarters, the sewer receives the waste from the kit- chen sinks and the bathrooms. The urinals in the closets of the officers, end the hospital are the Demarest Patent Porcelain Flat Back, Lipped Urinals with non- automatic flushers. In the general sink the old pattern, Lott Flat Back Lipped Enamelled Iron Urinals are used. Most of the sewer connec- tions are made by means of IF-inch iron pipes ’intercepted by simple 3 traps; but in a number of instances latterly, a 2-inch lead pipe suitably trapped, has been uLsed for this purpose. There are no grease traps. The waste of the settling tan Mi is dispo.sed of through a special irain as already stated, and that of the engine houlse is discharged :y its own pipes into the river. The cost of the material and labor, required for the construction of the system of fluid sewerage, was approximately $5275 00, The earth closet method is employed for the disposal of night soil. Each set of officers ’ quarters is provided with one or two earth clos- ets, the hospital has two and the large general sink contains twelve. Under each seat stands a galvanized iron pan, 18 by 24 by 18 inches, as seen in Tig.14, into which the dejections fall. Boxes of dry earth with sc:cops are provided in the closets and the excrement is kept covered and practically in- odorous. No urine separator is employed, sufficient earth being used to take up the fluid. Under the aperture in each seat is fixed a tin deflector which turns the urine back into each pan. These receptacles are washed, deodorized and disinfected at frequent intervals as required. A civilian scavenger removes their conteu.ts nightly and cart s them to a pit about a mile from the Post, where he duo:ps them. When one pit is filled, a new one is excavated Disposal of Garbage.— Back of each set of officer’s quarters and the barracks has been constructed for solid refuse a brick receptacle, four FIG.. Ih-. SECTION OF EARTH CLOSET. feet square and two feet deep, withja galvanized iron door at the top to permit dumping, and another at the front to facilitate removal of the waste which includes garbage and ashes . This is carted away dai- ly to a point near the night soil pit, where the garbage soon become'-* dedicated by the sun. The stable refuse is carted to the same point as the garbage. The piles of manure are allowed to dry here until they are readily inflam- ma’fele, when they are ignited and reduced to ashes. Description of Buildings.— Fort Einggold is an exceptionally well- built post, all the buildings, with the exception of the chapel, the Fig.15.The 'Post Hospital. Front View. hospital stewards quarters and two relics of the old Ringgold Barracks — the "Lee House” and the old quartermasters’ storehouse.-- being con- structed of brick manufactured in the vicinity. Galleries supported by Moorish arches lend a most picturesque effect to many of them. To afford relief from the reflected sunlight and heat, they are lime- washed a neutral gray. None of them except the hospital-, commissary-, and quarter-masters ’-storehouses have cellars or basements and for cli niatic rea- sons no parts of them are affected nith damp- ness. In the plan of the Fost is in dicated in a general way the ground plan of all the buildings. The Hospital, with its accessory buildings, is one of the most com- plete in the service. Built, with some deviations, upon the approved plans for the accommodation of twenty four beds, the hospital proper Fig. 18. Interior of Northeast Ward of 'Post Hospital. consists of four distinct buildings connected by galleries twelve feet wide supported by Moorish arches. The one story wards, 44 by by 14 Fig.. 17.The Tost Hospital- R-eAR View. fset , having at their outer ends a lavatory and an isolation ro.om, each 10 by 8?{ feet, flank the two story administration building, So by 55 feet, which contains on the first floor an office, a dispensary and a storeroom each 14 by 14, a storeroom, 20 by 14, and two halls res- pectively 15 by 5 and 55 by 5% feet, all 11 feet high; on the second floor are rooms and halls identical F/G., 18. PLAN OF HOSPITAL _ FIRST FLOOR. with tho.ee on the first floor, while an attic covering the whole sec- ond story is floored and shelved for storage. In the rear is the Mess Building containing a dining room, 2? by 12, a kitchen, 20 by 12, two pantries, 0 by 5, and 6 by cM, and a bathroom, 14 by 12 feet, all 11 feet high. Th&— lavatories, the rooms of the administration building, the bathroom and the kitchen are connected with the water and sewerage systems, the lat- ter by simple S-traps. li this place,where life in the open air is pos- sible all the year around,the questions of ventilation and heating cut a very insignificant figure. Fidge ven- tilation is supplied in each ward by an air shaft 15 by VL feet, ex- tending 7 feet up to the ridge, where ten small windows perir.it the fig./9, PLAN OF HOSPITAL FLOOR. FfG.20. plan of hospital.. lateral SECTION. passage of air. The windows of the ward,numerous and very large, are open the entire year and afford unlimited perflation. The amount of fresh air thus supplied to patients is entirely ample, the perfect- ventilation of the structure being shown by the entire absence of the "hospital odor”. Heat is supplied on the rare occasions when it is reeded, by a large box stove in the center of the ward, the pipe opening into a round galvanized iron chimney pass- ing up through the center cf the air shaft. Each of the rooms in the administration building is provided with a small fire- place. The hospital is enclosed by a picket fence 500 by 580 feet, the following buildings being included in the enclos- ure; the sink, the dead hou.se, the storehouse, the stable and hen house, the hospital steward's quarters and the post chapel. Fig.21.The Deadhouse. Fig*22.The Hospital Storehouse. The Sink is a brick building, 22 by 12* containing at each snd an earth closet, 4 by 10, and in the middle a urinal, 12 by 10 feet. It is 96 feet from the hospital and plans and estimates have been submit- ted for connect- ing the buildingsby a latticed corridor Fig.2c.The Hospital Storehouse with Ambulance Room. The Dead Rouse is a brick building,20 by 16 by feet with a trick floor. At- tached to it is a frame lean-to 20 by 9 feet. Estimates for connecting this build ing with the water and sewerage systems and for flooring it with impervious cement have been forwarded. The Storehouse really consists of two adjacent detached brick buildings. PLANS OF HOSPITAL STOREHOUSE Fh8 storehouse proper has two stories, the lower 10% and the upper 11% feet high; on the first floor are three rooms, 18 by 7, 18 by 18, and 16 by 9% feet, the latter covering an unused cellar 8 feet deep; the second story has three rooms, 26 by 18%, 6% by n and 12 by n feet. In the rear and northeast of this building is a one story structure, containing a disinfectant storeroom, 15% by 18K and an ambulance room, 14 (by .15%,feet, both 9% feet high. Fig.55.Hospital Steward’s Quarters. The Stable and Hen Fouse is a rude frame structure 12 by 41 feet. Tbs Hospital Steward's Quarters consist of a one story frame building, 55 by 52 feet, containing a ball 52 by 8 and four roonis, 151 by 15K feet* all 12 feet high. Galleries 8 feet deep run across the entire front and rear. The Cbapel is a frame structure 50 by 24 feet, 11 feet high at tbe saves. It is a mere shell and during tbe greater part of tbe year is consequently so bot as to be uninhabitable. It is used all so as a scbcKolbouse but is so illy adapted to both purposes that it should be torn down and replaced by a suitable brick edifice with a tiled roof. FIG.*6. PLAN OF HO$PlTl\L £TE.Wf\RD\S QUARTERS. The old Fost Trader's Building does not belong to the government, but it should be pur- chased for the use of the Fo.st lExchange which is low lo- cated in quarters so inadequate as to be an actual encouragement to mismanagement. The building has one story, is L-shaned and of brick, the Fi g- 27.The 'Post Chapel. Fig*28.The Post Trader’s Store. 116 by 18 feet,facing the barracks and the shorter, 87 by 15 feet fac- ing the hospital. It contains trelve rooms averaging 15 feet square and is constructed ver:$- conscientiously with a view to the very purposes Fig.29.The Earracks. for which the Post Exchange is designed. The Barracks are handsome two story brick buildings with tnc story galleries in front and behind, the lower gallery faced with Moorish arches. They aiie 136 by 33 feet increased on each side by the galleries, 9 feet wide. The first flscojr contains an office and a dormitory each 11 by 14 feet, a sguadroom 11 by 38K feet, three storerooms each 11 by 12 feet, a stairway Vk feet wide passing up the middle, a dining room, 49 by 23 feet, a kitchen, 11 by 21 feet and two FlGi.30.PLHH OF BARRACKS. FIRST FLOOR.. storerooms each 11 by 10 feet. The second story comprises the dormitory, 154 by 25. la&b stay is 10 feet high. Of the accessory buildings in the rear of each set of barracks the larger, built originally for a kit- chen, is 24 by 55 feet. The a third building, used for vari ous purposes, is of the same size. FlQr.31. PLAM or BftRRnCKS.SECOHD FLOOR. F'fi. 32. PLAN OF 8 ARRACKS— LATERAL. $CCTI0H.. Fi6*3?.Interior of the 'Post Exchange. Three of the four barracks are occupied by two troops of cavalry and a company of infantry. The first floor of the fourth is occupied by the tele - graph of- fice, the Post Ex- change and the Post Library, none of which are properly accommodated. The second floor and the accessory build- ings are occupied by the Seminole Negro-Indian Scouts. The General Sink for enlisted men is a one story brick building, 45 by 22 feet, with doorways, 6 feet wide at either end, protected by lattice work, three windows IP by Vk feet, five feet from the floor on either side, and ample ridge ventilation above. It accommodates twelve earth closets on one side and six urinals dm the other. It is floored with impervious Portland cement. There being no absorptive material Fig.34.The General Sink. FIG.35.Pi.AN0f GENERAL SINK. in its construction, it can be kept perfectly clean, and is at all times almost entirely free from odor .of any kind* Bakery^ Fig.cl.The Guardhouse. The Bakery is a one story building, 56 by 50 feet, containing a 'bakeroom, 54 by 16 feet with two ovens hav- ing a capacity of 150 rations each, an issue room and a baker’s room each 15k by 16 feet, and a hall 6 by 16 feet, all 10 feet high* A gallery, 9 feet wide, with ■•oorish arches ex- tends across the front The <=uard House is a one story brick build ing, 44 by 22 feet, and contalas a guard roan and a prison room each 16 by 20 feet and three cells, P by 4 feet; it has a bathroom, 12 by 15 feet in the rear, and a 12-feet dde gaUary »dth Moorish arches in front. The Adjutant’s Office is a one-story brick building, 54 by 20 feet FIG. PLAN OF GUARD HOUSE. Fig.39. The Adjutant’s Office. divided into three rooms 17 by IB feet and surrounded by a wooden gal- lery 8 feet wide. Fig.4Q.FeqrtView of Officers’ Quarters. .The Officers’ Quarters are, with two exceptions one-and-a-half story brick buildings, 54 by 59 feet, with a wooden gallery, 12 feet wide run- Fig.41.Rear View of Officers’ Quarters. FIG Ml. FIRST FLOOR. FIG m.antero-postehicr vertical srnnnu Plahs of officers' quarters. FIG 43. 5EC0MD FLOOR. ning around three sides, the structure being divided into tivo equal sets, each containing on the first floor two rooms, 18 by 18 and a hall 8 by 38 feet, ail 12 feet high; on the second floor are two room.* 18 by 18, a bathroom 8 by 13, and a hall 8 by 26 feet, all 10 feet high under the ridge and sloping to Vi feet at the front and rear. From the rear runs an extension 100 feet long and 30 feet wide en- closed in lattice work and suitably roofed; under this roof, on each side, is a dining room and a kitchen, each 10 by 10 feet, two earth closets and a urinal, two passage ways and a free space corresponding to the ordinary backyard. The half story is so low as to be almost un- inhabitable during the greater part of the year. Upon the recommendation of the medical officer, estimates have been submitted for elevating the quarters to two full stories. And on account of being entirely cut off from the prevailing wind, which blows from the southeast and brings the only relief fnom the to.irid heat of eight months of the year, the north west side of each double set of quarters is practically uninhabitable for the greater part of the year. The uselessne.ss of theise northwest quarters is an emphatic evidence of the futility oj building double sets of quarters in the southern posts Of the other two sets of quarters, the Commanding Officer's Quarters are practically the sane as two sets of ordinary quarters with a single central hall of 10 feet in width instead of two halls. Fig.45.The Commanding Officer’s Quarters. Recently a New Set of Officers*' Quarters has been constructed, con sisting of two distinct two story buildings connected by a latticed pas- sage and surrounded on tires sides by a two story gallery. The front building contains on the first floor two rooms 18 by 18 feet, a hall 22 by 10 feet and a "den” 10 by 11 feet all 15 feet high; on the second floor are two mans 18 by 16M feet, each with a closet 2 by 4 feet, a bathroom, 10 by 11, a dressing room 10 by 10 and a hall 10 by 11 feet, all 10 feet high. In the rear building is a kitchen and laundry, each 18 by 18 and on the second floor two bedrooms respectively 18 by 15% and 16 by .10% feet. There is also a roofed and latticed extension in which are the earth closets and the urinal. Fig.46.The New Two-Story Quarters. Tbe Commissary Storehouse is an exceptionally well constructed brick Fig.47,The Commissary Storehouse. building, l£p by 3c fs© t, containing two offices, 16 by 16, an issue- room, 42 by 52, a storeroom, by 52, and a cemented cellar, 48 by 52 feet. The roof of thebuilding is covered by clay tiles, over which lies a superficial layer of roofing tin, rendering it almost impervious to heat. Tie Commissary Boot House is a brick building Fig.48.Interior of Commissary Storehouse. 34 by 20 feet, with two atonies respectively 8 and p feet high, for the storage of onions and potatoes. The Quartermasters * Storehouse is & two story brick building, 20 by 20 feet with two one story flings each 80 by 20, and with a wooden back gallery, 180 by 12 feet. Back of this is a covered platform , ISO by 15 feet for temporary storage, a roadway 15K feet wide running Fi g,.49. Quartermasters * Storehouse. Fig,50.Interior of Quartermasters’ Storehouse. between it and the storehouse proper. A smaller frame storehouse is 100 by 30, twenty feet in one end being cut off for a plumber's shop. Fi o. i 1. Quarter.v,asters ’ Granary and Shops. The Blacksmith, Carpenter and Faint Shops are finely constructed one story brick buildings each 50 by 22 feet. The Granary is a similar building, 40 by 55 feet, and estimates have been submitted for doubling its length. Fig.52»The Staples. The Stables are two brick-walled enclosures, 1-34 by 225 feet. Along either side are stalls roofed over but open at the rear and sides, They will accommodate 160 horses. In the center of the quartermasters’ en- closure stands a wagon shed, IOC by 20 feet, roofed with galvanized iron and open on one end and both sides. The Engine House (Fig.6) in which the ice machine is also located, is a handsome cruciform brick building, the branches being n0 by 20 feet each with a gallery supported by Moorish arches in front. The boilers a)re situated in the northwest branch, the Dean pump for river water in the south- west branch the ice machine in the southeast branch, the Worthington Fig.53.The Ordnance Storehouse. Fig.54. Non-Commissioned Staff Officers’ Quarters. pump for clarified water in the center, and the wood-sawing apparatus in the northeast branch and the front gallery The Ordnance Magazine is a round brick building, 51 feet in diame- ter with a height at the eaves of 12 feet, four feet of which are sunken below the level of the ground, the whole structure being surrounded by a high earthen embankment, 15 feet thick; the entrance, made through an angular passage way, 4 feet wide, i.s covered by the embankment. The Non-Commissioned Staff Officers' Quarters are of brick and con- sist of a main portion, 50 by .18 feet, containing three rooms 16% by 18M, with a leanto in the rear, 12 by 18 feet. Fig.5£.The Carried Soldiers’ Quarters The Married Soldiers' Quarters are situated in a one story brick block, 205 by -38 feet, divided into twelve sets of two rooms, each .16 by 16 feet. They are paved with brick and have a porch 8 feet wide in the front and rear. T.c afford ample facilities for laundry work, a hydrant and a sewer opening is located between each two sets of quarters. The "Lee House”, cO by 18 feet, with two rooms 18 by 20 and a hall, 18 by 10 feet, is little mo=re than a ruin and will probably fall to Fics.56.The "Lee House”. pieces before many years. Two small frame structures on the river bank are occupied respectively by the engineer and the blacksmith. Food of the Troops.— The garrison is well fed. The ration, with the additional articles purchased by ample company funds, and the pro- duce of the post gardens, furnishes the men with an entirely satisfac- tory dietary. When in any instance an organization has been found to be illy fed, investigation has invariably shown gross neglect on the part of the responsible officers. The quantity has been ample, the quality satisfactory and tMe mode of preparation excellent. The following bill of fare shows the diet of the garrison for ten days, selected at ran- dom, and i& a fair example of the average food of the soldier here. Wednesday, May 3, 1893. Breakfast: Oatmeal Musk with Milk and Sugar. Irish Stew, Fried Fish. Stewed Tomatoes.Pancakes with syrup. Bread and Coffee. Dinner: vegetable Soup. Roast Beef. Gravy. Mashed Potatoes. Baked Bacon and Beans. Stewed Corn. Lettuce. Mince Pie. Bread and Coffee. Supper: Fried Beef. Meat Stew. Hamburg Steak. Fried Liver. Baked Macaroni with Cheese.Apple Sauce. Bread, Coffee and TSa. Thursday, May 4, 1893. Breakfast: Oatmeal Mush with Milk and Sugar. Eoiled Mackerel. Gravy. Boiled Eggs. Fried Onions. Bread and Coffee. J Dinner: Roast Beef'. Dried Beef. Baked Potatoes. Fried Potatoes. Cabbage. Baked Macaroni and Cheese. Pickled Beets. Stewed Corn. Radishes. Bread and Coffee. Supper: Beef Hash. Eoiled Bacon. Fried Potatoes. Boiled Potatoes. Pickled Beets. Bread and Coffee. Friday, May 5, 1893 Breakfast: Oatmeal Mush with Milk and Sugar. Irish Stew. Beef Hash. Chile con Came. Bread and Coffee. Dinner: Vermicelli Soup. Roast Beef. Gravy, Baked Potatoes. Mashed Potatoes. Stewed Tomatoes. Bread and Coffee. Sapper: Irish Stew. Codfish Balls. Eiscuit. Syrup. Rice Pudding. Bread and Coffee. Saturday, May 6., 1893. Breakfas t: Oatmeal Mush with Milk and Sugar. Beef Hash. Dried Beef. Fried Eggs. Stewed Tomatoes. Bread and Coffee. Dinner: Vegetable Soap. Roast Beef. Boiled Bacon. Scrambled Eggs. Fried Potatoes. Young Onions. Peach Pie. Bread and Coffee. Supper. Liver and Bacon. Beef Hash. Raw Tomatoes. Peach Sauce. Bread, Coffee and Tea. Sunday, May 7, .1893. Breakfast: Oatmeal Mush with Milk and Sugar. Beef Steak. Meat Stew. Gravy. Fried Potatoes. Bread and Coffee. Dinner: Baked Bacon and Beans. Roast Beef. Gravy. Baked Potatoes Plum Fudding. Ice Cream. Eread and Coffee. Supper': a-. Fried Beef. Cold Roast Beef. Gravy. Fried Potatoes. Baked Macaroni with Cheese. Apple Pie. Bread and Coffee. Monday, May &, :189 3. Breakfast: Oatmeal Mush with Milk and Sugar. Fresh Pork, Fried.Beef' Hash. Bread and Coffee. Dinner: Roast Beef. Baked Fresh Pork. Gravy. Baked Eotatoes. Cabbage. Macaroni with Cheese. Radishes. Bread and Coffee. Supper: Boil9d Salt Mackerel . Cold Baked Pork. Irish Stew. Bread, Coffee and Tea. Tuesday, May 9, .1893. Breakfast: Oatmeal Mush with Milk and Sugar. Fried Catfish. Meat and Potato Stew. Beef Hash. Bread and Coffee. Dinner: Vegetable Soup. Roast Beef. Gravy. Boiled Potatoes.Boiled Macaroni. Lettuce. Radishes. Tapioca Pudding. Bread and Coffee. Supper: Fried Beef. Gravy. Fried Potatoes. Bread. Maple Syrup and Co ffee. Wednesday, May .10, 189 3. Breakfast: Oatmeal Mush with Milk and Sugar. Beef Hash. Gravy. Sauer Kraut. Bread and Coffee. Dinner: Pea Soup. Boiled Beef. Bacon and Beans. Gravy. Baked Pota- toes. Baked Macaroni with Cheese. Cornstarch Pudding. Bread and Coffee. Supper: Beef Steak. Irish Stew. Beef Hash. Fried Potatoes. Macaroni. Mixed Pickles, Radishes. Bread, Coffee and Tea. Thursday, May ,11, 1893. Breakfast: Oatmeal Mush with Milk and Sugar. Meat Stew. Beef and Potato Hash. Scrambled Eggs. Stewed Corn. Bread and Coffee. Dinner: Vegetable Soup. Fried Beef. Boiled Bacon, Eoiled Potatoes. Cabbage. Boiled Macaroni. Pickled Beets. Lettuce. Bread and Coffee. Supper: Roast Beef. Gravy. Fried Mutton. Baked Potatoes. Fried Po- tatoes. Bread and Coffee. Friday, May 12, 1893. Breakfast. Oatmeal Mush with Milk and Sugar. Beef Hash. Codfish Hash. Bread and Coffee. Dinner: Bean Soup: Roast Beef. Gravy. Boiled Potatoes. Young onions. Lettuce. Bread and Coffee. Supper. Liver and Bacon. Boiled Hominy. Fried Potatoes. Corn Bread. Syrup, Bread and Coffee. The Gardens produce two crops a year and yield almost every veg- stable, except potatoes which can not be raised here. Pjiom time to time, deficiencies have occurred in the co Miss an; supplies, as has been noticed in the monthly sanitary reports, but it is believed that timely requisitions upon the Subsistence Department will ob- viate such troubles in future.The so-called List B of articles which ♦ the Subsistence Department will purchase for organizations upon the officers' certificate that they will pay for the goods when received, regardless of their condition or quality, would be .a most valuable adjunct to our .sources of supply; but the agreement to pay for the articles regardless of their condition permits the delivery of damaged or unsuitable goods without redress. These articles are not likely to become spoiled in the short time intervening between their purchase and their delivery, and it should be possible to return them to- the seller, unless they can be shown to have become spoiled en route. The organizations at Tort Ringgold have fair cooks and the meals are well served, a good average being preserved through frequent in- spections by the company and medical officers. Do diseases attributa- ble to toe food have appeared. The resources of the company kitchen are suppli moated at the will of the soldier by purchases from the Post Exchange, which is largely patronized and keeps, in addition to beer and tobacco, a stock of nuts and confectionary, cheese and bologna sausage* sandwiches and pies, pigs feet, pretzels and occasional other delicacies not firnisksd at the company messes. Light drinks, such as cider, gin gar ale t.J sod a water are also obtainable. Arrangements for Securing Personal Cleanliness.— Tact e©spang is provided with a rather•rudely fitted bath bouse*lb by SI feet, con- taining a zinc lined trough abo**at If by C inches by 1C feet, a shower- bath and two porcelain-lined bath tubs, Zixi, gallon toilers* attached to the k i Ooh\/li X w* xi Cr » O t vvli connected with the hath houses during the past year, but the amount of hot wateir thus supplied, while ample during the bet season, is insufficient during the cool nonths."Recommend- ations have been made for the consolidation of the three hath houses in- to a single one with abundant boiler connections, which would remedy this defect. There should not be more than one or two tubs in ths new hath house, but the number of shower baths should be increased to six or eight. The advantages of the shower bath are very striking: its econ- omy is shown by the facts that the expense of tubs is avoided, less space is demanded* less water is required, no time is needed to prepare it and tut little labor to clean it. Its greater efficiency is shown by tbs facts that both tbe mechanical of i C t of tbe des C b U d ing stream and tbe contact with none but clean water aid in tbe removal of tbe unclean particles, tbe immediate removal of tbe unclean matter vastly diminishes the danger of communicating disease, and the tonic effect — especially if cold water be used at tbe end of tbe bath —.is notably greater than that of a tub bath. The guard house has, during tbe present year been supplied with a bath room, 12 by Id feet, containing a zinc-lined tub, Tbe substitution of a shower bath for the tub i.s urged for the reasons adduced above, which are particularly weighty in this case. Tbe hospital is fitted with an exceptionally satisfactory bath room, containing two porcelain lined bath tubs with hot and cold water con- nections, . and a shower bath which will leave nothing to be desired when tbs repairs for which estimates have been submitted, are complet- ed. A lavatory at tbe outer end of each ward contains three porcelain lined washbowls with proper connections. The hot water boiler has *0 gallons capacity. Each set of officer's quarters has at the rear end of the second sto- ry hall a bath room, supplied with a zinc-lined bath tub with hot and cold water conusci»ions, the bciioi m tuc/se casus having & c&pacii*y oi 50 gallons. The laundry work is done by soldiers’ wives , living in the Fast, and by Mexican women living in the adjoining town. The prices are mod- erate and the work is well done. Clothing of the Troops — M this Fost, The clothing of the soldier is no inconsiderable item, an extra uniform being demanded by the hot Fig. E7.The Hospital Cxirps at Monthly Inspection, Showing the Full Dress Uniform from the Front. climate. In addition to the Dress and Fatigue Uniforms .‘worn in more temperate localities, the light white duck Summer Uniform is absolutely essential. So many articles of apparel are required that it is often difficult for the soldier to find storage room for them all. Nevertheless, since the issue of the summer uniform, but little complaint of the clo- thing has besn heard ; it is now worn during the greater portion of ■the year Fig.US.The Hospital Corps at Monthly Inspection, Showing the Full Dress Uniform from the Rear Fig.59. The Hospital Corps at Monthly Inspection, Showing the White Summer Uniform from the Front. The head covering is the only portion of the attire to which excep- tion is taken. The white helmet is too heavy for comfort during the Fig.60.The Hospital Corps at Monthly Inspection, Showing the White Summer Uniform from the Rear. Fig.61.The Hospital Corps at Monthly Inspection, Showing the Heavy Marching Order. very hot weather and the ordinary straw hat, obtainable in town , is not properly ventilated. The light chip helmet covered with a thin white fabric, known as the "Leavenworth Helmet”, seems to be a com- plete solution of the problem of summer headgear. This hat is per- mitted to be worn in the Fost and is kept on sale at the Post Exchange. Its issue by the quartermaster s’ department is recommended. Preventable Causes of Disease.— Frequent oases of small pox occur among the Mexicans of the country surrounding the Post. Eut the effic- ient vaccination of the garrison has prevented its introduction among the trdops. The contagion of a mild form of gonorrhoea, however, is not so easily avoided. This disease is extremely prevalent among the enlisted men, although the cases rarely come under the observation of the medical officer, unless some of the sequelae develop; bubo is the most common complication and is a frequent entry upon the sick-report. The number of loose women in the town is about equal to the strength of the garrison and the social evil is proportionately rampant. Many of the men go through a form of marriage with the wretched creatures and assume positions at the head of families varying in size from one to a dozen. Pith regard to the use of intoxicants, this command apparently maintains about the same average as others. While perhaps the amount of actual inebriety is not greater thanUt was prior to the estab- lishment of the Post Exchange, careful and unprejudiced observation has enforced the conviction that the facilities afforded by that in- stitution are a direct encouragement to tippling and extravagance. It is a simple law of ethics that temptation is the stronger in the pres- ence of the coveted object. When an officer assumes charge of the Post Exchange here it has been observed that his Exchange bill is habitually more than doubled.. The enlisted men now make few deposits with the paymaster. The conspicuous existence of tire Post Exchange with its alluring opportunities for exhilaration, is a constant temptation to the soldier, drawing largely both upon his leisure and his purse The main occupation there is beer drinking and even when other amuse- ments are in the lead, that beverage is invariably an important access, sory. Steady drinking without much extreme intoxication is the rule. Post of the drunkenness occurs in "chronics”, who are weeded out as rapidly as legal measures will permit. Drill and other forms of Post duty have a favorable effect upon the health of the garrison. Field duty in a number of instances has been productive of sickness directly due to impure water, exposure or over- exertion. In the sunnier months, any hind of labor during the heated portion of the day, affects the troops deleteriously, and for that reason it has :been customary to suspend all duty except the neces- sary guard in the middle of the day and in the early afternoon; in this case, however, it would be rather the climate than the duty that would be responsible for the unfavorable effect upon the health of the command. Post Gymnasium.— There is no gymnasium properly speaking. In the chaparral between the port trader's store and the barracks, some crude N gymnastic apparatus has been erected, consisting of a leaping rope, a vertical pole, a horizontal beam, a horizontal bar, parallel bars, a trapeze, a pair of rings, etc.. They are not very popular with the men, who require encouragement and tuition in order to develop an interest in athletics. A course of instruction in physical training had been arranged for the last two winters, but on each occasion, the prolonged absence of most of the garrison in the field has rendered the plan inoperative. It is believed that the introduction and extension of systematic physical training will be of incalculable benefit to both officers and men. In December, 'lpo2, a special report by the writer to the Surgeon General on the Building of the Soldier, contained a detail- ed consideration of the advantages of military physical training epit- omizing the results as follows: "The influence of the enlargement of the chest alone can not be computed; the greater expansion permitted to the lungs, the greatei play allowed the heart, the greater amount of ox- ygen introduced into the system, the greater excretion of effete matter Fig.c2.The Tost Gymnasium. from the blcod, with their secondary effect upon every cell and organ of the body can not be expressed. The increased girth of the extremities is not the only factor in their added strength, for it does not take into account the firmness and contractile power gained enen before the growth began. The quickened sympathy between the brain and the muscles can not be shown by any test. The suppleness, the agility, the self-confidence, that have developed, can not be expressed by any figures. The added - keenness of perception, tie comfort, joy, delight, which existence itself gives, can not be estimated, much less represented”. Physical training might with advantage be substituted for much of the drill, which the soldier now goes through jrith in a merely perfunctory manner. With the accentuated mental activity and increased physical self-control obtained from the previous bodily culture, a far greater efficiency in drill could be obtained in a much less time than is now required, leaving the remain- ing and larger portion for the development of a well-balanced and com- plete manhood. Conclusion.-- From the foregoing consideration, it will be seen that Fort Finggold is situated in an arid country with an exasperating cli- mate, some compensation for which is present in a Post of exceptionally complete construction and unusually thorough equipment. But neither con- venience of construction nor perfection of equipment can make Fort Fing- gold an agreeable station; they can only mitigate a condition of discom- fort. Its inaccessibility, its ever-present drouth, its never-absent dust, its b la: zing heat for eight months , and its rapid thermo metrical variations for four are all elements in a most tryijzg whole. The Medical Director has recommended that no troops be retained, at this Post for a longer period than two years, and the mental debility, moral alienation, and physical degeneracy, habitually resulting from a prolonged residence 'here, confirm the wisdom of his opinion. I am, Sir, very respectfully yc/ur oxedisnlO^rvant, Captpin Medical Department, U.S.'Aru$, Post Surgeon.