to the Secretary of War by joint resolution No. 46, approved June 25, 1838, to remove any buildings thereafter erected upon United States lauds at Fort Monroe whenever the Secretary should deem such removal necessary, and the suggestion was then made that the removal of the hotels might well be deemed necessary if their proprietors did not provide a satisfactory system of sewerage. It was then stated that with the approval of the Secretary of War the following action would be taken: Notice will be given to all parties occupying, erecting, or about to erect buildings not belonging to the United States and on the military reservation of Fort Monroe, that the amended plans called for by letter of the Secretary of War, dated March 6, 1891, must be submitted for his approval on or before September 1, 1892; that the plans, when and as approved, must be executed and the sewerage system put in complete operation within six months after approval by the Secretary of War, and that upon failure to comply with either of these requirements action will be taken under the authority of the joint resolution above stated. The letter of March 6, 1891, referred to in the Chief of Engineers' indorsement, was one addressed by Hon. Redfield Proctor, Secretary of War, to Mr. George C. Gorham, secretary of the Old Point Comfort Hotel Company, being a reply to a letter of Mr. Gorham, dated February 28, 1891, submitting on behalf of the property owners at Fort Monroe plans for a system of sewerage proposed to be used by them jointly with the Government. The suggestions of the Chief of Engineers being approved, I was directed to carry them out. A circular letter was therefore sent to the various nonmilitary residents notifying them that the plans must be submitted before September 1, 1892, and the system be put in operation within six months after approval by the Secretary of War, and that upon failure to comply with either of these requirements action would be taken under the joint resolution to remove the buildings. June 30, 1892, the post surgeon again made a report upon the sanitary condition of the post, which, after passing through the various military channels and being referred to me, was returned to the Chief of Engineers September 1, 1892, with the information that as no plans of sewerage had been received up to date, the proprietors of the three hotels had been notified to proceed at once to remove their buildings. Under further instructions the same notice was sent to all the other nonmilitary residents. Many letters were received from the parties at. interest, protesting on various grounds against the action of the Secretary of War, but only the Chamberlin Hotel, an unfinished and unoccupied building, was excepted, with a proviso that a full compliance with the requirements of the War Department should be a condition precedent to further work upon the hotel. September 5, 1892, the Surgeon-General addressed a letter to the Secretary of War upon this same subject, urging immediate action. Upon this letter the War Department indorsed that it was understood the Chief of Engineers had abandoned the idea of having a common system for the Government and private parties, and had determined that there should be one system for the Government and another for private parties; that if such a plan was to be carried out there ought to be no delay in constructing and putting in operation the Government system, at least to the full extent of the appropriation. The question being raised as to whether the $25,000 available-the wording of the act being "For construction, complete, of a sewerage system"-could be expended, as suggested by the Secretary of War, in the construction of a system the completion of which would require an additional appropriation, it was referred to the Acting Judge-Advocate-General, who gave it as his opinion that it would be in violation of the law which contemplated the completion of the system with the appropriation made, it evidently being the intention of Congress to limit the cost of the work to that amount. September 14, 1892, a Department letter was received requesting a report as to what action, if any, had been taken under the directions of the Secretary of War of October 29, 1891, in regard to the plan or suggestions as to what each hotel or private company and individual should be required to do in the matter of providing a system of sewerage for the private buildings on the reservation, and if no plan had been submitted, to submit one as early as practicable. In reply to this a report was submitted, September 16, 1892, outlining a plan for a sewerage system for the nonmilitary residents and making suggestions for the method of apportioning the cost. A plan having been submitted by the Hygeia Hotel Company, the War Department, under date of September 15, 1892, indorsed on the communication that it might be impossible for the proprietors of that hotel to secure the coöperation of all the others, that they ought not to be held responsible for the refusal or neglect of others, and that the plan submitted for their own hotel should be considered and acted upon. Being referred to this office for remark and recommendation, objection was made to allowing exceptions to be made to the original plan of a joint system for all nonmilitary residents; that the Chamberlin Hotel had already been excepted by order of the Secretary of War, and if another exception were made in favor of the Hygeia Hotel the Sherwood House would demand the same priviledge, and, as the Catholic Church and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company, had already made the same request, we should soon have as many separate systems as residents, and the condition of affairs would soon be as objectionable as the present. It was recommended that the plan of a joint system be adhered to. This being approved by the Chief of Engineers, the Acting Secretary of War directed that the time for removing buildings be extended to October 31, 1892, it being the hope that by that time the plans. would be fully perfected and agreed upon and that the work could be done in four months thereafter, thus bringing all parties-and perhaps the Government-into one system. It was then directed, September 28, 1892, to submit as soon as practicable a plan for the entire sewerage of Fort Monroe, with estimates of cost of construction and with schedules of distribution of cost and expense of running and maintenance. Notification was sent at once to all the parties of the extension of time to October 31, 1892. Many plans were submitted by these people, but no joint or common plan. October 26, 1892, a plan was submitted by this office for a joint system of sewerage for the entire reservation, at a total estimated cost of $75,000, with suggested regulations for the use of the system, estimated cost of maintenance, and a suggestion for a bill providing for the preservation, repair, and maintenance of the system, and a project for apportioning the cost based upon the number of occupants of the various buildings. The nonmilitary residents having expressed a willingness to comply with the orders of the Secretary of War and a readiness to coöperate with the Government in a joint system, it was recommended that they be notified to deposit the sum apportioned to each in a national bank to the credit of the Secretary of War. It was also suggested that, in view of the peculiar situation of affairs, special jegislation might be necessary. Attempts were made to secure the necessary legislation, a bill being drafted for the purpose by the Assistant Secretary of War, but the bill was not reported; no additional money was appropriated, nor was the $25,000 already allotted made available. No work can therefore be done. Money statement. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended July 1, 1893, balance unexpended Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... $24, 902. 10 24, 902. 10 75,000.00 75,000.00 APPENDIX No. 7. POST OF WILLETS POINT, NEW YORK-UNITED STATES ENGINEER SCHOOL-BATTALION OF ENGINEERS-ENGINEER DEPOT. REPORT OF LIEUT. COL. W. R. KING, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1893. UNITED STATES ENGINEER SCHOOL, Post of Willets Point, New York Harbor, July 17, 1893. GENERAL: I have the honor to forward herewith duplicate annual report on the post of Willets Point, New York Harbor; the United States Engineer School; the Battalion of Engineers, and Engineer Depot, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, W. R. KING, Lieutenant-Colonel of Engineers. Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. I.-POST OF WILLETS POINT. At the close of the fiscal year the garrison consisted of 21 commissioned officers and 335 enlisted men, including the following general staff and infantry officers: Maj. Egon A. Koerper, surgeon, U. S. Army. Capt. William P. Kendall, assistant surgeon, U. S. Army. Second Lieut. Edward F. McGlachlin, jr., Fifth Artillery. Second Lieut. Walter M. Whitman, First Cavalry. |