Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1917 — Workmen Hurry Work On New Barracks at Fort. [ARTICLE]

Workmen Hurry Work On New Barracks at Fort.

Preparation for the housin'* of the members of the officers’ reserve corps at Fort Benjamin Harrison is being made as rapidly as 600 workmen can carry on the work of constructing new barracks. These barracks are ■being erected just east of the permanent barracks, and will provide quarters for men from Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. The Indiana men, according to present plans, will be quartered in the permanent barracks. When the reserve corps camp opens next Monday it is expected that there will be nearly 5,000 men at the fort. The new 'buildings will cost $200,000, and'will include barracks, mess 'halls, kitchen and bathhouses for two regiments. The number of new buildings to be completed by Monday is 156. The barracks are arranged facing north and south in groups of eight, with a 125-foot street between each group. _ Each barrack will house a platoon, making two barracks to a company. The mess halls are constructed separately. There is a mess hall for every two barracks. Bathhouse, laundry room and lavatory are combined in one building for each company. A complete system of plumbing is being installed so that the men will have none of the inconveniences in keeping clean that fell to the lot of the men who were mobilized last June for border service. With quarters built to order and every arrangement made to reduce ■the 'Wardships generally attendant upofi camp life, it is anticipated by officers that there will be little trouble in keeping the men busv practically all the time in drills and study, preparatory to the examinations which will be given at .the end of three months.