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2d Session.

No. 52.

WILLIAM G. PRESTON.

[To accompany bill H. R. No. 611.]

JANUARY 30, 1855.

Mr. FAULKNER, from the Committee on Military Affairs, made the fol

lowing REPORT.

The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred House bill No. 611, for the relief of William G. Preston, have, according to order, had the same under consideration, and submit the following report:

It appears that the memorialist was the captain of the late company H, Arkansas mounted volunteers, in the Mexican war; that he raised said company and enrolled it at Ozark, in Arkansas, and marched it to Washington, in the said State, where it was mustered into the service of the United States. It is proven that the company consisted of seventy-nine men, the subsistence for which, and the forage for the horses, he furnished at his own expense, whilst marching from Ozark to Washington, a distance of 185 miles.

The memorialist charges for eleven days' subsistence of his men, at 45 cents each per day, and for ten days' forage of his horses, at 20 cents each per day, making his claim amount, in the aggregate, to $538 05. The committee think that the charge for the forage of the horses is proper, but that the charge for the subsistence of the men is too high, 25 cents per day being, in the opinion of the committee, an ample price for the subsistence of a man.

The committee, therefore, report a bill in lieu of the original bill, giving to the memorialist the sum of three hundred and seventy-five dollars and twenty-five cents.

2d Session.

No. 53.

SALE OF SITE U. S. ARSENAL, FAYETTEVILLE, N. C. [To accompany Joint Resolution No. 51.]

JANUARY 30, 1855.

Mr. FAULKNER, from the Committee on Military Affairs, made the fol

lowing REPORT.

The Committee on Military Affairs, having had under consideration the propriety of recommending the sale of a portion of the site of the arsenal at Fayetteville, North Carolina, and the application of the proceeds to the purchase of another piece of land, adjoining the east front of the arsenal grounds, respectfully report:

The following letters, from the War Department, are submitted as more fully exhibiting the propriety of such sale and purchase, than anything the committee might say, and recommend the adoption of the accompanying joint resolution, giving the assent of Congress to such sale and purchase.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 3, 1855.

SIR: I have the honor to submit, herewith, for the consideration of the Committee on Military Affairs, a report from the Colonel of Ordnance, enclosing one from Brevet Major T. T. S. Laidley, ordnance corps, recommending the sale of a portion of the site of the arsenal at Fayetteville, N. Č., and the application of the proceeds to the purchase of another piece of land, adjoining the east front of the arsenal grounds.

Concurring in the opinion expressed in these reports, that the proposed sale and purchase would be advantageous to the public interest, I recommend the introduction of a joint resolution, giving authority to this department to carry the measure into execution. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. C. J. FAULKNER,

JEFF'N DAVIS,
Secretary of War.

Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, Ho. Reps.

ORDNANCE OFFICE, Washington, December 28, 1854. SIR: The enclosed letter from Brevet Major Laidley, recommending the sale of a portion of the site of the arsenal at Fayetteville, N. C., and the application of the proceeds to the purchase of a piece of land adjoining the east front of the arsenal grounds, is respectfully submitted. That portion of the site which it is proposed to sell, is not required for any public purpose. The disposition which Major Laidley proposes to make of it, and the application of the proceeds, as recommended by him, will be advantageous to the public interest, and it is desirable that these measures should be authorized. This will require the action of Congress, and I would suggest and recommend that steps be taken to obtain the requisite legislation for this end; which may be done most readily and conveniently, it is thought, by the passage of a joint resolution, declaring that the assent of Congress is given to the sale of such portion of the site of the United States arsenal at Fayetteville, N. C., as in the opinion of the Secretary of War may not be required for public purposes, and to the application of the proceeds of such sale, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to the purchase of such additional land for the use of that arsenal, as the Secretary of War may deem necessary. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. JEFF'N DAVIS,

H. K. CRAIG,

Colonel of Ordnance.

Secretary of War.

NORTH CAROLINA ARSENAL, Fayetteville, December 18, 1854.

COLONEL: I beg leave, respectfully, to call your attention to the propriety of purchasing for the United States the parcel of ground lying in front, or to the east, of the public grounds at this place.

As it is contemplated to build a wall on the present eastern limit, the consideration of the purchase, prior to the erection of this wall, is important.

A few reasons which I shall offer to your consideration will show why this piece of ground is wanted, and the advantages to accrue to the United States by its possession.

In the first place, it is much required to drain the arsenal square. It is the only falling ground contiguous to this part of the public land, and through this land is the natural and easiest escape for the water that falls on the main buildings and the space enclosed by them. As yet, no general system of drainage has been adopted, and one great reason for it is the difficulty to say where the water shall be conducted. We are not at liberty to lead it by the easiest, shortest, and only good way, through the plot of ground which it is proposed to purchase, to a small stream; and thus far it has been permitted to stand or make such escape as it can find. This piece of ground is also deemed necessary to insure the health of the arsenal grounds; it is

skirted by a fringe of trees, which is agreed by all as being of great importance in preserving the healthiness of the place, by keeping off miasmatic fogs, which arise from the low grounds and settle on the lower part of the hill. This ground belonging to persons not interested in the preservation of these trees, so important to the health of the public grounds, they may at any time be destroyed, and the arsenal suffer the consequences by being rendered very unhealthy. This ground is on the hill-side, and the declivity is so great, that it is not probable that it will ever be valuable for fine houses, but must always be used for inferior buildings or low dwellings. It is now, with one exception, used exclusively for negro dwellings.

It is proposed to sell the portion of the public land marked a, b, c, d, which is not particularly required for any special purpose, and which has risen in value much within a few years, and to apply the proceeds to the purchase of the parcel marked e, f, g, h,-to close the road A, and deflect it to B, by improving and grading the present street B. I am told there will be no difficulty in getting permission from the county court to do this, by making the street B a good road of easy grade, which can be done for a small sum. This will give a free space in front of the quarters, now very public and much annoyed by disagreeable neighbors, will insure the healthiness of the post, will give a good escape for all the water falling on the square, and conduce much to the beauty of the place.

This proposed purchase has been recommended by two of my predecessors, in the most earnest terms.

Very respectfully, I am, Colonel, your obedient servant,
T. T. S. LAIDLEY,
Brevet Major Commanding.

Colonel H. K. CRAIG,

Ordnance Office, Washington, D. C.

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