Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-01-15 | Page 12 | Major Sumerall to Inspect Range

MAJOR SUHEii TO liPECT RANGE Federal Artillery Chief Is Coming to Look Over Jor- dan Narrows Tract. In order to inspect the United States military reservation just below Jordan Narrows, which the federal government lias In view as an artillery target range for federal and state artillery units in the west, Major Charles P. Summerall, chief of artillery of the United States army, with headquarters at Washington, is due to arrive in Salt Lake this week, according accord-ing to iiis correspondence with former Adjutant Ad-jutant General E. A. Wedgwood, which has been turned over lo Major G. W. Williams, the present adjutant general of Utah. The government two years ago laid aside IS, 700 acres of land eighteen miles out of Salt Lake, with a view of holding it for artillery practice. At that time military experts pronounced it ideal in al! respects for a practice ground for this service, but this is the first time the war department has been able to spare its chief expert, to make a personal Inspection. In-spection. Target grounds for missiles projected from modern field artillery are naturally difficult to secure, especially within reasonable reas-onable distance of communities of t he size of Salt Lake and with other conditions condi-tions fulfilled. The Jordan Narrows grounds are ideally located on three railroads, the interurban, the Denver & Rio Grande and the Salt Lake Route. This completely solves the transportation problem, both for the equipment, horses and men. The country selected is hilly and said to be topographically ideal for this type of work. The facilities for indirect fire and like important tactics are said not to be surpassed on any range in the country. About the only improvement required, according to local military men, would be the installation of a water system and housing for the equipment which would necessarily he brought here complete com-plete by the visiting commands. "The establishment of an artillery-range artillery-range by the federal government at this site would mean much for Salt Lake," said Major Williams last night, "It would bring here large numbers of men during the open weather season, and great quantities of supplies would be purchased here. Furthermore, it would give Salt Lake invaluable publicity throughout the country." Arrangements for the entertainment of "Major Summerall will not be made until his arrival, because the local military officials do not know how long he can remain re-main in the city.