The Army's Top General Scouts Magnolia Bluff for Puget Sound's Defenses

Lieut. Gen. John M. Schofield, of the United States army, spent a short time in the city yesterday morning on his way to Alaska with a party of friends, and spoke freely of the great future of the Puget Sound country, of the government's intention to fortify the strategic points of the Pacific coast, of the great importance of Magnolia bluff as the site for the Puget Sound army post and of the military policy of the United States in general. He promised to make a longer stay here on his return from Alaska in about ten days.

The general and his party arrived on the steamer and did not leave the vessel, and are now on the way to Alaska, the steamer only stopping a short time to load freight. On his return from Alaska the general will stay in this city and inspect the proposed site at Magnolia bluff for the new United States military post. He will also run over to the government dry dock at Port Orchard and other points of interest in the vicinity of Seattle.

A reception committee consisting of Gen. A. V. Kautz, E. O. Graves, J. W. Clise, I. A. Nadeau and C. J. Smith called on Gen. Schofield on the post and passed half an hour in pleasant conversation.

Gen. Schofield returns here in about ten days. He will probably be entertained at the home of Gen. Kautz, who is an old friend of his.

Speaking of the subject, he said: "It is no secret that the United States government intends to place defenses on her coast lines, both on the Atlantic and Pacific, in such a way that the commerce of the country will not suffer in case of war with any foreign nation. The Atlantic coast is pretty well defended, though improvements are constantly being made at different points. The defenses of the Pacific coast are as yet comparatively in an embryo state, but they will be pushed as rapidly forward from this time as circumstances will permit. Of course the main points of defense will be where the large centers of population are and where commerce and trade are building up large cities which will need protection in time of war. San Francisco harbor, the mouth of the Columbia river and the entrance to Puget sound I consider the three important points on the Pacific coast where batteries must be erected and every measure taken to protect the commerce and shipping interests centered along those lines."

"The situation of Puget sound is admirably adapted for shore defense, and will as soon as our batteries are put in place and are in working order be absolutely safe from the attacks of any foreign fleet in case of war. Batteries will be erected on Point Wilson, just at the mouth of the Straits of Juan de Fuca, and also on Admiralty head, just as you pass on Whidbey Island. These two shore batteries, another on Marrowstone point, just south of Port Townsend, will serve to render it impossible for a hostile fleet to come into the Sound through the straits. The two points commanding the entrance to Port Orchard will also be fortified and batteries placed so as to protect the dry dock and naval station from an attack by water."

"Magnolia bluff, on the north of you here, where you wish to have the Sound military post located, is a splendid point of defense, and runs from there could the waters clear across and protect the city in case of a hostile fleet gaining an entrance past the batteries at the mouth of the straits."

Turning his attention to the Sound country, its climate, scenery and business outlook, he said: "You certainly have a wonderful country out here in the Northwest. Long ago I recognized its coming greatness in a commercial sense, and there is now no doubt in my mind that a period of prosperity will soon set in. What caused your boom out here was that many other men saw what I long ago recognized to be the case, that the Sound would one day be one of the greatest commercial centers in the world. So many people came in here and each person wanted to get all he could, and the consequence was that for the time being some kinds of property were forced into a fictitious value and the fall had to come. The country is all right, however, and I think Seattle will one day become one of the world's centers of commerce and trade."