180 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 176 



to stock. Much of the grass cover here appeared to be of native 

 prairie grasses. 



The construction of Fort Stevenson appears to have been ac- 

 complished by contract with civilians, assisted by soldiers detailed 

 for the purpose from time to time. In August, 1867, de Trobriand 

 noted that civilian employees numbered 40 persons, of the 260 

 persons at the post. The masons were for the most part civilians 

 (de Trobriand, 1951, p. 43). There are, however, a few suggestions 

 of poor building practices, such as the placement of chimneys 

 upon joists in certain instances, rather than upon separate footings. 

 The practical lessons learned in the process of manufacture of the 

 adobe bricks here are also of interest in this connection. General de 

 Trobriand recorded that there was some experimentation with these 

 bricks before their manufacture and use were mastered (de Trobriand, 

 1951, p. 335). This fact suggests that, even if made under the direc- 

 tion of an experienced person, the experience had not extended to 

 this immediate region, and may have been obtained elsewhere. In 

 connection with the poor building practices mentioned, there is the 

 related matter of the suitability of the plans for the buildings, and 

 the adequacy of planning prior to actual construction. There is evi- 

 dence that adobe brick were not entirely suitable for masonry here. 

 This masonry seems at first to have been left exposed to the weather, 

 and the walls were said to have tended to crack (Mattison, 1951, 

 p. 30). This was undoubtedly a result of the inferior quality of 

 the bricks manufactured, as well as of the misuitability of adobe brick 

 for use in exposed walls in the climate of this region. 



Despite the more obvious shortcomings of planning and actual 

 construction of Fort Stevenson, and the obvious haste that was re- 

 quired in 1867 to complete the work, had the buildings been properly 

 cared for during use, had there been no disastrous fires, and had 

 surviving buildings not been actually misused, they should have been 

 sound enough to stand for many years longer than they did. The 

 buildings had, by 1897, served a useful purpose during a frontier 

 period. Tliis frontier period was already over by 1897 and the needs 

 of permanent settlers of the region found little place for undertak- 

 ings such as the preservation of historic sites and buildings. 



EXCAVATIONS OF INDIVIDUAL SITE UNITS 



HOSPITAL 



The post hospital of Fort Stevenson was located at the southeast 

 corner of the parade ground, separated from the nearest building by 

 an "alley" of 20 feet, which seems to have been a standard distance 

 between all the major structures. This building faced on the parade, 

 and matched the Offices (or Headquarters Building), of identical 

 (reversed) plan, on the opposite (north) side. Like all the larger 



