Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-09-03
TROUSERS BY THE DOZEN.
West Point Cadets Keep the washwoman
Busy.-12O Pairs of White Trousers,

Busy.-12O Pairs of White Trousers.
The light battery drill this evening,
says West Point dispatch to the NeU
York Times, was an effective display OF
motion and noise. The exhibition is
one of the few among those usually ar
ranged for the graduating ceremonies
that afford the participants equal en-
joyment with the spectators. The ca.
diets were brimful of enthusiasm as
they rolled rapidly over the plain on
jolting gun-wagons, running, jumping.
charging, wheeling, and firing volley
after volley until their forms were lost
to view in the smoke and their shouts
indistinguishable in the cchoing roar Of
cannon. Gen. Sheridan remarked,
when he watched the same drill a wear
ago, that the cadets were at a great
disadvantage in having TO use cavalry
horses for artillery drill. Three months
practice year, all that can be spared
for this drill, does not take enough
friskiness out of the animals to prevent
them from doing great many stupid
an6 annoying things that trained ar
tillery horses would never dream Of
The third class men acted as cannon
GERS and the first class men as mounted
officers, the whole under the general
ship of Lieut.. Price. A little rain at
midday was an excellent thing for the
visitors, but made the roads ruinous to
the cadets white duck trousers.
1t is constant source of. wonder to
civilians here how the cadets manage
to keep their starched leggear so spot
lessly clean. A cadet comes out to guard
mount, runs around the barracks for
an hour or two, sits on dusty benches,
and then walks into the recitation
room with his white trousers as free
from dirt and creases as though they
had just come from the ironing board.
'Why, " said one lady to-day, as she saw
the cadets marching to dinner, my
boy wouldn't be fit to be seen after he
had worn such trousers five minutes.
AS it is punishable offense to wear
dirty trousers the cadets are somewhat
careful, and each one changes four or
five times day if necessary. Three
pairs day is considered economical.
Every cadet has anywhere from thirty
to fifty pairs of white trousers, and he
is allowed fourteen pairs in each weeks
wash. The cadet adjutant, who is called
upon at times to make a little more
display of himself than his comrades in
the ranks, is permitted to send eigh-
teen pairs to the washwoman every
week, and he doesn't have to worry
about the wash-bill, either.
There is a curious etiquette among
the cadets as to the disposal of their
trousers when they leave the academy.
If a young man is at all popular some
of his comrades bequeath him their
trousers as a token of respect and re-
membrance. The shortest cadet in the
graduating class has an accumulation
OF 12O pairs which have come to him in
this way, and he has to hang them all
up in his room. AS the trousers sell
dom wear out, except at the bottom of
the legs, they are sent to the commits
sary's department to be treated
after a fashion customary in families
where growing boys overbalance q
limited income. The littlest fellow in
the corps at present is Jose Victor
Zavala, from Guatemala, who is very
popular for his patience and his pecu-
Garities. AS a mark of their regard
the entire first class are talking of
giving him their white trousers next
week. Should they really do so the
little South American will have to find
pegs for nearly 1000 pairs of trousers.
Gen. Merritt visited the official board
at its regular sitting this morning, and,
as he knows what improvements he
wants about the post much better than
anyone can tell him, he offered one or
two suggestions, which the members
in their report may give the prominence
OF recommendation. After the meet
ing Gen. Merritt and Commandant
Hasbrouch walked with the visitors
around the post. The members of the
board made somewhat superficial in
spection which will guide them in the
more thorough committee work to fol-
low. One suggestion made by Gen.
Merritt was that new separate build
ing be put up for the chemical and ply
sical laboratories. These departments
are now jammed into one corner of the
academic building, which is taxed to
its limit by several recitation rooms,
museum, and gymnasium. The
of the school, and as there seems to be
no practicable way of charging the
academic building-one of the Oldest
on the post-it is thought better to
ask congress to appropriate money
enough to put up new building. Gen.
Merritt also dropped a hint as to the
insufliciency of apparatus in the gymna-
SUM, mentioned that more room was
required in the laundry, and called at
tention to the fact that the married SOL
diers among the enlisted troops sta
toned here wanted seventeen more
small houses to live in. In their sub
sequent ramblings when they have
more leisure the three congressman
will have more time to thoroughly di-
gest the generals hints and determine
how large demand if any, it will be
advisable to make upon the public
purse.