San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-10
CAMP STODDARD.
THE BOYS HARD AT WORK.

A Hole i'm The WaII--Stin Bad Food
Furnished-Genera Camp
Routine, Etc.
By this time the men are we'll shak-
en- down in the ordinary routine of
camp life at Camp Stoddard, and
what time remains will be put in at
hard work. One week is q short Pc
Rod for a camp of instruction and it
should be at least ten days or two
weeks.
In speaking of this subject General
Roberts said that the first week
would afford just enough time to get
everything Strengthened out and
just about the time that he would get
we'll to work. he would have to quit.
Two weeks put in on dead stretch
would be of more value in the matter
of learning the men the duties
of war than three consecutive
yearly encampments. Constant prac-
tice is the best teacher, and the
soldiers are showing daily improve
ment in battalion and regimental
drills, but the time is too limited to
attain any thing like the desired
standard.
Yesterdays CAMP LIFE.
AS far as work is concerned, the
routine of the camp affords
nothing new to report. After
the dinner hour comes, the lazy
season, when everybody seeks
| the shade and avoids eXertlon and
the heat Of the sun as much as possi-
BILE. AS bathing at this hour is pro-
hlbited the men are driven to other
sources of diversions which seems to
be universally found in the national
game, poker and the shady part of
the camp, along the river bank was
| thickly dotted with parties more or
less interested in the sport. At none
| of these improvised joints could
be seen any Crooks" as currency
designated by any other name, the
stakes being largely cigarettes and
grains of corn for chips Some few of
the companies had their men at work
cleaning quarters, and some other
| too indisposed to work in the sun,
delegated this work to hired assis-
| tants, Some few of the men could be
seen cleaning their accourtrements
| and getting ready for inspection,
which ACQUIRED at Sa. m. this morning.
The water supply of the camp, for
the most part put in barrels, exposed
to the sun, furnished a theme for I'M
favorable comment. 1t was under
stood that every company was to be
allowed forty pounds of ice per day,
but the men of the Third regiment
say that they have not had particle
of it since being in camp. If any Of
the barrels are overlooked it is
the fault of the man who de-
livers the ice as he has orders for a
sufficient supply, and has orders to
place the company allowance in each
barrel, but has been known to report
all barrels full and TO return with half
his load, whereas the entire second
brigade had been scautily attended
to. Finding no inviting drinks in the
camp the men turned their attention
| elsewhere bus the vendors
of drinks who held exclusive privil-
eyes had the price very high, for an
inferior article. Some parties whom
the management Of the grounds
threaten to prosecute for fence break
ing, removed a couple Of planks from
the fence and near it they improvised
beer dispensary. Immediately on
the establishment of this institution
it was visited by a constant
stream of hot and tired militia
men. and lively trade was the
result which continued until the
camp authorities discovered and put
stop to it by detailing four sentinels
to stand guard and prevent egress,
and "the hole in the walln became a
thing of the past, as far as its free use
was concerned. The difficulty of OBJ
tanning liquid supplies other than
those supplied by the camp
was largely obviated by pass
ing out men in citizens clothes,
who succeeded in smuggling into
camp q considerable quantity Of the
Pride of Gdmbrinas. The sentries
had orders to prevent any body from
gong through "the hole in the wall"
but regular U. 3. A. Soldier, but
many of the militia men essayed
passage only to be rebuffed.
THE DRESS PARADE.
After a preliminary battalion drill
the tire available force of the camp
were marched out for dress parade,
and greater display was made than
the day before. The grand stand and
adjacent grounds were packed with
spectators. The Belknap rifles ap-
peared for the first time in their new
uniforms, and as they passed in the
review, the crowd In the grand stand