The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-06-13

evsrv month, and rs 4 rule they are
Young men OF good character, without
bad habits At the present rate. oil en-
lytmort, the sanding oiny is Just
abou: holding its own, the number as
charRcd each year on account OF eEptra
ton Of term, injuries received IN INC
service, ETC., being just about equal 70
the number enlisted.
An INr.LlIaEScER reporter called on
Captain Gregory Barrett at the staten
on Sfaln street yesterday to as \ q low
cuceticas OIL tho subject. Captain Bar
gytt was at leisure, aud ir reply to q
question as to whether they ever man,
aend to scare up a romance Of any Elnd
about tie stet;on or in connection witt!
any OK the recruits, he rcPlisd that the
army was en- intensely practical thing,
WITH no women in il, and how could
there BIZ q romance without womanP
A romance being out OF the question,
tie reporter a7xed for a litYss lntorma-
Nou en- the practical side of 1t.
Captain Barrett is in command OF the
statiaa and has four men under him
WHO perform the duties Of the office.
There is enough for them all to do, eS'
aiming applicants, keeping tho house
III order and standing guard Of the
door. OF the applicants who come to
the Wheeling station, great majority
come from the country roundabout.
PHYSICAL DEFECTS.
or those who apply fully fifty pei
cent are found unacceptable on account
Of physical defects, and the particular
defect that debars most OF them is IN
inability to see we'll. The man who be,
comes United States soldier must be
very nearly perfect throughout. His
legs and arms must be entirelyfree from
blemishes. Swollen leaders, ruptured
blood vessels, sprains and such de-
fccts, that would hardly keep man out
Of any other profession, debar him from
Uncle Sans army. He must not have
corns on the bottoms Of his feet, either, tol
the surgeons have decided that corns Of
that kind cannot be cured. He may have
corns on top OF his feet, for they can be
cured, but he is liable to play out atany
time II the callous spot is on the sole.
The recruits enlisted here are, rs a
rule. very good class OF men. They
enlist for all sorts OF reasons. Some are
the sons of old soldiers, who have i'm
bibed the warlike spirit Of their fathers
and yearn for taste Of army life. Many
Of them are tired OF the quiet farm life
they have led, and enlist simply for q
change OF scene and change OF life
Some are farm hands and day laborers,
who have nothing better to hope to1
here. The pay in the army all things
considered, Is better than that OF farm
hands and laborers, and there is much
greater amount of elegance and tone
about the life and occupation OF a
United States soldier than that OF farm
hand.
A private soldiers pay is slS month
for the first two years, Sl4 for the third,
SIS for the fourth and SIG for the fifth.
They get an ample allowance OF cloth
ing and bedding and are required to
keep clean and tidy whether SO inclined
or not. 1nsaNery barracks, hot and cold
baths are provided and the soldier may
bathe and live with rs much privacy
and comfort rs anyone.
At each post, the commissary depart
ment is very similar to a well kept gro
Gerry store, and the soldiers may buy
whatever they want besides the things
furnished by the government. These
goods are sold at cost to the soldiers.