The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-07-11
MILITIA UNDER CANVAS.
State Troops In the New Camp at
QuOnSet Point.
THE BIG TENT COVERED FIELD
Presents = Striking spectacie-The Artii-
Iery and Cavalry Have . Long March
But Arrive In Good shape-Interrst-
ing Incidents Of the First Night.
SPECIAL To THE NEWS.

SPECIAL To THE NEWS. va
STATE CAMP, QUoNsET POINT, July IL.
The day Of preparation is past. aud on
the broad, grassy fields OF yesterday
morning has risen white city, n half
mile square. the home of q thousand men
for the next five lays.
The approach to the camp ground may
he viewei iu, various lights 10 the
b llloonist with o fair west wind blowing
the way would be attractive enough.
for no dust would mar his progress aud
he would have n hundred acre lot TO
land his graphing iron in; the man on
horseback ha> nothing worse than d ust in
moderate Quantities; but for the pedes-
trian the sand leDgthens the distau ce
uns II he will wish Tor the seven-le leag ne
boots. OF his childhood's fairy stories.
There are AL so-ts and conditions of opin-
ions AS to the distance from the station
M ground When you u get OF out Of s the
train at the Metropolitan station
you will learn that 1t Is about two miles.
Then you look around and see an anti
quated chaise that was once u hack. 1t
has double reclining top. just as though
T. had in years goe by seen city city
It's usefulness. It has serious impedi-
ment in its joints, and having
been exposed to the smiles of
many sumsners' suns, the once rich
brown broadcloath lining, has acquired
sickly yellow hue; at least
that portion of 1t that Is
But no small portion has yielre to tn .
devastation of ages and the sharp inolars
of he voracious moth. The backs and
b, toms OF the seats are covered with oil
cloi b, evidently put on within a Year aud
by a hand aci uated more by hope: ul genius
than by practical experience Ia the
carriage trimming business The work
fills you with awe and admiration-awe
at the marvellous handiwork OF man
and admiration for the supreme self
satisfaction of the frugal New Engla ID
mind that win content itself with
fullsome and copious oil cloth drapery In
lieu of covering. Into this vehicle you
c.amber cautiously, inquirinR he price
OF the conveyance TO camp. Fifty
cents n head, SIR" the genial driver in
FIFTY cents for two miles ?" you ask.
Two niles' You i,st wait aud see
Aud you do.wait. the horses start off
at a good pace, they are fine horses. well
fed, we'll groomed and strong, a chesJnu
aud bay. One homestead after another
disappears behind you. Farms come aud
40 and still the wagon goes on. After
about two miles and hair has been era.
versed the ariver turns aud says. Good
twomiies amt III" You conclude that
distance Is vague In the minds Of the ru-
raj folk hereabouts and when your three
you believe that It may be tour or five
miles.
Pictueresque Scenes.
Up hill and down you have come. Be-
meath ovcrhanging ard arch
ing branches aud aronnl curves
that open vistas and little bits
delightful to the artist,s ey-. In a. little
valley, beside n little pond. nesting un-
der n little hill, stands a little mill.
More than little it is. Ten feet
high and scarcely more than ten
feet square, Its weather-beaten sides aud
roof stand as o sentinel OF pygone days.
Inside Is just room for the milestone
outside In the narrow sluice way
is just room for the little wheel.
But there is size enough in the stone and
wheel and force enough in the water to
satisfy the demands OF the neighbor.
told zone farmer brings his grain to this
spot TO grind"
Thus he furnishes food for the living.
Almost within sight l. "A home OF the dead.
through the trees and on rising knoll
the white monuments glisten in the
light OF the afternoon sun. Only a S hort
distance from the road thew stand, doze
or more in number, marking the resting
place OF many generations past and gone.
At The Camp.
II the pleasant scenes along the road
have not repaid you for your tlresome
ride, the view Of the camp will. Here is
a truly typical camp ground.-an almost
unbroken, level field three
quarters OF o mile square with
room for an encampment of ten thousand
for the manNuvres or as many. 81
level is 1t thu spring wagon
can be drawn over 1t at a running
pace with perfect ease. Sloping toward
the bay at its east and north ends, it
terminates in n hard aud sandy beach.
Hers the battery can fire its heaviest
shot without fear of injury to anyone.
Here the infantryman can march until
he Is tired without asking for u permit TO
20 outside of camp lines
Few, unle.s they have tried it, know
the almost herculean labor that the men
perform in pit ching camp. Yesterday at
III o'clock less than a half dozen tents
were seen. Tons OF camp equipm mt lay
piled together in an almost indisJingush-
able mass. Enough material to fill
twenty-five cars. with freight. There it
lay as the details marched on to the
ground.
Splendid Work.
BY 6 o'clock the scene had changed.
Three hundred and thirty-four tents had
risen in regular order. Company
streets, regimental streets, brigade
head dquarters and commissary quar-. :
ers were as clearlv defined M IL all had
been established for months. The
adjutnnt general said last even
ing when all was ever, "In all
my ten years experience in camp
never saw su, h splendid work as this
/ don't believe 1t could have been sur
passed by any body Of men on earth,
and It has all been done with such ease,
such Willingness, aud sucb entire alb
sence OF complaint that too generous
praise cannot be bestowed upon these
men"
Al the southwest corner OF the camp
stand the brigade headquarters Il lch
tent is marked by its apprI pirate sign
board. containing on black back ground
the rank Of the occu pant In bright gilt let
ters. In the center OF the court stands the
~ arquee tent where the officers meet and
chat. Next In line are ths tents Of the
press, three I'm number. In front
.,~.t-tos ha vorndo or.,,t