The morning call., 1894-07-21

eyes by a screen of sheds. cars, engines
and woodples. From morning till even
ing, however, there is an untiring line of
spectators, who seem to derive endless
amusement from watching the sentinels
and specializing upon what is going on
within the camp.
The only outsiders without pass who
are allowed to step over the track are rela-
tives and friends of the militia. Even for
these favored beings, however, it is not
merely matter of sending in q visiting
card and being informed that "Mr So and
So" is at home and will be happy to see his
relatives. The visitor has to specify to
the sentry the company or battery of the
man he seeks. This preliminary having
been satisfactorily gone through, the rela-
tive is escorted across the tracks and
handed over to the corporal of the guard.
who takes the name of the militiaman
wanted and presently returns with an Off
Ger, who, finding everything 0. K, per-
mits the meeting to take place. providing
always that the soldier boy is OF on senti-
mel duty or away as train escort.
Until Monday last the officers were
lenient in passing visitors. not only
through the picket line. but also through
the inside guard, into the very holy of
HOLES of the camp.
but that sort of thing had to be put
stop to-" observed one of the martial
authorities, Yesterday. when questioned
on the subject. "WhyP This Is military
camp, sir 1t is not rendezvous for all
the lady relatives of the militia. We
az
aunts into the camp on Monday, and we
should have had more on Tuesday If we
had not shut down on the thing"
In reply to the question whether rela-
tives were entirely excluded after Mon
days experience, the officer admitted that
they were not.
''The order was given to admit no one,"
he observed, "but we could not leave
ladies standing outside among the crowd,
for hours, perhaps, till the men they
wanted happened to be off duty. Visitors
are passed in side the picket line now and
can see their friends in one of the car
houses"
The carhouses where the receptions take
place are just inside the pickets and are
under the very eye of the guard, who sit
and stand round with watchful chances for
the coming and going of the officers or for
any movement in the crowd beyond the
tracks. The camp Itself is several min
utes' walk away and is reached by wind
ing through labyrinth of wood piles and
trains. 1t is not cannon to right of them,
cannon to left of them" with the soldiers
in the camp at West Oakland; but "en
gines to right OF them, engines to left of
Them" that voley out smoke and dust
and thunder over the tracks from morning
till night In fact. the only mystery is
how the 200 ladies ever found courage to
get to the camp at all over SO many CON-
plcated crossings.
When the line of white tents is reached
the encampment makes pretty picture.
From the Oakland mole it looks like a big
weeks washing hung out to dry, but dis
lance in that case takes away all the en-
chantment. for the camp is full OF pictur-
esuueness and animation. 1t is sur
rounded on two sides by the bay. At the
southwest end is moored the streamer
"Thoroughfare." flying the sgnal-service
flag. Then come the rows of tents occu-
pied by the cavalry, their martial appear
ance being heightened by the red and
white flag of the company that floats over
the little canvas dwellings.
Companies b. G and ID of the Naval
Battalion occupy quite a large slice of
the camp. They are all amicably massed
together under their blue and white flag,
with fouled anchors and circle of white
stars. of which the sailor boys are justly
proud. Company ID is known throughout
the length and breadth of the camp as
1.-The Dude Company" because it pays
for its rations out of its own funds, and
It's creature wants are ministered to by
couple Of colored cooks skilled in the cul-
mary art The other companies have only
one sable-hued retainer each. and they in
innate occasionally that Company D is
fond of putting on STYLE" Company D.
however, retorts that it is the largest in