The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-10-04
UNCLE SANS NAVY.
HOW MARINES OF THE UNITED STATES
ARE CARED FOR.

roundings and Treatment.
A marine was asked by reporter to
give an account of what he received in
the service of Uncle Sam and how he
and his fellows enjoyed themselves on
board ship. The following was his
story:
THE government engages marines for
period of five years. At the end of that
time the marine may quit the service or
he may re-enlist. There is no doubt of
his being able to continue in the service
if he does his work honestly. There is
no worry about getting out of job with
Uncle Sam. During the first and second
years of the marines service he gets in
money, paid monthly, $13. The third
year he gets $14, the fourth $15 and the
sixth SIC. If at the expiration of his
first five years service he re-enlists, he
gets $lS month, and if he enlists for
third period of five years he gets $40
month in money.
''That is the cash part of it, but that
is not half of what man in the service
gets. The government clothes its men
besides, and in very good style. Tt gives
marine a black helmet and white
one. These two are supposed to last for
the period of enlistment, which is five
years. There is no trouble about wear
ing them that length of time, as they
are not often used. The marine also gets
one undress cap year, which is all he
needs He also gets storm cap each
hot 49, o14 ~
gear which the government supplies him
with in the course of five years, and ex-
perience shows that that is quite suf-
fcient. 1t is nearly three hats year,
and there are not many workingmen
who buy as many as that.
"The marine also gets one full dress
coat, which, as it is not frequently used,
lasts five years very nicely. He receives
fatigue jacket each year and an over
coat. He gets eight pairs of blue trou
sers and eight pairs of linen ones in five
years, and experience shows that if a
man is careful he does not need that
many. He is also supplied with 80 pairs
of gloves for the five years. He gets two
flannel overshirts each year. He also
has two undershirts and two pairs of
drawers each year. He also receives
four pairs of wooden socks and four
pairs of cotton socks each year. He is
supplied with three pairs of shoes each
year and one pair of arctic shoes each
season. He receives two pairs of blan-
kets during the term of service. He is
also given 40 linen collars and three
pairs of suspenders during the same
time. That is the outfit in the way of
clothing which the government gives
each marine who joins the service
These articles are all of first class mate
rial, too, and very serviceable. There is
no stint at all. There are few articles,
like neckties and handkerchiefs, which
the marine must buy for himself.
eff a man is careful and economical
with his clothing, he can save fully
one-haf of the allowance which he gets,
and if he saves any part of it he is al
lowed so much money for the clothing
he does not take. There are men in the
service today who are taking only about
one-half of what the government al
lows, and at the end of their five years
service they will be paid in money for
the clothes they did not take. The full
value of the clothing allowed to each
man for five years is $198.
''The sleeping accommodations Of the
men are very good. While on shore du-
ty they live in houses and have beds,
but while on shipboard they sleep in
hammocks which the government fur
nishes. The sleeping quarters, both on
land and at sea, are clean and we'll ven
tilated. The food is all that man needs.
Sometimes the commissary is not we'll
administered, and the men complain,
but they can soon get a change if they
take their complaints to the proper Off
Ger. The food is very good and of suffi-
cient variety for any one.
'The men on shipboard also get all
they need free, and medical attendance
costs them nothing.
"Now this is the pay man gets as
a marine in the navy. He is we'll clothed
and we'll fed. He sleeps in good bed
or hammock, has proper attention if
he is sick and draws handsome wages
in cash every month.
Ills WOIk 10 uOJ dU dill DuTuSuSOm0.
He has enough drill to keep him in the
best physical condition and give his ap-
petite keen edge. He has lots of time
for amusement. On shore he can play
billiards and pool free at the post, and
he may enjoy all kinds Of exercise in
the gymnasium. The men play baseball,
handball, football. They put the ham
mer and shot and enjoy themselves just
as much as the college boys do. The
government also has at each post and on
shipboard library and reading room,
where the men may entertain themselves
with books and papers.
''Out of their wages the men must
pay their barber and laundry bills, which
together amount to about So month.
Besides this the marine is taken care
Of in his old age. If his life has been
honorable, at the end of 20 years service
he may retire to the Mariners home,
where he will have room to himself,
good table, three suits of clothes a
year, tobacco free and So month. If
he does not retire until after he has
served 80 years, he then gets three-quar-
tiers pay and three quarters of all al
lowances of clothing, besides a good