Evening star., 1895-06-20
Experts Watch the Trooping Of Colors
at Camp.
HOW THE BOYS PROSPER
Doing Good Work and Getting
Splendid Experiences.
THE SANITARY CONDITIONS
Stan Correspondence of The Evening Star.

5. A.; capt Mills, U. .. A., ana Lieut..
King, U. S. N, were among those who Wis
tied camp yesterday Gen. Ruger came
down for he purpose of witnessing the GER
emony of "trooping the colors." Gen.
Ruger is engaged in preparing the new drill
regulations, SO he misses no opportunity to
gather. in suggestions. Dress parade has
always been an unfinished sort of a GER
emony, in spite of many. attempts to have
1t otherwise; ''trooping the colors' puts on
the necessary conclusion. and gives to the
affair a polish that seems to be appro-
priately patriotic and military. Just what
Gen. Ruger thought of the dress parade,
however was not made manifest to anyone
in Camp Washington. The general is not
ltra-communicative-he could give the pro-
verbal clam several points and still main
tain satisfactory lead-so until the new
regulations appear it Is not likely that any
one outside of the inner official circles will
know just what Gen. Ruger's opinion Is as
to the ceremony which has pleased so many
people. and especially so many army peo-
pie. Gen. Doe was quite frank in his com
usendations.
He thought that "t1ooping the colors''
was just exactly the thing and he said so
without any attempt at evasion. He did
not have to be asked to say it, either. Gen.
Does long experience as National
Guardsman and his present position in the
War Department gives to his opinion on
sistant secretary and the major general in:
spected the camp quite thoroughly, visit
ing the mess tents and kitchens and paying
attention even to the stables. In common
with the bulk Of the visitors who have
been in camp, the officers who were here
yesterday expressed great surprise at the
remarkably strong turnout that was in
evidence in the camp and on the parade
ground. To some of the army officers 1t
was truly a revelation when they were in
formed that the duty which has been and is
being done is without financial recompense.
In every state in the Union where the Ma
tonal Guard exists, officers and men are
paid a reasonable sum for each day of
duty performed, but in the District of CO.
lumbia, where the efficiency of the citizen
soldier is far above the average in all es-,
sential matters, there is no law by which
and no appropriation from which the Ma
tional Guard can be paid for doing the
community and the general government
valuable service.
Camp Inspection.
Early this morning Surgeon General Hen
derson mounted his horse and inspected
the camp, he says. from eend to een1."
He found things in generally satisfactory
condition. and, altogether. appeared to lie
very much pleased with the attention
which is being paid to matters of hygiene
Assisted by thoroughly conscientious
medical staff-both commissioned and non
commissioned-the surgeon general has
for In the important matter of caring for
the health of the command. There is 10Th
ing haDhazard about his work, either, for
he planned with great care all the details
which have during the rast week been
worked out by his assistants in the medical
department.
Board of Trade.
Camp Washington is waiting for the
directors of the beard of trade. 1.-THE
hums n 'it,' Of course-wants the execu-
tive force Of the city's big representative
organization to see what is being done to
improve the soldierly qualities of the Dis
trct ,Natioral Guard, and to make the
brigade more nearly efficient than ever
before. There will be no formalities in
connection with the visit of the directors
One or two staff officers will meet them at
the wharf, and from thence escort them
to headquarters. Opportunities will be af-
forded them to inspect the regimental and
battalion camps, and they will be given
the best position from which to view the
dress parade. but they will not be pestsred
with anything like stiff ceremony.
Guard Mount.
Guard mount this morning was unoues-
tionably the best this camp has yet known:
Capt Harry Walsh is still receiving con-
gratulations upon the very fine exhibition
put up by his company this morning.
Throughout the entire ceremony every
thing moved smoothly and in precise ac-
cordance with the strictest requirements of
the regulations. Perhaps there was one
very minute error, but 1t was so small that
there Is seeming lack of generosity in max
ing any reference to it at all. No company
In the regular army could have done the
thing more successfully, even If it had the
smoothest sort of a parade ground. Guard
mounting is done here on one of the most
uneven portions of the reservations sur
face. Upon the character of the guard duty
hot
tallon, today, will depend the guard cham
pionship. so to speak. for the present year.
There is no authorized competition be-
tween the companies, nor is there any par
ticular reward for the best. but in an in
formal way the company doing the best
guard duty and putting up the superior
guard mount has an undsputed title to
soldierly supremacy.
Sanitary Conditions.
very important duty in connection with
camp life, especially when a large number
of men are tented together, as is. now the
case at Fort Washington, is to see that
the best Of sanitary conditions prevail,
that the camp is kept scrupulously clean
and free from those causes that tend to
produce disease, and that food of proper
quantity and quality is served; otherwise
an epidemic may break out to destroy the
ehciency of the troops. With this in mind
one of the first cares of Surgeon General
iiSi'eCiSOit lpOIl HIS arrival mere last IlurS-
day was to issue orders regulating the san
itary and hygienic oversight of the camp
for the ensuing ten days. This order pre-
scribed that the general supervision of
such matters should be in charge of sur
geon designated the medical officer of the
day, different officer being detailed for
the duty every twenty-four hours
The order laid down that it should be
the duty of the medical officer of the day
to investigate the general sanitary condi-
ton of the camp in detail, looking into the
hygienic condition. of the mess quarters,
seeing after the mode of preparation of
the food and the condition of the vessels
in which it is cooked and served. He must
also inform himself to the disposition of
dishwater and garbage. On the morning
tour of inspection, and provided the
weather is fair, he must see that all tent
walls are looped in order to insure thor
ough airing and investigate into the sani-
tary condition of the tents If there is
any neglect Of police duties-that is, the
cleaning Of the company streets and keep
ing them free from paper, scraps of food,
broken glass, &c.-the same should be
nc ted in his report. This officer is also
charged with the duty of carefully observ-
Ing the condition Of the guard tents, ard
frally he must see that all sinks are thor
oughly disinfected at least three times dur
ing his tour of duty Tf will he seen thai