The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-10-08
A WEEK IN CAMP.


Monday morning of last week in
special car for Topeka to spend tn
week at the State Encsmpment. /
was a jolly, good natured, sleeples
crowd. They reached Ottawa abou
5 O'Clock and after an hour of gOoC
hard drilling ate their breakfast from
their haversacks. Leaving Ottaw,
about 8 o'clock they went to Lawrenc,
where they we're held about an houl
and then sped on to Topeka, reaching
there about II o'clock. All along the
line the boys advertised lola mighty
well. When the train stopped at q
depot the boys would yell, 1--WE are
from the best town on earth-Iola ri
ave burn our brick with gas at Iola!'i
"We have gas to give away at lolar'
Etc, etc. Arriving in Topeka the
boys were taken right to the Fair
Grounds in their car where they were
given space to put up their tents.
The mOnOtony of camp life was
broken by daily marches or drills.
Each day there would be guard mount,
company, battalion or regimental drill
in.the morning, and in the evening
dress parade. Tuesday the First
Regiment marched about six miles in
the country, just as they would were
they in actual service. This march
was viewed by number of United
States officers commanding the regu-
lar troops that were in camp at TOpe-
ka. Friday the militia took part in
the parade and marched many miles
over the pavementsO of Topeka. Aside
from these two days there were no
special duties except guard duty and
those named above.
Company d was a favOrite all week.
The big men attracted attention and
were applauded everywhere. The
company was given the place of honor
every time the regiment went out. |
There was not quarrel nor a drunk |
in the company all week. There was
a good deal of discomfort the first day |
or two on account of insufficient ra-
tiOns and no wood to cook what was
issued. The Committee Of Fifteenn
did all in their power to
have things comfortable for the boys
and it was through the laundering
ion &c |
his corps of officers that there was any
whatever. The Governor
was given 81 900 and told to feed the
boys well, but he evidently didn't
know how. Co. ID had company
und" of their own and after the Sec
md day bought rstiOns enough to
upply the shortage.
If the militia boys had fought the
citizens as much as the Topeka papers
led, there wouldn't have been any
ne left in Topeka to tell the tale. The
acts are that there were lot of spec
al police who wore neither uniform
Or star and when these came In con- ,
act with the guards they would clash
ut policeman in uniform was al
7ays given due respect. Capt. Il. s.
tower, who has attended a great
many drills and who ought to know,
avs he never saw 1000 militia men 9
Dgether who were more orderly or
than those at Topeka
ast week. But the boys can fight as 81
'ell as behave when it comes to a n
how down. One day Bert Esh baugh -
'alked up to a stand, laid down a ST
ickle, took box of Characterized
Wner being away--and walked off. :
fter he had gone nearly mile, a Il
Decial policeman without star or uni 2
'rm nabbed him and said he must o
ay for the cigarettes. Bert refused a
1d the policeman started to take him :,
} the lookup. Bert, not knowing he :
as an officer resisted. The police fs
IAN called for help: so did Bert. Soon
lere were about dozen police and
bout 500 militiamen on the spot and T
lie result was that one policeman got r.
IS face punched pretty badly Esh- X
sugh was taken before Col. Metcalf
Id his story and was released. The \,
lily wonder is that there was not ID
ore trouble, for there were joints and Ct
YES and all kinds of swindling al
hemes everywhere, and what is de
Drse, some of the special police ran fro
me of them. III
Besides the K. n. G., there was IN
out 400 regular cavalry at Topeka Of
no gave many interesting drills and eSO
hibitiOns. Sam McHugh and John me me
arshall, both lola boys, We're with Oc
3 regulars and were mighty glad to an an
, the lola crowd. de
Taken as a whole Co. ID is an order
gentlemanly crowd of young men, Oh
d lola can well be proud of them.
ey had great time. NJ. w. b. A.