The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-06

ne ssssnS. sizty-uinth ana sevsnty-arst Royu
and Their WsFk.

nno NhehF Nerh.
TAMPA, Fla, June b.-Nsw York State IL
now represented here in the camps by three reEi-
mepts Of volunteers. The Sixty-ninth .Rogi-
msnt 10 encamped in the famous Fort Brook
reservation, which recently was the property
Of tho Government, and until q few days age was
the camping ground Of tho Florida volup-
teers. 1t evorlooks the bay. and 10 almost in
the heart OF tho city. Adjoining the camp of
the Second Now York Volunteers Ia that OF the
First District of Columbia Regiment. The
camp Of the Seventy! first New York volun-
teers, which II on Tampa Heights. near the
main camp Of the regulars, is picturesque and at
the same time uncanny. 1t IL between two
Rraveyarhs, and many of tho men had tomb.
stones for pillows last night. An unusually
large number wer1 ont seeing Tampa by gas
light, and failed to get in before taps. About
200 were held up by the ~sentries. Others less
venturosomo spent the night in the adjoining
Rraveyards.
Col. Downs has received word from Gov.
Black of New York that his commission has
been forwarded. The Colonel to-day issued an
order allowing the mon to leave the camp every
afternoon between tho hours Of / and 8. AL.
most tho entire command took'advantago of It
this afternoon. It was tho nrst recreation
that the mon have had since going into camp at
Lakeland. The regiment now has another
mascot, and this time It 10 o Florida crane of
enormous size, which was captured by Private
Cluff. The mascots of the several companies
Of the regiment, like the mon, are enjoying good
health. The goat has made several futile at
tompts to escape to the everglades, while the
black cat of Company O sometimes makes night
hideous.
Tho promotion of Major o. B. Smith to the
LieutenAnt-C olonelcy makes Major whittle tho
senior Major Of tho regiment, a distinction
which tho Major thoroughly enjoys. Lieut..
SelfridgO has been promoted to the Captaincy
Of Company K, but his commission has not yet
arrived. Tho target practice which was be-
gun before the regiment left the camp at Lako-
land has been suspended temporarily because
no convenient or ndequare range has been
found. A mail blockad threatens Tampa, and
the Post Office authorities hero ara powerless to
prevent It. Tons of army mail arc arriving
every day and must be handled by the same
force that was employed in the Office before the
arrival Of the troops. The result 10 that tho
clerks Of the office arc broken down from over
work. and the mail is from ono to two day late
In being delivered. This state of affairs,has OK
listed for weeks and Is steadily growing worse.
The Postmaster can do little to relieve the stu
alton. for q green force would DO worse than
none at all. And the Office room is too small
TO allow Of any material increase in the num-
Der Of clerks. 1t has been suggested that tho
Government send postal cars hero to remain
sidetracked and take care of tho military mail.
The soldiers are still being paid of, and the
city Is alive with them, They swarm tho
streets by thousands, 30 that they arc practi.
caly impossible. They are spending their
money freely, and the merchants of tho city are
reapiug such . harvest as they never reaped
before. Many OF tho soldiers are sending q
part Of their pay to their families, and the
money order department of the Post Office to.
day did tho largest money order business on
record. Tho beer supply is almost exhausted,
although this beverage is being shipped here
from q dozen cities. Weeks ago. when there
were scarcely 10000 soldiers here, the Florida
Brewing Company Of this city was compelled to
buy from Northern breweries. An ice famine
IL also threatened, but these are only temporary
ADVERTISEMENTS, and other cities in tho State
will come to the rescue.
Religious services were hold in many of the
camps several timos during the day. and were
largely attended. while the churches of the city
were crowded with officers. Tonight Ira d
Sankey held a special song service at the Tampa
Bay Hotel for the officers. and hundreds of civil
fans were in the congregation.
The Young Mems Christian Association ha,
established a tent in the camp of tho Seventy.
first Now York Volunteers and it 10 under the
direction Of Chaplain V~anderwator. This II
the first departure OF this kind to DO made ir
the big camp. and the movement will probably
spread through many Of tho volunteer regi
ments.