The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-15
CAMP ALGER GOSSIP.
Baseball Game Sunday-SOldiers Very
Tired of InactfOn.~

Baseball Game Sunday-SOidiers Very
Tired of InactfOn.~
Correspondence of the Journal.
CAMP RUSSELL A. ALGER, June 13-
The ndred-and-ffty-n is still in
camp without any visible signs of an early
departure. Every one rested on Sunday but
Chaplain Weaver This kindly gentleman
has endeared himself to every member of
the regiment with whom he has come in
contact. The men are learning that he is
willing to lend a willing ear to all their
troubles and more ard more, as each day
rolls by, his labor of adviser becomes heav-
Ter. He conducted three interesting services
Sunday, and each was largely attended The
day was excessively hot, slight breeze
being the only redeeming feature The Y
M. c. A tent did a iand-off1ce business
Thousands of letters were written to dear
ones back in old Indiana during the long
hours. as very few received permission to
leave camp. In the afternoon there was an
exciting game of ball out on the parade
ground. Visitors are rather scarce in the
One-hundred-and -fifty-ninth. On account Of
the location of this camp, whenever a Wis
itor reaches this spot he is pretty sure to
have friends in the regiment, as it is way
out of the line.
Prof. Everman, formerly a member of the
faculty of Indiana State Normal, for sew
eral years a member of the United States
fish commission. was a visitor Sunday and
spent the greater part of the day in camp
1t is a. source Of qualification to officers
and members to learn that all the complaint
Of our army diet and conditions in Camp
Alger comes from the new recruits, and not
from old members of the National Guard
Even with the limited amount of experience
gained in camp and short service, the old
guardsmen have been able to slip into the
methods and manners of the army with
very little inconvenience. The influence Of
these veterans" is also having the effect
of silencing the complaints of the new men.
The recruits have written home that they
are not getting half enough to eat Before
the letter has been received at home the
same men are surprised at the ease with
which they adapt themselves to the table
service. A man who said he never could eat
bacon is fighting hard for an extra allow
the present camp is the scarcity of water
for bathing purposes. This has been reduced
fifty-ninth by the construction of a dam in
a small stream near by This pool is far
from satisfactory, but is better than moth
ing.
The regiment received couple of large
boxes to-day from the w. c. I. U. of the
country. They were filled with delicacies
the markets. Among other things there
were a half hundred hand bags, each one
containing small books, toilet articles, nee
dies thread, etc. They are very welcome.
Shelter tents have been issued to the men.
They are known as dog houses" and will
be used altogether If the regiment ever gets
in the field. The men have been allowed
to put them up in the rear of the other
tents wherever there was room, in order to
become familiar with them
Colonel Barnett has received word that
the last of the equipage for the regiment
has been shipped from Rock Island arsenal,
and will be on hand in few days. The
regiment, to a man, is growing impatient
for a move in some direction which will
break the monotony of camp life. The rou-
tine work or such camp will wear out the
enthusiasm of the most ardent yOungster.
The work is not hard, but the everlasting
sameness is tiresome to men and officers
alike. They long for even the excitement
of blank cartridge
Every other day Captain Starr, of Green
castle, takes few inches reef in his belt.
He still has plenty of weight to spare, as
he brought 270 full pounds of honest Hoosier
weight with him. Despite his avoirdupois
the captain stands much work and wor-
ries less than many of the officers of lesser
'heft, and when, as officer of the day he
says Never mind the guard" you can hear
him down by the company kitchens. When
the examining surgeon asked for his weight
last month the captain put it at something
over $50 pounds. He neglected to say how
much over. G.. w. b