The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-20
LETTER FROM ONE
OF THE ENGINEERS
A. 4. voRHIs WRITES OF LIFE
AT PEEKSKILL.
Camp is Located on a Plateau of
Two Hundred Acres That Over
looks the Hudson and is Admira-
bly, Laid Out for the Purpose for
Which it is Used-Portion of the
Men Expect to be Sent to Porto
Rico-Gossip About Scrantonians
with the Regiment.

The appended letter to The Tribune
from A. +. Norhis, of this city, who
is with the First regiment of volun-
teer engineers now at Peekskill-on-
the-Hudson will be read with interest
here.
1t is the first news that has reached
here from that camp concerning the
large number of men from this city and
its vicinity who are with the Volun-
teers. Mr.. Vorhis' letter is as fol-
lows:
Camp Townsend, Near Peekskill n, "
July 19.-This camp of the First regiment,
United States Volunteer Engineers corps
is situated about n mile northwest of
Peekskill- Lon the Hudson. The ground
is on a plateau consisting of about 200
acres, which is admirably suited for
camping purposes. 1t is twenty-five feet
above the level of the river and Is al
most surrounded by large trees. The soil
Is sand and gravel, and after a rain is
dry within half an hour. The plot is laid
out in streets and avenues. There are
twelve streets, one for each company.
The avenues are lighted with electric
lights, as are also the officers tents.
Each street is we'll severed. and two hy-
drants and large tubs are placed at the
head of each street for the use of the
mon. The water is of the first class, and
cold enough to drink without ice.
The regiment is composed of twelve
companies divided into three battalions
of four companies each. and is command
ed by Col Eugene Griffin, of New York
city. who was captain in United States
Engineer corps and is vice president OF
the General Electric company. The regi-
ment is made uD of men from all parts
of the United States and of all branches
of trade. In battalion men can be found
who can build anything from a railroad
to n dog hoUSe, and as q whole the men
are bright and intelligent
PORTO RICO POSSIBLY.
So many rumors have been aflcat of la;e
as to the movement of the regiment that
it is almost an impC ss.hility to say or
predict when or where we will go. The
latest, however, is that on Wednesday the
First battalion, consisting of A, b, G and
ID will make a practice march to West
Point and return. Then 1t is almost GER
tain the First battalion will break camp
and start for either Santiago or Port }
Rico. with the chances in favor OF the
latter place. To say that the boys are
anxious to go would be putting 1t mildly
There has been no sickness to amount
to anything, as the sanitary condition of
the camp Is perfect.
In regard to the boys who came from
Scranton and vicinity, it is rather diff
cult to keep track of them as they in
many cases have been transferred to
other companies since being assigned to
the provisional company on arrival here.
One thing | am happy to say is that all
of the men who came from our valley
are earnest, sincere soldiers who are here
not for a holiday but to prepare to serve
their country. Not one of them has COM
mitted an infraction of the rules or been
in the guard house. In many cases ap-
positions have been bestowed upon our
Scranton boys. The service Is young yet.
and before our two years are up. the
boys from Lackawanna will have made
their mark in the different branches of
the work assigned them
AS near as | can find out the men
from Scranton and vicinity are assigned
as follows: Company D, Lyons, Finey,
/ A. Devers, Charles Kellerman. r
| fecker, Charles Koeller, Jacob Reiff.
Company H. Second hattalion-Ma- =
Ghetto, ]. \. Wagner, f. F. Davis. A. l..
| Chivers, James Conway. F. Woodruff, A.
! +. RutZ. II. w. Martin, J. Burns, c. j..
Stover, T. Reif II. F. Fisher.
IN COMPANY I.
Company I, Third battalion-P. S. Sy-
ron Charles FELTON,, S. i. Moycr, T. S.
Gregory, Charles r. French, Jenkin Jen-
kins, Thomas Johns, John Richards r.
W. IlOlltchtI, L HOIldS IoIitS, AIilitW
DasenbrOck, D. w. Thomas, BENJAMIN
! Buttertield, William Loughney, r. S. Slo-
cum, John Davis, owen Gregory w. Z.
Rafter
Sergeant Liney, of Company d, was
| Sergeant of the guard Sunday.
Charles Majors or (Mettius), who some
| fifteen years ago lived on the West Side,
| is in Company X.
AL Devers, brother-in-law of Il. V. Pow
| derby, is in Company ID, First battalion,
| and like the rest of us misses the long
| strip c. & s. tobacco.
| A. f. Vorhis is company clerk of y,
| First battalion.
Saturday was inspection of guns and
tents. All civilian clothing was either
| shipped home or burned.
A quartermaster for each battalion has
| been appointed. and will take charge of
| their position as soon as their respective
commands are moved. 1t is expected that
| the regiment will rot be kept together.
ID. w. Thomas of Company |, is the
| postmaster of his company. Something,
| he says, he could not get in Scranton.
Jenkin Jenkins, of Company |, who,