The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-27
THE COOK is NO ARTIST
HE DOESN'T GET UP HIS DISHES TO
SUIT CAMP MOUNT SOLDIERS.
A Football Game yesterday-SignaI
Corps Not Mustered Out,
ms Expected.

There is conflicting testimony at Camp
Mount concerning the quality of the food
received by the soldiers. Yesterday Mrs.
C. w. Fairbanks and Mrs. John w. Kern
visited the camp as representatives of the
Soldiers Aid Society and the two, in COM
pany with Colonel May, examined the mess
quarters, the supplies and the methods used
in the kitchen. They expressed themselves
as surprised at the excellent quality of
everything they saw. Colo..el May also
feels that there is no serious ground for OBJ
lection. On the other hand, the complaints
of the soldiers are so numerous that it is
very difficult to keep trace of them.
There is a practical unanimity of senti-
ment among the privates. They acknowl-
edge that they receive good bread and but
ter. They say that they seldom fail to get
enough to satisfy their hunger They all
say too that they receive a great deal bet
ter food than when they had to depend upon
company cooks. But they feel that they
are not receiving meals equal in value to the
16 cents paid by the United States govern
ment for them. They say that in the city
they can obtain meals in every way superior
for Is cents and sometimes for ~ cents. OBJ
iections, first of all, center around the
cooking. Most OF the time. the men say.
the meat is given to them with the blood
visible upon the outside They say that it
is not properly cut. They say that the po-
tatoeS frequently are not done, because
large and small are thrown in together, and
when the small ones are well cooked, all
are taken off, although the large potatoes
are still unfit to eat. Sometimes when the
potatoes are boiled they have been allowed
to stand in water so long that they have
become thoroughly soaked, and occasionally
the water can almost be squeezed out. One
man said that the oatmeal is generally
about one-half water. and that it is very
seldom properly cooked. Milk is furnished
with the oatmeal in plentiful quantities, but
the boys say that it is SO poor that they
absolutely refuse to call it anything but
'-chalk water" The absence of vinegar for
the beans and cabbage is also source of
complaint The coffee is fairly good, but 1t
is generally poured out before the men come
into the hall, and is often so cold that some
throw it away in order to obtain fresh
cupful. Many say that they will not eat at
the restaurant at all, but prefer to take
trip TO town.
II think there is a lack of cooking space"
said a private who has had experience as
hotel cook. Il do not believe that suffi-
cient number of men has been employed TO
take care of everything. The meat IS not
watched closely enough while it Is cooking.
The fires are probably kept too hot IN the
sionally something is little old. but the
chief fault is in the hasty cooking"
AT supper last night the meal consisted OF
pork. liver, or bacon, boiled potatoes and
onions The liver was acknowledged by all
to be excellent, most of the potatoes seemed
about as good, and they We're as well
cooked as could be expected, considering the
large quantity supplied. The coffee was
also satisfactory. The only thing that
could be complained of was the milk, which
was thin.
Yesterday was passed around the fires, ex-
cept for the excitement of a football game
in the afternoon. The game between the
teams of the two regiments, which was to
have taken place Tuesday, was finally
played. The boys from the One-hundred-
and-ffty-eighth team by score of 80 to 0.
The majority of the victorious team are
members of Company +, the South Bend
company. Several belong to the we'll
known South Bend Athletic Club.
The officers worked hard to secure the
changes were made in the muster rolls.
The men will get their travel pay, and yet
will not be detained much. Owing to some
minor technicality, which requires 81 deci-
sion from Washington, the men of the
signal corps were not mustered out yester-
to-day. If no new complications arise the
battery will be mustered out Monday, the
observation-disclosures ifty-seventh Regiment
Nov. / and the misunderstanding
eighth Regiment Nov 4.
Mrs. Fairbanks and Mrs. Kern, while at
the camp yesterday tried to secure space
for reading room, which will remove the
temptation to spend evenings in the saloons
After consultation with Colonel May, the
ladies concluded that more influence could
be exerted If the rooms were fitted UP at
some point in the city.