Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-06-10
Winds are Cold and the Camp Life is
Not as Pleasant for that
Popularity.
Boys Anxiously Awaiting their Equip.
ment and Orders to Board the
Transports.
The Boys at Frisco.

~
weather is raw and cold, and the boys
are camped on the sand, with chilly
breezes blowing, SO that an overcoat is
comfortable every night, and there are
agood many chattering teeth and chilled
frames every morning. The equipment
for the North Dakota boys has not been
dished out yet, and they are ~anxiously
awaiting the orders which shall send
them aboard the transports for Manila.
They are firmly convinced now that NO
climate on earth can be too warm for
them. Some of the boys started out
with the idea that a land Of fruits and
flowers void be a nice location for a
camp, but would cast a majority vote
now in favor of the icicle bound winter
of North Dakota rather than the il.
lusory summer in Frisco.
The men have been paid for the first
time and about 100000 has been distrib-
uted in the camp. Of this, the boys re-
ceived pay for the time from their en-
listment and for a month in advance,
which will enable them to send some
money home whore necessary and fix up
their financial affairs before leaving for
the other side of the earth.
The Pioneer Press correspondent has
a few words to say which will be of in
terest IN North Dakota as fol owe:
The South Dakota battalions will not
arrive until Thursday. The North Da.
kota men came in yesterday, but at
present they are located several blocks
away from camp, with Montana men.
This is because they have several cases
of measles. The North Dakota men had
a triumphal journey here similar to that
which the Minnesota men enjoyed. They
are poorly equipped, some of the men
not having as much as a belt, but they
are a wildly enthusiastic lot, and will
soon demonstrate that they are not hot
house plants. The Minnesota men feel
more at home now that Dakota troops
are here.
Many people do rot realize that com
missioned officers have to buy about
everything they have except tents and
blankets. They get their own uniforms
and food, but can draw rations with the
men by paying 3S cents a day. The
Minnesota officers all had uniforms when
they came here, but in going to Manila
they are obliged to have brown service
uniforms, and that is why so many OF
them are at present visiting San Fran.
cisco tailors and securing samples Of
goods. They find that the light brown
uniforms will cost them but 50 or 81
each and will do for garrison duty. II
the boys ever get into action some of the
officers will be found wearing privates
uniforms to escape becoming conspicu.
ous marks. The uniforms given to the
men are of very poor quality, and there
is considerable complaint about them
Some of the captains refuse to draw
blouses for their commands, preferring
to use the present uniforms.
The North Dakota volunteers had an
uncanny experience today that startled
them at first. Some of the men were
digging sinks in the sand when their
shovels struck something hard. II
proved to be a Chinese coffin and inside
were two qeues that had undoubtedly
been worn by some celestial. There
we're also bones in the box, and the men
thought at first that they had struck a
Chinese burying ground. The San
Francisco people say it is an unusual
find. as a Chinaman's body is generally
taken to China. There was never any
buryipg ground at the spot, and the
coffin must have been buried there al
least 100 years. The opinion is that the
Chinaman or Cinnamon were murdered
and this out-of-the-way place selected
to hide the bodies. The souvenirs will
be sent back to some North Dakota
sheriff.
Regarding the r%efunding to the states
of the money advanced by them for
m%obilizing the troops, Washington ad.
vices say the anxiety displayed by the
governors of several states to have the
question of reimbursement for the ex,
pense incurred in mobilizing volunteers
settled has directed attention to the
fact that there is no law now on the
statute books providing for such REIN.
bursement.
It is taken for granted that congress
will appropriate money when the time
comes to compensate the states fol
what they have spent in getting to
gether recruits for the volunteer army
but there is no money now available fol
that purpose, and when the states gel
their money back it will have to be al
the result of special legislation, such al
was enacted for paying similar claimt
after the last war.
The volunteer act, it is pointed out