The herald., 1898-11-16
TOSSED IN A BLANKET
THE PEANUT MAN ALSO SUFFERS
AT THEIR HANDS
COL. BERRY STOPS THE FUN
The Men Must Conduct Themselves as
Soldiers-Physical Examination
Proceeding Rapidly

Camp Pratt doesn't really seem to the
Seventh regiment like genuine, simon pure
military encampment. 1t is nothing IKE
the camps up north, where the boys froze
and shaved and were drilled into shape
Up north they were in the midst OF strang-
ers and expecting every day to go into active
service. 1t was real war to the boys and
they endured hardships, obeyed rules,
marched and drilled and respected their
officers as true soldiers.
Camp Pratt seems to them, in compari-
son, like one of the holiday camps OF militia
days, and they act accordingly. Besides,
they have tasted the sweets of civilians life
in uniform on their furlcugh and have made
scores of new friends, especially among the
fair sex, who constantly visit the camp and
as constantly conduce to the infraction OF
army rules by their presence.
And lastly, but not least, the boys in the
Seventh know that within the month they
will be mustered out and leave the service
for good, and in consequence they have no
fear of discipline in the future, but an abid-
ing faith in getting all out of Uncle Sans
coinmissary possible in the immediate
present.
Yesterday morning the boys ran amuck,
rs they term it. In other words, they
broke loose from absolute rules and carried
things to suit themselves in and about camp
for awhile. The trouble started about the
time breakfast was over. The meal, al
though admittedly great improvement over
the breakfasts of preceding days, the cook
ing arrangements being completed and in
good working order, was not such a break
fast as the boys had been getting down
town" during their furlough. They forgot
kN -, +k d.,
sidio, but compared yesterdays meal with
that served to order in the restaurants or
provided at home instead of with the grub
of army days.
After breakfast was over about hundred
of the most dissatisfied of the privates made
up their minds to discipline the cook who
his charge, under Restaurateur Melsted,
OF preparing the meals. The "toss up"
blanket, a specially prepared affair, was
got in readiness and the soldiers lay in
wait for the cook "A he went down town.
They got him, all right. lie was pitched
into the middle of the blanket and about
forty men, gathered on its four sides, gave
it a jerk and away went the luckless cook
into the air amid the yells of the assembled
soldiers. Down he came and up he went
again until finally the poor fellow came
down on his head and almost broke his
neck. His cries caused his tormentors to
cease their amusement, and he was allowed
to go his way, somewhat ruftled, but wiser
in experience.
The man with the peanut wagon was the
next object of attack. The boys are broke
and the peanut man wisely, or unwsely,
kept his peanuts hidden inside a glass case
and away from the eager fingers of the pass
ing soldiers After disciplining the cook
an onslaught was made upon the peanut
wagon.
Here Superintendent Backus, in charge of
the grounds, got himself almost into trouble.
He interfered between the soldiers and the
peanut man and the boys resented the inter.
ference. There were yels for the blanket
and for time it looked as if Backus was
about to repeat the cooks experience.
He was wise, however, and made bee
line for the colonel's tent, where he laid the
facts of the case before that officer. A
guard was Immediately sent to protect the
peanut man, but during Backus' absence
the soldiers had left but little to protect
Colonel Berry thought the boys fun had
gore far enough and lie sent for the officers
OF the various companies and told them that
the nonsense must stop. He issued strict
orders to stop all "blanketing" and raids
the fair grounds must not be damaged, since
the government is under contract to leave
everything on the grounds in as good con-
dtion as when they took possession of the
place as q camp.
Another thing called to the officers at
tention was the habit of the soldiers in guy
ing ladies and gentlemen who drove through
the park to inspect the camp. In many in
stances thoughtless soldier boys have made
remarks or open comments about visitors
that were neither amusing nor gentlemanly,
and in future this practice will be stopped
or the men will find themselves in situa-
tion where they cannot insult visitors.
1t must be remembered that only small
proportion of the men, say hundred all
told, out of the entire regiment, show any
disposition to make trouble. but the whole
command has to suffer because of these few
and it has been determined to curb the ex-
uberance of their spirits by more strict
camp discipline.
DR.. A. j. Pedler, the surgeon in charge of
the examination of the men, is assisted by
four physicians and is turning out about
200 men per day. The examination is very
thorough, more so on account of the his
tory of the San Francisco camps. The
subject of pensions for INJURIES sustained in
the last war will be a matter for careful con-
sideration by the officials The grounds
upon which claims for pensions will be based
will not be SO much on account of injuries
sustained while in line OF battle as on ac-
count of permanent injuries from diseases
contracted while in camps, and hence it is
5 necessary to thoroughly examine every man
in order that if in six months from now he
develops lung troubles or other ailments it
may be known whether the disease was con-
tracted in the service of the government or
not.
An old English officer who witnessed the
maneuvers yesterday gave high praise to the
men for their efficiency in drilling. He
said the men were eft to 60 anywhere" so
far as drill was concerned, and he added,
"a more stalwart lot of young fellows |
have seldom seen)inuniform." This officer,
however, deplored the lack of discipline in
camp. "The idea," he said, "of captain,
a lieutenant of even a sergeant drinking at
an open bar with his men is unheard of in
any other army in the world ] am not at
all surprised at lax discipline. Officers
cannot fraternize with men in that way and