The record-union., 1898-05-16
But They Do Not Complain and Not a
Whimper is Heard.
They Will Soon Be Made More
Comfortable-Rimenyi, the Vio-
linist Virtuoso, Drops Dead on
the Orpheum Stage-Portuguese
Da;ryman Arrested at San Ma
teo for Murder.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 15.-All night
| long the rain which commenced falling
yesterday at noon continued to drencb
| the 1900 men camped at the Preside
| awaiting orders to proceed to Manila
to relieve Admiral Dewey. The PresidiO
is a sea of mud and the troops, most OF
| whom are lacking proper clothing to
| withstand the cold and damp, are suf-
fering greatly but the men do not COM
plain. Although their tents are sur
rounded by miniature lakes and small
I riVulets of rain water course through
the camps underneath cots and shake
down beds. not a Whimper is heard.
| Last night was the most disagreeabIe
| yet experienced by the men: fires would
not burn and the troops had to content
| themselves with cold lunches and an
occasional cup of hot coffee which the
! good people of the Red Cross Society
prepared for the shivering soldiers. AL
though blankets in plenty had been dis
| tributed during the day little sleep was
cbtainable owing to the inconveniences
with which the men had to contend
| The sentries suffered most of all. All
day yesterday and last night they
tramped steadily up and down their
]
! lacked oYercOats, but one by one they
were supplied with this comfort by
their more fortunate comrades who
could get under the shelter of tents
1t is expected that by tonight the
men will be made more comfortable.
There has been so much to do and so
little time to do it in, that it has been
| impossible for the officers to look after
|
handicapped owing to their inability to
| secure the articles necessary for the
| comfort of the men, the stocks of local
merchants being depleted early in the
| week.
! The Charleston is still at Mare Island
and nothing definite can be learned
regarding the time of her departure or
whether or not she will convoy one or
more Of the troop ships which have
! been chartered to take supplies and
men to Admiral Dewey 1t has been
given out at the Presidio, unOfficially,
! that the first ship load of men will
/ leave tomorrow or Tuesday, but this
! is impossible. unless the men go almost
totally unprepared for the duties they
may be required to perform in the Phil
ippines. They have not been supplied
with sufficient clothing or their arms
and ammunition. The troops need
shoes, overcoats, underclothing, rifles
and ammunition. 1t has been deter
mined by the officers to ask for krag-
/ Jorgensen rifles and if these cannot
/ be secured, 1884 model Springfelds
will be asked for. The Quartermas-
ter'S Department is unable to supply
the thirty days ratiOns necessary for
/ the first months service and these
must be secured before any troops can
leave.
/ The City of Peking doubtless will be
| the first vessel ordered to the Philip
pines and she is not in condition to re-
! ceive the troops. but a large force of
men are al work on her and she can
/ be prepared for the reception of the
! men at tWenty-four hours notice. Ord
+ erS have been received to get the First
Regiment ready for departure. but this
/ cannot be done until steamers and
/ schooners are engaged in transporting
supplies from Mare Island to this city
for loading on the Peking.
/ The steamers Australia, City of sgd
ney and Ohio are being gradually pre-
pared for service as transports but it
will take at least a week or ten days
before they are ready for sea. 1t was
given out this morning that the steam
er Conemaugh has not been chartered
by the Government, as previously
stated.
Nearly 5000 troops from Minnesota,
Colorado, CtSh and Oregon will arrive
here on Wednesday, and Friday next,
and will go into camp at the Presidio.
The Thirteenth Infantry Regiment of
Minnesota, comprising LOGO men and
officers, will leave ST Paul tomorrow,
and will arrive here on Friday morning.
One complete regiment from Colorado,
numbering over 1000 men, battalion
from Utah numbering several hundred
men and officers, and another special
trainload of men from Oregon, will ar
rive here Wednesday morning.
The transportation of troops and sup
plies is testing the carrying capacity of
the Southern Pacific Company's lines
to the limit, and there is a shortage
Of passenger cars in consequence.
WET FOR THE SOLDIERS.