New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-28
ENGINEERS GET TO WORK.
nEGISYrHG PRACTICAL DUTIES IN THE PEEKs-
KILL. CAMP.

Camp Townsend. near Peekskill. July q tspeciaD
practical military engineering OF char
ac,er tho lst Regiment United States Volunteer
Engineers. has been wanting 70 get az ever since
IL was mustered IN wero begun this afternoon by
the lst Battalion. and the work thus begun will
80 continued daily until finished. the three battal
tons working alternately. dcvoting the two inter
vcnlng afternoons 10 infantry drills Major John s
Scwcl. OF the lat Battalion has charge OF the en-
cheering work. and his plan Is TO construct a
hasty limo OF defence. strengthening Il afterward
and finally converting It into more permanent
cnrthwork.
The Is, Battalion devoted the afternoon cutting
timber for tho fascincs and gabons which will be
used revetmcn,s or faclngs FOR holding up en-
bankments at a sleeper slope than they would
sumo naturally. particularly the almost perpendicu-
lar wall inside the works. They also cut the timber
for the fascine hurdles cradle racks. upon which
tho fnscincs arc made. and plant branches 10 DO
converted into withes used in binding the fasclncs
The construction OF tho reyotments Is intercstlng
although only tho preliminary work was entered
upon to-day by tho battalion. Some OF them wero
divided up into cutting parties binding parties and
carrying parties. The cutting party went into tho
woods and chopped down tho timber mono Of which
was moro than two and a half inches at tho butt.
The binding party gathered il together and put It
IN bundles weighing about forty pounds each. and
the carrying party brought II up the site Of tho
operations. There the choppng details cut tho
sticks into proper lengths for the ghion pckes and
then tho hNc-S~lngcrs ia som" sklfu and pretty
work. y measuring stick was placed alons tho tim
Der swing Of the axe and the sharp blal" just
grazcd nc measuring stick and went clear through
inc thnh"r Ihat which was intended for the fas-
Glnes was then PLACED at one side to he used to-
UNI, Enough umber was cut Tor all tho fdscincs
and gabons needed
Tho fasclncs and gabllon differ In construction.
aIthough used Tor tho same purpose. The gabions
are wicker cylinders which are afterwards filled
with earth. while fascncs are bundles Of rods
firmly bound together. The bundle when made up il
- feet long inches In diameter and weighs about
tho making OF these was another thlng tho Isl Bat.
talon learned. Sergeant Converse T.. Martin. OF
states Engineer Corps at West Point. made tho
hrst one. TO show the men how. lie selected
lett foot TO hold II fast began twisting IT at the
small end He twisted it down It's entire length;
engineers tried their hands NJ IT next. with vary
ing success. for Il takes a iittle knack. but not
\ detail Will go out to-morrow morning under Ser
geant Martin TO cut about twelve hundred withcs
timber the cngincers could cut for use in tbc,r cn
gtncring work and also to about closing up the
mess hall. After tomorrow morning tho caterers
will cease to cook for the regiment and after Sat
urday mornings breakfast the officers will have TO
Riizzacott ovens we're issued today and got mn
and ten days camp rntions drawn ~ the COM
panies. To-morr9w's dinner WI be prepared by
on hand provide tho necessary heat II the cooks
can manage the rest. for twenty cords were
1t was Company E'Y turn to make use of the
rife range today, and IT ala some excellent work
CAPTAIN Charles i. Brcese made the best score, Il
out OF 2J and other good scores were made by
Corporal Heilman. 49, Sergeant washburn, II, and
Private Otley. 10.
Chief Musician o. &. Conterno reported at camp
for duty this afternoon and twelve more musicians
will report tomorrow. Mr.. Contcrno will then pro-
coed 20 organize the band at once. That musicians
had discovered the camp was quite evident to-day.
for the drummer was practising, the first that has
boon heard In Camp Townsend for some time.
ChaplaIn J. Warner Fobcs. who has been
10 his home In Pegcedae. r. J.. returned to-day
One OF the most important things he brought back
with him was a couple OF tablccloths for the STAFF
officers mess.
The officer OF the day detailed for tomorrow Is
CANAAN william q. Ramsay OF Company a. ON
GERS OF the guard are First Lieutenant J; G. Liv-
ngston OF Company Il, and Second Lieutenant
Frederick Corbn. OF Company NJ