Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-06-17
More 0ossips of the North Dakota
Troops Now in Camp at San
Francisco.
Interesting Letter From a Former
Tribune Boy as to Sights on
the Coast.
Indications are that a Couple of Weeks
Will See the Boys on the
Blue Water.
Notes of Camp Merritt.

Quartermaster Berg writes Judge w.
H. Brown of Grand Forks as follows:
My tent is the kicking post of the regi-
ment and / feel as if I am getting my
full share in that line, but must say
that so far everything has been running
very smooth. AS l told you when in
Fargo, a nicer set Of boys than these in
the North Dakota camp is mighty hard
to find and even if it did take us three
days to get our bacon and beans here,
the boys understood the situation was
placed in and took matters as good
humoredly as circumstances could per-
nit. There is one satisfaction to it and
that is that all of the rest of the regi-
ments have been treated in like manner
and some of them worse. We have now
gotten into regular "feed rum" so do
not expect very much trouble hereafter
in that line and I must say that I feel a
good deal better having that much off
my conscience. Yesterday I worked all
day TO get my clothing acquisitions in
shape and had the satisfaction to find
that they were all o. k. and would be
acted upon today, SO Tuesday or Wednes-
day will be the days, when some bust
ness will be going on again round my
tents. There is not a regiment that
has been put into such good shape in
such a short time as North Dakota, and
you may believe the officers and men ap-
preciate it. There are five vessels lay.
ing in the harbor taking in troops, but
when they will be ready to leave is
rather indefinite just now. Of course
we have no idea when we will be ready
nor when our ship will leave, but there
is a unanimous wish amongst all to get
out of here as quick as possible. Our
camp is situated quite lear to the city,
where the Chinese cemetery used to be
in fact we are camping right on their
old bones-we can't dig a pit unless we
strike some kind of a skeleton or some
thing of that sort; the ground is nothing
but loose sand and l must say that Da-
kota mud is a good deal preferable.
The North Dakota boys were paid
last week but a report from the camp
says the best of order and discipline
was maintained in their camp, and
while all of the men who could get away
took occasion to see the sights Of San
Francisco, pay day was not the cause of
any disordcrly demonstration.
Members of the North Dakota troops
writing home state that the number of
saloons that have sprung up around
Camp Merritt is wonderful. The camp
is outside the regular reservation, and
the number of groggeries is large.
\ letter from John Peterson, formerly
with the TRIBUNE, wonld indicate that
the boys see their share Of sights. He
says: We are allowed to go down town
often, and there is so much to see that we
don't know what to 60 for. have been
to the "CLtf House," the finest bathing
place in the country, also the Golden
Gate Park, where there is a herd of
buffalo, deer and elk, also the largest
bear in the country. There is another
place where the soldiers go very often
and that is the "chutes." It is a large
square surrounded by a very high fence.
inside of which there is an opera house,