The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-11
OUTRAGEOUS.
Kansas Volunteers We're En-
camped in Bleak, Wet Field,
To Suffer Sickness and Die at
San Francisco,
TOPLEASE THE S.P. r.
Good, Comfortable Quarters
We're Available
But Were Not on the COmpany's
Streetcar Line.
COL. LITTLE WILL GO.
Will Embark With the goth
For Manila
If He Has to Be Carried Aboard
on a Stretcher.
(From the State Journals Special Cor
respondent.)

respondent.)
San Francisco, July 6, 1898.
To the troops in Camp Merritt the
six days of July have been days of bit
terness and sorrow. Not a day has
been sunny or warm. Not a day but
an OvercOat was a necessity, and
luxury with always raw wind blowing
up from the sea and that miserable
Scotch mist ever enveloping the camp.
And to add to it all the prying winds
whirl and toss the sand in every con-
ceivab1e direction-especially in to the
eyes and the food. It reminds one of
nothing so much as sodden November
Kansas days and as I sit writing in
the tent my breath shows plainly in the
air as on winters day.
The Fourth of July was decidedly
more like Christmas than our national
birthday. But perhaps this was not a
disadvantage for the Kansas troops to
a man, save those on duty turned out
for parade and marched Is miles
through the streets of Frisco and to
and fro. They were weary crowd on
their return to camp. They started at
8 o'clock in the morning, returning at
8 in the afternoon and during that long
siege not once were they allowed to sit
down or break ranks. But they recefv-
whole show marching at the head of
the procession. Every now and then
the boys would all join in singing "A
Hot Time in the Old Town
Major Surgeon Rafter told me today
that $50 were on the sick list. Largely
due to bad colds and measles. The
former being brought about by having
to sleep on the damp sand. And here is
the shame of it. There is no good rea-
son that the troops should have been
located here or that thew should be
compelled to remain here Over at the
Preside there are large government
barracks with equally as good accom-
modations and oceans of room under
roof where it would be warm and COM
Portable for the troops. But it is on a
line of street railroad not owned or
controlled by the Southern Pacific and
therein lies the whole secret.
The Southern Pacific owns everything
in San Francisco save the air. ne
breath. Included among it's possessions
are two street railways that pass one
on each side of the camp, and the reve-
nue. of the soldiers going and coming
and their friends amounts to many dol
lars per day. So what care they if a
few troops more or less die and hun
dreds of others suffer as long as their
Golfers are replenished. They decided
they wanted the troops here and they
pulled the proper string and here we
are. This is true history, as I am told
on the best of authority.
But Kansas has been getting the !
worst end of the deal from start to fin |
ish. The brigade officials utterly ignore |
the camp it IS charged and come over |
only to give our officers pointers on how
to salute them properly. And one of the |
highest in rank appeared recently to |
instruct the officers of the Twentieth, |
actually dressed in nothing more in the |
way of trousers than knit underwear. |
Every other regiment save Kansas and /
perhaps Washington has received con- |
-Tat ac- how
been ignored as much as if they were |
not on the map. Is it because they |
have POpulist governors? Many think |
so. There can be no other reason sure |
ly. For the troops are as well equip |
ped and as well drilled as any other |
regiment now here or gone ahead.
Nebraska openly declared before Ieav- !
ing that they were not in as good a !
of Kansas but that John NJ. |
Thurston used his power to get them |
away and wondered why we didn't |
have our senators do something. Lieu |
tenant Colonel Little as colonel in |
charge did all that he could to straight |
en- out the tangle and Colonel Funston |
has been laboring along the same line
but with little success.
Monday two more ships sail and the |
name of Kansas is not down on the list. |
Many fear peace may be declared and j
the troops sent to do guard duty in Ari-
IONA.
A Kansas City paper announced that |
the Kansas boys failed to cheer when |
they were paid of the last time and !
scored them for such action.
It is true they did fail to cheer and |
in the light of events they had no rea-
son to cheer. They were not paid until !
the very last ones and then not in full. |
There was little cause for any amount |
Of hflarity. There is no denying the
fact that Kansas has shared the fate of
he yellow dog, tin can attachments and |
all.
The San Francisco Call stated in a re-
cent article that Lieutenant Colonel (
Little had sent in his resignation to the
secretary of war and would not go to
he Philippines.
Mr.. Little is detained from camp by
sickness but said when asked in regard
% the matter that there was no truth
whatever in the charge and that when
would go aboard if he had to be carried
IN a stretcher.
The camp has settled down to routine
work now and there is little doing save
he regulation duties.
Guard mount has been changed to
evening and is given across from the
amp in a sand lot in double quick time. !
Lieutenant De Ford was unlucky
.nough yesterday to lose his pocketbook
quite a sum Of money and
valuable locket.
VIM. Foley was today given two
months at hard labor and a fine of $3.50
or striking a guard. Foley belongs to
20. b.
A board of inspection today rejected
lot Of cheap clothing furnished for
Kansas troops 1t will be thrown back
N the contractors hands and a new bid