The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-25
THE FINEST IN THE CAMP
Captain James F. Keown Tells
About tho Montana Troops.
THERE'S NO Discomfort
Reports Have Been Grossly Exaggerated.
The Trouble Was in the Matter
of Food-The Contrac-
tors Fault.


tana infantry. now at Camp Merritt.
While in the city night before last en-
route to Bozeman. having been called
home by the serious illness of his wife,
furnished considerable information
relative to the actual circumstances of
the Montana troops.
The reports published in some of the
San Francisco papers relative to dis
satisfaction among the Montana troops
have been grossly exaggerated" said
Captain Keown. AS a matter of fact.
the Montana regiment is the finest en-
camped al San Francisco. as everyone
tell us who has seen the different regi-
ments. and in none of them is these so
little discomfort and dissatisfaction as
among our regiment, The only trouble
we have had at all was the matter of
bad food for a few days, and that had
reference only to the bacon and pork
that was served. The bacon at one
time was undoubtedly rotten. but 1t
was no ones fault but the contractors
who furnished il. The commissary de-
partment. of course, contracts for ba-
con, as all supplies, in immense guam
titles, Inc every piece of bacon cannot
be inspected. Due to this fact. the con-
tractors worked off a rotten lot of ba-
con and the bulk of ii happened to come
To our regiment. 1t was Company BIS
misfortune to get the worst of the lot,
and IL was certainly very bad. II was
unfit for a dog to eat. to say nothing
of men. and of course made the boys
sick. 1t affected the boys of several of
the companies. but Company h the
worst. They did not rebel. however. or
go on strike or refuse to march. as was
reported. One morning Colonel Kessler
issued orders for the regiment To
march to the baths. but by some mis-
understanding the order did not reach
Captain Gardner and his men were not
ready to march when the rest were.
That was all there was about their re-
fusing to march. When the order did
reach Captain Gardner the men re-
quested that they be not asked to go,
as many of them were sick from eating
the bad bacon. Colonel Kessler ven
before the men and talked to them
and found there was no thought of dis
obeying orders, but that the facts were
as | have stated. The boys were ex-
cused from marching to the baths. but
drilled that day. Colonel Kessler gave
his attention to the complaints about
the bacon and there has since been no
complaint. We have had but little
sickness in the regiment. We had two
men in the brigade hospital from
measles and two with humps, but
they are out again and every man in
the regiment is well and hearty. l
never saw a more contented lot of men.
and all are anxious to get away for
Manila. I regard the fact we have
only had -four men on the sick list out
of over a thousand as showing that our
men are pretty well cared for.
we are assured that we will be the
next regiment to leave San Francisco
after the departure of the third xpe
dition. which, when ! left. was sched-
uled to leave to-day. We were in
formed there would be no fourth ex-
petition. but that after the third leaves,
as each transport is ready ii will be
loaded and dispatched. We are as
sured that we will leave on the first
transport that is ready. and that we
will leave between the list and 4th of
July. / understood. when | left, that
General Merritt will go with us.
Our men now have all their equip
ment and are ready to go any time.
The men have improved wonderfully
at drill and are now as well behaved "A
regiment of soldiers as I ever saw i'm
the regular army. The day ! left | saw
as pretty a guard o as | ever saw
performed by any regulars"
With reference to the of
Lieutenant Bryan Conrad of Company
NJ with a rebellious soldier, an account
of which appeared in yesterdays
Standard. Captain Keown said Lieu
tenant Conrad was entirely justified.
Speaking of the report that three SER
geants and several corporals of Com
pany Il having been reduced to the
ranks, CAPTAIN Keown said IL was true.
but that IL was not for disobedience of
orders, but for drunkenness, and other
improper onduct. Captain Keown did
not know the names of the men thus
reduced in rank.
Captain Keown was one of the foot
ball team that played the team from
the Minnesota regiment and bears
marks yet of the struggle. The Mon
tana team was organized by Lieutenant
Homer Richards of Butte and cap
tanned by Chef Smith. and Captain
Keown says the game called one of the
best ever seen at Central park.
Captain Keown says there were fewer
men in the Montana regiment in the
guard house for drunkenness after pay
day than in any other regiment. He
says a land lubber from Montana. Pri-
waite William Seaman of Company & Of
Bozeman. has distinguished himself by
teaching the crack swimmers Of the
coast a thing or two. At the Sutro
baths. a prize is given every Sunday
for a swimming race. and Private Sea-
man won the prize three Sundays in
succession.
Captain Keown reports that Lieuten-
ant Ben Calkins is mourning the loss
of his pet horse. which ran away and
was SO DaulS injured that ne had TO
be shot. He says the boys stand the
California weather very well. BUT that
the fleas are something -ntolerable.
The man had received the abdominal
belts sent them from Montana when
Captain Keown left and were very
thankful to their friends for them.
Captain keown received word yester-
day that his wife was better. so only
expects to remain in Montana a few
days.
Big sale this week on ladies', and