The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-07
Special to the Scranton Tribune.

Special to the Scranton Tribune.
Camp Meade, Mddletown, Oct c.
The alleged rainy season of Cuba
about which we hear and read so much
would not be a consideration wher
compared with the weather here In
camp for the past three or four days
II is simply rain added to rain ant
storm to storm, so much so that, since
the regiment was reunited last Satur.
day morning. neither a drill nor a dress
parade has been held. IT is both the
rainy and the lazy season, and mos
of the men would undoubtedly prefer
TO see it dry up, and to go out for Q
few hours drill each day. They would
feel much better, and are beginning to
find 1t irksome to lie around. tired and
ambitionless in their tents all day, un.
able to exercise, or even to stretcl
their limbs in the open fields and in the
free, fresh air.
Since Saturday the doleful patter oi
the rain on this city of canvas has
been heard almost without any inter-
ruption. In some of the regiments OF
the First division short drills have been
held. but have been suspended in the
These constant rains have a much
deeper significance than the mere Ces.
sation from drilling There are other
consequences, both immediate and re.
mote. Not only are the men thereby
deprived of health producing lfc-gv.
ing exercise in the open air-whicl
means everything to the soldier-and
those who are in any way susceptible
N lYf,
are at once affected physically, Tut even
the moral results are to be taken into
consideration. Restricted in their close
quarters, without any healthful vari.
ETY., and with gloomy surroundings. a
rather liberal number of sick cases in.
Nariaby develop under such conditions
All camp physicians know this, and
those Of the Thirteenth have had tc
take il into account many times, 4
protracted gloomy, rainy season here
is sure to be followed by various com.
plants, sometimes aa much mental a,
physical in their origin.
MARCH ABANDONED.
The march to Gretna and to the range
al that place seems to have become ar
issue Of the past. General Goblin who
had that movement in contemplation
Tor the Third brigade, seems to have
abandoned 1t under pressure of cir.
cumstanCes. The uncertainty as TO the
duration of our stay here operated, in
the first place, as "A factor in deter.
mining him to think the matter over,
ana, in the next place, the health OF
the men had to be considered. 1t wa,
felt that if, after weeks of practica
inactivity. the troops We're to go on
such long march, carrying with them
only their shelter tents and a blanket
ana ponCho, sickness would be in.
creased to an alarming extent. Ther
came the rains, leaving no room what
ever for argument. The trip at once
became an impOssibility and may not
even be rcconsidered again.
The proposition to bring this CORPS
10 Philadelphia to participate in the
peace jubilee ceremonies, which are &c
ne held in that city the latter part of
TINS month, finds an unlimited number
or warm advocates here, and this is
the case especially with the Pennsyl.
Nanlans in camp. They realize that
they viii soon be leaving here for the
south, and would like to go to Phila-
delphla on such an occasion as tho
peace jubilee.
The members of the Thirteenth ar,
the most anxious of all to GO They
have been in the city of Rrotherly
Love many times before at other cele.
Dfatlons, and We're always heartily
welcomed. The friendliest feelings ex-
listed for years between the Thirteentt
and the Philadelphia regiments wher
they We're in the National Guard, and
all would look with favor upon another
opportunity to renew old acquaintances
and to cement former friendships. The
Scranton boys woud consider a trip tc
Philadelphia as happy prelude to a
voyage to Cuba.