The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-28
A PAIR OF LOST PACK TRAINS.
FORGOTTEN IN THE HURRY BURLY
OF MILITARY LIFE.

they Are CamDed Out on the Vale
Royal Property Waiting for Some
thing to Turn Up-WithOut Pay for
Two Months, With No Destination
and with Little to DO-Intcnded
for Use in Mountainous Districts,
Hut Taking Life Easy Here.
Two pack trains are camped out on the
Vale Royal property. They belong to the
United States government, but where they
are going, when they are going to leave.
and how and when the men are going 10
get their pay are matters that are left
for the future to solve.
From all appearances these trains have
been lost sight of by the government Of
fcials charged with their movements. For
three weeks they have been here, taking
life as easily as possible. Like Micawber,
they are waiting for sohethng to turn
up. II is two months next Saturday since
the men received any money from the
government for their services. Their eff
forts to put themselves in touch with
some information as to what is going to
be done with them has been unavalling
They have now settled down TO make
themselves as comfortable as possible aud
wait for developments All that they are
hoping is that the paymaster will come
their way before long. His absence is the
one feature of being lost that is distress
ing.
The two pack trains came here from
Huntsville. They were attached to the
Eighth Cavalry, part of which is reported
10 be in Cuba and part in Huntsville.
These trains were expected TO leave here
when some of the cavalrymen started for
the island, but no arrangements had been
made for their transportation. During
the time that they have been camped here
Quartermaster Bellinger has attended TO
their wants as far as he could. But he
has not been able to tell them what is to
become of them or when the back pay will
arrive And that is what the men are
anxious to know.
Il got lost on a trail up in Montana one
day in a snow storm said one of the
men yesterday, but l never expected to
get lost down here in Savannah in this
way. But 1 guess if the government can
stand it we cam.
There are fourteen men to each train
and a chief packer, Mr.. Clarke, twenty
nine men in all There are siXty-siX mules
TO each train, and the government is pay
ing out a neat sum for forage while they
are being held here. Every afternoon the
stock are driven out in the country for
exercise. The care Of the animals Is the
only duty resting on the men, and as
they are experts in that line, they find
time hanging pretty heavily on their
hands fN the quiet camp. The mules have
all been broken in and there is nothing to
do in that line to relieve the monotony.
The city is nearby, its buildings showing
up in the distance. but not having been
paid off in two months, the men are not
especially flush even though they do re-
ceve $40 or more a month When they
do get paid, though they will have TIE
satisfaction OF getting big plump rolls of
fresh greenbacks.
None of the men is enlisted They are
hired with the understanding that they are
TO give a reasonable notice If they desire
TO quit. Camp life under the trees. out on
Bay street extended, is not unpleasant,
even if it is quiet, and none of them has
seen fit to resign. 1t would probably be a
treat to them, though, to have few
green mules to break in for the work of
mountain climbing and pack carrying in
Cuba. Ii is not hard, they say just re-
quiring patience and stubbOrnuess equal
to that of the mule to be trained. Before
long they break in a mule to carrying
pack of $50 to 800 pounds without trOu-
BILE
The mules are intended for mountainous
districts of the island where it is impossible
at present to use wagons owing to the abb
sence of roads or their rough condition.
Led by a bell mare the long string of
pack mufes will move along the narrowest
and toughest mountain trails. They are
sure footed, of wonderful endurance. and
are a valuable aid in military movements.
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