The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-06-23
CAT1P Nii.IsI.iTT
VIII Soon Ee of the Pnst-Sor,e Of
the EruitS Of P:it DaX

w lil SDOE1 l. or inc P2St-SOIle OF
the Fruits Of Pay Day.
Camp Merritt. From Special Core
spondent.-Two weeks from the time this
letter reaches Minnesota the Thrice, / h
Minnesota regiment will have said adieu
to its collection Of dogs cats and lizards;
to the knee-deep sand of Camp Merritt,
teenling with millions Of invisible fleas:
to the notorious Richmond district, with
its pneumonia and forty barrooms; to the
O'Clock fog parties and cold camp
breeZes: they will have parted with all
these, and either be on a crowded trans
port snip steamng for the Philippines,
via Honolulu, or they will be on board
ship in San Francisco bay waiting for
final supplies to go on board.
In month Camp Merritt will be a
thing Of the past, but it will undoubtedly
Vrequlre two more expeditions, and big
i'orhs at that, after the second expedition
;,,salS "Wednesday of this week. to COM
,plete the transformation from tented field
TO iolling ship. Minnesota will go on the
CITY of Para, the best boat of the entire
transport fleet. This steamer has a fine
I ice machine already on board, and that
will go long ways toward making the
boys comfortable, while sleeping on heavy
mattresses in dark holds. Then, she is
a fine ship any way. The fact that pay
day has come and gone is already known
to the readers of this paper. Fully two
thirds of the men turned over most of
their money to Col. Reeve for safekoep-
ing. Some Of the boys got into trouble
at the start and did not seem to know
how to handle money. The sand in the
held is about half foot deep, and once
let a coin drop in it and it is practically
lost. First Sergeant Sinons, of Company
G. St. Paul. dropped a $40 gold piece the
ncst thing. and an hours careful search
IN the sand failed to draw it from its
hjdlng place. Private Johnst n, cook for
Company G. of Red Wing, droppel = s.
lost
or the same company did the same thing
Ihere Was great danger of dropping
money in this way, as about every other
member Of the regiment had borrowed
from some one and Immediately set out to
pay debts as soon AS pail off. Money
changing took the place of drill for q
tlmc and the common question was
How much do I owe your or "Do I
owe YOU anything?"
The greatest joke of the carp thus far
is on Maj. Diggles. Some one started
report that it had been discovered that
the regiment was entitled to but two ma
Jors and no battalion adjutants. This
would crowd out Maj. Diggles and it was
announced that he would be ordered back
to Minnesota to be assigned to the Fiji
teenth regiment. Col. Reeve was put on
and helped the joke along, and it soon
become the talk of the camp that Mai.
Dlggles Was going home. Although there
did rot seem to be any reason for tho
lieved the report, especially when he no.
ticed Adjt. Garcelon packing up his
things preparatory to going home. He
even went to the correspondents and
asked them not to mention the matter
until the thing was finally settled. He
was downcast all day, and when he could
stand it no longer welt to Gen. Otis
headquarters and asked for information.
"Of course Gen. Otis was surprised and
then it commenced to dawn on the major
that the boys had put up job on him.
1t was hardly safe to speak to him after
that
The different companies have become so
Tprohcient in company drills andsthe man
ual that they are all taking up extended
~order, and some are even trying advanced
~order. Company of Minneapolis being
among the number.
Capt. Robinson. Company c, is officer of
the day tonight, and Lieut.. Chambers,
.of Company D, officer of the guard. They
are expecting lively night of it as re-
suit of the men being paid.
Capt. McWade was drilling COMPANY
A out in the street this afternoon when
Capt. Paul. of the regular army, stopped
him and asked? -
Where did you get that company of