The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-10
GOSSIP OF iHE CAMP.
From Staff Correspondent.

from stan correspondent
Camp Hastings, Mt. Gretna, May g.
A more beautiful day overhead could
not be desired 1t is as beautiful as
yesterday was miserable and ugly The
rain ceased at nightfall, the moon put
in an appearance towards midnight
and at daybreak there was every in
dication Of fair weather 1t came and
with it came an expansion and rising
of the mems shrunken and depressed
spirits
Happily they set to work, as soon as
the sun peeped over the hill hanging
out their rain-soaked clothing and
badly dampened bedding, and when
Old Sol took a look down on the camp
he beheld a gigantic task laid out for
his warming, absorbing rays. He evil
IDENTIFY wanted TO make up for his ne
glect of the past three days, and that
he might the better succeed with the
work in hand, summoned to his aid a
dry, warm breeze and between the two
there was a rapid metamorphosis in
the camp.
The ground this afternoon was dry
enough to permit of drills and even
before 10 o'clock in the morning the
parade ground, almost impossible yes
terday,was echoing the tramp of scores
of squads of raw recruits being put
through their first lessons in the art
of soldiery. The company streets were
drained, puddles filled in with dry
earth, mud, that threatened to defy
the power of the sun, shoveled away,
and drains, dykes and embankments
built to guard against another inun-
dation. The sunny side of every tent
and fly was covered with overcoats,
trousers, bedding and the like, and be-
tween tents, stretched on cords We're
articles of lighter weight that were
being made lighter still by the suns
absorption of their weighty wetness.
And those poor recruits! The sun
shine was certainly a Godsend to them.
Had the storm not ceased when it did
it is likely that there would be many
of them emulating the disgusted re-
cruit from TOrreysdale who, after get
ting a view of the prospects, approached
Major Parke and, making an awkward
attempt at a military salute he had
seen others give, said in a tone that
was pitifully earnest: Say, mister,
how the -- can get to Philadelphia
from here?"
Now, that order has come out of
chaos and work can be regularly car
ried on, much progress is being made
with the wedding out of the monaco
ceptable men and the filing of the
gaps with recruits. Every train that
takes away a squad of cripples brings
in squad of recruits to take their
places. This outgoing and incoming
continues all day long.
When a recruit arrives he is taken to
the Chicken coop" and registered by
the United States army officers. After
that his description is carefully taken,
and when he has been supplied with a
blanket he is marched to the company
he elects to join.
Upon the arrival of a squad of re-
cruts for a company the captain and
a lieutenant receives them and pick
out those whom they want. These are
sent up before the regimental surgeons
and If any of them fail to pass, their
places are filled from the waiting re-
cruits. After a company is mustered
up to its full quota rs men and three
officers, it goes forthwith without fur
ther ceremony to the United States
army recruiting station in Chautauqua
Park, and after having had its numer-
ical and physical fitness attested by