The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-07-07

WorthingtOn Boy Promoted.
Preside, San Francisco. CAL,
June 26, 1899.
Have been too busy
during the past few days to write
anything, but will try to give you
some idea of life in the far west.
Presidio is at present the rendez-
vous of all recruits for the army.
They are sent here by the lO6 re-
cruiting officers from all parts of the
Union, to he drilled, fed and clothed
while awaiting Shipment to Manila.
During the past three weeks they
have been coming in at the rate of
from 100 to 400 every day. Probably
two-thirds of the recruits have served
in the volunteers but many of them
are new men, who know nothing of
the service. Until yesterday all OF
the barracks at the post we're filled
and there were over 20 companies in
tents; many companies having as
high as IT'S men, but two transports
have been loaded during the past
week and two more will be loaded
during the coming week, so that the
congestion will be relieved. The
:Sheridan" and 'Zealandia" were
loaded yesterday with four troops,
| headquarters and band of the 4th
Cav, four companies and headquart-
IersS Of the 18th 1nfaatry (colored) land
about 20O0 0aTecruits forregiments now
ia or near Manila. During the com:
lag week four companies OF the 25th
Infantry (colored) now on their way
here from points. in Arizona and
Utah, accompanied by about 1000 re-
cruits, will leave. The 10Th Infantry
which l believe is now at Camp
Meade, Pa, part of the 7th Infantry
now doing garrison duty in the cen
trail states, and several thousand re-
cruits are ordered to leave during tht
coming month.
| Preparations are being made fol
the return of the volunteers from the
Philippines to this post. A hospita.
or several together large enough to
accommodate over 5000 men has beer
erected, camps have been laid ou
and built. The camps prepared fo1
the volunteers are dry and healthy
new sibley tents with floors anc
stoves are being put up, kitchens art
being built; lighthouses, all furnished
with shower bath, are nearly finished
lin fact, the government is sparine
no expense to make them comfortable
You in Minnesota NAV think i
strange that we need stoves at thi'
time of the year but it is so cool herr
that men cannot live in tents withou
them. The mornings here are warn
and sunny, but about 10 in the fore
noon breeze springs up from tn
southwest which is gale by moor
and does not 60 down until abou
8 p. m. It always comes in from tn
ocean and as it is nearly the same al
the year; buildings are built fronting
the east when practicable.
Something of the way a person be
comes a soldier may be of interest t.
you. At first he goes to recruiting
Office and. informs the sergeant ii
charge that he wants to be soldier
} If after sizing him up and asking
few questions, the sergeant thinks h
is a fit man the would be soldier is in
formed that If he is minor he mus
get his parents consent and no mat
ter what his age, must furnish tw
recommendations as to his character
In case it requires time to get his ps
} pers, he is given physical examine
! tion, passing which the recruiting O
! ficer furnishes him with food an
lodging. usually at some hotel, unit
, he gets his papers and is sworn il
provided it requires not more tina
six days to get them. After bein
sworn il he is given an outfit (
clothing and kept at the 'recruitin
Office until four or five are enliste
If any one of the party hes been. j
the service before, he is put in char5
of them, given tickets for the party
San Francisco and sent on.
The first night they must sleep {
the cushions, but each man is given
beth in tourist sleeper for the re
of the journey. For the first day {
the road a lunch is furnished fro
the recruiting Office, for the rest
the way each man is paid $15O f
each day actually on the road. Th
is paid to him before he starts and
can use Il for ANYTHING.
Arriving at the Presidio, he is tel
porarily assigned to some one of Il
companies for rations and his mi
tary career begins. The second d,
here he gets an outfit Of clothing.
Manila wear, consisting of two su
Of nankin underwear, two suits
white duck, one brown canvas suit
pa'reftan shoes and q campaign b
He then goes to drilling, 8 hours