Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-06
West Point Traditions.


Turning to the commandment, h general
remarked:
Il have been wondering if that hole
was still there. l made it when l was
a cadet and lived in his room.'
H STORY OF A BILLIARD TABLE.
One of the most Interesting of West
DIN traditions is that relating to the
billiard table. Shortly after the Civil
Nar the cadets, always on the alert for
some new scheme for amusement, de-
cided that they would like to have a
billiard table, and accordingly organized
a billiard club. A collection vas taken
UP with which to purchase a table, and
a suitable place was sought in which to
set it up. Until the present steam heat
ing apparatus was Installed in the cadet
barracks, about Twenty-Five or thirty
years ago, the heating was by means of
The basement of the sixth
division of the barracks was used for
coal bins, the bins being 50 arranged
that there was a large one near the CEN
ten of the building, which could only be
reached by passing through one of the
others. After considering all available
places, this coal bin was finally selected
as being the place least liable to detec-
tion-for it must be remembered the
table vas unauthorized. The table was
bought in New York and sent to gar
risons, across the river, for there was no
West Shore Railroad in those days. One
cold winter night it was hauled by a team
of oxen across the river on ice, and up
the hill, and was safely slowed away in
he coal bin before morning. The table
was soon set UP and became a source of
great enjoyment to the cadets. A key of
beer was always kept on tap, and lamps
We're hung from the ceiling, giving the
room a CHEEKY appearance. The members
of the club used to gather there at all
hours of the day and night when their
presence WAS not rpSnirA1 a1Sawhar hy-
their duties, and sit around smoking,
drinking and telling stories while two
of them played billiards.
The authorities soon became aware
that there was a billiard table somewhere
in the barracks, for they could hear the
balls clicking together, but they could
not it. The cadets continued to en-
JOY the privileges of the billiard club for
more than a year. Finally one night
soon after midnight, as two officers were
returning from a convivial evening at
the mess, they saw two cadets, clad in
their Understanding n dressing gowns
emerge from the north sallyport and
disappear down the steps to the area
way IN front of the barracks. Instantly
the thought of the billiard table flashed
through the minds of the two officers,
ana they started quietly after the cadets.
Oh reachlns the basement doorway Of
the sixth division the two cadets entered.
ana the officers, arriving a homer later,
saw them climb over a pile of coal and
enter an open door, through which came
ounds of laughter and conversation and
the clicking of balls, while the air was
laden With fragrant obacco smoke.
The officers paused for a moment and
neld a whispered consultation. Finally,
oecldang that. they would ten the other
otf1cers of their discovery and have all
OF them come down the following night
ana ENJOY the fun of a raid on the club,
Ih6V ny1y md vo,@A t~-.. =
all the officers at the post We're informed
OF the discovery, and it was arranged
that the raid shout occur at midnight.
All might have gone we'll, the officers
might have had their little fun, had it
not been that there We're three cadets
the previous night instead of two. The
third had forgotten his pipe and a
gone back for it, while the other two
Went on and We're discovered by the Off
GERS. The third, coming along a mo-
ment later, saw the officers and quietly
followed them, observing all their move
ments and listening to their whispered
conversation. When they withdrew he
went in and old the members of the club
all he had heard and seen. The cadets
at once realized that it was all up with
the club, but they determined to have a
laugh at the expense OF the officers. Ac-
cordlngly, all arrangements We're made
before the club adjourned that night.
The next night the officers met as ar
ranged and crept stealthily down the
areaway and into the sixth division
Hearing no sound of clicking balls, some
became sceptical and concluded the
whole thing was a hoax, but neverthe-
less they pushed on and climbed over
the pile of coal Opening the door, they
We're greeted with a glow of light. but
still no sound. On entering they foun6
the room deserted, but there was The
billiard table, an almost untouched kes
of beer, several pounds of tobacco, som
chairs and lastly a note on the table, ad
dressed to the officers on duty at Yves
Point. The note was to the effect thai
as the officers of the post had been 81
kind as to permit the club to continut
it's existence for more than a year, i
desired to present to them (the officers