The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-08-16
MEN VERY OFTENGEr THIRSTY.
Hike From New York to the Far
West is Dreaded by The Officers.
TROUBLE FREQUENTLY AT STATIONS.
Stops Cause Losses From the Ranks Every
Time and Muss Is Always Expected
When They Reach Cheyenne.

Now that the movement of troops tow
ard China is under way. the officers who
have been ordered 10 stand by to take
charge OF the moving outfits are wishing
that they could transfer to the STAFF for
just little while-until the moving Is
!, all over. say.
They don't mind what is TO come when
they reach their destinations. but If they
are at all experienced in that sort OF
thing they cannot help looking forward
to the moving OF the soldiers with dread.
The officer who is put in command of
four or five carloads of soldiers on the
long hike from the Atlantic to the Pacific
has his work cut out for him.
The old-timers lay In large stock OF
sleep before starting out on "a journey OF
this sort. for they know that the amount
OF slumber they are Likely TO get between
this ocean and the other one won't make
them sluggish and dull witted.
There is something doing night and day
on a train load of soldiers on the move,
and IL is the business OF the officers in
command 20 mix In, and ind out what's
happening. or what's going TO happen
from the first hour Of the rail hike to the
wind-np thereof. Enlisted men on rail-
road trains act like unruly boys, the best
of them
tt doesn't make any difference how
quiet and tractable an outfit may be in
camp or garrison, the men seem to go up
in the air, so 10 speak. when they embark
on long railroad journey.
The army regulations are. or course,
Just as binding on soldiers a-move
they are on soldiers at anchor in posts.
but the men appear to forget this-prob-
ably because II Is so convenient TO do So
and the officer In charge has 10 forget IL
in part himself; otherwise he would have
bunch OF data for general courts mar
tial at the end OF the line that would re-
duce his command to nothingness.
The determination of the travelling sol
diers to refresh themselves with liquids
Is. as a matter or course. the root and
branch of the trouble. OF what use would
"a change OF station be to a soldier II he
could not regale himself on the way?
Neither gnarled clubs nor bayonets will
serve TO keep the black bottles out of the
cars set aside for the soldiers The
young. inexperienced officer i'm charge of
a detachment of soldiers on the move will.
herd the men together in corner OF the
stations smoking room before the start
is made, and put a guard on them. I'm ad-
dition 10 n chain-guard outside the sta
tion. and when the train pulls out each
and every man will have HIS quart. new
ertheless and notwithstanding.
There is no way of explaining II, but II
always happens that way.
The old-time officer I'm command OF an
outfit about to move doesn't heed the
men at all at the, beginning of the jour
ney. lie is wise enough 10 desire the men
TO spend every sou-markee they possess
on bottles or anything else at the outset
Of the trip so that under the influences
nf nj a
from insolvency. he'll have them all right
and tractable by the time the journey Is
drawing 10 an end.
He knows there Is n certain amount
of boyish deviltry I'm his bunch that has
got to be worked off during the trip. and
ne prefers 10 stand for all of the exuber-
ance at the beginning. rather than pull
up with demoralized crowd of men i'm
blue at the finish of the hike.
ELUDE THE PLATFORM GUARDS
When the conduct OF the men in the
cars becomes too tempestuous. however.
even the most liberal officer In command
has to round them up. and the fore-and-
aft guard Is established.
That is TO say. couple of the sober
men. with their bayonets at n fix are
stationed on the platform. one in front
and one I'm the rear. with instructions
10 make real dents in the person of any
THE object of this is TO diminish the
supply of liquid refreshments in car by
making II impossible for the soldiers to
stop off and make record sprints for the
nearest rum emporiums. there to accu-
mulate the largest armflil Of bottles pur-
chasable with the money In hand at the
various stops along the line. As rule,
however the fore-and-aft guard fails dis
mally Of its purpose-for the cars have
windows.
The soldier who feels that he Is impera-
lively in need OF stmulant will either
drop out Of the window himself when a
stop is reached. or he VIII endeavor To
enlist the kindly services of some station
ioafer to the end OF securing the bottle
OF which he stands In such sad need
This is an uncertain method OF trans
acting business The thirsty soldier can
not OF course, know the character or cir
cumstances OF the chap 10 whom he in
fruits his money. and he Inevitably
takes long chance of never seeing eth
or his bottle or his money any more when
he enjoys the window method
Station loafers thus commissioned. how
ever. have really been known 10 come
back. but such cases are so infrequent
as 10 occasion surprise among old-time
enlisted mel. When money Is passed 10
the commissioners out of each window,
however the chances are always favor
able that few bottles Will be returned.
anyhow. and soon the fore-and-aft guard
Doesn't actually amount TO much
Great wrath invariably follows the
eainrr Of a station commissioner 20 re-
turn with the bottles he Is SO trustinely
ourcly ought 10 have known better. hand
- hravrpV baeLuap n (soatncf1 nlrna