Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-12-08
ASKING
Parents to Take
No Stock
In Crusade Wased by
W. c. 7. u.
Akron Soldier Says Can
teen Is a Necessity.
Life In Camp at Chickamausa
Park.

Mr.. Noel b. Chalfnnt, an Akron boy,
who is with Troop II, Seventh cavalry,
in camp at Chickamauga Park, Ga, has
contributed n very interesting letter to
the Democrat, in which he discusses
and comments on various features of
camp life. He says there are Ave Ak
ron boys in camp at Chickamauga--
himself, Clark, Souers, OMAR and
Hartzell. CLARK and Souers," he says,
"are doomed to stay here until 1905,
but OMAR, Hartzell and myself will
return to Akron next fall"
Mr.. Chalfant touches upon TIMELY
topic, the canteen, upon which the w.
G. 7. U. is now making an attack to
prevent its restoration to the army.
''These workers are now writing to our
parents" he says, asking them to sign
O petition to Congress against restoring
,lS the cantecu. I'm inclined to believe,
however. that this will not do them
much good, because great many of
the boys have also written home to
their parents and explained that the
canteen is really more of Il blessing
than an evil in army camps. And we
expect to get them back, too. If the
people opposed to them We're to visit
an army post or camp situated as this
one is, or out west, they would un-
doubtedly change their minds They
don't seem to realize that in taking the
canteens away from us, they also de-
prived us of considerable Of our food.
While the canteens were allowed us we
would get from 800 to $3.50 a month
from it for the troop mess, and by rea-
son of this we Guild buy some extras
outside Of what we We're allowed by the
government. Now we live on govern
ment food straight, and l tell you it's
not what it's cracked up to be.
81 like the army very well, and may
enlist again. A good many people seem
to have an idea that soldiers are not
a very good class of people. This is
because they take the conduct of some
individual as basis upon which to es'
innate the whole. There are, of course
bad soldiers as we'll as good ones, but
the latter are by far the greater ma
jority.
"Chickamauga Park is a miserable
place when it rains. We have had 9
great deal of rain lately, and the muc
is something terrible, The people helt
are very slow, and the southerner'
don't have great deal of use for III
north ern soldiers, either. While w,
We're at Chattanooga they used us al
right as long as our money lasted, bu
when it was gone. We found that tn,
only thing left us was to pull for camp
1--WE came from Cuba to Chickamau
GA Park May %. ! saw all the cere
monies connected with turning the Is
land over to the Cubans, and woulC
not have missed It for anything. w,
are In tents here, and will be obliged
to stay in them all winter, The govern
ment is building an army post outsldt
the camp hut it will not be completed
in time for use this winter. There II
talk of our being transported to thu
Philippines, but we are not certain O
this. would like to go there, because
the men who have seen service in thos,
islands have given us good reports o,
the country.
I'VE had few fakes OF snow her,
Thanksgiving day, and they did m,
good. 1t was the first snow had seer
for three years, and made things seen
home-like."
o