The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-23
BIGGEST EVENT
OF ITS KIND
Many Memoirs of the Guard
viii Not Attend
LACK OF EQUIPMENT
Territorial Encampment at
Guthrie October 10.

| Guthrie, o. T, Sept. 22.-AlthCugh he
| territorial encampment of the Oklahoma
National Guard, which will be he'd in
Guthrie from the ninth 60 the sixteenth
/ of October, will be the biggest event OF
the kind ever held IN Oklahoma there Will
be almost three hundred enlisted men who
will be compelled to stay at home. There
are two reasons for this, the ineMcjency
Of the government appropriation and the
lack of equipment
At last years encampment. held at
Kingfisher, there were only five hundred
members of the National Guard present
and it was with difficulty that the appro-
priation was made to meet the expenses
This year there are $50 members of the
Oklahoma National Guard and Adjutaat
General Burlingame said yesterday that
with the most stringent economy only six
hundred privates with their commanding
officers could be provided for. This will
be a great disappointment TO many ofsthe
members. as they feel that after drilling
faithfully during the entire year that they
should be permitted to attend the terri
torial encampment. At the last session of
congress an appropriation OF $1,000 was
made for the territorial encampment. This
sum must be made to pay for railroad
fare and the feeding of over six hundred
men for eight days.
Another thing that will tend to keep
some away from the encappment is the
failure TO receive uniforms and equip
ments in time. There are only 60o rifles
belonging to the National Guard of Okla
homa and as no more are to be had by
the 9th Of next month and all who take
part in the encampment must be uniform
ed and equipped, this will keep several
away. Company of this city has 65
men enlisted, but only 30 rifles, making
about J6 men who will be entitled 10 par
ticipate in the maneuvers. The First reg
iment band will not be here. as their in
struments and uniforms are not expected
to arrive in time. The engineers, hospital
and signal corps which were provided for
by the Dick bill, may be kept away for
the same reason. When the equipments
were ordered it was thought that there
was time enough for them to arrive for
the encampment, but unlocked for delays
at factories and heavy railroad traffic
have interefered with the plans
The encsfpment is expected to be the
largest and most beneficial ever held in
Oklahoma. The Dick bill made provision
for the appointment of an Instructor and
inspector and Major RIPLEY of the Sth
u. S. Cavalry, a man who is now recog-
nized as an authority on military tactics,
has been appointed TO fiji this place and
will have charge OF the maneuvers. He
has been instructed to be very strict in
n fo ha 1,.;U
soldiers. The camp is icing planed and
will be located at the ball grounds on
South Second street. Major RIPLEY has
not announced the problems that will be
executed at the encampment
The camp is being planned and Will be
at the encampment. The commissary de-
partment is making arrangements TO fur
nish fresh beef, bacon canned salmon.
soft and hard bread, beans rice. potatoes,
prunes, corn, tomatoes, coffee and sugar.
The water company will put in pipes to
the camp. Adjutant General Buriingam-
is having some difficulty 70 secure cooks.
and II he fails the soldiers will be requir-
ed TO do their own cooking
General Burlingame has just completed
he list of the men who are entitled 10 at
tend the encampment and will make the
lists TO the officers of the different COM
panles soon. The companies viii be noti-
fed later as to the number OF men they
will be permitted to bring TO the encamp-
Tent st the governments expense and
the officers will have to pick the men
from the companies that they will bring
with them.
The reports OF enlistment up to the 18th
showed that there are $50 men In the OK
lahoma National Guard and that the
strength of the various companies is as
follows: