Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-18
WITH THE MARINES
Waiting for Something Ex-
citing to Turn Up.
LIFE ON THE ISTHMU Us
DRY SEASON, WHEN IT DOESN'T
RAIN FOR THREE DAYS.
Facts About the Apprentices and the
Music Boys-Their Duties
and Privileges.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

of life since he camp of American marines
was established here. We expected an en-
counter with Colombian forces long before
this, but nothing has happened. We are
simply living easy" taking our turns in
the work Of the camp and occasionally Wis
iting the village, where we. are all well
coined. I overheard an amusing quarrel
there the other way. Standing in front Of
their respective doors were two women who
spoke very good English. One exclaimed,
You pay your rent in Colombian money"
II pay my rent in good. American
money" the other retorted quickly.
Just then queerly-dressed policeman
passed They continued their discussion of
their comparative quality when he called to
them to keep quiet. They both slammed
their doors and subsidized.
The real life of this country must be
seen to be fully understood Letters from
newspaper correspondents are not always
exactly accurate, but they give idea of
the reality The "Great Father of all the
marines, Gen. Elliott, is here-more to look
after our comfort and health. we believe,
than anything else in particular. We are
all in our corners waiting for the word to
fight. The sun here is so hot that it dries
everything up, or 1t rains so hard that one
can't see ten feet in front of him. We are
beginning to have dry season-it didn't
rain for three days recently, the first time
it has happened since we have been here
At Camp Elliott.
Our camp is on a mountain overlooking
the railroad. We are living in houses that
formerly belonged to the French canal COM
pany, who left everything in terrible con-
dition, but We will make them all sweet and
clean soon. The buildings of wood, and
a few of them are two stories high. When
we arrived here from the Dixie we hired
lot of natives to cut down all the weeds
around the camp, women were engaged to
scrub the floors and in short time we
were settled. Our trumpeter and native
went out into the jungles and got bam-
boo pole Twenty-Five feet long: Corp Wag,
ner fastened the pole on one building, which
was made headquarters, and soon our beau
tiful flag that was born in a little house on
Arch street in Philadelphia was proudly
waving over the camp, which we have
named after our good commander. The ma
tives worked all the afternoon. Each was
paid s1.20 in Colombian money go cents in
our money!. There were over 100 men en-
gagged in cutting the weeds and putting the
camp in good order. Soon the rest of the
battalion Joined US.
About o'clock a train brought our cots,
which we carried to our houses.
The other day we all marched to Culebra
cut on the canal route, about two miles
from our camp. 1t is a wonderful sight to
see 1000 men cutting through a mountain.
Getting the Mail.
Every Tuesday when the mail arrives 1t
comes on a train which is due about $40
pm. The first sergeant goes to get it in
company with a marine. Many of US get big
bundles of papers. magazines and letters,
particularly The Evening Star from Wash
ington. When day or two has passed we
exchange papers. and when finally get
through with them We give them to the
village people, who value them highly.
Soma of the natives have cnf nictnraa from
the New York papers and tackled them on
their walls. We are treated with much
respect by the villagers and looked upon
as great people from a very rich country
Every Monday our mail Is sent away. 1t
Is all put into one special bag and sent
directly through from our camp to the
United States, where it is posted in the
regular way. Thus we can use American
stamps or postal cards.
Marine Apprentices.
Perhaps some of the Washington boys
would be interested In some details about
the life Of the music boys of the Marine
Corps. II a boy over fifteen years old
passes the physical examination he may
enlist with the consent OF parents or
guardians. Apprentices must study music
for about one year. If they cannot pass
the final examination they may be honor
ably discharged. Apprentices are taught
besides music geography, reading, spelling,
arithmetic and writing for one year until
they become rated boys. The Marine Corps
has a school at headquarters to teach BOYS
to become trumpeters and drummers. APP
prentices receive about $40 a month, and
are furnished with bed, board. medicine,
hospital, school. music, all the necessary
clothing, transportation and all the iber-
ties Of the barracks at the Headquarters of
the Marine Corps, including use of the
gymnasium, bathing pool and the library.
Apprentices receive liberty from Saturday
till Monday and are given extra liberty IL
a reasonable excuse is offered They are
not allowed to practice hazing or indulge
in smoking, drinking or to associate with
evil characters. The school allows only
fifty apprentices.
The Music Boys.
When the term Of apprenticeship is over
the pay is increased to $13 month. and
the boys are then called ''rated musics."
They are allowed to wear civilian clothes
when they are ait liberty, which they may
have nearly every day until they are sent
away for regular duty.
Music boys must serve until they are
twenty-one years old, half Of the time at
sea- They have open-air practices every
day In running. jumping or ball playing.
They must be capable drummers as well as
trun1peters A music boy carries sword.
knapsack, revolver and his bugle or drum
He may Join the Marine Band in time II
he can prove his capability
The music boys school is located at the
marine barracks in Washington. The drum
teacher Is Sam. Johnson: bugle teacher Is
Mr.. Fugett.
The Washington marine barracks Is q
place OF beauty. There are first-class
rstions. exceptional Sunday dinners, Ma
rine Band concerts every morning and spe-
cial concert every Thursday afternoon
Many visitors come throughout the day to
witness the gun practice fire drills, dress
parades and the departure Of soldiers and
arrival Of the marines
Music boys are called ''musics'' when
ever addressed. They are sent to all parts
of the world almost Immediately after
their apprenticeship ends Every company
of marines has a trumpeter and drummer.
The only punishment for bad behavior is
denial of liberty to leave the barracks The
music boys that are rated and doing duty
both on land and sea number about $50
They are permitted to continue their stud
les in the school room as long as they re-
main in the barracks at Headquarters They
are employed principally as messengers,
and are always within call Of the officers
Their duties are hard at times, but their
pants are never out of crease
JOHN SWAII. Jr., Drummer,
Marine Battalion, Company B.