Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-02
SOLDIERS DRAW BIG CROWDS
Evolutions at Fort Omaha Important
Feature of Kings Entertainment.
BALDWIN BALLOON MAY ALSO FLY
Effort VIII BE Made to show Off
Big Government DirigibIe Now
at FOrt-weather Expert
ments Interesting.

Notwithstanding the rather uncertain
street car facilities for reaching Camp
Thayer at Fort Omaha, many Omaha
citizens took advantage of the oppor-
tunlty to witness the battalion drills of
the Thirteenth infantry yesterday after
noon. Visitors came out to the camp
in automobiles and other private convey
ances to enjoy the spectacle.
The battalion evolutions were in con-
formity with Butts manual and differs
somewhat from the old Upton and other
battalion tactical evolutions. The bat
talions now consist of four companies Of
maximum membership of 11O officers
and enlisted men, and most of these com
panies are now recruited up to their
maximum.
Battalion parade at 42o was also an
interesting feature and many new visit
ors came out to enjoy 1t, Nearly 500
men were in the parade lihe, which was
reviewed by Colonel Loughborough
Last evening at retreat the famous
Thirteenth Infantry band of over forty
pieces gave a concert on the parade
ground. The band is one of the finest
in the army, well as one Of the Oldest
of the regular army military bands
The program was varied one of
adagios, andantes, marches, waltzes and
! popular selections from many of the
standard operas. The pleasant afternoon
/ drew a large crowd of visitors to the
fort and camp. which is destined to be-
come one of the most popular places to
visit during the Ak-sar-Ben period
Cavalry and Battery Coming.
| The cavalry brigade will arrive today
and tomorrow, as will the battery of ar
tillery. The Sixteenth infantry will arrive
| from Fort Crook Sunday, and an ex-
tremely interesting program is promised
for Camp Thayer for Sunday afternoon.
Nearly 5000 regular troops VIII be en-
camped there Sunday and Monday to re-
main through the week. Special programs
will be announced for the camp daily, and
in the meanwhile visitors have been in
vited to call and inspect the camp, the
field hospital and the signal corps ap-
paratus
The big Baldwin dlrigible balloon is now
in the big balloon house and is to be in
flated. 1t is hoped by Colonel Gassford
that several flights of the big airship may
be made during the coming week.
Lieutenant Frank p. Lahm will probably
be here to superlntend the flights of the
big airship. He made the successful flight
with the Baldwin at Des Moines during
the recent military tournament there,
weather Balloons Interesting.
Another interesting feature at the fort
is the meteorological experiments that are
now going on under the superintendent OF
DR.. Blair and Mr.. Gregg of the weather
bureau. These constitute sending into the
air rubber balloons of 200 cubic feet capac-
lity, to which are attached parachutes hold
ing different meteorological instruments
for recording temperatures and air cur
rents in the higher attitudes. These rubber
balloons explode after reaching various
heights and the parachutes carry the re-
cording instruments safely to the earth
With these instruments are instructions
asking the finder to forward them tc
Mount Weather, Va, with the directions
for doing So Several of these balloons
have already been sent up from Fort
Omaha within the last ten days. They may
float 200 miles before exploding one OF
these balloons was recently recovered IN
central Missouri Another has been heard
| from in Kansas.