The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-09-16
Will PLAYAT WAR
Thousands Of U. S. Troops
Are at Des MOines.
FOR SIX DAY TOURNAMENT.
From September 20 to 25 They Will
Give Daily War Time Demonstra-
tions on State Fair Grounds.

Des Moines, Sept. One hundred
and thirty-fve acres of land on and
adjoining the Iowa state fair grounds
at Des Moines will be utilized for the
great camp OF the United States army
10 be assembled for the national mill.
tary tournament in this city, Sept. 20
to Is. inclusive. Over 5000 soldiers:
or practically all of the troops that
can be spared from garrison duty in
the states of Wyoming, Colorado.
South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Mis-
souri,, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin
and Iowa, will participate in this tour
nament. There will be cavalry, infan-
try, engineers, signal corps, wireless
telegraph outfits, heliograph detach.
ments, field bakery equipments, spar
bridge trains. a pontoon bridge train.
a dozen batteries Of field and horse
artillery, rapid fire platoons attached
to both cavalry and infantry, noun
tain batteries, captive balloon crew,
dfrigible balloon and crew, heavier
than-air flying machine and crew, hos
pital details, etc. In short, it will be
an army as fully and completely
equipped as though in the field against
al enemy. And the week of ever
changing programs will be continual
revelation of the conduct of an army
in an active campaign. Every detail
OF warfare will be demonstrated inside
the racetrack arena and in plain view
of the grand stand and other accom-
modations for the seating of 10000
people.
The aircraft will make daily flights,
circling above imaginary camps and
improvised fortifications, reporting
their strength by signal and by wire
less telegraph, and upon command
will swoop down upon them and drop
high explosives to demonstrate the
possibilities of the aircraft in war
fare. The artillery batteries will en-
gage in daily drills and offensive and
defensive operations against a hostile
enemy. With them will be cavalry
and infantry doing their part, exem-
plification of the use of field batteries,
OF the field hospital work, etc. There
will be imaginary streams to cross
and at signal bridge trains will dash
into the arena and throw either spar
or pontoon bridges across the streams
to permit of the crossing of the troops.
Sappers will follow, who will destroy
the bridges to prevent pursuit. In the
great camp will be field bakeries in
operation and baking the bread used
by this army, great portable kitchens
preparing the rations for the troops,
etc.
The program will open Monday
morning, Sept. 20, with the greatest
review of troops the country has wit
messed in time of peace. There will
be SO per cent more troops in line
than have ever participated in an in
augural, and these, with the seven
great military bands, with regimental
and company standards, the gayly dec
Grated streets, will, as they pass the
great reviewing stand at the south of
the state capitol, from which Presi-
dent Taft, General Bell and the rep
resentatives of the armies of a dozen
countries will review the troops, will
form a picture long to be remembered.
This great parade, with wagon trains,
etc., will be over three miles long
and will take fully an hour in passing
the stand. The parade will be daily
feature and on each afternoon will be
the opening number on the program