Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-01-12
CAMP SITE FOR VIRGINIA
TROOPS

OFcr tuo Otato, tuat WIN the In
coming of Judge Mann as Governor,
and w, W.Sale as Adjutant G General,
the summer camp site will certainly
be located near Norfolk.
We can think of no more foolish
thing for the powers that be than
this. We, of course, have been
deeply interested in having this
camp site located at Goshen, which
il about % miles from Lexington,
but if for any reason, satisfactory
arrangements cannot be made there,
we take this opportunity to urge
the military board to find some
other site in the mountains for the
camp site, either towards Coving-
ton, or in the neighborhood of Salem
or Christiansburg, or somewhere
in southwest Virginia.
1t will be we'll nigh criminal for
the military board to select camp
site which would require boys from
the mountains or Piedmont, to 90
down during the hot months of July
or August and spend a month on
the burning sands along the sea-
shore. To put man through such
an ordeal, might mean the loss of
health, if not OF life. To expect him
to camp where the thermometer is
In the upper uineties good part of
she time on the fat sand, with mos
quitoes at night and the danger of
malaria, would be a repetition OF
the misfortune of the volunteers in
the Spanish War, although they
had every care and attention the
United States government could
give them. We understand that
the experiment has already been
made by the United States Govern
ment somewhere along the coast of
New Jersey, and although much
further north than Norfolk, it was
found utterly unbearable, by reason
OF the heat and mosquitoes, and the
camp site ha5 to be abandoned after
a great amount OF money was spent
On it. Every lawyer who has at
tended the Bar Association on the
sea-shore, knows that although he
Is housed in the very best hotels,
yet the discomfort of the heat. and
the almost certainty of sickness TO
the man from other sections, has
caused the Bar Association to aban-
don almost entirely going to the
sea-shore in the summer, and this
haS been done by mutual consent.
without any serious objection from
any one, experience having taught
1t to be unpleasant and unwiss.
How much more would going to the
sea-shore be Objectionable, where
the soldiers will have to be in hot
tents on the hot and fat sand, and
without the comforts of first class
hotels, with the necessity of drink
ing water which nine cases out of
ten will make the whole outfit sick.
The effect will be that after the first
camp. men will abandon the militia
In the mountain and Piedmont Sec
tons rather than be required to 90
through such an experience.
On the other hand, the camp site
in the mountains, for example at
Goshen. will be an elevation of
leOO feet above the sea level, with
pure spring water TO drink, and a
river to battle in, nights cool and
oracing. with days the heat of which
no enc could object to, with a num-
Der OF first class hotels in the neigh.
borhood for the families OF the SOL
diers and officers at reasonable
rates, trunk line of railroads civ.
ing quick communication with their
homes. and generally everything
which would make the place an
ideal camp ground. And with a
months outing in the mountains.
there will be material inducement
for men to enlist all over the State
TO get the delightful pleasure and
benefits of it. Instead o. being
deterrent TO the growth of the mi
Htia, it will be such an induccment
- to materially aid development.
1t is believed from representa-
III, nc that NTH c,,oh ~ 90. - p,