The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1911-06-16

LhAo lubO COnblUoTdtIOu tudl
gray-haired men still remember
~ that Fort Sam Houston was not
show place, but a useful in
stitution to protect the pioneer set
tiers from depredations Of rowing In
dams and organized cattle thieves, the
warlike enthusiasm of San Antonians
can readily be understood. The peo-
pie were as much aroused by the mob
tlization of troops as they would be If
the United States had entered upon
the greatest war of Its history. Tex
ans are ready to fight the Japanese or
the Mexfchns or anything they can
find to fight
When the troop trains rolled into
San Antonio hundreds of citizens vel
coined the soldiers and cheered. Texas
difference who is to be fought, so long
as some powder smoke follows all this
war-like display. Beyond a doubt, II
every terrible prediction of Richmond
Pearson Hobson as to the intentions
of the Japanese were to be realized
tomorrow Texas would simply mob Fort
Sam Houston to enlist and start for
the front,
Certainly, 1t was an interesting sight
to see the trains come In, one after
another, and the soldiers come forth
and organize with the speed Of auto
nations and march away. If they ar
rived at night. their tents had al
ready been prepared for them by the
comrades who arrived before. II they
arrived In the daytime they marched
to the'plAcH marked out for them and
pitched their own tents. Everything
proceeded az If this mobilization had
been planned months ahead One
would never think 1t was set in mo-
ton by kilograms flashed over the
country In single night
The telegram which set Fort Sam
Houston in motion was received at
one o'clock in the morning. An hour
after dawn officers we're surveying the
parade ground Of 800 acres and mark
ing 1t off for tents. Two hundred men
began work shortly thereafter to lay
water mains. They worked night and
day until their task was completed.
Bids for supplies for 10000 men for
four months were asked. The con-
tracts are still being let. All this was
carried through according to the
letter OF the law. One firm which
came In five minutes late with bid
for several thousand Of dollars worth
of supplies was denied permission to
submit Its proposition.
Every precaution known to physi-
clans and engineers has been taken to
keep the camps absolutely sanitary,
and as an extra measure the soldiers
are invited to take anti-typhoid serum
and thousands of them are taking the
injections.
or late the camp has been sea
of mud The mud, however, is bear
able. The dust which preceded 1t was
not The amount OF dust thousands of
marching men and hundreds Of vehi-
cles pulled by from four to eight
mules can raise is beyond the under
standing of those who have not tried
to breathe In 1t. The dust was sim
ply sitting But 1t Is settled now.
much to the delight OF the men.
An amusing feature of this mobiliza-
ton is the fear II aroused in winter
tourists. The mobilization is certainly
not an unmixed blessing for San An
tonic, because at least 1000 tourists
went home. They feared trouble of
some vague nature and they did not
want to be near IT. They scurried
away from San Antonio like ducks
after the hunter had fired his first
shot. The ignorance OF the average
ment everywhere. but It is particular
ly amusing in Texas because visitors
do not understand Texas distances.
The ride ny railway from San An
tonic 10 Laredo, the nearest point on
the border, consumes an entire night,
but the tourists. even after residence
OF several weeks in San Antonio, were
still of the impression that stray
bullet from across the line might
strike one of the local hotels. Troops
coming from st. Louis and bound for
El Paso are only one-fourth of the
way to their destination when they
reach the Texas line.
Visitors are coming from every town
and city In the state to see the big
camp. Many of them are discharged
soldiers. One of the favorite occupa-
lions OF these veterans in this city is
that of street car conductor or motor
man. They are also scattered about
as walters, cooks. bartenders and ice
wagon drivers. Meeting on street
corners, they discuss among them
selves the possibilities of the troops
going into Mexico Many of thase old