Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-05-17
AERopLANEs RELIEVE noNoroSY
Dr.. Trowbridse Tells Of Camp Life and
MAneuvers on Border Line
In MANEuvER CAMP, TEXAS. !
SAN ANTONIO, MAY 5, 1911.

FRIEND MuNsoN: | thought possibly
little line from the Sunny South"
in a sunny time would be interesting.
Mrs. rrowbridge stood the trip very
well, often riding the best part Of three
days and nights. We arrived in San
Antonio at IL a. m. in drenching rain.
The oldest settlers tell US here they
have had more rain in Texas this year
than for twenty years before. Cotton
is up quite a ways. We saw corn that
was three feet high. The farmers are
all elated over the prospect of a bump
err crop.
After getting my wife domieiled In
hotel we proceeded to find headquarters
maneuver camp, San Antonio, where
every national guardsman has toreport
before being assigned to duty. The
camp is located about mile away from
! the Sam Houston Post and four miles
| from the center of the city. The mud
was ankle deep in many places. The
tents were all properly ditched, how
ever, and the soldiers were all very dry
when under cover. Rain continued for
three days with but little let up, then
the sun came out and in a few hours
the ground was perfectly dry and hard.
+, They have in this camp at present writ
ing II, 600 men. all in readiness for inn
mediate action. They cover a space Of
ground about five miles square. The
men are kept busy every day on prac-
| tice marching 1t is amazing TO see the
amount of provisions for the men, grain
and hay for the mules and horses. that
is required for just one days subsist-
ence.
The monotony of camp life isreduced
to a minimum on account of the en-
tertainment that lie afforded the men
by tn flight of the two aeroplanes re-
Gently purchased by the government for
maneuve-s For days they have been
making successful fights around above
the camp and it looked as easy as rid
ing in an automobile. However, last
Wednesday morning, after breakfast,
| Lieutenant Jno Walker of one of the
infantry companies obtained permission
Of one of the officers TO make his first
fight. He rose up into the air l60 feet,
had flown about ten minutes, when he
struck a rain, striking him full blast in
the face. His foot slipped off the
pedal controlling the motor and gust
of wind turned his machine up on the
side. In a second il dropped within ten
feet of the ground, but he or the ma
chine managed to right itself again and
very shortly he landed without scratch.
In talking with him the next day he
tole me that all that saved him was he
| kept his engine running. Had he stopped
the motor he. too, would have stopped.
/ HE family consists of a wife and two
! little girls. He was very frank to say
that were they dependent upon him for
their support he would Immediately
change his business for something more
stable.
The sanitary measures practiced in
| this camp are almost ideal. So far only
one case of typhoid fever having been
reported.
/ Every day or so Mrs. Trowbridge
meets at her hotel, fugitives from Mex
| leo Americans who say they are in
danger of their lives. One case we
knew of where a man started over
week ago for his home, Terreon Mexico.
He wrote back to his wife that wher
within 140 miles of the city they plumb
cred the train and would let it go no
farther. Two or thrce Americans whom
have met from there, they all tell
the same stosv), that ninety per cent
of the population are insurrectos and
are shouting give Msdero.
Hoping that il is cooler in Old YER
non than here, | am truly yours,
w. NJ. TRowBRIDGE.