Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1911-05-12

gray-haired men still remember
~ that Fort Sam Houston was not
a show place, but q useful In
stitution to protect the pioneer SCI
tiers from d~epredations Of rowing In
dams and organized cattle thieves, the
warllke enthusiasm of San Antonians
can readily be understood. The peo-
pie we're as much aroused by the mob
ilization Of troops as they would be II
the United States had entered upon
the greatest war Of Its history. Tex
ans are ready to fight the Japanese or
the Mexicans or anything they can
find to fight.
When the troop trains rolled into
San Antonio hundreds OF citizens vel
coined the soldiers and cbeered. Texas
wants to fight. 1t doesn't make IN
difference who 10 to be fought. so long
az some powder smoke follows all tnis
war-like display. Beyond a doubt. II
every terrible prediction Of Richmond
Pearson Hobson as to the intentions
OF the japanese we're to be realized
tomorrow Texas would simply mob Fort
Sam Houston to enlist and start for
the front.
Certainly. It 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. II 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 place marked out for them and
pitched their own tents. Everything
proceeded as II this mobilization had
been planned months ahead. One
would never think II WAS set In mo-
tioa by kilograms flashed over the
country in Q 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 were surveying the
parade ground of 500 acres and mark
ing II off for tents. Two hundred men
began work shortly thereafter 10 lay
water mains. They worked night and
day until their task was completed
Bids for supplies for 10000 men for
four months we're asked. The con
tracts are still being let. All this was
carried through according 10 the
letter of the law. One firm which
came in FIVE minutes late with a bid
Tor several thousand OF dollars worth
of supplies was denied permission &c
submit It's 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.
OF late the camp has been a sef
Of mud. The mud. however, is bear
able. The dust which preceded it wa.
not. The amount of dust thousands o
marching men and hundreds OF vehi
cles pulled by from four to eigh
mules can raise is beyond the under
standing OF those who have not triet
10 breathe in It. 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 1t aroused In winte
tourists. The mobilization is certainl,
not an unmixed blessing for San An
tonic, because at least 1000 tourist
went home. They feared trouble o
some vague nature and they did no
want to be near II. They scurrie'
away from San Antonio like duck
after the hunter had fred his mrs
, shot. The ignorance Of the averag
tourist is a matter OF much amuse
ment everywhere, but 1t is particular
Nv amusing In Texas because visitor
do not understand Texas distances.
The ride by railway from San AT
| ionic to Laredo. the nearest point O
4 the border, an entire nigh
: hut the tourists, even after a residenc
~ several weeks In San Antonio, wer
|, Rtlll oil Tie iinpiSsSioh 'hN
1 bullet from across the line Nigh
. strike one OF the local hotels. Troop
4 coming from st. Louis and bound 70
o El Paso are only one-fourth OF tn
way to their destination when the
reach the Texas line.
/, Visitors are coming from every tow
md city in the state to see the bi
,amp. Many of them are discharge
,oldiers. One of the favorite occup'
:. lions Of these veterans in this city
!. hat Of street car conductor or motto
!. man. They are also scattered abot
: IS walters. cooks, bartenders and ic'
wagon drivers. Meeting on stree
'. corners, they discuss among then
:. selyes the possibilities OF the troop
roing into Mexico. Many OF these oil