The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-06-07
BEMIDJ NAY HAVE NAVAL MILITIA
PROVIDINGPROpER INTERESTISs SHOWN
Meeting to Be Held in Commercial
Club Rooms This Evening ct Which
Definite Action Will Be Taken.
LARGE ATTENDANCE REQUESTED.

LARGE ATTENDANCE REQUESTED.
Representatives. Will Explain Work
as Observed by Them on 50-Nile
Cruise on Training Ship Gopher.
Bemidji has qualified for divi-
sion of the state naval militia and
it is up to the young men of the city
as to whether such q division will be
mustered in by Guy A. Eaton. of Du-
]uth, next Monday, as ordered by the
adjutant general.
: The petition signed by 80 young
men Of the city requesting that q
division be established here, has been
accepted by Captain Eaton, Gov
ernor Hammond and Adjt. Gen.
Wood, all that is now needed being
a sufficient number of enlistments to
make the undertaking a success.
Those who are most interested in
the militia have decided that the Pc
tition signers shall determine
whether they desire to secure the d.
vision and for this reason meeting
will be held in the rooms of the Com
.mercial club at o'clock this evening
to which every man in the city, sign
ers of the petition and others, who
are interested in the project is earnest
ly and cordially invited to attend.
Earle A. Barker and Ralph B. Lycan,
of the Bemidji committee which
spent Saturday night and Sunday on
the naval training ship Gopher,
which with 100 seamen made a cruise
of Lake Superior So miles down the
south shore to Bark Bay, will ex-
plain the work as witnessed by thea
and will tell of requirements asked
Of every division.
Will Decide Proposition.
AS yet only Is have made out their
enlistment papers and this number
will have to be increased to ~ be-
fore the division will be mustetel IL.
If sufficient interest. is displaye4 It
the meeting of this: evening onpoe-
tunity will. be given for those who
have not enlisted to DO so and on next
Sunday physical examinations will
The held and ON Monday snenIns the
muster IN will take plaee. Dr. Fred
Patton, of Duluth, will have, charge;
of the examination work and he will
be assisted by DR.. e. w. Johnson Of
this city. c. Kelley, lieutenant COM
mander, will assist Captain Eaton in
the mastering in ceremonies.
Fog Adds to Interest.
When the Bemidji representatives
boarded the Gopher Saturday eve
ming there was question as to whether
the cruise would be made. a heavy
fog. making it dangerous to venture
out Of the harbor. Captain Eaton,
whose watchword is safety" did not
lift anchor at II O'Clock, the hour
scheduled for leaving, but delayed
until o'clock, when with Duluth
harbor clear, but with the fog horn
of Superior blowing it's warning ev-
cry thirty minutes, he directed that
the ship be started on it's cruise.
Divided Into Watches.
The reserves were divided into
watches of IL men each, each watch
being on duty for four hours and be-
ing off twelve. Throughout the
night these watchmen patrolled the
boat, reported every whistle heard
and every sound. A bell tolled at
every half hour of watch, one tap
sounding the first half hour, two taps
at one hour after and so on until at
the end of the fourth hour and ap-
proach of q new watch eight sounded.
LANDED at Ue&feQ fOmC.
! Bark Bay, where yesterdays drills
were held, is fifty miles from Duluth,
on the south shore of Lake Superior.
Captain Eaton remained on the
bridge during the entire night direct
ing the course of the ship. Although
the fog was so heavy that to see
ahead was impossible, the ship land
ed at Bark Bay at z o'clock yesterday
morning, the. compass being used en-
tirely in making the trip.
Spent Day Drilling.
Breakfast was served at O'Clock,
ham and eggs, toast, pancakes and
coffee being served to the seamen on
the main gun deck. The officers
dining room is in the ward room.
The meals were all we'll cooked and
substantial.
After breakfast the cutters and
whaleboats were lowered and boat
drill was held, the progress Of the
five boats being directed by Lieut..
Commander Kelley by flag signals
from the bridge. Dinner was then
Continued on last .paso).
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