Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-06-29
THE BOY SCOUTS AT
OLD BELL Mill SITE
Had a Fine Time--Some Of Them
Walked Home-Twelve Miles
Friday Night.

The boy scouts who were camping
for four days of last week near Bell
mill site, broke camp Saturday afte
having the most successful CAM
they have ever held since their or
ganization.
Thirty-four boys left this cit!
Wednesday morning in automobile
for the camping spot about tWelv'
miles south of the city, and thu
most exciting thing that occurred
during camp, occurred right then
for they forgot about five dozer
loaves of bread and the camp supply
of meat, and had to send back aftel
it in the afternoon. The first day In
camp, therefore, dinner was moi
served until after 3 o'clock and the
meal was probably the most enjoy
able the scouts had ever eaten, hav-
ing had nothing since breakfast in
the early morning before leaving the
city. The camp was on the east side
of the river, just north of the main
highway at Bells mill, and there
were eleven tents. Eight tents
were for the boys and one each for
scoutmaster and chef, besides the
cook tent. The tents were divided
into the Reds and the Blues, the odd
numbers being the Blues and the ev-
en- numbers the Reds. In the field
meet and the ball games the boys
were so divided and contest ensu-
ed between the two with the result
that the Blues won the ball games
and the Reds scored first in the field
events.
The field meet was held on Thurs
day on strip of land between the
tents and the river, but on Friday
night by reason of the heavy rains
north, the river rose four feet and
the spot where the field events were
held became upon the day following,
a swimming pool where the boys
had a fine time. Twelve boys learn
ed to swim while at camp, and that
feature in itself was worth the price
of the whole camping expedition.
Every boy should know how to take
care of himself in water and this
important matter is made much Of
in scout life.
Fishing was good the first day and
the boys caught ten cat fish, aver
aging from a pound and a half to
two pounds in weight. Luck was
against the boys in this line during
the remainder of the time, for no
more fish were caught The heavy
rains in the vicinity of this city cur
tailed the number of visitors upon
visitors day, but there were six or
seven autoes from this city which
went out, besides a large number of
visitors from the country round the
camp.
Birds of unusual varieties were
seen, among them being two scarlet
tanagers and an indigo bunting.
An old fiat bottomed boat was
hauled to the camp from this city
and the boys had the time of their
lives with the boat and the scout
master hopes by next camping time
to have at least two more fiat bot
toned boats to carry to camp.
In the field events, individual
honors for the most points gained
were given to Manley Sweazey with
a total of 19 points; Earl Olmstead
came second with IS points.
Upon Friday night, as it was not
certain whether or not some of the
boys would have to walk to this city,
twelve of them decided to hike in
during the night to avoid the heat
of the next day. After having put
in a strenuous day Friday, they left
camp about ten o'clock in a body,
and the first four miles of the way
they sang and halloed at every farm
house. AS the way continued, how
ever, to stretch out into the dark
ness, they grew more silent and af-
ter while they found that none of
them knew which way they were
going. True to scout lore they found
the north star and started again for
the north. Some Of them had been
headed south and were confident
they were going north.
The younger members who were
not so hard" began to feel the eff
fects of the long tramp and at times
would grow so tired that they lay
right down in the road to rest. How
ever, the little company stuck to-
gether and arrived in the city be-