Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-06
D. c. GUARD TRAIN
REACHES MEMPHIS
Special Bearing Troops to
Border Is Met by Commit
tee of Citizens.
BOYS GET FIRST BATH
AT THE Y. M. C. A. POOL
Refreshments Served at Railroad
Station by Young Women-Train
Like Small Camp.
BY J. CROSBY MCCARTHY,
STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

| STAFF Correspondent Of The Star.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, July 6 (or
board the second section of the
District National Guard SpeoiaD
The District National Guard
special reached here at 1912 pm.
carrying the first troops from
Washington toward their concen-
tration camp in Bisbee. These
consist of the Field Hospital and
Signal Corps and the 1st Separate
Battalion (colored).
/ A citizens committee met the
train here and escorted many OF
the soldiers to the Y. M. c. A,
where they enjoyed the swim
ming pool. 1t was the first bath
the District soldiers had since
leaving Rosslyn Tuesday night,
and on account of the heat of the
train and the flying cinders they
felt much in need of it. Practi-
cally all the men took advantage
of the opportunity. Some few
who are suffering from the
typhoid prophylaxis treatment
were advised by the medical off
GERS not to expose their arms and
shoulders.
Refreshments were served at the rail-
road station here by a group of young
women associated in Red Cross work.
It was much appreciated by the boys as
a. variation from the regular mess
served aboard the train and cooked un-
der difficulties. The boys alsozsH4uyed
the chance to talk to the women, sew
eral of whom took addresses of the
mems relatives in Washington. SO that
they can write and give assurance that
the District soldiers are well and happy
as they proceed toward border duty.
Like Small Camp.
The section of the train on which the
Signal Corps and Field Hospital units
of the District National Guard are rid
ing to the border country looks like an
army camp in concentrated form. There
are company streets, headquarters
commissary departments and kitchens
Each unit has it's officer Of the day. The
only things lacking are bugle calls and
tents.
The section is being pulled by two
locomotives. Then come two box cars
in which the heavy equipment Of the
| two units is packed. Next in line are
| two touris. sleepers. where the Signal
| Corps is quartered. baggage car.
| which serves as a kitchen for the two
units. is next. Following are two tour
ist sleepers. in which the field hospital
men are riding. Nine fiat cars loaded
with reel carts of the Signal Corps
bring up the end of the train.
How Coaches Are Divided.
| The forward sections of the frst
coach assigned to each unit are re-
served for the officers. One section in
| each instance has been designated as
the unit headquarters. Each officer has
an entire section to himself. including
an upper and a lower berth. In the
| case of the men a section Is allotted
| to every three, two sleeping in the
! lower berth and one in the upper.
In the headquarters of each unit the
field desk of that Organization has been
set up and the sergeants spend most
of their time there keeping their rec
ords in order and attending to other
routine business.
The forward half of the baggage car
is utilized as the kitchen for the Signal
Corps and the rear half for the Field
Hospital Each unit has it's field
range. The smokestacks project from
the window openings and are held ir
place by wires. The Signal Corps cook
throws his potato peelings out of the
center door at the right -hanl side OF
the, car and the Field Hospital cook
uses the other door.
Kitchens Well Supplied.
Each kitchen has a big supply o.
wood. There are many chests of can
ned goods. sides of bacon, sacks O.
potatoes and onions and cans of coffee
Arranged on boards fitted up close t
the ceiling are many big Ioaves o.
bread.
There is a generous supply of canned
sirup and fruit jam.
When meal time arrives tables ar,
set up between the seats and the mill
tiamen get out their mess kits. Tn.
kitchen details bring big cans o
coffee. soup and other food through tn,
cars and each man gets q generous
share When the meal is over a bi,
can of hot water is placed in the vesti
bule between the cars and everybod,
fles out to wash his dishes"
| Camps" Are Policed.
The camps" are policed regularl.
and the officer of the day sees to it tina
everything is in as good order as pos
sibie, under the circumstances.
From every hook and bracket in tn,
coaches the personal equipment of the
men Is hanging. When night time come
this is taken down and placed unde
the lower berths. There is q regula
Pullman porter attached to each car
but he has little work to do. He mad
up a couple of berths the first night
\ and by the time he had finished then
the majority Of the militiamen ha,
Icaught on to the trick. They prompt,
fell to and soon all the berths were II
1Continusd On Second Pa1al