Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-08-12


serving to cause discomfort among the
rest Of the men.
Anyone might think that had
served a long time in the army to hear
me talk this stuff, but you can hear
the same tSing from many tents at
night and during rest periods. AS for
myself l rather like the life, like my
officers, my tent mates and the people
Of Texas whom l have met. like
my horse very much, although Maj.
Towne thought l was done for when
was taken to the hospital from
nasty throw while trying to break the
critter. He was the craziest animal
in the corral when went to get him
He was fresh from a ranch and round
up. after arriving here and wild as a
jack rabbit. He threw me several
times but l began to learn to stick to
him like glue and he did not seem to
want to do anything but run. 1 have
got him pretty well under hand now
and think he will be the best one in
the lot. This was some stunt for me
when you take into consideration that
l had never before ridden a horse.
can't be used so awful bad down here
when / am gaining in weight.
The matter Of food is gradually be-
coming regulated, the cooks are i'm
proving and our cook seems to be in
terested in his work and the result is
that we are getting things to eat. The
lsupply seems to be ample and at the
commssary you can see great masses
of potatoes, bacon, beans, onions, all
neatly cased or in sacks, stacked in
of "a IF
dried apples, rows ard rows of cases
containing evaporated milk, coffee,
jam. syrup, tomatoes. spices, prunes,
peaches, apricots in fact most every.
thing of this nature usually found in
a first class wholesale grocery. Fresh
beef is constantly arriving in refriger
iator cars. All these goods are of the
leading standard brands and are
furnished under contract with strict
specifications as to purity, strength
and weight.
Each man has an allowance Of 1855
cents per day for food, not in cash,
but credit and it is UP to him to con-
serve his ration unless he has means
to go beyond that. Most Of the regu-
lars make saving from this amount
and with a first-class cook, some Of
them live pretty swell. They have a
system that works pretty we'll. The
mess sergeant must have some idea
of business in his makeup and this is
evident by the fact that some COM
panies save from $40 to $50 from
their allowance and this money is
fused TO buy extras.
The prices of some of the COM
modities at the commissary are as
follows: Beef 49, cents per pound ,
soft bread 2.3 cents per pound; pota-
toes 2.9s; onions 2.93; bacon PIP;
prunes 10; coffee 14.33; rice AS; dried
apples II, and other goods in the same
ratio. Thus if a sergeant saves A
cent day on a man in a company #
100 men he would have $50 each
month to go into the company fund.
Many of the companies wish they had
a sergeant that could figure this way
Although some companies in the mill
tia have saved more than that amount
and lived pretty decent. more to the
credit of the cook and sergeant.
There is a doctor down here, Lawry
by name, who is a great favorite with
the Maine boys and he pays us visits
quite often. He is a great hunter and
we call him the Snake Man." but he
got stuck for a name Of the snake l
killed, the skin of which l sent home.
He brought a wild boar to camp one
day just to let the boys have a look
at.
The Maine boys seem to be the
favorites Of the troops stationed at
this place and many kindnesses are
shown the boys by the citizens. I was
invited out to a young mans home
the other evening AMI his mother gave
us Washington pie. The family's
name is Lake and they have a dandy
farm, only 500 acres, and these farms
only sell for $500 an acre.
The boys are anxiously waiting for
the "Ghost" to walk and much time is
wasted in searching for the oasis in
the financial desert. Everybody is
broke and when the pay is distributed
there will be something doing in
Laredo shopping districts We expect
to get paid soon.
Our band, composed mostly Of U. of
M. boys. are extremely popular both
as musicians and gentlemen, and are
invited often to play at the Plaza in
the city. had no idea that Dixie"
was so popular in the south and the
way our band played it brought
encores repeatedly.
You can imagine how the strain and
tension is taking hold Of some Of the
boys down here, when after a night of
wild celebration across the border,
when the "Mexs" were observing
some holiday. shouting and firing
shots and we thought we would get
call most any minute. We we're all
prepared for any kind of a dash, but
gradually the demonstration quieted
and finally at 11.30 ceased alto
gether. At San Ygnacio one Of the
guards shot at the moon that was
peering through the brush. The
guard ordered it to halt and it kept
moving. Then he shot at it. bringing
everyone in camp out Of their tents.
No doubt any of us would have done
the same thing. but it was awful
funny.