Evening journal., 1916-08-05
BY SERGEANT FRANKLIN L. Rash
COMPANY A. o. NJ. d.

BY SERGEANT FRANKLIN l.. RASH
Company A, o. NJ. d.
DEMING. N. NJ. Aug. Yesterday
the Delaware boys settled down to a
day of real camp making The site
of the camp is on q level plain about
three-quarters of mile from Deming.
There is plenty of rain in this sec
tion, and although the ground is
sandy and desert-like. there is plenty
of vegetation, which has to be cleared
away Most of the brush is about
chin high and covered with thorns.
There are a thousand and one other
plants; few of us have learned their
names as yet.
When we arrived most of the ground
had been cleared, but there were
many roots and much brush to be re-
moved. 1t is now cleared and levelled
off, but it was "some job"
The camp site was given by the city
of Deming, and it is rumored that the
government intends to ship 10000 men
in here.
Deming surely has a progressive
spirit. II is said here that if Will
mington only had half the pep" of
Deming she would be a metropolis
with a great river front. Everything
is open to the soldiers; large welcome
signs are to be seen everywhere. The
people do their best to make the boys
feel at home. They stop and talk or
invite them to their homes and tell
stories of the Mexicans. Of the Co
lumbus raids, and how they hung
seven greasers here.
VI fr fuh nh
furnished the government free by
Deming. The water is 80 per cent.
pure by government test and tastes
just like Wilmington water.
The companies that had square OF
wall tents at the State Range have
been issued pyramid tents These are
a great deal like the conical tents, but
are shaped like a pyramid
Kitchens are being built and shortly
the men will be eating in a fine little
building instead of under canvas The
weather gets very cold here at night
and II is not so warm in the day time
The climate is really delightful anC
much pleasanter than the boys ex
pected.
Ralph B. Mckinney and William L
two letters from Private T. NJ Small
of Company F. First Regiment, Firs
Battalion. which throw some sid'
lights on the life of the boys. Th'
first letter is dated on board the trool
train, July 2S. The writer declares
that the men are comfortable in Pull
mans but quite out of place betweel
bed sheets at night"
Referring to the food. he writes
that it is worse than in concentration
camp, consisting of: Breakfast, corn
ed beef. bread and jam and black cof
fee; dinner, salmon and tomatoes
mixed. bread and coffee; supper
baked beans and chili-rice-numera
soup mixed. bread and black coffee.
Writing of the start from the Stat
Range. Private Small says I'VE wer
accorded the luxury Of a trolley ca
ride to New Castle where we were me
by the ever-persevering movie mar
only do not believe the sad parting
which he photographed, because the
were staged with few exceptions
There were few sweethearts faithful
enough to bid their last at that place
especially in such inclement weather.
Continuing. he writes we wer
not we'll received in Republican citie
and towns where we were Obliged t
stop. especially in Indianapolis. w
had our first bath in the White Rive
near Newport. Thursday, with all tn
immodest townspeople looking on. 4
Richmond Ind, we were well recei'
ed by all the pretty girls, who re
ouested exchange of addresses fo
correspondence
Writing under the date of Satur
day. July 20, Private Small give
some of his impressions of Texas
"At an elevation of 1000 feet W
found fertile plain or prairie countr
dotted with ranch houses" he says
"The remarkable feature of thes
dwellings is the crudeness of tn
houses in most instances. The peopl
use their best lumber, which
scarce. TO construct a corral or NV
and a windmill or two, also smal
wagon shed, but apparently no goo
harms. and use whatever pieces re
main for the house.
"The only crops seem to be sore
hum. fodder corn and occasionally
small field of cotton. The land
sandy and dry with only rain waite
standing in green. muddy sink hole
for a few hours after rain. Tn
land is dotted with the corpses {
horses and cattle. The roads al
all unimproved. although one ma
see almost every type of AUTOMOBILE
Occasionally a cowboy or a grou
OF them is seen herding or riding
fence inspection trail. Then we al
sure OF a race in which the cowbo
generally wins. These fellows al
as proud of their horses as a chill
of a new doll. They wear
sombreros gaily banded with the ski
of a rattlesnake. and finely carve
belts. but the rest of their QUIT
represents an outlay of not more tha
two dollars. unless they are val
enough to sport a pair of soft leath'
boots.
THE cemeteries are most sad an
lonely looking places. located vel
often at a great. distance from an
town. Some Of them are unfence
The graves are usually marked by
natural limestone or sandstor
slab"