Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-07-18
Bolt Of Lightning Strikes About A % Y q
Hundred Feet From Company
Some Queer Freaks Of
The ',', Bolt Boz !;
ye y, n q, BADLY BURNED "
II. Possibility Of Seeing Service in
Mexico is Borne in Upon
Boys.
OUR MEN BADLY BURNED
BY Reginald e. Gilmore.

80 0SySs
~
BY Reginald e. Gilmore.
Camp Dodge, July IA terrific
rain storm, accompanied by light
ming and wind, struck the camp at
three o'clock this afternoon. G COM
pany came through the storm with
minor mishaps. The sixth, seventh
and eighth squad tents were food
ed, and the last was washed down,
as were the shelter tents at the low
er end Of the company street. The
equipment belonging to the men in
the flooded district was we'll soaked.
"A bolt Of lightning struck one OF
the tents Of A company, Mason
City, about 100 feet away from G
company, burning four men rather
badly. They are being cared for at
the hospital.
We were shown four bayonets and
scabbards which were curiously af-
fected by the bolt. The scabbards
were split and the blades badly fus-
ed. A condiment tin was badly fus-
ed also. A tin of smoking tobacco
was hermetically sealed. The bolt
entered by means Of the tent pole,
which was splintered by the shock
and the splinters sent through the
canvas. The rifles were in a rough
ly constructed rack. placed horizont-
ally. Had they been leaning
against the tripod, instead Of being
on the rack. the chances are that the
inmates Of the tent would have been
killed. Their escape from death was
little short OF miraculous.
Members Of the band and A. B..
and, O. companies were severely
shocked by the same bolt. John
Strevsr, Nathan Cave and John
Johnson were the worst affected in
c.: company. They recovered very
promptly, however.
Just now the boys are busily en-
gagged in putting up shelter tents to
obtain protection from the elements
tonight. We who enjoy a perfectly
dry bed tonight will be lucky fell
lows, indeed.
Tomorrow will undoubtedly be q
busy day with US. as good deal of
damage was suffered by the entire
brigade.
We were recently issued some
shelter halves, tooth brushes, towels,
puttees and another suit Of large
underwear.
The possibility Of seeing service in
Mexico was borne to us very forcib-
,ly this morning, when each and ev-
cry man In the regiment was given
d Nat metal disk, about the size OF a
25i cent pieces stamped with com
pany. regiment and individual num-
Der. For instance. my personal
number is C IA Iowa,
The tag is strung on strong piece
OF tape and worn as a iocket. No
more do men go into battle with
pieces OF roper as Identification tags.
We hope that the tags will never
have to be collected, naturally. Our
..Iockets'' are to. be worn as long as
we are in the service.
A detail has been sent after wood,
another detail after stoves. another
after stove-pipe. Another hours
time will see. the street alight with
bonfires, and each squad tent will
be drying out thoroughly under the
warmth Of sibley stove, which is
q little conical affair two and a half
feet in height. The pie Is thrust out
the venttlator along the pole. A
Sibley tent, fioored and heated by
means OF . Sibley stove. forms very
coy quarters for eight men. We
secured some straw for the tent
floors. being unable to obtain the
board floors.
The storm was a. great experience
for the boys, who are rapidly learn
ing to take care of themselves I'M
der all conditions. Even the boys
who were flooded out would not have
missed the experience for a great
deal. The self reliance and ability
to deal with anything that comes UP
developed by the life in camp is but
one valuable feature of camp train
ing. Order, regularity Of habits,