New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-07
Drills, Lectures, Trench
Digging Alternate Rap
idly at Plattsburg.
LOCAL FARMER SEEKS
CROP OF DAMAGES
1874 Enrolled In Camp-Only
Three Rejected as Physi.
oaIly Unfit.
trrom STAT cor-pood.-, ot m. Tribune. ]


Plattsburg, N Y. June 6.-There was
one outstanding fact for the Platts-
burg rockies TO be thankful about to-
day. The mud In the camp. generally
speaking. was not over two feet deep.
But II was just as many feet long and
broad as the width and the length of
the camp grounds.
1t looked TO the eye Of the imagins-
tive rockies neither an ideal drill
ground nor yet garden spot for agri-
cultural purposes But to the eyes OF
one shrewd upstate farmer a certain
portion ~ II has become the sole spot
in all the county where he wants to
grow his crops. His heart Is so set on
IT that he he's taken legal steps 10 as
sert his rights and prepare for the
best
This developed when Major Harrison
Hall, who has charge Of making camp,
sent his men across 70 a portion OF the
grounds TO put UP some new camp
buildings They had hardly started
when a farmer with light plough
that scratched the surface OF the
ground about as much az harrow
would scampered across the field three
times and said "There!"
Later his lawyer called and said
there" again in legal language. His
client, he said, had lease on the land
and was going 10 raise crop there,
and if the government made II impos-
sibe for him TO do so somebody would
have 10 pay damages. The camp of
fcials decided that il was the farmers
next move, and are going ahead with
their plans.
How To Sow Damages.
The agriculturist doubtless remem-
bers that the city Of Plattsburg has
agreed to pay for all damages TO crops
done by the camp and the troops In
mannuvres, but that in the case OF
pasture land the damage payments will
be much less than in that of cultivated
acres. The land involved in to-day
dispute looked TO be nothing more than
pasture land when Major Hall and his
men started toward II. But by the
time the farmer got through scratching
II with his harrow it was, 10 his way OF
thinking, crop land and therefore worth
bigger war profits.
But whatever legal entsnglements
unsympathetic farmers were plotting
against preparedness, the 1874 rockies
who now make up the camp total were
working as though there were nobody
but themselves TO defend the natlona,
capital from capture. They worked
like beavers, the beaver being the AMI
NAL who works in mud as well as with
great industry.
The camp to-day was in full opera
ton as a military organization, and In
six hours of actual drill the regiment
was put through the manual OF arms
the school OF soldier and the school
of the squad. The longest intermis'
sion between drill. lectures on drainage
and trench digging was half an hour
Usually the time was shorter, just
enough TO change from one thing TO the
next.
Swim in Lake Champlain.
One Of the longer periods was made
the opportunity for swim in the
chilly waters of Lake Champlain by two
or three hundred of the rockies. The
bathing beach is beside the railroad
tracks. Trains went by every few min
utes, but usually the men ducked under
in time.
Earlier in the day one Of those same
trains almost annihilated squad in
Company d. The company had made
enough progress in the school of the
squad to entrust the squads for a few
moments to their tentative squad lead
ers. Squad 10 was in the hands of II.
G.. Telford, of New York. He led 1t in
a wandering series Of marvellous evolu-
tions nearer and nearer the tracks.
Then he happened to glance down the
road and saw train coming.
Right about face, forward march,
double time." the sergeant shouted,
and the eight men were saved as a
marching unit.
The physical examination OF the
men was completed to-day by Major
Herbert Shaw, medical officer in charge
Of the camp. Only three out Of the
1874 enrolled men were rejected as
being physically unfit to take the train
ing. They sorrowfully packed up their
things and took trains for home. A
number of others were placed on pro-
baton, and will be allowed TO stay If
they seem 10 stand the work all right.