Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-08
ARMY PlACEsBAN
ON STAFF WRITER'S
OFFICIAL ORDER FoRBlDs EN-.
LISTED MEN TO SERVING As
a CORRESPONDENTS.

An oficial order issued by the Off.
GERS at the military camp at Browns
vile, Texas, where the Ottumwa lads
are gathered, forbids any member of
the guard to act as personal represen-
tAtive or correspondent for any news.
paper. This accounts for the lack OF
those breezy and interesting notes of
the camp that Corp. Phil Binks Of Co.
G, has been supplying The Courier
with since the troops left Ottumwa.
For the past week the readers have
missed these letters. The information
regarding the ban comes in personal
letter received by one of the employees
of The Courier. The following letter
received by one of the staff from the
camp at Victoria Heights, Brownsville,
Texas, contains considerable of inter.
est:
Brownsville, Texas, Aug. 1. 1916
One week having passed since our
arrival at Victoria Heights, the camp
Is nearly cleared of all the cactus and
mesquite brush. A large field is being
cleared for military maneuvers and
parades. The work of clearing the
camp of the brush has been very hard
but 1t will be very pretty when fully
completed. A number Of permanent
buildings are being erected, such as
mess halls, store houses and bath
houses. n- e~.
The Y. M. G. A. is erecting large
building, just north Of our camp for
the benefit OF the Iowa boys.
A number of the boys took a very
pleasant trip to Point Isabel, which is
located about twenty-five miles from
Brownsville, along the Gulf of Mexico,
The only occupation Is that of fishing
and you must be native of the Mex
lean village In order to do that. No
others are allowed to fish there. To
reach this old Mexican village yon
have the pleasure Of riding in one OF
the oldest of railroads, which Is of the
narrow guage type and wood burner
The engine was built in Boston, Mass
in the year of 1868. The railroad was
built in the year Of 1870 and was used
as supply train for northern Mexico
and the southern part Of Texas. It
takes two hours to make the trip
the little train travels at the rate OF
eleven miles an hour. After our ar.
ing vessel across to the bathing beach
of the gulf. All the boys hope to visit
this Mexican settlement again.
The Illinois Cavalryman in it's sec.
ond issue greeted the home folks with
a seven column black streamer: Chi
cago 100, Brownsville 81. Our sym.
pathies are with the homefolks." We
send the same message back home. f.
The military authorities are leasing
many warehouses and storage places
in Brownsville. The concentration Of
great reserve stores of food stuffs is
taken to indicate that considerable
bodies OF soldiers will remain in the
valley for some time to come.
Lieut. Younkin made requisition
for blouses, breeches, leggins, socks,
underwear, shoes, shirts, hats and
neckties. A soldier must have one
complete uniform for dress occasion
and inspection only. a-r@ rm.r
Sergeant Miller was transferred
from company quatermaster to supply
sergeant and Sergeant tombstone has
been appointed mess sergeant. The
company quartermaster has been abol.
ished. . .a-r.H- II,
Company G mounted guard for the
first time since our arrival at Browns.
vile. Captain Schamp was, officer OF
the day and Lieut.. Younkin, officer OF
the guard. The guard duty is one OF
the most important Of military tactics
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