Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1916-08-04

drivers who were shipped out to handle tram
made up of certain uniform make of trucks
They got so miles into Mexico. and then decided
that they did not like the country at oil. They
agreed that the United States government was
foolish to go in at all.
formed him that they had decided to go back. They
did not like the food, the water was not cet' and
there was no beer in the godforsaken place.
Whereupon the captain gave orders to the sergeant
of his guard. The noncommissiOned officer In
formed the drivers that the first Of them who
turned back to Columbus would be systematically
shot up.
citizens and wanted their rights. The sergeant
listened unmoved us he drew up his squad INTO
convenient place for the shooting. The drivers
finally concluded that they were too far awey to
consult their attorneys and the train proceeded to
NamiQuipa.
Camping out away from garrisoned town. the
truck trains take the same formation that was
used by the emigrant trains when they were forced
to guard against Indian attacks at night. The
trucks distributed in circle with the captains
runabout, the cook truck and the ammunition truck
in the center. Placed in this formation, the truck
train is in difficult position for bandit band to
rush.
No doubt, many band has been watching those
valuable trains of food and ammunition. longing
to pounce upon them, but they refrained. we'll
ordered truck train could get into battle formation
in few minutes, and the Springfield rifles would
be covering every point of attack very effectively.
quarter of a million dollars in gold was
shipped in with one train guarded by 50 picked
marksmen. Bandit bands, knowing of this. prob
ably longed to rush it. but they did not make the
attempt. At night in its proper formation. with
its outposts alert the wellconducted train should
be impossible to surprise. But civilian drivers are
hard to convince of the necessity for remaining
alert They will lock their ammunition in the tool
boxes; and while they are painfully socitous OF
the mechanism of their trucks, they have no re-
gard for the mechanism Of the Springfield rifles
which are issded to them.
They have no respect for shoulder straps.
typical incident was one near Espia. The truck
train drew into the place hot and dusty. The news
was spread that there was real swimming hole
20 feet deep in the place.
Soldier guards and civilian drivers made dash
for it. AS they neared It they heard a delicious
splashfng but sentry halted them "Sorry, boys,
he said, "but there's officer bathing there now.
and the orders are that nobody is allowed in till
he gets through"
A big ex-taxcab driver from New York proceed
ed to peel off his army uniform. In another min
ute he dived into the pool with mighty splash
He came to the surface and grinned cheerfuily at
the indignant expression of the second lieutenant.
outraged at the fact that his privacy had been dis
turbed, apparently by the enlisted man.
ooh, that's all right" shouted the auto driver.
II don't mind if you are little bit dirty. Come on
in. The water is fine"
But one of these days the truck train will be sys-
tematized. The drivers will all be enlisted men.
There will be fixed rate of speed and the trucks
will all be up to determined specifications.
When the truck train is perfected, the mule train
will go. Also the pride of the cavalry will be
trailed in the gasoline-scented dust of the auto
truck train.