New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-21
PlattSburg Forced to Pre-
pare for 1000 More than
Originally Expected.
MORE REGULARS SENT
TO ENLARGE GROUNDS
Smouldering Cigarette Blamed
for a Fire Which Destroys
Squad Tent.

Prom S,ar Correspondent; % The tribune
Plattsburg. y. y. June 20.-With war
in the wind, feverish increase Of ac-
tivity was manifest az the training
camps to-day Government authorities
redoubled their efforts 10 enlarge the
capacity Of the grounds so as 70 meet
the expected boom in attendance at tho
July camp. which already has been felt,
attributable 20 the national crisis.
Where II was first thought there would
be only 5000 here in July, figure
which later went up to 1000, the pros
poets now are that there will be 5000
here.
Additional regular troops are being
sent here as rapidly as possible to han
die the job as IL grows bigger daily.
Tonight the Tooth Company, Coast Ar
tillery, arrived from Fort Wright, and
IN the morning another company will
come in from Fort Totten. From Fort
Williams. Portland Ne. will come the
band 70 help the rockies.
Tent Space Problem.
The camp officers are being hsrd pu.
TO find room for the big city Of 1900
tents which will be required to shelter
the FIVE July regiments. There is not
enough open space to accommodate
them, and to-day the tent-pitching de-
tails we're at work puzzling out way
10 fit them in among the trees Of the
woods adjoining the present camp.
To hasten the work rockies who have
taken up engineering were detailed 10
the job of making camp as a part Of
their practical work IN army engineer
ing.
Uneasiness which prevailed yesterday
lest the army officer instructors be
drawn for duty with the national guard
camps was dissipated when 1t was
learned to-day that the militia is to be
organized Independently OF the army by
its own officers.
Only fourteen more rockies were lost
70 the present camp to-day by the
guard mobilization. nine Of these being
from New York State. They we're:
+. s. Hackett, Riverdale; J. II. Harper,
II West Both Street; W. t. Richards,
$50 Eleventh Avenue; Reginald Du-
rant, 40 West 115th Street; Richard 5.
Buck. jr.. s38 Riverside Drive; r. D.
Grout. 200 West seth Street; L. X.
kaufman, Auburn; C.. Harold Floyd,
Garden City, and John +. Callahan,
New York City.
There was a fire in camp to-day that
resulted in destruction Of the tent and
contents Of Squad 9, Company G. 1t
developed while the rockies were at
target practice, supposedly from a
smoldering cigarette left by one Of the
members. New Workers in the squad
are A. J. HERS, 141 Broadway; II. j..
Keller, 519 West 125th Street, and A.
c. Cloghot, II Broadway.
The flames were discovered by regu-
lars at work on mess shacks. Thew at
tempted 10 put them out with buckets
OF water. a second and a third alarm
were rung in. Not enough buckets
could be brought into play. so the tent
was pulled down and efforts were
centred on trying 20 save the mems
belongings. What the flames left tho
water finished.
Larz Anderson at Camp.
A survey was ordered by the camp
officers to determine who was respOn-
sible for the fire and the resulting loss
OF government property. In case the
blame is fixed on any individual he
will have TO pay for the loss. If not
IL will be carried by the government.
The idea of getting college students
20 come and serve as walters has been
given up. Regular army waters VIII
he employed. This will give the camp
even more the color of a regular army
organization.
An interesting visitor at the camp
to-day was Larz Anderson, of Brook
line. Mass. former Ambassador to
Japan. With his wife and a party Of
friends he arrived on his private car.
which was run up on the siding near
the camp. He spent the day going over
the whole plant
Major Harrison Hall. commanding
the Coast Artillery men here and in
charge of camp construction, had his
men rushing work on the mess shacks.
There viii be fifteen of these for the
July camp. They are $50 feet long and
cost the government $500 apiece for
the lumber.
The rockies put in the whole day
again az the targets. shooting at the
500-yard range. About 80 per cent of
them qualified for the record shoot,
considered remarkable showing for
an Indiscriminate mass of green rife
men.
Weather Calls for Fires.
The route for the six-day hike, which
viii bring the present camp 10 close,
was laid out to-day. 10 will cover
twelve miles a day, going TO Beekman-
town. Sciota, the camp meeting grounds
at Moocrs aud then back by way OF
Robinson and West Plattsburg.
The weather turned so cold tonight
that the rockies were allowed to build
campires In their company streets.
Squads were detailed TO 90 into the
neighboung forest and bring in wood.
The result was that the cncampment
took on more than ever the picturesque
atmosphere OF troops on the march.
The "top sergeants" of each COM
pany, acting on special orders from
the War Department, took the records
of the rockies tonight, showing their
age, whether they were married, pre-
vious military experience and othe
data bearing on their availability for
regular army service.