Evening star., 1916-08-14
Build Adobe Icehouses.

One of the first things Lieut.. New
man did after assuming his new posi-
ton was to recommend that each COM
pany of the battalion construct an
adobe house in which to care for its
kind was constructed by ID Company
while Lieut. Newman was its acting
commander. 1t measures nine by ten
feet, has walls of adobe and a roof of
lumber. In one corner of the struc-
ture a water barrel has been set on a
platform about two feet above the
ground. A pipe leads from the barrel,
through the wall, and at the end there
is a spigot In this barrel the COM
pany's supply of drinking water is kept.
Being protected by the adobe building,
the ice lasts about twice as long as
otherwise would be the case.
The construction of an adobe icehouse
is now under way in the camp. 1t is
being built on the hillside to the east Of
the row of company kitchens. and in 1t
will be kept the battalion's reserve ice
supply. After the icehouse is finished
a ton or more of ice will be stored in
it 1t time and the loss due to the
frequent trips with ice from Naco, that
are now necessary, will be greatly
lessened.
Mai. Walker also has announced the
promotions of several men from the
ranks to the position of second lieuten-
ants. Those who have received COM
missions are Sergt. T. J. Abrams of B
Company. Corp. Clarence Ross of c
Company and Private James E. San
ford of A Company.
The 1st Separate Battalion has lost
few men by reason of the expiration of
enlistments Married men with families
dependent upon them whose enlist
ments have expired have been advised
not to re-enlist. Maj. Walker believes
he will have no difficulty in keeping his
ranks full for he understands there
are many colored men in Washington
who will enlist without a moments
hesitation if they know they will be
sent to the border without delay. Two
members of the battalion whose en-
listments recently expired and who left
for home were Sergt. SWEENEY and
being married and with families de-
pendent upon them
Many Drills on Program.
Drill for breakfast. drill for lunch.
and for supper. drill" The daily pro-
gram at this camp reads something like
this. and as the result the battalion is
fast being shaped into a thoroughly
efficient military organization. Not
much attention is being paid to close
order drilling. Maj. John Howard. in
Observation-Disclosures at the camp. being
of the belief that extended order work
is most needed at this time.
Every day there Is n long drill period
in the morning. and few minutes are
spent in drilling at retreat The men are
being given considerable marching to
harden them for any actual field serv-
ice that may come. Long practice
the battalion get very far from it's
camp. for Maj. Walker and his staff al
ways keep in mind the fact that the
unit has been placed at that position to
guard the water works day and night.
and that this duty is most important. =
Within a few days the battalion prob
ably will begin its rife practice. There
is range between the camp and the
Mexican line which was constructed
by the regular cavalry outfit camped
on the outskirts Of Naco At present
the range is used daily by companies
of the Arizona troops stationed at
Naco, and as soon as they have fin
ished the members of the LIST Separate
Battalion. o. M D. c., will be given
an opportunity to show their worth
as marksmen.
The battalion's exchange is doing a
thriving business these days. Lieut..
W. A. Hamilton. battalion Quartermas-
ter. is the officer in charge of it,, Pri-
vate Samuel Gaskins is the head clerk
and has as his assistants Privates
Thomas Ware of Company c and
Joseph r. Johnson of Company D. The
exchange carries a large stock of
cakes. candy, tobacco. soft drinks, BAN
dannas, shoestrings and scores of other
things that soldiers are constantly
needing.
Fortunate in Instructor.
The LIST Separate Battalion is par
ticularly fortunate in having as its
Instructor inspector Maj John Howard
of the 22d Infantry. Maj. Howard
comes from a family that has been
associated with movements looking to
the advancement of the colored race
since civil war days. His father. the
late Gen. o. o. Howard. was selected
by President Lincoln to take charge
OF the freedmen's bureau. Howard Uni
versity at Washington, d. c., was the
! outgrowth of this bureau, and ii was
given the name Of Gen. Howard. its
| founder. Gen. Howard was a dis
tinguished officer in the civil war, hav.
ing commanded at Gettysburg the frsi
day of the battle. During the Spanish.
American war Mai. John Howard served
with the 4Sth United States Volunteer
Regiment, composed of colored men.