The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1916-09-01
Inefficient oHicers to Go.

Ihehlccnt CHicers 10 Co.
Inefficient officers of the national
guard on the border will be weedeo
out, General E. M. Lewis, camp com
mander, told officers at the first gen
eral officers meeting since the camps
establishment. General Lewis said he
will hold regimental commanders re-
sponsible for the efficiency of their
respective officers and if the comman-
ders fail to eliminate the inefficient,
steps would be taken to eliminate the
commanders.
/ To Take Up Problems.
He said some of the regiments in
camp have made progress, but others
have not done satisfactory work He
enjoined the officers to remedy this
situation also.
General Lewis asked all officers to
take up Immediately small combat
problems for the men, stating that if
the troops are ordered into Mexico
the battles will be with small units.
He announced target practice in
this camp will begin at once. Four
hundred men can FIRE at once on the
range and about four regiments can
be cared for daily.
Must Keep Up Appearance.
General Lewis urged the officers to
take steps to keep the men clean and
we'll appearing, and ordered them to
make acquisitions at once for such
clothing as necessary.
He said the general appearance of
the men had improved before the re-
cent tropical storm, but the men have
been "baSksliding" since, due he
thought to the dirty manual labor nee
sary to drain the camp.
The general ordered the officers to
see that every man in camp is pro-
vided with mosquito bars to prevent
an epidemic of dengue fever, which,
he said, has reached Mercedes from
Brownsville.
The general also asked the officers
to stop promiscuous firing by soldiers
in the brush surrounding the camp
and to bring all offenders to trial.
only good luck has prevented some
one from being killed." he said.
X X X
Men Build Mess Halls.
The camp of the First Minnesota re-
sembles a city addition just after
big real estate boom. Skeletons of
frame buildings break the monotony
Of lines and lines of drab tents, SOL
diers and mule teams and motor trucks
are hurrying lumber along Minnesota
avenue for other buildings and the
sound of the hammer is heard in the
land.
No, the militiamen are not build.
ing houses to replace their tents. They,
that is those who have had some ex-
perience as carpenters and many who
have not, are constructing mess hous-
es. These buildings will serve at
kitchen and dining room and will be
fly proof. Each company will have its
own cafe and there is a spirited con-
test on to be the first to complete it's
building. Company E Of st. Paul has
slight advantage which the other
organizations are working hard to
overcome.
Captain Frank E. Reed, regimental
adjutant, has so far recovered from
the burns received Sunday night as to
be able to operate his typewriter
again. Captain Reed maintains that
he was attempting to adjust gasoline
lantern when the explosion occurred.
Colonel Luce says that the adjutant
doubted the explosive qualities of the
brand of gasoline supplied and was
testing it with a lighted match.
Xxx X
Second Minnesota Sergeant Dies.
H. E. Johnson, sergeant in Company
ding E. Johnson, sergeant in Company
K, st. Peter, of the Second Minnesota,
died at the field hospital following an