Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-07-31
Locals Handle Big
Guns Like Veterans
CBy 4. Bert FreemanJ

has ever had. Every nan filled his
place in camp az well as at the big
guns and think had : thoroughly
good time during the two weeks stay
here, although the last feT days I
have heard several boys singing. Il
Want TO Go Back"
It has rained pretty regularly
every twenty-four hours since We
came, but on the whole We have had
nice weather, especially the last few
days, which have been beautiful
sunny days.
Every day during target practice
detail Of two priyates and non
com. from each company went out
over the bar and around the ietty
on the government tug Farnance to
assist in the work relative to towing
the target back and forth in front Of
the batteries about five or six miles
out at sea. When these embryo deep
sea sairors arrived in camp late in
the evening the company was regaled
by stories Of how Columbia river sal
mon obtain their daily fare, which
in some cases was plentifully handed
out, or, rather, thrown up.
Last Tuesday the first company
fired three service shots from one OF
the ten-inch guns in the fastest time
made here this year, 2 minutes 8
seconds. There was an accidental
delay before the first shot, losing the
company twenty or more seconds. or
remarkable record would have been
established. AS It was, 1t was only
sixty seconds from the explosion Of
the first shot to the explosion Of the
third shot when the command,
Cease firing" was given.
The first company can well be
proud Of every member OF the gun
and range-finding sections, and Cap
tain Malone and Lieutenant Spencer,
every man OF which stuck to his post
and performed his work the same as
in practice through the excitement
and terrific earthquaking shock that
followed each command Of Fire"
Thursday the following men passed
first and second class gunners' exam
nations:
First class. A. Peters Jr., Bob
Wagner and J. o. Rigg.
Second class-Corporals A. Bert
Freeman and James Pool, and Pri-
Yates SLEEPY" Merrill, ]. o. Rigg'
Frank Hlbbs, s. A. Peters Jr., Byron
Works, Charles Freeman, Ivan
O'Donoghue, +. A. Long, p. j. Amer
and c. B. Norton.
SLEEPY" upheld the traditions of
the Merrill family and got the high
est grade in the examination for sec
ond class gunners.
Thursday morning the camp was
given a bad scare by discovering that
Sergeants Adams and Porter were
missing at roll-call All search for
them proved to be fruitless and they
were given up for lost, 1t being as
sumed that they had met watery
grave trying to walk down the Co
lumbia river from Astoria, where
they had obtained permission to
spend Wednesday evening. When
they turned up in camp at o'clock
Thursday afternoon looking healthy
and sound and sober, al fears for
their safety were dispelled. They
claim they missed the boat (O.
In conclusion will say That Cap
tain Malone may well be proud Of
the example set by first company in
the way of equipment They had the
cleanest equipment in camp by far.
Every member took an especial inter-
est In keeping his uniform spotless.
Leggings and belt were washed every
few days and shoes shined nearly
every day. First company men
could be readily distinguished in a
crowd anywhere by the clean leg
gings Such care and cleanliness i'm
proves the spirits of the men and
deserves better support than is given
the first company at home. How
many people are there who have
been inside the armory and watched
the company drill? 1t requires a
great deal of sacrifice on each man s
part and good teamwor to keep to-
gether an organization in as good
shape as the first company.
Next fall when the company COM
mences drill every citizen Of Ashland
ought to pay visit to the armory
some Monday night and see what the
boys are doing and see what is really
done when the company goes to Fort
Stevens.