Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-09-24
ARMY OFFICERS
PAY Nd. N.G. A
BIG COMPLIMENT
Inspection of Camp Mercedes Is
Made by U. S. Officials; Say
First Is Best Regiment.
INSPECTION MADE
ON SHORT NOTICE

Mercedes, Tex, Sept. 23-Ofticers
and men of the First North Dakota
Infantry stationed at Mercedes, Tex
as, received high compliment Sat
urday from high officers Of the Reg
ular U. S. Army, who made an in
spection of the troops, the camp and
the clerical work Of each company.
At the conclusion of the inspection,
which was a most rigid one, the
officers are reported to have made the
statement that they had never in
spected militia organization that
would come up to the North Dakota
Infantry, and that in man, details,
they even were superior to many
regular army outfits.
This inspection was made on short
notice and it is surprising that such
showing could be more when prac-
tically no time was allowed for pre-
pairing for the inspection. At nine
o'clock Thursday night the North Da-
kota officers received word that their
entire organization should be in the
field with full equipment by eight the
next morning to undergo inspection
by officers of the Regular Army act
ing under orders of the Inspector
General Things moved likely at the
Dakota camp for couple of hours
that night and the boys were out
before sun.up Friday morning, and
ready to take the field. They were
put through stiff drill from eight
in the morning until one p. m, after
which the kitchens, mess halls, quar-
ters, sanitation and in fact the whole
camp was thoroughly inspected. The
inspectors found everything as slick
as could possibly be expected, and
not piece of paper or any other
kind of trash was to be found on the
entire camp grounds.
The clerical work of each com.
pany was examined and in nearly
every instance the various accounts,
reports, etc. received the inspectors
O. K. This latter was especially
flattering as the system of bookkeep-
ing used in the Army is entirely diff
ferent from that in any other line,
and it takes expert accountants some
time to become familiar with the
many different forms. and to be able
to wind and unwind the rolls of cred
tape" without getting them tangled.
Taken altogether the inspection
was highly pleasing both to those who
conducted it and to the officers and
enlisted men of the North Dakota
Regiment.
May Move Camp
Unless arrangements can be made
for draining swamp adjacent to the
camp of the First North Dakota In
fantry at Mercedes, it is contemplate
ed to remove that organization to
another location. Army officers here
say that it will be impossible to main
tain the past record for healthfulness,
unless conditions caused by incessant
rains for several months are RENE
died. Fifteen men are reported to
have been removed to the hospital at
the big camp at Llano Crande, three
miles from Mercedes. They had con-
tracted malaria fever owing to the
presence at the camp of mosquitoes,
which breed in the swamp mentioned.
The matter has been taken up by
the Mercedes Commercial Club with
the idea of doing the necessary drain
age work. The Club is anxious that
the camp be maintained at Mercedes
and it is probable that the necessary
ARRANGEMENTS will be made so that
the present location of the North Da-
kota Infantry will not be condemned.