Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-03

SECOND REGIMENT
RACES OVER POOR
RAILROAD SERVICE
So Bad Had to Stop at
Louisville--Col. Turner
Calls 1t Outrageous
MOST BLAME ON P. r. X.
Lack Water and Light - Even
Horses Made to
I Suffer
MOST BLAME ON P. R. r.
BY CARL l.. zEISBERG
Eveniae LEDGER star Correspondent

FOhIONt N.Y. on DOhfu 20 tteBlUlen
troop train enroute 70 FL Paso, July a.
An Investigation Of the methods employed
by the American Railways Association II
furnishing trains for troops will be asked
Of the War Department by Colonel Hamil
ton D. Turner,
This announcement today came as re-
suit Of the midnight fasco at Louisville
where this military train, shrouded In dark.
ness. was halted and officers Indignantly In.
formed the railroad ofncials at that point
that the train would not move an inch until
lights were supplied to the troops.
The report of Captain j. II. Geissel, Regi.
mental Quartermaster, which will he sent to
the War Department at the end OF the
journey, will cite the grievances Of the I'd
Regiment against the railroads. pointing
out that the American Railways Associa-
tlon has broken its agreement with the Gov
ernment to furnish first-class accommoda-
tions in transporting troops to the border.
Tho Pennsylvania Railroad, which provided
the cars, came in for the most severe CEN
sure
1T is outrageous" declared Colonel
Turner.
The troops are supposed to have good
accommodations Last night was the second
night In succession that the coaches have
been without light
THE fault lies with the railroads
Tourist cars should have been provided In
the frst place instead Of these coaches"
The ultimatum Of the regmental COM
mander to the effect that he would not
allow the troops to proceed until light had
been supplied was responsible for the repair
OF the electric lighting apparatus in the
officers two coaches where the making OF
reports and other clerical work had been
tied up since dark A few fllckering oil
lanterns also were scraped up by the rail-
road men, who were positive In their declar-
alton that they had no means Of filling the
empty acetylene gas tanks. The smoking
lanterns were turned over to the troops only
after the officers personally hunted them up
and Communicated them.
Not only the lighting apparatus but other
conditions in the day coaches are being
hotly censured by the officers. The coaches
are overcrowded, three men being forced
to sleep In each double seat The acommo.
dations for washing are miserable. The
troops make futile attempts to remove the
CRIME of travel by washing at the water
coolers or on the swaying platforms, where
they dash water from their canteens over
their fellows. Their mess kits also are
cleansed in this laborious and unsatisfac-
tory manner
BLAME MEN HIGHER UP.
No blame st attached to the minor Of
ficials along the route, who bear the brunt
OF the work. The censure is directed to-
ward the men higher up" in the railroads,
Their lack OF patriotism was scored by the
men who are going to the border to fight
The cramped quarters and the scarcity of
water cause added work for the medical |
corps which has charge OF train santa |
lion. Major Thomas G. Allen and his men |
are kept constantly busy,
Not only the troops but the horses as |
well suffer from poor accommodations, One |
of the two horse cars Is without airbrakes |
and the handsome animals inside are Sc
verely jolted.
All the more exasperating is the poor
equipment because this string OF cars is
he third offered for the transportation OF
he regiment The first coaches were with
irnwn because the water tanks were un-
,lean and the second consignment was
1otly rejected by Colonel Turner as being
not Mt for white men,"
II is a raging regiment from highest
Nicer to newest rookie.
A REBELS GREETING.
The South salutes the North today, as !
his long train OF war from Pennsylvania
uts diagonally southwestward through the
ndulating blue grass hills OF Kentucky
A message is borne by II. II is not the
Id homily that the Mason and Dixon line.
hat barrier OF falsty, forever Is effaced by
he wheels carrying Philadelphia's soldiers
oward Mexico, that question was settled
n very setlemanly way by U. s. Grant
nd r. E. Lee at Appomattox Court House
Dng ago. IL Is challenge, message OF
atriotisn. pure and simple.
This troop train, one of many, is quick
ming the national life Of those who live
long the roadway OF steel over which it
humps along. Patriotism In hamlet and
ity is fired in the breath OF those who
lew this military caravan, its prosaic fiat
ars lifted from the commonplace by the
ashtng yellow canvas Of army transports
nd its coaches tinged with the heroic by
he huttering fags, and those picked sol
iers on board, for whom the half OF
merica Is passing In review, are learning
lesson In patriotism.
The vociferous crowds the soldlery yell
ig from windows, say plainly that even I
aould never a rifle be aimed by these !
iilitiamen their journey shall not have
zen In vain. The passage OF this warllke
stinue Is klndlink afresh the fires that I
70 prone to grow sluggish and cold G
AN NREcoNsTRUcTED REBEL.
Today a bent old man. with white i'm +
sriai mustaehe, waved a new American a
ON the shelter of magnolia tree in his
ont yard and as the train rumbled by | [
lose within heard faint rebel yell" II S
light have been his brother. who, yester- &
~ back there in Ohio, nearly 1000 miles
way, feebly moved a nag up and down
J ne stood, clothed In faded blue. on his ,
lck steps
The extent OF this overland journey-eOO
Hes and more a day--from the Mt Gretna
utilization camp TO fsl Paso Is beginning
dawn upon the soldiers abroad as they
lproach Memphis snd the father OF waters.
ae magnitude OF the country whose armed
pressntatiyes they are Is beginning TO i'm
ess them to<ay the third full day since a
frainment
They Az beginning 10 see the almost In q
|RNable factions that make up the unit
natlOn-the types Of men and OF m
the railways, broad rivers smoking
:. stock yards. grazing lands fields
wheat, mines. tumultous mountain r.
desperate gorges. black and beautf- q
1nssL
i u not mere sightseeing trim
- so00-lnile survey OF America. ia ! u
lIlotlsn. its possibilities. under extraor- v,
|afy eonditiona These soldiers. priv- Il
sed te see Il. grasp the INTERPOLATION be- Y
zen tha component parts. and the caeer- q
tells them their rois They are bet tr
citizens EoE H. r
ne Fslislouz services, conducted BY Chan !.
2 AeEetridae AZ Cincinnati Junction IA i,
shadow OF viaauct spanning railroad Z,
E1a ana a vast dumpiag ground Of oricx N
- usads, strap iron and rubbish. at Il
et9d crowd of railroad men and ragged
.hiqe Trolley ears rumbled overhead M
I|ote p1Rt4 - ana nyrid dies froih near ~
..H