Evening star., 1916-08-08
BOYS OF BATTERYB
ENJOY [|FEON TRAIN
Good Food, Beds and Plenty
of Entertainment Are
Provided.
PORTERS AND COOKS
RELIEVE THEM OF TASKS
First Stop of Journey Toward Bor-
der Made at Roanoke-Battallon
Recruits All Well.

Special Dispatch to The Star
ROANOKE, Va. August s, on board
troop train en- route to Bisbee, Ar1z'-
C,heered ALL along the line as they
steam toward the border, the boys OF
Battery b are in the best OF spirlts ana
all feeling very ''fit" today. rms sec
ond troop train from the District OF
Columbia militia camp is the most COM
Portable that has yet carried any OF the
citizen soldiers to the border from any
of the states. The Battery B boys are
travelling in some class" with Pull
man porters to make their beds ana
cook their meals
Strict military discipline and the pre-
negatives of officers have been relaxed,
and the entire outfit is making merry
and having a good time en- route.
Reveilie this morning found every
one of the battery happy. The COM
Portable beds with mattresses ana Pill
lows. made by a porter in each car:
were much appreciated after the hard
cots and sometimes bare ground of the
mobilizat tion camp. Four representa-
tiveS of the transportation company are
aboard. seeing that the porters do all
they can for the comfort of the soldiers
Aided by Pullman Cooks.
Pullman cooks are even relieving the
regular battery cooks of their accus-
toned tasks. although Mess Sergeant
John T. Kelly has been supervising the
Job But little of the army rations was
large boxes of "eats" provided for them
by relatives and friends. The cars oc-
cupied by the battery looked like a
fruit shop, so generously had their
friends provisioned them.
The first stop of the journey to Art-
gona was made at Roanoke for half an
hour, when the men We're allowed to
get out and stretch their legs The
troop train reached here at 1875 am.
The District soldiers are looking for
word to long stop-of three hours
at some place and time unknown, late
this afternoon. when the boys of the
battery will be allowed to exercise the
horses
Progress towards the border is slow
at this stage of the journey as speed
has been limited to thirty miles an hour
on account of the length of the train,
which is drawn by two locomotives.
Entertainment Provided.
P!enty OIL Ice water Is PROVIDED lot
the enlisted men and the officers are
enjoying an observation platform. An
orchestra organized among the men,
the battery's graphophone and the
singing dog Jim are furnishing en-
tertainment. The boys have learned
not to be become too much engrossed
in these impromptu vaudeville shows.
because most Unexpectedly station
is passed where groups of pretty girls
wave and throw flowers to the passing
soldiers.
News of the progress of this special
seems to be travelling ahead, for at
almost every small town there are
persons gathered at the station to
cheer the battery along. When the
vas a big crowd on hand. and the Dis
trict soldiers got an ovation that
cheered up those who were downcast
after saying goodbye to relatives and
friends
Capt. George G.. Wilson made a tour
of the train last night and again twice
today asking each man if he was sat
isfied. He found every one contented
and enthusiastic for border duty. All
Of the officers are enjoying themselves
as school boys, and this greatly as
sists in keeping all the men in good
spirits.
The recruits for the 1st Separate
Battalion. destined for Naco, are all
we'll and eating their fun share, Lieut.
King reports.
Many of the District soldiers are al
ready busy writing letters and cards
home.