The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-10-05
VISIT BROWNSVILLE
Numerous Officers and Men of Third
Regiment Visit Texas City
Over the Week End.
mike" Sends Another Breezy Letter
Anent Company C and Con-
ditiOns on the Border.

Nothing outside of the regular rou-
time has happened the past week ex-
cept that our band has received instru-
ments and the members are practicing
several hours daily to make up for
lost time. We think they are already
the equal Of the other bands and give
promise of being as good as the origi-
nal Third Minnesota band, which had
the undisputed reputation of being the
best in the northwest. There is con-
. siderable rivalry between the different
regiments as to the relative merits Of
their bands.
1t is just as hot as it was in July
and August and the natives inform US
that it will remain so for about two
months more. The nights, however,
are somewhat cooler and acquisitions
have been made for extra blankets and
overcoats, but we probably won't use
the latter until we get home. We have
not had rain for ten days and a shower
to settle the dust would be acceptable.
Forty recruits arrived in camp Mon
day, of which G. company received
one, Walter Hague, of Minneapolis.
He didn't increase the size of the COM
pany any as Clair Newton and Nimrod
Hanson, buglars, were transferred to
the band that day. We would well
come about fifty more as there is a
certain amount of work to be done
and the more men the easier it is for
each man.
Blanks have arrived to be filled out
by men still in the service, with de-
pendent relatives, for their share of
the 100000 appropriation by con-
gress for that purpose. They will re-
ceive 500 for wife and $40 for each
child up to three, making a maximum
of fifty dollars a month This will be
considerable help to those who were
not fortunate to get a discharge
when t. 2 rule was in force.
All close order drill has been dis
continued and combat exercises or
rifle practice every morning at 700 to
1880 a. m. has taken it's place. All
kinds Of battle problems are worked
out, attacks, entertainments, outpost
duty with the enemy trying to get
through our lines. The enemy is rep
resented by another battalion with
white bands around their hats. One
man sneaked through our line by hid
ing in a civilians wagon. We are get
ting well acquainted with mesquite
and other thorny brush as all our ex-
ercises are held in the thickest of it,
but prefer that to close order drill as
it isn't so monotonous.
Hundreds of officers and enlisted
men avail themselves of half fare
excursions on week-ends to Browns
vile and points on the gulf. Browns
vile has population of about $4,000,
of which about rs percent are Mexi-
cans. The streets are narrow and I'M
paved, and the buildings are old and
built after the ancient Mexican style
Rio Grande, bridge connecting it
with Matamora, large Mexican
town. Strangely enough it has never
been bothered by bandits but was, it
will be remembered, shot up by some
drunken United States soldiers about
two years ago. Villas first big battle
was fought at Matamora, in which he
is said to have lost a thousand men
United States soldiers are not allowed
to go any further than the middle OF
the bridge, where a stone is placed
marking the international boundary
and is guarded by United States
soldier on one side and a Mexican on
the other.
One incident illustrative of the low
value of Mexican money occurred at
one of the curio stands of which there
are dozens. A Mexican boy who lived
in Mexico and had earned few cents
in Brownsville shining shoes, ETC..
rendered u. S. rs cent piece and
asked for Carranza currency. He was
given five dollars for his quarter and
started home with it. The dealer ex.
planned that he could buy more fo1
the five dollars in Mexico than he
could for his quarter here and this
plan is practiced by many Of them.
About $4,000 troops are stationed
there and the merchants are now do.
ing an immense business.
10 We understand that it has been re.
ported in Princeton that there is q
great deal of malaria here. There is
but there is no cause for anxiety fol
relatives as there are no serious cases
Most of the patiens are able to walk
around. We are now being given daily
doses of quinine as malaria pro.
phylactic and no cases have been re-