Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-08-08
ALL WHITES :.
NEAR BORDER
Z. CARRY | | | Al. ARMS | /
North Dakota Boys at Mercedes
Standing Hot Weather
Well.
TARANTULA KILLED
IN FRAMES TENT
Texas Soldiers Show Hospitality
to First Regiment-Band
Makes Hit.
ev STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

BY STAFF CORRESPONDENT.
Mercedes, Texas, Aug 4.-The
First Regiment, North Dakota lntan
try, is now firmly established in camp
and the northern boys have begun the
daily routine of army life in a trop
ical country. "a.
They are fortunate, inasmuch as
they have placed their camp on more
favorable ground than the regiments
from Minnesota, New York, Indiana
and some other eastern states, which
are located about three miles away.
The North Dakotans had plenty to
do the first few days in cutting away
cactus, prickly pears and heavy brush,
but the other states mentioned had to
hack their way through the densest
kind of jungle in lower and more
swampy land. Tyr r. t
The boys from North Dakota are
bearing up exceptionally we'll in the
terrific heat and have shown a STAN
ina and ability to do lot Of wor.
under the most difficult conditions
which has amazed the Texans Ell
camped beside the North Dakota reg
iment t' i""
The weather here has been peculiar
to say the least. It rains for few
minutes at time, then the sun pops
out again, blazing away hotter than
ever before The water is not eXcep-
tionally good, and ice, one of the
greatest luxuries of this part of the
world, made it's debut in the North
Dakota camp for the first time yes
terday. .'- -...r., .-
The Texas boys have been very
hospitable to the North Dakotans, ex-
tending to them the use of their Y. NJ
C. A. and canteen. The regimental
band Of North Dakota played over in
the Texas camp and delighted the
southerners with a number of popu-
lar airs. One evening this week the
band also gave concert down town
and pleased the natives. The band
from Lisbon is the pride of the regi-
ment and is earning an enviable rep
utation throughout the camp.
Mercedes is just five miles from the
Rio Grande and about 80 miles from
the Gulf of Mexico. The North Dako-
tans will begin taking "hikes" tomor-
row and they expect soon to make a
trip to the river dividing the United
States and Mexico.
| Within a radius of five miles from
the North Dakota camp there are
something like 10000 soldiers, while
at Briwnsville, not many miles dis
tant, there are about $4,000 more.
This is an exceedingly dangerous
country and there have been some
cases Of sniping, but thus far the
North Dakotans have been unmolest-
ed Orders have been issued to all
men not to 60 over half mile from
camp without arms. The town is full
of Mexicans and soldiers and rangers.
A white woman is curiosity. And
a healthy respect is being shown them
in this south land. With hardly an
exception all white citizens carry
arms and the atmosphere is truly that
of ''the wild and woody west" e.
However, snipers are Not the only
thing for the northern men to fear,
by far. Rattlers, scorpions, tarantu-
las and myriads of other bugs have
been making camp life exceedingly
interesting and exciting A large tar
antula was removed from the quar-
tiers of Colonel ]. H. Frame and many
snakes have been killed in camp.
However, no serious cases have devel-
oped from bites by snakes or insects.
The First North Dakota arrived
here bearing the distinction of being
one of the best equipped militia regi-
ments reaching the border. The North
I Dakotans have also demonstrated
themselves to be among the hardest
and best drilled soldiers on the Dor.
der. In the Minnesota camp and the
camps of the eastern states there has
been more illness and suffering.
The North Dakota boys have been
issued fine cots and splendid mos
quito bars and each of the tents has
been comfortably and costly fitted out
The camp here is by far superior to
the one at Fort Lincoln, N. D., where
the boys had to sleep on straw laid
on the bare ground. Shower baths
have been constructed, running wa
ter piped to the camp and other con
! veniences installed. AS yet the Min
nesota boys have not received theil
cots. ~ ai.S
The trip to the south was one full
of interest and the boys from NORTH
j Dakota, travelling in Pullmans, enjoy
ed every mile of it, despite the sultrJ
weather. They were allowed to gel
off at such points as Kansas City, st
Joseph, Parsons, Kan; Denison, Dial
las and Kingsville, Texas. The boy:
with the second battalion were per
mitted to get off at San Antonio
!. where the ladies of that city gav'
t them fine treat. The King ranch
the largest in the United States, wal
!, one of the interesting points through
which the North Dakotans passed. A
!, Kingsville they were all given a FREE
bath by the city.
A good portion of the way down tn
line they enjoyed juicy watermelon
at very low cost, but Mercedes is gu
of the watermelon zone at this tim
of the year and the delicious edibl
has to be shipped some hundreds Q
miles from the north to this point.