The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-07-13
Smith HamIIl Reports That Men Are
Awaiting Orders to Go to Hor-
der-Everythln In Readi-
mess for Departure.
MEN IN FINE SHAPE
seven Hours Of Drilling and March.
Ing Every Day Have Tanned and
Toughensd Men-stllI Short
ase o. Tobacco.

Company L will leave about Sat
Irday There are no definite orders
to this effect, but all the officers l
Is in readiness for departure" says
Smith Hamill, former lieutenant in
the company. Mr.. Hamill returned
last night from trip to Des Moines.
by automobile. He went up Monday,
taking with him Paul Dysart, who
Joined the company as~bugler.
Men In Fine Shape.
THE men are in fine physical con-
dition. They are being drilled daily.
From to IL in the morning and
from to in the afternoon, the men
are out marching Long marches
have been taken all through Polk
county. This strenuous drilling is
toughening the men. Some of the
fat men have lost as much as 20
pounds or more in weight. All the
men are tanned and appear to be in
fine physical condition.
1.-THE men are excellently provided
for. Aside from securing clothing.
everything has been done for them
that could be done. There is short
age of the olive drab service uni
forms, but other equipment has been
furnished the men. Everything that
is received Is new and the best that
can be obtained"
No PIow Shoes In Sight.
Reports from Des Moines have
stated that some of the men were Is
sued pillow shoes, and fancy shoes Of
all colors, some of them very old.
Mr.. Hamill says he saw no such
shoes on the feet OF any guardsmen.
The men are being issued regular
Herman regulation U. S. army shoes.
All the men in Company l. nave been
well outfitted.
1.-THE busiest men in the company
are r. B. Joy and A. III. Gaylord, Of
Fort Madison These two men were
appointed sergeants and detailed to
the Quartermaeter's, department, be-
cause OF their knowledge of clerical
work. They are compelled to work
from in the morning until IL at
night.
Men In Good Spirits.
1.-THE men are living happy life
in camp The camp is well situated.
The drainage Is excellent and there
is fine water in abundance. The
tents are good, and the bedding Is all
that could be expected The cooking
il fine. l can vouch for the cooking.
l ate with the men several times,
and received very good food. / slept
with them Monday and Tuesday
nights.
VERY few of the men go into Des
Moines. There is little that the city
has to attract them. No liquor Is
obtainable in the camp or near It,
The government is very strict on this
point. The life of the men is fine
in the camp. in every way.
Need Tobacco Greatly.
"The men appreciate very much the
gifts that their friends in Keokuk
have sent them. They are short on
smoking, however. Tobacco is a
scarce article. The men are not paid
until the goth of this month. In the
meantime they must 90 without
MANY things. The people OF Keokuk
ought to take some action toward get
ting plenty Of tobacco to the sol
diers."
Found Roads in Good Shape.
Mr.. Hamill took $50 cigars up to
Des Moines, as well as large
quantity OF pipe and chewing tobac
co. He reports fine trip. The
roads are very dusty, but otherwise
are in good shape. He made the
trip to Des Moines without any I'M
toward incidents, but on his return
yesterday, he was lost between keo-
sauqua and Bonaparte. He got some
sixty miles out of his way. The mis-
hap was caused by the substitution
of new telephone posts along the
road. The red balls had not been
painted on them yet, and he had no
accurate means Of determining the