The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-08
MONTGOMERY CAMP .LOBL0LLY- -OF MUD Soldier Boys Spend Gloomy
 Day in Hard Rain ARE SLEEPING IN TOWN Arrangements Made by Citizens to House 2000 Men Who Have Naught
 But Wet Straw to Sleep On.
 Heflin in Camp
ARE SLEEPING IN TOWN

Montgomery, July. 7.-(Special)-Long continued rains, and the tramping of many feet made loblolly of company streets and approaches to the mess tents at mobilization camp at Montgomery. Friday will be remembered as gloomy Friday by the Alabama boys encamped there. No ray of sunshine gave them an opportunity to dry their clothing, and their beds of straw made damp by the beating rains that accompanied Mont gomerys share of the tropical storm and deluge of the day before. The bright spot in the gloomy day was the following memorandum" sent to the commanding officers of the brigade by Gen. c. R. Bricken:
 Commanders of all units are hereby authorized to make any desired disposi- ton of their men for tonight, because of existing conditions. Quarters for sleep ing more than POGO men have been ten- dered, and information regarding same can be obtained at heao1uarters.''
 Similar orders were issued by the regi- mental commanders, and the two bat tery captains and the commanding off, cer of each company was given the de- cision as to which of his men should ac- cept the hospitality of Montgomery citi- zens or institutions for the night.
 The men responsible for. the health of the troopers and the government property have remained at the camp throughout the days of unprecedented weather, though the tents of the officers are not much better adapted to the keeping out of moisture from such deluge than are those of the enlisted men. There was some relief among them when the fol- lowing additional memorandum from headquarters was posted throughout the camp:
 'rThe citizens committee having n charge the reception and ball for tonight to be rendered the officers of the camp, have sent notice that the entertainment has been postponed until Wednesday night next
 Few of the officers felt that they were at liberty to attend such an entertain ment at this time, yet none of them de- cided to miss it. They were very gen. erally pleased that the reception had been postponed by the committee.
 National Guard officers who have made a very thorough inspection of the grounds stated Friday evening that the conditions prevailing at the camp are not to he charged against the location of the grounds, or the lay of the land but to the unprecedented rainfall, which amounted almost, to a cloudburst, and to the fact that many tents are too old and full of holes to shed such heavy. wind-driven rains. It was stated, how ever, that none of the government stores or equipment now at the camp ready for distribution was in any way injured by the wet
 Congressman J. Thomas Heflin, wealth erbound on his way to fill a speaking engagement at Purdue MIL Monroe coun- ty, was one of the sew visitors that braved the elements and called at the mobilization camp Friday afternoon. He showed much concern about the equip ment of the men and made inquiry of General Bricken and other officers about reports that some of the food materials furnished the government by contractors had been condemned. He was assured that the inspection is most careful and that articles that do not come up to the government requirements will con- tinue to be condemned.
 "The rations of a soldier are more than any man can consume" said the con gressman. "This country is too great and too rich to permit any of it's soldiers to go hungry or unclothed." He was told that the men would be issued sufficient clothing just soon as their physical examinations are completed, and that the comfort of the men, as we'll as their health, is being looked after with as great care as is possible under existing con- ditions.
 Pay rolls are now being made out and payday will come early next week. It is estimated that just about $30,000 is to be paid the men foA their services to June 30, inclusive, the private that an- swered the call at their home stations when it was first made public June 19, to draw 12 days pay, or S6 The sum in- creases rapidly as the rank of the sol dier is higher, and S30,0O0 is said to be q very conservative estimate of the total