The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-08-31
! Engineers at Work

! t9ohieil'Si ~ eHcaInpeu close Dy, the Held
hospital corps and also just behind the
.Dragoons. The engineers are goina
through drills and other training every
day and are showing up well. The
men and officers, like all the other
South Caroliniana, are determined to
make the best use Of this opportunity
to get first hand acquaintance with
actual field conditions and are i'm.
proving every minute of their time.
The engineers expect to draw new
equipment shortly but in the mean.
time have. got right down to hard work.
Cor H. B. Springs of the Second
has received instructions to detail one
officer and two non, commissioned Of
flcers to take four months training at
the school Of musketry at Fort Sill,
Okla. The selections will be made
from among the men who expect to
continue In the National Guard and
who will be expert instructors for the
militia after they return home.
Several persons in South. Carolina
have evidenced desire to supply the
soldiers with reading matter, writing
material and other things which will
be Of use to them here. Sun glasses
are needed by the men and anything
like magazines, newspapers, etc.,
would be of great benefit and would
be very much appreciated.
The Smyth Rifles Of Pelzer have
built around their spigot In the com.
pany street a cavity four feet deep
and four feet square and filled this
in with rock The water seeps away
through this and this prevents 1t from
running over the ground and leaving
little mud puddles. This arrange.
ment has been designated by Col.
Blythe as a model for the regiment
and all the companies are now fixing
theirs in the same manner.
Lieut. John e. Ardery of the Twelfth
infantry, which Is stationed at Nogales
Arizona, on the border, was visitor
in camp and ate dinner with the Fort
Mil company Under Capt. Parks.
Lieut.. Ardery was born at Pineville
just across the line in North Carolina,
but Is really South Carolinian except
for that slight geographical difference
He was greeted by many Of friends
VINO are uelHDoTS OL Ille EiSI OOulH
Carolina infantry.
The band Of the First would like
to have some new band music and
any one who feels interested might
send them some, but don't forget the
orchestrations in selecting the music
THE bands Of the First and Second
are constantly improving and those
who are interested might mail them
just such pieces as they think would
fit the occasion.
The officers of the Second have
formed club where magazines and
other periodicals, writing materials,
! and other conveniences can be found
The officers will use the club for a
lounging place. The officers of the
First have been invited to make use
of the club whenever It suits their
| pleasure.
A Diamond Rather.
Just to the left of the camp lies a
range Of hills which are called noun
tains in this country. This chain of
hills lies diagonally to the Mexican
border. They are bare Of vegetation
except for sage brush and cactus in
the ravines. Some Of the South Caro-
linians have already climbed to the top
of this range Of hills which are about
eight miles from camp. 1t Is in these
hills that rattlesnskes and the other
reptiles reside. On Sunday First Ser.
geant Hughes OF the Smyth Rifles Of
:pelzer climbed the hills and brought
back into camp diamond Mexican
rattler. This snake Is about Is inches
long and the one he captured had q
button and two rattles, indicating that
it was four years old. No snakes have
yet been seen in camp but there are
plenty Of horned toads, centipeds and
ants. The bother from this source.
however, Is insignificant 80 far and
nothing like what one would expect
here.
Carranza Is nominally the ruler of
Mexico. but there seems to be con-
siderable doubt as to just how much
authority he has. He seems to be
the leader by virtue of the favor OF
his generals, but there Is strong doubt
as to his ability to control his gen.
erals. They obey him when they
want to, and when they do not they
pay not attention to him. The idea
here now seems to be that Carranza
Is finding his position shalty and that
before long some other leader will
arise and depose him and direct the
leaking Mexican ship Of state for
brief and stormy period, for that Is
the record OF them all for the past sew.
eral years.
The men Of the First are being
equipped thoroughly with clothing.
Every man is drawing two hats, two
pairs OF shoes. two pairs OF leppfna