South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-07-25
THIRD REGIMENT
AGAIN IN GUARD
Private Goheen of Company F
Writes of HardShipS Un-
dergOne in Camp.

According to "a letter received
yesterday from Private Goheen,
member OF company r. the entire
third regiment has been mustered
out OF the federal army and is now
again a part Of the Indiana national
guard. The poor quality of the
equipment OF the regiment rs given
as a cause for this action by Pri-
vate GOheen.
A larger part OF the letter deals
with the conditions Of the camp at
Idano Grande. Dissatisfaction ac-
cording 10 this report IS rife. There
is even talk Of individuals joining
the regular army in order 10 escape
the rigors OF the Indiana camp.
Though nothing is said OF sanitary
conditions OF the camp judging
from the fact that there is SO little
water, sanitation certainly must suf-
fer.
Heat UnbcarabIe.
The heat OF course is almost UNI
bearable but still the men are
forced Private GOheen declares to
work as laborers in the canal.
Many OF the men are stricken with
the heat
Following is the fun text of the
letter:
Llauo Grande.
Dear Pal. July q. 1916.
Well we have changed to the
third regiment Indiana national
guards again. / guess we are not
equipped well enough for the fed
eral service. We still have our lit
tie tents just the way we came down
here. We have had ice twice since
we came down here but the others
get it every day.
It is 10 in the shade and no
shade at all.
One of the head men was heard
10 say that il was a shame the way
we we're treated and il must stop.
Some days we don't even get wa
ter unless we walk n mile for il.
We get two hours day now to
shave. wash, write and clean our
tents. We have one tub for 90 men
10 wash their clothes i'm and some
have only one suit and can't wash.
They say the Mexicans live better
than we do in this camp.
The hospital is full and some new
ones are dropping out every day
from the heat. L was down once
myself The sick men don't rest
since they have 10 do camp work
Those who are seriously sick are
sent TO san Antonio.
We get up at 1880 o'clock every
morning now and quit at 1880 in the
evening The rest OF the time we
kill bugs and mosquitoes.
Mail Gets Lost.
Something is wrong with our mail
az il don't get TO South Bend on
time at all. one man wrote six let
ters and two OF them got home.
The rest were lost somewhere
The men are all sore and are
ready TO go home or any place other
than this swamp. Every bug. ami
NAL and bush has got some kind OF
thorn or sting TO il.
TX YOU are not drilling they put
you 10 work on the canal digging
with pick and shovel in the heat OF
the day and the men are not used To
IL. They just drop i'm their tracks.
They can't stand il. We are eX-
pected 10 do the same as the Mex-
cans that are used TO the climate
here
II any one does not think the
conditions are this bad, tell them 10
write TO any private i'm company j.
or anyone OF the third regiment and
ind out for sure
At mess call the men don't even
eat half OF the time. All we get is
bacon and eggs. 10 is not the fault
OF the cooks but that is all they
can get down here. Some one said
in the Tribune that we had chicken
ard milk No one here has seen
any of IL vet.
Some OF the company talk of join
ing the regular army 90 get out OF
this. III do it too.
Well I have 10 fall I'm for drill so
/ will close.
PRIVATE COHEN.
T. ST have found The News
Times has more OF the Mexican
trouble than any paper We get
local or otherwise