The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1917-07-13

other end Sof the campus IS another
post exchange or store. The place is
very beautiful. There are acres and
acres of wooded land on all sides, be-
hind the buildings picnic lunches are
given the soldies by young ladies'
from St. Louis every afternoon. All
of the buildings here are Of concrete
brick Or. stone, three or four stories
tall and occupying about 300 acres.
They havesa national cemetery here,
containing 1888 soldiers graves,
and it is considered the most beauti-
full cemetery in the United States.
About 100000 visitors were out
here on Memorial Day watching the
parades exercises Out of 1000 old
civil war veterans who marched here
three years ago there now only re-
mains 300. From this one can gather
the mammoth manner in which this
day was observed at this post. It
rained most of the afternoon, but it
did not interfere particle with the
parading. Even the old civil war
| veterans kept their ranks during one
of the hardest rains we ever saw. The
visitors, officials and all were drench-
ed but none even thought of seeking
| cover.
But it is not all roses. Here are
some Of the thorns. Every recruit
has to serve "a hours in the mess hall.
| This is the recruits first duty for
Uncle Sam. The mess hall is the most
wonderful part of the post. There are
81 cooks and some so super-numer-
aries. 1t is operated the same as the
army, by officials in ranks of sarge
ants, corporals and captain. The re-
cruits "a hours duty in the mess hall
usually is table waiter. We "got by
easy here, however as we allotted
the job of door guard and had prac-
tically nothing to do but watch the
most wonderful sight we ever witness
sed-namely over $4,000 men eating
in one large room served by over 300
walters. The noise here is something
awful. Each meal is served times
in order to serve the entire post. Hun
dreds of new buildings are now under
construction here including another
mess hall even larger than this one.
All the cooking is done by steam in a
kitchen 100 feet square and three
stories. There is system here the
same as in every other building on
the place. System that is real system
and almost unbelievable. ..,..
/ Now and then "a shot or two is
heard Later We hear 'Tops" and
should we be in the campus sometime
later we might see the big auto hearse
and we know that some guards pris-
oner tried to esape. When a man is
sentenced to death he is faced by a
squad of four men, each with a gun.
One of the guns has a real bullet in
and the other three have blanks in.
The guns are then passed diagonally
as in drill, and no one ever knows
who shot the prisoner. Such things
do not sound pleasant we'll admit but
they are certainly necessary in a
camp like this. ."
The drilling is easy and most mod.
ern. Very little marching is done
Iand as we understand it : very little
marches ever will be made. Where
soldiers used to walk a few years ago
carrying heavy packs now they either
ride or their packs are hauled on
auto trucks. All Of the drilling hints
at speed and efficiency and not hard
back breaking work. x. ~
The Y.sM. CA. have large tent
here where writing stationery, stamps
and all kinds Of athletic goods are
lhanded out, and placed for. about 500
Ito write. \ Large signs ale hung about
the walls such as: Don't forget to
write to mother, :, and Write her. q
letter, and she'll not forget her Sold
Ter Boy a, They have q stage here
and free entertai tainment every night. s.
| The greatest experience in q @man,s
life Is HIS army experience. Ask :
veteran. ,Sy..
p Saturday evenings electric:
lstorm the river elevator was struck
by lightning. T ~ B happened that
Capt. Leach and John sarbuck and
some other employees 3: the Benton
Transportation were near; BY and saw
|the lightning strike the cupola and
quick action On their part and the
! are sdepa artment saved the prop perty