The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-10-05


streets OF brown tents where six
months ago there was little city
of them; the field where the blue
overalled 18th engineers used to
drill looks lonesome; the lumber
in the cook-houses that last spring
was as golden as the barracks al
Camp Lewis, is silver!ng LITTLE
from the weather, and the rock
lined incinerators back -.
of many of them yawn -fssIrsr
black and cold; the grav- ,rIs -,
elled space by the gate .|~T1s
where the automobiles T.
used to stand ready to r
serve the crowds that
came and went, is
empty; and all day long
the loaded buses spin
past, unpausing, on the -
smooth highway to the
huge new camp four -
miles farther on.
But Camp Lewis is still there,
and the Second Washington Is on
the 10, just the same.
I turned in at the gate between
the arsenal and the motorcycle
stable yesterday and went down
the sandy road and the little
bridge across the creek.
The sentry gave me an observ-
ant glance. The beat he paced
was worn as bare as a baby's head.
Sentries have been pacing that
beat long, long time.
Across brown meadow, a
handful Of brown figures swung
with the rhythm of men who have
marched together for months.
In the camp, the company
streets were quiet. Here and
there a line of snowy undergar-
ments and clean olive-drab shirts
Tapped in the sun. A lean young
ster was splitting wood outside a
cookhouse door with professio
conservation of effort.
Kitchen police and doing ones
own washing are no novelties at
Camp Murray.
Half dozen soldiers leaned on
the counter of the post exchange.
Somewhere, cornet practiccd
softly. 1t was very, very peace
full.
- But Col. Inglis, under the flap
of his tent behind the fringed flag,
surveyed his village with pride, as
he told me what the End Washing
ton is doing.
1--WE are at present war strength
now" he said, "2,002 men and
sc officers.
81 have about 900 men out all
over the state, In little companies
and squads, guarding bridges,
tunnels, plants, shfpyards, etc.
Here in camp we have sup
ply company, the headquarters
company, the remnants of c COM
pany and the machine gun COM
pany, and about $50 recruits and
reservists.
1--WE cannot hope to be relieved
before the railroads are thru NOV
ing the third increment of the ma
tional army, but we are receiving
new clothing, and It Is likely we
shall be modified soon after that
time.
Most of the men saw service
on the Mexican border. They are
very proud of the fact that they
were the only regiment to reach
war strength during the Mexican
trouble, and the largest regiment
ever recruited in the history of
the United States. They would
naturally have liked to be among
the first to see the real thing In
this war, but r can say for them
that when we were held here for |
guard duty, they went at 1t as |
willingly and loyalty as they |
would have gone to the trenches"
Eager to BE Gone.
Just the same, in the eyes that
looked out from under the brown |
with the blue cords yes
terday, / saw a look that meant
that they. will. be glad when the
companies come streaming In
from all over the state. and the
Saiup 10 . Citt d6dln inceCdu OA . |
village, and the fields are full of
men, and the gravel at
the gate crunches under many
wheels, for q little while, before
the End Washington leaves us
forever:
For when It goes to Charlotte
Vile, It will be no longer the 2nd
Washington, but the 161st rcgi-
ment of the S1st brigade OF the
l1st division.
"-And the first regiment
( In the first brigade In tie d.
vision In point Of seniority"
Col. Inglis pointed out yester-
day.. Don't forget that, /
Because the number n runs
thru All our designations, yea
win notioe. and - | told to l
men the Other day, wore CO.
Ing 10 i've ~ 20 A. "