The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-13
BATTALION EIGHT
Camp News From the 164th
Depot Brigade.
The Third Training Unit of
National Armies.
EVERY TRADE is THERE
Skilled Men Are Available
Everywhere.
Uniforms ISSued-SteamfitterS
at Work.
Men Are Ayailab
Everywhere.
Skilled

and the end of the arrivals OF the
third selective draft will end in
day or so now. No doubt the receiv-
ing officers will be glad to get a rest
for a few days as their men have
been called upon very heavily since
the third and a great deal of credit
goes to the officers and men who have
had to. provide some 10000 men with
the comforts and necessities of camp
life, and when one stops to realize the
amount of bedding, cots, clothing and
eating utensils that it takes to sup
ply 40, 600 men, you have a slight idea
of what the depot store is called upon
to put out. The commissary depart
ment has been equally called upon to
supply the food for these additional
men. The kitchen forces will 10
doubt be increased from time to time
and good many cooks that belong
to the different companies will soon
be graduates from the cooking school
that is being conducted for their bene-
tit here in the camp.
The third contingent from Colo
RADIO came in Friday and the Ne
braska men arrived Saturday as well
as the boys from st. Louis and south
east Missouri. and were assigned to
the Infantry companies in the Eighth
battalion and the 164 depot brigade
and-will no doubt be proportioned out
as soon as they are needed to fill up
the gaps in the other brigades.
1t would be a good thing for the
folk who are at the homes that these
boys have just left if they would wait
to hear from the boys so that their
letters will not go astray OF be lost for
disposition. Mail that has no com
pany, brigade or battalion addresses
on it has to. go to brigade headquar-
ters and there be distributed from
headquarters, as a full list of all en-
listed men is kept 1t is then neces-
sary for the already oVerWorked men
| in the department that takes care of
the mail to check up the men of that
name on the different company ros-
tiers and finally the mail will reach
| them, so to the folks at home if
would be well for them to wait until
they hear from the men in camp
The third contingent from Arizona
arrived Sunday and were barricked
down in the companies 80 to 80. These
men came from the five northern
counties of Arizona and they are a
fine bunch of boys as most of them
nave always worked at outdoor work
and will readily fall into line. Some
OF the best mascOtS ever shown have
been brought in by the Arizona bows
and up to date they have a little
Angora goat and then a great big
Billie goat and every one knows when
the Billie goat is around. The second
unit from Arizona, which arrived two
| Jersey shoat for a mascot, and it is
so fat now from the handouts that 1t
gets that it thinks it owns the place,
and yesterday Mr.. Pig ate the steam
filters white lead pot and contents.
| No bad effects yet. Several of the
companies have pet dogs for mascots
Uniforms were issued as far as they
would go around to the different men
Saturday and Sunday those who were
fortunate enough to get a full uniform
| bloSSomed out in them and Strutted
| around to get out the wrinkles, and
| the extra space in the breasts were all
! filled up. Those who could not be
fitted will be supplied as soon as it IS
| possible to set the uniforms from the
makers, and it won't be very long
now until every man in camp will be
fully uniformed and then it is hoped
| that a general review will be held be-
| fore the really cold weather sets in.
The overcoats are already here and
will be distributed when the weather
demands.
The steam filters are working as
hard as possible to get the steam heat
connected up and the system will be
ready for service just as soon as the
stationary boilers are placed in the
engine rooms and the necessary fuel is
on hand. Those in charge of the
heating arrangements agree that
everything will be ready for service
| inside of six weeks.
Among the enlisted men in this
camp almost every trade on earth is
represented and as a complete check
! of the men is kept no doubt some OF
the tradesmen here will be sent to
other places and camps as the request
for those skilled in certain trade Oh
profession demands As soon as il
can be arranged a regimenuaI band
will be formed and buglers will be
chosen by each company. Some OF
| ArizOna's men are all ready trans
ferred to different places such as
handlers of horses and foresterS, truck
drivers and packers. 1t is reported
that all the railroad men in the army
who We're in the engine or train serv-
| ice are to be taken away to France
at as early a date as possible so thai
they can become familiar with the
French railroads and aid in handling
the troop trains of which there nc
| doubt will be a great many. Ari-
iona has certainly got good railroad
men in the ranks and they can steI
right back into the game in France
just like they did at home.
The physical condition of the meT
is above what was expected and hard
~ any of them will be turned away
by physical defects. A great many OF
them are suffering from colds con
| tracted while en- route here but a cal
or two at the infirmaries will fix then
up. A few of the men We're sick from
their NEGOTIATIONS Tor typhoid bu
none were in he'd ova~ q day. A grea
many left arms are being examined
very 4enderly these Days caused from
their vaccinations fak ag but every
one is up and around ana those ina
were too tough fo- the vaccination!
to take win probably be scratched
again soon.
A great work is being done in tn,
camp of the 7. NJ c. A and ever
effort is put out by the workers o
this organization to help every mai
in camp. The Y. NJ c. A has dali.
papers on file. books which they LOAF
! out to the men as well as checker an,
chess games. Free stationery is fur
nished to all who ask for it and in re
: turn the z. NJ. c. A asks thru BIZ
/ sign over the front door of the hous
HAVE YOU WRITTEN HOME"
lest the BOYS forget Helm ont the Y