The Washington times., 1917-03-08
'AUGUSTAN DANGER
OF TYPHOID FEVER
Polluted Water Supply ArouSes
Apprehension of Griffmen'S
Trainer.
MAY KEEP AUGUSTA CAMP
Griffith Will Be Asked to Bring
Team to Georgia Town
Every Year.
MAY KEEP AUGUSTA CAMP
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

AUGUSTA, Ga, March S.-Mike
Martin, trainer of the Griffmen, is all
het up today over a report from the
city board OF health, to the mayor.
that, owing to wasting the water sup
ply, the altering plant OF Augusta is
capable Of doing its work properly,
but there is so much wastage that it
is now overworked and the water
supply is becoming polluted.
AT any time we are apt to find
ourselves with an infected and pol
luted water supply, and with an out
break of typhoid fever" says DR..
Murphy's report, similar to those
which have occurred in other cities
whose water supplies have been con-
taminated."
The water here is of a mustard
color, and very few of the players
dare to drink it. The city reservoir
has not been so low in years, so great
is the daily use of the water. How
ever, with the players drinking spring
water they will not be exposed to any
epidemic, even If one comes. 1t rained
here last night, and the wind was cold
this morning, but Henry and the
whole squad are working just the
same at the ball park.
May Stick to Augusta.
II the Griffmen meet with pleasant
weather during their stay here, and a
satisfactory arrangement with Manager
Griffith made, it is possible that
the Washington Club may adopt this
little Georgia town as its permanent
training headquarters. That is the
present plan of President E. G. kalb-
fieisch, who tonight will have his
first conference with the Old Fox.
81 have never met Mr. Griffith" !"
says President Kalbfeisch, but /
know him to be a wise baseball man,
one who has been all over the coun-
try, and who will know a suitable
place when he sees it. / am more
than delighted that our new grand
stand is under construction, for our
old one might have disappointed him
considerably.
Brooklyn Last There.
1--WE have not had a big league
team here since Brooklyn came. Last
year we had nobody. The year before
the Pittsburgh Feds trained here.
But we want to keep a major league
club here, coming back every spring.
If it rains one spring here, 1t
rains everywhere else. One rainy
spring always means three or four
dry ones"
The Augusta club is willing to do
almost anything to keep the Wash
ington club coming here every year.
Next year the grandstand will be
completed and there will be bleach
ers, the whole seating about 1000,
a larger club house is needed, but
there is plenty of room for that, ana
II Manager Griffith decides to come
back, he can easily be supplied with
every requirement.
weather Il Mild.
Thus far the coolest day here would
be called mild in Charlottesville, and
veterans like Mcbride, Zeb Milan,
John Henry and Eddie Ainsmith are
not a bit backward about saying so,
either. The diamond fairly eats up
moisture, and the outheld is well
drained. Charlottesville temperature
is generally within a degree OF that
in Washington, while Augusta in the
past week has averaged about thirty
degrees warmer than Washington in
the same time.
All VIII Work Out.
Today the entire troupe of the 1917
Griffmen are due here, and tomorrow
all should be working hard at the ball
park, for the Old Fox comes down
from the Capital with the infielders
and outfielders not already on the job.
The afternoon will be spent by the
incoming athletes in preparing for
their initial workout tomorrow morn
ing Tomorrow the real grind will be
on for the whole bunch.
1t is unlikely that any practice
games will be played here until Mon
day, but batting should start immedi-
Gtely. Humphreys, Flaherty, Ayers,
Thomas and Du Mont are ready to
step upon the rubber and deliver the
real goods for at least fifteen minutes
each. Kid Jameson is not far behind
them in condition, while Jim Shaw is
plugging along like a steam roller
and ought to be ready by next week.
Play Two Sessions.
Two sessions were put in yester-
day under a cloudy sky that hid the
sun, but could not prevent its heat.
No player had any difficulty in get
ting up a good perspiration. 1t was
the same old bunting, warming up
and running for the pitchers while
the catchers and outfielders did some
Of the fielding.
A makeshift infield hustled in the
afternoon with Altrock at first, Sam
Zeb Milan at third. The latter had
TO cry quits first, as ii was his first
days practice, but the others kept
81 up for fully twenty minutes longer.
Altrock stuck it out to the last, hav-
ing the satisfaction of outworking all
the others.
Rice, Eph Milan, Berry, Charity,
and Craft were given a drill in pull
ing down flies, none shining particu-
larly, but all working hard.
The three outfielders. Mcbride and
the three catchers INDUCED in a bat
ting drill, facing all the pitchers now
ready to perform on the rubber. 1t
was mediocre pitching, and gave no
line on what the batsmen could do,
but everybody got in a good days
work, which was the object OF the
drill.
With the arrival of the remainder
Of the squad it is expected that two
squads will be formed, one reporting
half an hour earlier than the other.
in this way Manager Griffith is able
TO keep his eye on everybody every
day.