New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-26

ing labor was one OF the most veXing.
Getting men was easy enough, for the
unskilled laborer is paid about Sap for
a ten-hour day, is lodged without cost
and need spend only seventy-fve cents
a day for his board. Keeping them was
quite another thing-the servant prob
lem of the suburban housewife multi
piled by 10000.
Amusements Scarce
There were not nearly enough movies
to 20 around. Saloons within easy
walking distance of the reservation
were few and under the close scrutiny
Of the military police. Even the little
village of Yaphank, with its doubtful
promise of excitement, was three miles
away. Larger villages were much FAR
ther-Centre Moriches, Bellport and
Patchogue-and could be reached only
by automobile, making visits to them
extensive before the fun started.
in camp there was nothing to do but
gamble. Crap games and poker games
ran all night. The big winners were
too afluent to stay in such isolation,
the losers too disguised. Every day
the few trains serving the camp, which
wasn't even reached by q spur at the
time OF its discovery by Eurystheus,
were crowded both ways. II meant good
business for the railroad, but pad
business for the camp.
The army engineers, for whom the
Thompson-S tarrett Company Is acting
as employment bureau and purchasing
agent. found that such transitory labor
is not to be relied on. They had not
expected to have soldiers to deal with
until the advance guard of the National
Army came, but soldering proved to be
the natural habit of the lsborers. On
twenty square miles of jungle there
was plenty of room for II, and little
danger of detection.
Then, too, the skilled labor was not
always skilled. In hiring a man for
the government he may not be asked to
show his union card, and there was
time when any one who could make
bluff at saving a board or driving
a nail could qualify as a carpenter
Big Problem For Expert
Even Major Myers, an Officers Re-
serve Corps man who in civil life ran
the Catskill Aqueduct under the East
River, whstled significantly when ne
came to realize what he was up against.
But perseverance and day and night
work have won out. The fresh water
mosquitoes Of Grassy Lake have been
killed Off, and only their comparatively
tame cousins blown inland from the
salt water now wing about the camp.
The three negro companies of the 18th
New York Infantry, on military police
and guard duty, have all but suppressed
the crap games-hsrd though it has
been for them. The labor has been in
great measure stabilized and standard
lied. Close to half of the required
5000 acres has been cleared, which for
the time being is enough.
In the clearing the owners of the
land, who donated it 10 the government
at something like a dollar a year
and this only to- make the lease valid
will eventually have their reward.
The buildings now so near completion
are not expected TO last much more
than five years At the end OF that
time probably Uncle Sam will have no
further use for the camp site. II will
revert 10 its owners AS good farm
land. ready for the plough. and they
will have been saved the cost OF clear
ing, which is estimated 70 have run
between $50 and 500 an acre.