Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1917-11-30
A WONDERFUL
MILITARY CAMP
An Interesting Description Of
Camp Lewis, Wash.

A1AAsSS ~ AAASSAAJ 4OSNAAS wv - SsA
now at Camp Lewis and many
more to go soon, the following in
formation about the camp writ
ten by Willard F. Kenfeld of
Lewiston to the Tribune, will in
terest many of our readers:
Of the sixteen cantonments in
the United States, Camp Funston
in Kansas is the largest and
Camp Lewis, Wash, second in
size.
Camp Lewis shelters between
As, 900 to so, 900 persons, account
ing for 1000 employees of Hurley
Mason Co., the building contrac-
tors, and some 1000 civilian en-
ployes. There are now 2575
buildings and more are being
constructed. Total cost of thecan-
tonment exclusive of the soldiers
pay and operations for soldiers
training was SIS, 100000. The to-
tai monthly payroll of the soldiers
is about 81, 100000. The army
post laundry alone does a business
of $4,000 a week. Postofice
statistics show that for the aver
age day they receive 10000
letters and seven tons of insured
mail.
All barracks house between $50
and $50 men. Half the lower
floor of each barrack is for the
kitchen and dining room SO two
thirds of the men sleep upstairs.
All of the men sleep on steel
spring cots, using a tick filled
with straw for a mattress. Only
two thin wool blankets were
issued to the men at first, but
later one more blanket was issued.
By very careful computations,
and practice in the art of wrap
ping myself up like an Egyptian
mummy, in order to make all
sides air-tight, have, with the
assistance of my army overcoat,
been able to make myself very
comfortable. The barracks are
cold at night, as all windows
} must be open to allow fresh air
| to enter. The place is rather
subject to drafts, so most of the
. men are just recovering from
colds taken before becoming in.
ured to the life.
I've been here for about -four
weeks now, and during that time
l have learned a whole lot about
the army and the life it offers
) Believe me, when one is suddenly
transferred from civilian life
put into an army uniform anC
made to rise at $50 every morn
ing, he soon realizes his change
of position in life.
The first three weeks l wa
here my time was devoted t,
training and drilling with m!
company. The best feature O
the daily routine, and the mos
beneficial also, is the army set
ting-up exercises. My compan.
was one of the first to be issues
Krag rifles for practice purposes
so have had some training il
that kind of drill also.
Every Saturday morning W
have inspection of barracks, 8
especial care is taken in sweepin
around our iron cots, and by
o'clock everything is spic an
span. After twelve noon Satul
day there is no more drill unit
Monday morning, so most of th
fellows get a pass and go to Ts
coma, II miles away. Seattle
81 miles distant, is now barred
soldiers and will remain so unit
a moral cleanup is effected.
AS all men who enter this sc
diers' life are questioned as
their qualifications, / was ordere
to report one morning to the offiC
of the adjutant general, hea'
quarters 91st division, for speci
d1ty as clerk and typist. II
work is very interesting, consis
ing of filing and copying impoT