The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-09-17


gilman. Touring the National Guard
and National Army cantonments
With staff photographer Dormant
CAMP SHERIDAN, MONTGOMERY
Ala, Sept. 17-Kaiser wilhelm has an
able and efficient ally here at Camp
Sheridan.
He's the Alabama mosquito, a Wig.
orous pest comparing well in size and
singing ability with his more famous
New Jersey cousin.
I've had one or two brushes with
him today and l know the Ohio and
Alabama national guardsmen encamp.
ed here sleep within tiny tents of fine
white netting.
But the soldiers are fighting the mos
quito just as effectively as they'll la
ter fight the kaiser. The insect has
been found guilty OF carrying germs
OF malaria and other diseases, SO his
death sentence has been pronounced
Photographer Dorman and | To-Day
found the chief activity at Camp She.
idan so far is toward carrying out ais
death sentence.
In a swampy jungle OF trees and
underbrush we found army engineers
directing negro workmen clearing and
| draining the land. In this jungle thc
mosquitoes had had their chief breed
ing place.
At first the engineers tried doug
the work. But they proved unequal
to toiling long under the torrid Ala
bama sun. So cottonGeld negr lss
were hired.
Officers Of the army medical corps
/ treat each drainage ditch with cruGe
| oil.
This jungle-clearing provides nne
sport for the northern soldiers. toe.
Armed with ricks they stand alors
the bitches, watching Tor the deadly
half dozen men in khaki Jumping
about
The workmen had broken into q
rabbits burrow. Three sacred baby
Dummies were held as prisoners of
war.
a few minutes later an ugly black
turkeybuzzord, with a broken wirg,
Topped out. The soldiers and Their
numerous dog mascots caught the
bird.
At Camp Sherman, in Ohio. ami 1T
Camp Taylor, in Kentucky, we saw the
selectiye service army start training.
Here we are seeing more finished So.
diers, national guardsmen, many in
service along the Mexican border ias'
year.
l asked Maj. Gen. Charles C. Treat
commander at Camp Sheridan, what
Lind OF training is in store for the
guardsmen at the camps throughout
the South.
Much attention will be paid to
craftsmanship. he said. Were To-
eating rifle ranges now. It's a mistake
to believe craftsmanship isn't of vital
importance in this war.
Soon weIl put the men to Digging
trenches. Then there1l be bayone:
practice and bombing.
Just now our chief concern is to
provide Tor the health and comfort vi
the northern soldiers
Montgomery was the first capital OF
the Confederate states. Confederate
veterans, eager to show hospitality,
gather at the camp every day in their
water snakes which abound.
Dorman and | heard yell and saw
gray uniforms.
al once helped to fight the grand
daddies Of these Ohio boys" one OF
the veterans told me. Now want
to make up for that"
The soldiers are taking life cheer.
fully.
One group, in spite of the blazing
sun, insisted on staging boxing match
for our amusement. Then they tossed
each other in an army blanket, yell
ing gleefully.
We tramped through acre after acre
OF hot, ankle-deep white dust, betwee-
long rows OF brown tents-for this,
unlike the national army cantonmeuts.
is a tented camp. Only the mess aud
headquarter structure are OF wood.
Corn fields and cotton patches have
been sacrificed. The growing Gotten
is source of great wonder to The
Ohioans.
Gen. Treats headquarters are to be
at Picketts Spring. an old amusement
park. The dance pavilion was to hays
been turned into Offices.
But Treat won the admiration Of the
thousands Of men when he Cancelled
this plan.
TN find offices somewhere else" ho
said. THE dance hall must stay. II
1t is going to be the source OF any
pleasure to my men,"
AS we were leaving Camp Sheridan
a private ran after US. win you taks
message for us to the folk back
homer" as asked.
Tell them that what we're most ca.
ger to get-neXt to letters-are the
hometown newspapers"
CAST Up a vruEtAUE