Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-10-04

If anyone wants to get a better
idea Of the vast preparations which
Uncle Sam is making to train the new
army and make the world safe for de-
mOcracy," he should visit Camp
Grant, the largest of the new canton
ments, which is located south of
Rockford, III. The Rock river, flow
kee river, coming from the east, at
a point about seven miles south of
Rockford, and the camp lies in the
angle west and north of these rivers.
The two main roads leading south
through this region have been paved,
and three new macadam roads are
being built Cross streets have been
opened and the camp is thus laid out
like a city, where the barracks are
located The farms in the eastern
part have as yet been undisturbed,
and that section will be used for drill
grounds and artillery range as soon
as it is needed. The area includes
about 5000 acres, and is to be extend
ed farther east
Or Familiar Ground
On last Saturday afternoon | visited
the camp, and was delighted to be able
to find the Sank county boys at their
barracks on what was formerly farm
owned by cousins of mine. The boys
have been assigned to battery d, 331
field artillery, and the barracks may
be reached by leaving the main road,
now called Service street, at Seventh
avenue and going east. The barracks
are long, narrow, tWO-stOry buildings
and are labelled with the name of the
company or battery which occupies
Jhem. But unless you know the num-
her of your soldier friends company
you may as we'll not try to find him.
On Saturday and Sunday afternoons
visitors are allowed, and the sentries
were very kind about directing us to
the right place We found Edward
Blackwell first, and, although it was
mess time, Edward was not hungry
not because he was so glad to see me
but because he had just been en-
jOying the contents of basket from
home. If anyone doubts that Camp
Grant life will be good experience for
our boys he should go and see them
and get a touch of their enthusiasm.
Mr. Blackwell said that he wouldn't
miss this for anything" and chat it
rs worth more than two years Of school
training" Perhaps one reason for his
citation is that he has already received
promotion. He and Russell Williams
are sergeants, and l was very proud
of them, when at $50 the bugle sound
ed retreat, the battery lined up in
front of the barracks and the ser
geants, standing out in front of their
men, called the roll and made their re-
ports to their superior officer. Mr.. Will
Hams had just been over to the branch
hospital to. be. vaccinated, and get
shot for typhus and typhoid, as the
boys call the operation with the
needle. He, too, thinks that Camp
Grant is great" :
Through, the Barracks
We were escorted through the bar
racks, which appear to be very COM
Portable The first floor has kitchen,
and large recreation room,
with its pool table, writing tables, !
etc The boys expect to have a piano
also. The upper floor is crowded with
cots with their straw ticks and army
blankets The buildings Of the camp,
about 1900 in all, are to be heated
by steam, supplied by several heating
plants. Water is sent throughout the
camp from a tank having a capacity of
100000 gallons, and erected at high
elevation. After mess the men were
busy washing their own dishes in a
big steaming tub back Of the barracks,
and the mess hall was empty and clean
IN short order.
Few Of the artillery men had re-