New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-09
Nine Units, One from N. T.,
Will Go to France for
Work on Railways
500 Offer to Enlist
1880 Men and 81 Officers 10
Be States First Consri-
button to Trenches

The news that the government would
raise rine regiments or engineers az
the earliest possible moment for ser
vice on railway construction and opera
ton in France brought many railroad
men 70 tho recruiting headquarters al
100 Sixth Avenue yesterday.
More than 500 men offered their ser
wees. Some were ditch diGgers, some
were traffic superintendents and all
The intermediate Offices in railway
building and maintenance were repre-
,en,cd. They were told 20 report to-
day.
New York VIII send ono onaro reg
men. Of the nine that are 80 bc arst
20 the front. Facts concerning the
states contribution 70 the rrst over
seas force we're gwen out lastcight by
Lieutenant Colonel {. II. Mch'nstry'
tho will commend the unit.
Part of Regular Army
The regiment will be organized a a
part Of the regular army, un0er the
reserve section Of the act Of June s.
1916. and an who enlist must do so
-oI the duration Of the war As soon
AS possible the force will be sent to
France. probably within three months.
Army officers here believe that there
- Little chance for any other engineer
regiment from New York 90 so with
the first contingent. although T. {. Des-
mond, who raised such an organization
Tor the Roosevelt division. WAS hopeful
= L., Ar Dos mOnQ
,hose firm has recently undertaken
contract TO build wooden ships for the
government. went 20 Washington last
night 10 consult with Major General
Goethals.
The Military Engineering Commit
zee Of New York. - West Thirty-nlnth
street is cooperating with Colonel
McKinst-y and his assistants in rais-
ing the new egiment. II Is believed
that the 1000 men and fifty-Seven Of
fcers Of the unit can be raised IN less
nan week.
In other cities Of the East recruiting
stations witnessed similar stampedes OF
railroad men who desired TO be first TO
the trenches of France. Several hun
dred mon thronged headquarters IN
Boston. asking questions and request
ing that they be enlisted at once.
Major ". I. ~ Oolen anu IltNtfHdill
7. b. Atkins. who have been assigned
20 raise the regiment to be drawn from
'hnt district. have not yet arrived in
Boston, and the recruiting officers were
forced to turn the applicants away. Il
is believed. however, that when the Of
fcers arrive there will be no difficulty
in obtaining men OF the proper train
ing.
Fifty Join in Pittsburgh
IN Pif%sburgh fifty men have already
been enlisted, some practical railroad
rren. oth>ers electricians and linemen
from the telephone and telegraph COM
panios. twenty-five officers of the en-
.,inecr ofTce~s' reserve corps left YES
terdav foi. the training camp At Fort
Niagara.
When the force starts for France
Il is proba.bl that il VIII go "a regi-
mental uni5s. There is no indication
that the War Department intends 20
assign a general officer to the COM
mand Of the expedition.
Il is believed that each regiment Will
be placed in charge Of a certain sec
ton OF the railway lines just back Of
the lighting front. Each company will
be formed as skeleton railway con-
struction and operation unit.