The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-08-09
ALL BUT THREE
WERE ACCEPTED
PHYSICAL CONDITION OF MEM
BERS OF COMPANY A is OF
THE FINEST

AS the Star goes TO press this ant
ernoon, Company A is being muster
ed into the service of the regular
army by Capt. E. G. Thompson, First
Georgia Field Artillery. Major
Blanding, commanding the first bat
talon, Second Regiment Florida In.
fantry, Of which Company A is now
part, was present at the muster,
which took place in front of the
armory. Roll call showed 131 men in
the company when the mastering Of
ficer appeared for his duties.
Captain Drake has reason to be
proud of the showing made by Com
pany A before the medical officer.
All the recruits were accepted, and
all the veterans passed but three. The
medical officer tested Captain brakes
ability in selection, and complimented
him highly, saying that man he ac-
cepted was very likely to pass the
most rigid examination.
~AH
Maj. John w. Blanding, command
er of the first battalion, arrived from
Gainesville yesterday, and spent the
evening and most of today with Cap
tain Drake. The major says the
Ocala company was always good
one, and it promises now to be bet
ter than ever.
Having passed examination and
been accepted, the men now expect
their anti-typhoid incubation and
vaccination. Rather unpleasant, but
better than taking chances with ty-
phoid and smallpox.
Capt. Drake says the men who need
them are being supplied with shoes
by the local merchants. There are
now as many guns as are needed, the
new men being first broken in to the
setting-up drill and evolutions. They
will be glad to receive their uni
forms when they arrive, he says. At
the present status of the weather, the
recruits without uniforms are rather
envied by the older soldiers who have
them. The khaki suits are not near
as hot as they look, however. They
are much cooler than the clothes bus
mess men have to wear.
Miss Lou Gamsby. librarian at the
public library, says she wants the
soldiers to understand that the Ii
brary is as much theirs as anybody's,
and she wants them to come in and
make themselves OF home. Library
hours are from to IL a. m. and from
A to p. m. 1t is not open Thursday
afternoons and Sundays.
The guard is much envied at night
by the boys in the dog tents. The
guard has a mattress, which it
spreads on the bricks in front of the
armory, and those not on duty, unless
they are telling yarns or shooting
craps, take turns in snoozing. In
running an auto down Fort King at
night, look out for said mattress. 1t
would peeve young guardsman to be
awakened from snooze by having a
touring car run across his legs.
George Chambers, assistant fire
chief, was seen wrapped up in khaki
this morning, and on being interro-
gated confessed that he had joined
| Company A. He has been in the guard
before George has a thorough edu-
cation as a fireman, and it is whisper
ed around that when the company
gets to the front, he is to squirt liquid
fire on the Germans thru a hose.
Charlie Hunter seems to be making
good with the boys by the way he
serves them eats. Several members
living in town have left their happy
homes and are feeding with the com
pany. All are anxious for grub call
and seem satisfied when they come
away.
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