Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-08-16
WILL CARE WELL
FOR DRAFT ARMY
Barracks at Camp Grant at Rockford
VIII Possess All Modern Con-
Yeniences.
HAVE 300 On WORKING FORCE
Vast Body Of Men are Rushing Con-
struction of Cantonment fer
Illinois Soldiers.
BY I. l.. IENKTNS.

Rockford. Ill. Aug. 16.-Successful
candidates for the Illinois division Of
the new national army may antici-
pate a novel degree of army comfort
tn life at Camp Grant, according 10
some twelve hundred veteran guards
men who at present make up the mill
tarv COMPLEMENT for guard duty in
the training city. Barracks have been
thrown Opeu to the infantry baItanOns
detailed here for the construction
/ period. after q year Of trooping in
Texas and guard work IN the state.
member Of the first and third bat
tau0ns. First Illinois infantry have
settled down to enjoy life IN real
training city.
The recent arrival of the first bat
talon, in command OF Major Abel
Davis. who assumed the duties or
+ post commander through hjs seniority
rights. served to make military life
/ eclipse magic construction achieve
ments i'm cautonment In less than
three hours after detrainIug in the
+ heart of camp, Infantrymeu had taken
complete possession of battalion
unit of barrack buildings and we're
making themselves perfectly at home
( They were REINFORCED an hour later
. by the third battalion which has been
+ housed in tents along Rock river dur
ing it's stay here. Men rushed cots
! into the airy company dormitOrLes,
+ located ip the second floors of bar
rack buildings. ser up field ranges in
the ruomy Kitchens. spread real
! clothes ON rows OF mess tables ign the
first floor mess halls. opened com
Dauy offices iu each building and ar
ranged officers quarters in the one
story structures set-aslde in each unit
for headquarters. - They found cleo
tria lights ready at hand. running
water in the company bath rooms
. where showers are in service. interior
.atriues and ali comforts of home for
their use Post headquarters is lO-
Gated En- the Fegimeutal lead building
commanding a view Of the units 0Ccg-
pied. Here Major Davis and his staff
have arranged their cots and opened
metropolitan army Offices. Captains
and IEeuteuauts or rhe companies 0c-
eupv quarters in the 0ue-srorv build
.ngs set aside for such use in each
5arraCs group
Practice hikes. squad drtu and
other details of regular training are
included lie the program established
for the month go come The guard
now protecting Camp Grant in ~
hour rPliefS numbers 500 men ana
precautions against fire and enemy
mischief have been red0ubled. Sheriff
Guy Ginders has detailed three
mounted deputies. equipped with car
hiue revolver and field uniform 70
patrol the camp dag ana night A.
proof of the loyalty among men in the
construction army is held in the fact
that only FIVE w0rkmen have been
arrested 10 date for failure 10 report
for draft examination. Temporary
/ exemption has been awarded canton
ment workuen by order of the war
department until the close of the con-
struc5ion period
To Lead Nation.
Illinois will lead the nation iu it's
irresistible march 10 wrest world
. freedom, according to the latest con-
7trucfiOn reports issued to canton
ments by the war department. With
nearly six hundred of the zee camp
buildings completed and well under
way. Major u. II. Sawyer and his
loyal working army now numbering
900 men, have received q new im-
petus ira the last lap of the construc-
ri0n race through the hearty appro-
val given Camp Grant by Major
Peter JunkersfeId, construction officer
+ of the Cant0umeuts' division, Wash
iugton The major. after a detailed
inspection of Camp Grant and a 70
+ hour conference with heads of de-
/ partments. declared that although two
weeks behind many environments tn
the beginning Of work. the Illinois dj-
vision city stands in the first division
/ at present and is certain to reach
! completion ahead of the is national
i cautouments if the present schedule is
carried through
This pleasing verdict would have
been impossible declared Major
+ Sawyer. except for the loyal CO.
operation and enthusiasm of the
( Chamber Of Commerce. officials and
people of Rockford. Bates and Rogers,
our general contractors, their en-
. ployes, and officers and men OF the
military forces here. ] can express
my appreciation of the pull together
spirit manifested through the entire
Job only through an added rush to
+ complete the camp, the biggest step
+ we can make toward defeating Ger
many and Germany's kaiser"
Statute OF Grant
Featured in the building operations
+ at present is a handsome piazza 10
head the mile-l0ng parade ground.
Work on this plot IS being directed
/ by e. II. Bennett, supervisiOng srcbi-
! tect, whose army city plan has beeeu
/ carried out IN detail. 4 mammoth
statue OF General Grant VIII be
+ framed I'm flowers and shrubbery 10
/ lend a touch Of color to the somheT
military surroundings. The center Of
attack in camp has been shifted to
rushing through the remount station,
q unit including IS acres, where the