The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-09-25
.DRAF TED MEN
At AVER ARE
RATHER COLD
Not Blankets Enough for
These Cold Nights
ARE PROMISED MORE
Vermont Has 4e4 Men at Camp De-
vsns Which is the Fewest Of Any
of the New England States.

Camp Devens, Aver, Sept. a.
The first impression of the draft SOL
diers who reached camp yesterday
and slept in army barracks for the
first time last night was that Aver
is not far removed from the North
Pole. They had only two blankets
each to protect them from the icy
blasts that filed through the bar
racks walls in the early morning
hours and many of them really suf-
fersd from the cold. The Depot
Brigade buildings are on top of a
hill and they get the full benefit of
any breezes that are blowing there
fore the Western Massachusetts, boys
shivered and shook all night.
Maj. Pope, adiutant of the brigade,
stated this morning that every man
will receive his army overcoat and
an extra army blanket at once, which
should keep them reasonably warm.
In addition several truck loads of
comforters will be distributed among
the men in the next two days. ss
Last night was about the coldest
of the season and heavy frost cov-
cred the place early this morning.
Fire pals on the outside of the
buildings and puddles had a thin
scale OF ice over them before the sun
come out. 1t will be month longer
before any Of the steam plants in
the camp are in operation heating the
barracks.
There is already a great rivalry
between the Depot Brigade. which
likes to be known as Western Mas
sachusetts' own" and the 301st In
fantry, "Boston's Own regiment.
Lieut. ]. p. Mics, assistant adjutant,
has made know, his intention of
having the Depot Brigade the best
trained, best equipped organization
| in camp, officers of the 30lst Infan-
try to the contrary Notwithstanding
| He is going to try hard to have the
whole outfit completely uniformed by
Tuesday night.
Already football is in the air in
the brigade. No less than eight teams
are already in process of formation
and later there will be one for every
battalion, as we'll as one "All Bat
talon team, which will play against
similar teams from other organiza-
tions in camp. Capt Charles Coolidge,
former all American full back from
Harvard, is in charge of the athletics
of the Depot Brigade and will do the
honors as head coach, the men OF the
brigade will buy the football suits
for the terms and the Y. NJ. c. A. has
furnished eight footballs. Some
| great games are looked for later ~
| A school of instruction in bayonet
drill was started this afternoon by
Maj. Reignald Barlow and was at
tended by 200 lieutenants. The school
viii continue every morning for this
week, with an officer from each COM
pany in camp attending and these
men will in turn be used as instruc-
tors for the recruits next week This
is taken to indicate that rifles will be
issued to many of the men very soon.
Men in camp of Jewish faith are on
leave of absence until 6 o'clock
Thursday morning, so that they may
go to their homes or Boston and there
join in the observance of religious
holidays.
The figures given out at divisional
headquarters here today show that
there are now 20611 soldiers in Camp
Devens. OF these Massachusetts leads
by several thousand. The Bay State
has 1856 men. Connecticut, 4941; New
York, 2517; Rhode Island, 1896; Maine,
SIS; New Hampshire, 571; Vermont.
464.
| The number of draft soldiers sent
away to WestHeld, Boxford, Fran.
ingham and New Haven in two weeks
is $50,