New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-26
Task Worthy Eurystheus
Being Accomplished by
Army Engineers, De-
spite Labor Troubles
By Robert II. Rohde

10y lNOOSAN - ANOhoS
CAMP UPTON, YAPHANK, L. l.
Aug. 25.-Eurystheus, inventor of the
twelve Herculesn labors-now holding
high Office in the War Department
had occasion one day toward the end
of last June to take a party of young
engineers over the newly opened all
rail short line between New York City
and darkest Africa. He led them
through Yaphank and on East q couple
of miles until the great jungle barred
further progress.
Build me here a city" said Eurys-
theus. "Clear me away the scrub oak
and the dwarf pine over twenty square
miles Of such land as you see before
YOU. Yank me up the brambles and
burn me out the underbrush. Run
ne aloft 1000 and then 100 buildings
in which may be housed not less than
10000 men, with the goods and the
agencies that appertain TO their we'll
being.
"Cut me many roads, east and west,
north and south, grand boulevsrds and
alleys. Lay me water pipes and dig
me sewers. String me lines Of wire
for the telephone and the telegraph and
the street lights.
"And for another thing" said Eurys-
theus, shifting his right cheek with one
hand and clawing at an agonized ankle
with the other; "for another thing, ex-
terminate me to the last singer these
highly infammable and blue sulphurous
mosquitoes"
Anything else, o Eurystheus?" dep
recatingly inquired the young engi-
neers. for he had come to an ominous
pause,
"Oh yes" was the afterthought of
Eurystheus. Eyes, indeed! Any one
could do what / am asking of you.
The trick is to get it done in sixty
days!"
Whereupon Eurystheus, chuckling,
went back to Washington; the young
engineers plunged into the jungle, and
the great game was on.
Time Almost Up
Those sixty days are about up-and
where the wilderness was Camp Upton
has taken shape so definitely and so
hugely that there no longer remains
any doubt that the first to arrive out
of New York City's contribution to the
National Army will have q roof over
their heads when they get here.
Yet difficulties unforeseen even by
Eurystheus have arisen In such number
and the race against the calendar has
been so close that, were il not for
the recent alterations in the conscrip-
tion time table, the facilities at camp
certainly would have gone the way of
the proverbial SNOWFALL before the ST.
multaneous onslaught of 10000 men.
Even il only the first 80 per cent
Of the 10000 were 10 be dumped into
camp on September 5, as was the
scheme in contemplation up to a week
ago, il would be impossible properly
20 feed and lodge them. But coming as
the first increment now is scheduled
TO come-at the rate Of something more
than 1000 day for FIVE days-Camp
Upton will be able TO gobble the citizen
soldiers with ease and make them feel
as much at home as they will have OPP
portunity 20 feel until the Boche is
beaten.
Fifty OF the big company barracks
there will be 207 of them eventually
have been completed. A dozen or so
more will be ready tomorrow, and af-
Ter that an average of FIVE will be fin
ished each day. A great many of these
buildings now are used TO shelter the
5000 laborers and skilled mechanics
engaged in the construction; but IL
is in prospect that as the drafted men
come in the job will be so far ad
vanced that the army Of laborers can
be cut down TO make room for them.
Buildings Not Luxurious
The fact that a large number Of la
borers have quit Of their own volition
because the accommodations didn't
meet their approval may be set forth
70 demonstrate that the men Of the
National Army will find nothing luxuri-
Gus in their surroundings when they
come here. Barring their rows Of win
dOws. planned 10 let in fresh air and
light in plenty-perhaps 70 let in fresh
air too profusely when the autumn
winds come clustering of bay and
sound and ocesn-the barracks in
which they are 20 live resemble moth
ing so much as magni6ed barns That,
though, is a trait common 20 all the
buildings Of Camp Upton, for there
has been no striving toward architect
ural hnesse.
Two stories in height and close 20
200 feet IN length are the barracks,
mere shells Of thin-sawn South Caro-
lima pine. The interiors are unimpres-
siye, 20 say the least On the upper
floors arc two huge rooms which, when
the Quartermastcr Corps has put in
the rows Of iron army cots. mattresses
and other simple adjuncts, will be dor