Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-22

! load of an indigo blue kit bag slung
over his right shoulder containing
his ALL the 2.040 men marched
down Farewell hilI and lonesome
road to the depot. Three special
trains awaited them. Falling into
single file they boarded them, and
heads began popping out. They
were departing for a southern
camp. Among them were many OF
Rock Islands boys, and had the
extreme pleasure of shaking hands
with them, and wishing them good
luck on their mission. They were
a wonderful sight, and if Kaiser
Bill could have seen them as they
were leaving for training to get
him, I am sure he would jump right
into he'll, and save our boys the
nasty job OF putting him there.
One thousand civilians and sew
eral scores of rockies jealous of
their leaving. witnessed the de-
parture Not a man was missing
They were all primed, up ready
to go.
The spirit of the men as they
lined up on shady Farewell hill for
final inspection was impressive.
Each looked hungrily at the train
and couldn't wait for his turn to
get on. They had the fighting sp1r-
it in them, that lies deep in the
heart of a true American, and l
know the boys realized what they
were up against, but they had en-
couraging smiles and words for
their mothers, sisters and sweet
hearts.
Then came the order forward,
march, and the boys started. AS
they stepped briskly away there
was a break in the line of civil
ians, and a score of young women
rushed ont for a farewell hug and
a kiss. Sentries were of no avail.
and failed to stop the girls. What's
the use" grinned a sentry, as he
put his musket back on his shout
der, and girl pushing him aside,
How can you stop emp
There was wild cheering as the
train pulled out and the many
tears of their loved ones was
enough to touch even the heart OF
the Stacker
''Now back to conditions of the
barracks. We have tire mess
halls. One, the largest. has the
enormous seating capacity OF 2,400
men, and il has been known to
feed this number of men in .
minutes. The other is a little
smaller, holding 1900 at one set
ting. The smallest is the o. NJ. c.
dining hall, for special duty men as
those who are employed in various
offices. This only holds about 90
men.
The food they serve US is very
good, and in fact I have heard re-
marks saying that some of the men
didn't get as good at home. ! viii
try and give YOU some idea of what
they get TO eat.
In the morning for breakfast
they have oatmeal, and either
scrambled eggs or sausage, bread,
butter, coffee. potatoes, syrup or
jam, and grapefruit quite often.
For dinner it is usually a pot roast
or very good beans with the best
of catsup. pickles or radIshes, po-
tatOes, peas soup, dressing, coffee
and other fresh or canned fruit
For supper, there is either
roast or stew, vegetables, potatoes,
pudding, coffee and dessert. The
Sunday dinner is one that one
would not believe existed in the
army. It IS always chicken. eel
cry and olives, dressing, potatoes,
dumplings, pudding, ice cream and
pie, and believe me, when the boys
are through they know they had
some feed.
Owing to crowded conditions,
some of the men who are here for
just a short period, sleep in water
proof tents. but the permanent
parties have regular beds with
springs and mattresses. Each man
IS given two sets of bed linen, and
sanitation is one thing they are
very particular about.
We have a very beautiful par
ade ground, a level stretch of grass ,
about one-balf mile square On F,
one side is a row of brick bar
racks. and the other is the officers |
quarters. All in all it is beauti-
full.
When our boys have licked and |
downed Prussianism, and have |
made this world safe for democ- !
raCy. and q decent place 10 live I
in. and when they come proudly .
home victorious, I know /
they VIII be proud to say that /
they got their start at Jefferson
barracks"
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