Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-22
MEN ARE EQUIPPED AND TRANSFERRED
TO ANOTHER CAMP A FEW DAYS AFTER
DETERMINING AT JEFFERSON BARRACKS

Draft army men who are sent &c
Jefferson Barracks, st. Louis, from
Rock Island, remain there but four
days and then are sent to some
other training camp.
This is disclosed in a letter re-
ceiyed by The Argus from Charles
II. Silyerman, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
S. SiIvermau, 1897 Eleventh street,
who enlisted in the regular army.
He has been at the barracks for
the last six months.
A number of Rock Island select
ives have already been sent to JEFF
feTsOn barracks. More are to be
sent there, some going this week.
They will probably remain there
but a few days before being trans
ferred. He speaks Of having greet
ed some of the Rock Island boys
sent to Jefferson barracks and lat
eT transferred. In his letter Pri-
vate SilveTman says:
To begin with, I have found in
my six months here that Jefferson
barracks is a most wonderful post
Considering the size of it, it has
handled and put through as much
ont any congestion, or incOuVeu-
fence. The system in handling re-
cruits and drafted men is wonder
full, for Il man coming in 10 join
the colGrs, can be examined,
clothed and assigned to his group
and company in the marvelOusly
short period of approximately four
minutes.
Upon the arrival of the r. R s
raw reCruit5), they are immedi-
ately given a bath, and then wait
at the post hall for their names to
be called for examination. Follow
ing a rigid physical examination,
each man is inOculated and vac
cinated. They then dress and are
transferred to the issue room,
where they are measured for cloth
ing and shoes. So quickly is this
done that by the time the recruit
walks around the aisle of the
clothing room there are eight or
nine men waiting in line TO hand
them separate parts OF their
equipment.
One man stands on a platform
calling mems names, and as they
line up for their clothes each of
the men who issue clothes have the
exact sizes in readiness, waiting
for the men to pass.
Each man is equipped with a
barracks bag, two shirts, three
pairs of socks, two pair OF shoes,
three suits of underwear, one pair
Of leggings, one hat and a toilet
kit
The blank expression on the
face of the new recruit is changed
to that of smiles and contentment,
after he is all dolled up in Uncle
Sans uniform.
since May / we have received,
equipped and shipped approximate
" 1900 men, and expect to han
die at least 10000 more before this
month expires.
There are many humorous parts
in connection, which all tends 10
prove that Uncle Sans good old
army is a grand old place afte-
all. l remember Of one instance
in particular, when a COlOTed re
cruit from down south, was wait
ing in line for chow in other
words, mess. Another chap with
whom he happened to be acquaint-
ed, asked him how he liked the
chow In reply he remarked,
Good lawd, 20 axis how l Ia, it.
Well boy, down on da fieyes We
worked about u Owas a day, and
only got ten dollars a month, but
Uncle Sam amt like dat, he pays
US 80 dollahs a month, and feeds
us fab bettah than we got down
dere. Lawd, I hope dis war doan
cher end
The spirit of the boys IS great
enough to make Kaiser Bill shud-
fer-and all show great anxiety to
get over there
In the evening when the call
'or retreat come, they all stand
proudly at attention. till the last
strains of the Star Spangled Ban
ler' and the flag is lowered
Inside of four days the men are
shipped to various training camps,
and a happier and prouder buncA
IF men never lived, than those IL
he inform Of our wonderful cOun-
ry, especially when they parade
n columns Of four to the troop
rain for transportation. In one
law, on the 18th. there were 2,049
men shipped. and as the weather
vas favorable, many people from
81. Louis were present. The trans
er came as surprise TO soldiers
ust in uniform and 459 st. Louis
ms were included in, the contin-
.ent.
Occurrences, as I am about TO
describe, are very frequent. for the /
nen must be shipped and room /
aade for new ones.
Each weighed down under the /