The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-09-12
EDWARD C. KREUTzER
HOME FROM CAMP lee
Y. NJ. C. A. Man Who Accompanied
Lads to Camp Tells Of TIP.

Edward G.. kTcutZcr. who accompanied
tho drafted men 10 Camp Lee as the Y.
VI. {. a. representative. has arrived
home. The association furnishes a maj:
with each troop train sent TO camp, TO
look after the general welfare Of the
men. He renders first aid if necessary.
furnishes reading matter. literature and
games for the journey and promotes
good fellowship in general. The eH-
pcnscs. including transportation are
borne by the y. NJ. =. a.
MIR. krcutzcr said:
Our troop train Of ten coaches car
ried about 500 men from Wheeling and
Ohio Brooke. Peasants and Marion
counties The men all had Il general
good time on the way. singing popular
war songs. writing post cards home and
! mailing them at every stop. and play
! ing cards. checkers and dominoes, when
! they were not leaning out Of the WIN
dows and replying To the cheers or the
! people along the route. Another ana
! very popular source of amusement was
: discovered in the person OF one john
Stevenson, dusky attendant OF the So
called dining car" from whence cma-
mated the lHnch boxes on occasions not
. as regular as could be desired. Johns
, principal occupation when rot engaged
on the side lines distributing coffee and
cats, it was rumored. was shooting
| craps. AS this required frequent and
considerable financial rehabilitation. John
discovered he. could usually pull himself
! out Of a hole by doing dancing stunts
! for the boys. and he always succeeded
| IN gathering around himself a group
| of profitable admirers. When passing
through Richmond. the old capital Of the
Confcderacy. the men were much amused
by the group Of pickaninnies running
along by the side of the train and eager
! W. scrnmbing for any coins. candy or
| chewing gum thrown TO them. y not
! unusual sight in this section was that
! OF a. gray-haircd woman standing i'll her
doorway and throwing kisses as the train
passed by.
Clarence Ncwland. former assistant.
secretary OF the Wheeling y. NJ. 6. A..
and now in charge Of d \. VI. {. y. nut
and. staff of workers at the camp. met
tho train nj Richmond and addressed the
boys i'll each coach. welcoming them t.
all the privileges of the association.
The mastering system at Camp Lee
lis regarded as the best in the country.
Everything is systrmatizcd as carefully
! as in 4 large banking establishment. IL
! is possible 10 handle from 1900 TO ]. 100
men daily. During tho TWO weeks
| period ending Saturday the camp re-
/ ccivcd 10000 men, surprising by 1900
tho previous record for the same length
Of time. To-day tho rookie as rule,
receives. his examination the third day
that he is in camp. If accepted, nc IS
given his uniform and equipment. II
it,t hn ~
a few hours. Only a little more than
an hour is now required for an cAain!-
nation.
The writer spent the night in tn.
camp. ut The, y. VI. &. y. hut. After an
evening in n y. N hut one wonders how
previous training camps were conducted
without them. This was Hut SIS. one Of
a large number on the erounds. No less
than 100 men crowded into the ouildni:
in the course OF the evening. 4 motion
picture show was being given in thv
main hall Good. wholesome. entertain
ing films are shown. and the laughter
that. occasionally rang out, proved tina.
there was plenty Of fun. In the writ
ing room. where tho association fur
niShcs unlimited stationery. the tables
along tho walls and every cross table
wis lined as closely as possible. with
!, uniformed figures. closely Intent upoI
the letters that would be mailed homo
that night An atmosphere Of cleanli-
, ness and dccency prevades the entire
place. One has but To remember the
stories OF the conditions surrounding
camp life rs late as the Spanish-Amc-i-
icau war 10 fully appreciate the new con-
q. ditions and what they mean TO the young
: manhood Of the nation. Literally. tho
y. NJ. {. T. takes the place Of the home.
, The next morning the writer WIS
> taken over the immense camp grounds.
Ia which extensive additions arc being
made. and out TO the rifle ranges. where
number of companies were shooting Al
the 5OV-yard range. The following day
n trip was made 10 Newport News.