Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-31
SCOUTS FROLIC
away VACATION
IN WILD WOODS
Camp Winnie Taska, Growing
High Hill, Is Goal of Hike and
Scene of Action.
~ sAM ]. RYERSON. JR.


By SAM ]. RYERSON, JR.
Camp Winnie Taska, July 90
Tuesday morning 40 happy boys
left the Rock Island scout head.
quarters equipped with clothing
sporting goods and vision of the
fine time they were going to have
at Camp Winnie Taska, on beau
tiful woodland site six miles south
west of Milan.
They took the 9 o'clock Watch
Tower car and then the Milan car
as far as the main street in Milan
from which they hiked to the Mi
Ian station. The Rock Island
Southern was supposed to arrive
at 1920, but we had a pleasant
wait of close to seven hours be-
cause of the fact that the power
was of.
Every boy was anxious for the
train to come, and ever so often
somebody would ask Dick Dopp
when the car was due. Dick is not
known as a crepe hanger, and so
he told them it would soon be
there, keeping that up until $3.50,
when the car finally did arrive. But
in the meantime most every fellow
went down and bought ham, sau-
sage, buns and apple pie.
Arrive at Camp.
Our baggage had been taken out
on a truck from Milan and so all
we had to watch out for was our
selves. which some made a poor job
of doing. When we arrived there
was a fine rain falling, which made
the fellows hearts drop because
they thought of how the camp
would look. But after the climb up
the hill they were again happy to
find that the tents had been pitch
ed and everything was nice and dry
inside.
Executive Bergquist gave orders
to assign the following lead
ers their tents: Dopp, tent one;
Ryerson, tent two; Johnson, tent
three; Lamp, tent four, and tent
each to the eight minor leaders
The second was to clean up tents
and get things ready for the night.
The boys sure must be given credit
for the way they behaved, for ev-
cry boy is 100 per cent in his obedi-
ence. The third and most import
ant order was the call to supper,
or the announcement that supper
was served in the mess hall. It
sure was some feed. too. We
started with sauer kraut, together
with bread and butter, tea, cream,
sugar, and peaches for dessert.
Every boy had plenty to eat, all but
Dopp, and he's always hungry,
even after eating four or five
1oaves OF bread.
Around the Camp Fire.
After supper a large camp fire
was started which lasted for an
hour. The business and orders of
the camp were read by Chief Berg
auist, after which captains were
appointed for a league team. A
motion was made and passed that
camp paper be started, and the
honor was given Sam Ryerson, Jr.,
as editor-in-chief. Any fellow who
does not mind or pulls off any
bright trick wiz have story writ
ten about him which will appear
in our column in the daily papers.
After a number of good old songs
we were summoned to our tents
by the blowing of tattoo, being fol-
lowed by taps.
Camp Winnie Taska is located on
a hill six miles from Milan. The
name, Winnie Taska, was given
to the place in 1917 by a chief
named Red Fox" an Indian of the
c,s~,,-- 4-;Ho A. ono a16 IF tho hill
IS the mess hall and just little
way below that is the camp itself.
1t consists of six large 10x14 feet
tents on each side, with a beauti-
full parade street in between. At
the west end, about a hundred feet
down, is a high fiagpole from which
Aoats Old Glory, in sight for miles
up the track
Are lucky in having the cook we
got for he is sure a dandy. He
thinks only of making good eats
ard he sure does succeed in doing
it.
visitors Welcome Friday.
Friday is visiting day and We are
expecting a large crowd. We hope
everybody who can will come, espe-
ciaIly the parents so that they can
see what a delightful place their
boys have in which to spend their
vacation. Everybody who wants to
get dinner here please let US know
by Thursday noon. Dinner will be
served to those who order in ad-
vance at so cents the plate.
Please address all mail as fol- I
lows: Camp Winnie Taska, Route
2, Milan, Ill, Care Julius Lippens. |
All the boys have been asleep for
an hour, and l sure am tired, so
will close for now.