Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 181, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1916 — LIEUT. C. A. TUTEUR WRITES GOOD LETTER [ARTICLE]

LIEUT. C. A. TUTEUR WRITES GOOD LETTER

Interesting Letter Tells About Border Duties—Has 300,000 Rounds Of Ball Ammunition. J. J. Montgomery received the following letter from Lieut. C. Arthur Tuteur, Who is stationed at Llano Grande, on the border: Monday, July 24, 1916. My Dear Friend Jack: Thought you would be interested in knowing a few things, how wo all are faring, etc., first hand. This is the first opportunity I have had of .writing since I have been appointed ordnance officer for the regiment and have -been busy in outfitting the regiment with ordnance, which is an addition to my duties as adjutant of the 2nd Bn. We are situated very fortunately for this country, having plenty of water. My, but it does get hot down here. It’s 118 in the shade right now, and my thermometer does not lie. There most always is a breeze off the Gulf, which is about 30 miles aiway, but the past few days it has almost forgotten us. The tentage for this regiment arrived this morning and as hot as it Is, the men are busily engaged in putting them up. They axe glad of the opportunity to fix themselves a home, and these tents were mighty welcome, after sleeping in “pups” for two weeks. The latrines for officers and men axe all completed, and today the shower baths will be completely ins tailed. The officers’ shower was put in Saturday and we have ibeen allowing the men to use it, a squad at a time, until the whole regiment was bathed. They completed last evening. Regulations provide men shall bathe at least twice a week and as often more as possible. The food is good and there is plenty of it. The ice proposition is bothersome, but will be straightened out real soon, I am sure. The men are as brown as berries and there is hardly any sickness in camp. They are practically all satisfied. We arise at 5:30 and, taps is at 10. The day is full, and right now the program is such that it is increased each week. The men' are to be trained to march 4 miles per hour, with heavy marching order, and to go 20 miles per day. Lt. King, of the regular army, has been detailed our instructor.

20 miles per day. Lit. King, of the regular army, has been detailed our instructor. The 2nd Bn. has tihe only officers’ mess in the regiment. We have some fine mess Shack, and sure do have the greatest feeds. Our cook for 5 years was chef with Ringling’s circus. The offices® have screened-in tents or houses with screen doors and floors. The street has been beautified with tropical plants along the sides. During the extreme heat of tihe day the program provides for no work. Mess at noon, and school call at 3. The siesta has become very popular down here, and I now know why the people don’t wtark any harder than they do. The heat takes tihe sap out of one, and I can say even the horses are 'lazy. But the evenings are grand. The breezes blow and the cold lemonade does flow. At tap® everyone is more -ty-n to roil into their bunk. Believe me, when you get up at 5:30 you want tio be in bed by 10, especially to do as much going around as we must do.

Eight officer® from tihe 3rd Indiana walked dawn tio tihe Rio Grande river yesterday and swhm across onto Mexican soil. They encountered no guards and saw some Mexicans in Mexico, all armed. It looked like, and probably is, an invitation to invade. I can’t understand why tihe border Is not more thoroughly patrolled. I have oyer 300,000 rounds of ammunition .but it has not been put in issue to the companies, and I am sure I would rather it were in tihe ordnance tent than in tihe hands of our rookies. If these men were armed with ball amlrrunition and there happened to be a call to arms at night, they would shoot each other right and left. Rifle range practice is to be one of the big things down here. We have organized a supply company and a machine gun company. All we need is a band, and our requisition for bond instruments has been honored. Please write me, Jack, and keep u 3 posted on things back home. I'm still running for prosecutor. Best regards to all the boy®. As ever yours, LT. ARTHUR TUTEUR, Ordnance Officer, 3rd lad. Inf., Llano Grande, Tex.