Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1909 — WRITES OF MANY INTERESTING POINTS IN THE EAST. [ARTICLE]

WRITES OF MANY INTERESTING POINTS IN THE EAST.

GEO. H. HEALEY.

Editor Healey Now Among the Dutch of Pennsylvania—His Wandering Nearing a Close. Mt. Gretna, Pa., July 28, 1908. The Republican. • I Kanst do Deutscher sprecke? If you can not you are “nix goot” in this section of Uncle Sam’s domain. Mt. Gretna is one of the camping grounds for the state militia and also the location of a summer Chautauqua. It is nine miles from Lebanon, which is a city of some 20,000 people and the center of an iron mining section of considerable importance. It is mainly occupied by people of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry and most of those who do not speak that language altogether have the dialect. Lebanon is old fashioned in more ways than one. The business section does not seem commensurate with the population, and business blocks, residences and church buildings are interspersed along the main streets, at least five churches fronting on the main business street and having business houses adjoining on either side. Many of the older residences also are built on the sidewalk liae, with high' stone steps extending half across the broad walks. The streets of the town are not improved and the absence of lawns about the residences gives the city a very unattractive appearance, notwithstanding the fact that the buildings are large and quite handsome architecturally. Since my last letter we have visited at several points! From Plattsburg we crossed Lake Champlain, going to Burlington, Vermont, where we had a stay of several hours. There are lots of ups and downs in Burlington, the city extending up hill from the banks of the lake. The finest thing we saw there was the white marble post office. From Burlington on west to Springfield, Mass., where we changed cars and had only a few minutes. From Springfield to New Haven, Conn., one important manufacturing town is folfowed by another, water power from the Connecticut river supplying the motive force for many factories. We had a few hours at New Haven, the seat of Yale University and went from there to New London, about 50 miles away, where we spent almost a week. The Thames river at New London was the scene only a short time before of the Yale-Harvard boat race.

Fourteen companies of Connecticut militia, constituting the New London First Coast Artillery District, were in annual camp at the forts around New London, namely, Fort Wright, Fort Michie, Fort Terry and Fort Mansfield. The forts are on small islands from 7 to 20 miles out from the shore and all are occupied by regular troops, who acted as Instructors to the militiamen. The readiness with which the latter have taken hold of the coast artillery branch of the service is very commendable. The armories for these companies are being supplied with time range boards, deflection boards, plotting boards and wind component indicators find thus the men get much technical instruction in the armory drills. I watched the firing of service charges from six inch guns, the targets being about three miles from the coast and the projectlies in all cases hit or came close to the targets and then were thrown' up by the water and skipped along for a mile or two farther, some times striking the water six or eight times and throwing up a spray of salt brine several feet high. Most of the practice with the large guns is conducted with either dummy or sub-caliber charges, the former being full service size and weight but not being fired, the practice consisting of accuracy and speed in loading, unloading, swabbing and cleaning the gun. The sub-caliber charge Is a one pound projectlie, fired from a reduced cylinder Inserted In the barrel of the cannon, firing at a moving target ranging In distance from 900 to 1,500 yards from shore. One company made 121 hits out of 135 shots, and a more completely riddled target could scarcely be Imagined. The canvas target was withdrawn from the frame and presented to the company, much to its delight. Fort Terry, which is situated on a small island, is used by the tJ. 8. as a , dlscipling fort for incorrigible

artillerymen, who are not guilty of any wrong doing sufficient to justify their incarceration at Governor’s Island or other military prisons. Many or most of the soldiers stationed there are hard to manage and the post is a very undesirable one. The soldiers stationed there are given liberties according to their respect for them and it takes a diplomat to command the post. From New London we came by boat to New York City, where we remained all day Friday, coming here Friday night. One brigade of four regiments of infantry, one company of engineers, four bands, four hospital corps and a squadron of militia cavalry occupy this camp, while several regular officers and a few detachments of enlisted men from the different arms of the service are detailed here as instructors. All but eight companies are from Philadelphia, and an excursion from that city last Sunday brought some 5,000 visitors, while excursions from Reading, Harrisburg and Lebanon brought about 5,000 more. Aside from a brigade parade and the mounting of regimental and provost guards no military duty was required Sunday. Monday the camp was visited by Governor Stewart, who reviewed the troops in the evening, and a finer parade I have never seen. Practically every soldier of the 4,000 encamped here was In line and the governor was greatly pleased with the soldierly bearing of his troops. During the present week five other Pennsylvania regiments are encamped at Somerset, while four other regiments encamped here last. It will thus be seen that the Pennsylvania militia consists of something like 15,000 men. Saturday of this week we will go to Farnum, Erie county, N. Y., where three New York regiments will be encamped, one following the other. We expect to spend 'a day at Niagara Falls and to reach home about August 22nd or 23rd.