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Show LA. LARKIN SEES LINDA VISTA .j WHERE 40,000 SOLDIERS ARE TO GO INTO TRAINING TOR WAR Tho boys at Linda Vista are enjoying enjoy-ing life as soldiers of Uncle Sam, according ac-cording to E. A. Larkin, who returned yesterday with his wife from a two weeks' vacation in California, during which time ho visited the immense mobilization mo-bilization and training camp. Mr. Larkin Lar-kin was at Linda Vista for an evening and night and had a chance to observe in somo detail tho big placo. Linda Vista Is located 24 miles from tho Mexican border, is 7V6 milos from the ocean and 14 miles from San Diego. Di-ego. At present there are about 1500 soldiers In camp there. The biggest army, however, consists of between 3500 and 4000 workmen who are constructing con-structing barracks and mess houses for the big army which is to come. It is expected that tho Linda Vista camp will havo 40,000 men as soon as tho contingents from the differont districts nrrlvo. At present thoro arc the Utah Field hospital, the Washington Base hospital, tho California Infantry and tho United States Motor Truck Co., No. 52, encamped at Linda Vista. Mr. Lnrkin Rfnfnrl thnt t fc ovnortnfl the cantonments will bo finished by the last of October and be ready for tho roceptlon of the big army. The camp is located on a plateau covered witl grease wood and rabbit brush, some of it growing to a height of three feet, making oxcollent ground for field maneuvers. It covers twenty square miles of territory. A few rattlesnakes have been killed by the boys but thoir camp grounds havo been well cleared of underbrush and thero Is no danger in that districL Two snakes were killed kill-ed the day before he arrived there, Mr. LarSin said, which had 18 and 14 rattles rat-tles respectively. Solid Mile of Stables. It is expected tho remount station, which will be established at the camp, will have accommodations for 30.000 mounts and barns to stable the horses will be built to cover a solid mile in length. Mess halls at present are under con- struction. There will be two of them and they will bo four miles long, built side by sido. Blasting is necessary to lay the foundations for some of the buildings, Mr. Larkins says, as tho soil Just covers tho ground to a depth of about a foot. Under that is a uniform layer of hardpan and adobe which turns tho shovel and pick. The noise of the incessant blasting sounds like a miniature battle fronL Tho boys operate cantonment stores and all of the proceeds above tho price of the supplies go to tho different mess funds, so that the boys might have something extra to the regular food Mr. Larkin said the boys of the Utah field hospital feel bad because none of tho money raisod in the state for tho benefit .of the differont units has been given them for purchasing baseball supplies and other equipment for sports and recreation. The officers contributed $50 apiece and tho men $1 apiece recently, he said, to tho men's mess fund so that they could havo a few extras. Tho V. M. C. A. has established a huge tent on the grounds and gives a picture show,' lectures and entertainments entertain-ments for tho soldiers' benefit. The boys themselves organize vaudeville acts and athletic stunts and display them In this house. Stationery and magazines are also supplied by the Y. M. C. A. Mr. Larkin met the following Utah boys at the camp: Frank Zimmerman, Seventh California Califor-nia infantry; Lylos W. Larkin, Georgo Lowe Baker, Wallace Browning, Raymond Ray-mond F. Terry, Raynor Goates, George Bell and Wllford Shurtliff. They are all well and look hearty. Tho boys aro sadly in need of homemade home-made candies, Mr. Larkin said, and requested re-quested him when he got back to Ogden Og-den to pass the word that relatives would confer a favor by sending the soldiers a supply of sweets made at homo. |