Orders for Four More Young Men (1917)

Columbia City Post, Whitley County, Indiana ~ Wednesday, May 16, 1917

On Friday Hon. Phil McNagny and Tom Pontius of this city received orders to report to the adjutant at Ft. Benjamin Harrison as soon as possible for training in the officers' training camp. This order was followed up Saturday morning by orders to four other local young men who have reported or will report as soon as possible at Ft. Harrison. The four young men who received their orders Saturday morning are James D. Adams, Elmer Bump, James Blain, and Donald Livengood.

Elmer Bump has been in the employ of the First National Bank of this city for the past nine years, and is 29 years of age. He is one of the reliable and trustworthy young men of the city and will do his duty wherever he may be placed.

Jimmy Blain is 24 years of age. He attended Purdue University after graduating from the Columbia City high school, and has been deputy surveyor for some time past. He is a son of Ex-Treasurer Melvin Blain, of Etna township, and is one of the wideawake and active young men of this city.

Donald Livengood has been here for a couple of years and has been engaged in the greenhouse business. He is full of vim and energy and has made a lot of friends since coming here from South Bend.

James D. Adams is a son of the publisher of The Post and has been connected with the paper for the past six years. He is 29 years of age, is a graduate of Wabash college, but has never had any military training. In addition to his newspaper work he was president of the Whitley County Telephone company, treasurer of the Columbia Woolen Mill, a trustee of the East Haven Asylum for the insane and was connected with a number of other local enterprises.

Mr. McNagny and Mr. Pontius made arrangement to go to Ft. Benjamin Harrison Saturday morning leaving here at 9 o'clock in the Panhandle, and they were accompanied by Mr. Adams. The three young men hurriedly closed all business matters with which they were connected and it is expected that they will be among the first to report for duty.

Mr. Blain and Mr. Bump decided Saturday morning that they would not leave this city until Saturday afternoon and they will likely arrive at the fort some time Saturday night. Mr. Livengood left Saturday morning for South Bend to spend the day with his mother and he will leave Sunday morning for Ft. Harrison.

The boys are experiencing some trouble in securing uniforms and it is possible that two or three of them will report without them. They were kindly requested to make an attempt to secure a uniform if possible. The government is now short on clothing for their soldiers and it is possible that some of the men will drill in their civilian clothing for a few weeks. Some of the young men have had military training; however, at the end of the three months it is expected that the men who never had military training will develop sufficient ability to be appointed as officers. So far the government has not made any appropriation for pay for the officers' reserve corps and in case it does not the men will be compelled to serve without pay.

Columbia city will be well represented at the officers' reserve school by a fine bunch of young men who have voluntarily offered their services to the government. It is believed that young men between the ages of 21 and 30, to be chosen by conscription will not be called before the officers' school closes in three months. If that is the case the boys on the farm will have the summer work almost off their hands, or at least have it where it can be handled by their father or brothers.

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Note - also see this post: James Blain and James D. Adams Discharged (1917)