[Illustration: Mr. D. O. Munson] In addition to the telephone line Falls Church has two Western Union Telegraph offices besides two express offices. CAMP ALGER. Falls Church has gained a national reputation within recent years by reason of the establishment near the village of the camp for volunteer soldiers at the outbreak of the Spanish-American War. This camp was one of several of the kind established in the Southern States for the purpose of organizing an army for the invasion of Spanish territory. The farm of Mr. C. L. Campbell, about one and a half miles southwest of the village was selected by the War Department for the army corps to be assembled nearest Washington, and as soon as the contract was signed for the lease of the property, troops from fourteen States were hurried here as fast as recruited. [Illustration: Mr. Henry Crocker Mr. E. F. Crocker] The first troops on the ground were the District of Columbia Volunteers. They were followed by those from Pennsylvania, and later came troops from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Tennessee and Virginia, all forming the Second Army Corps of the Spanish-American War. The Second Army Corps was made up of the troops assembled at Falls Church, to which Major General William M. Graham, U. S. V., was assigned by orders of May 16, 1898. General Graham assumed command May 23, 1898, announcing the official designation of the camp as "Camp Russell A. Alger." [Illustration: Mr. G. W. Mankin] The strength of this army corps before the last of May consisted of 922 officers and 17,467 men. In June the number in camp was 1,103 officers and 26,002 men; in July the strength of the corps was 1,183 officers and 29,747 men. In August the corps consisted of 1,347 officers and 33,755 men, the highest number in this corps before disbandment at the end of the war. By orders of May 24, the troops then on duty at this point were organized into a First Division composed of three brigades of three regiments each, and by orders of June 9, 1898, the Ninth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and 33rd and 34th Michigan Volunteer Infantry were constituted a separate brigade. On June 9th the separate brigade mentioned was assigned as the First Brigade, 3rd Division. On August 2, 1898, a second brigade was organized composed of the First Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, and the Third Virginia Volunteer Infantry. The First Brigade, consisting of the Massachusetts and Michigan troops, left Camp Alger for Santiago de Cuba on June 22 and 24, 1898. Troops of the Second Brigade were returned to their States for muster out on September 7 and 8, 1898.