Mexico weekly ledger., 1900-05-24

tAAkE4 oA8ALN 8Aa1h A41 9SaNa 4LG48
we're fitted with Goable rows OF hol-
low iron frames upon which the beds
were stretched La three tiers, and
there Is enough space between them
to keep from ~crowding and make the
slseping quarters comfortable.
The matches are wide and kept
clean, indeed. The wash room and
the lAvatories for the troops were on
q scale which cannot be compared
with anything in that line which has
been on q transport heretofore
Shower baths were furnished for the
enlisted men and on the forward deck
was = neat and pretty reading room
for the soldiers, furnished in oak, and
containing . first class organ.
A wish to the kitchen showed that
cleanliness wsa an universal law on
the Thomas. The soldiers kitchen lie
equipped with large boilers which
cooked the food In large quantities
and keep II from steam.
Then we rent into the bakery and
saw the machine that made the bread
which furnished 100 loaves daily on
the last voyage. The machine Is run
by electricity and, In fact, everything
il. ! don't know what they WoulddoH
they didn't have 1t.
Aft on the main deck the Thomas
is blessed with q model hospital with
ali the latest ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
~ shop, operating roonsdist kitchen,
ward for As patients, baths and wash
tabs, in fAet, everything that goss to
make q man comfortable when be II
sick and even n he ID wen zsan be i
well cared for.
he Thomas has four stx-po1adsr
on board; 20 you e sven q transport
has protection, but ii has seldom need
Of them.
Then we went down to . the
quarters for the enlisted mems wives
and I was much surprised to = such
nice quarters. When ] cams over =
year ago the soldiers wives had very
bad quarters INTACT, no piace-and ]
felt sorry for them but here it was
different; everything was clean and
enough room 90 they could move
around and electric fans r placed
around so the air can hit all places.
Then the poor sailors, cooks and
} walters had nice quarters-so different
! than the Sheridan. The Thomas has
10 in the crew and they are not
crowded.
The sailors and deck hands have q
very nice time and they r fed very
, well. What they get is clean and
watched over by an officer whose
/, duties are to see their food is cooked
= right and they get enough. You see,
. they think no little Of the sailors, and
why should they not-they are the
: ones who do all the work and il II
wasn't for them they couldn't get
9 along at all.
The state rooms all are provided
with movable blowers-steam heaters
-for colder chimes, and q thousand
!, and one advantages ove the other
is transports Of past years. We then re.
l. paired to the saloon for lunch. The
70 saloon accommodates 90 passengers
u but can seat 100 without %crowding; Il
10 is painted in yellow and brown, mp
u holstered in pegsmoid. The wall
!, were beautifully paneIed in mapl'
and the effect OF the whole wa
Y decidedly pleasing. A pianola play
y all the latest airs On q high grad
B. piano in the saloon, and the ship
officers told rs that 1t is seldom i'd
81 when there were any passengers oil
board.
leI We had . dinner OF a character nm
n obtainable elsewhere than on thu
n Thomas, and we certainly enjoyed 1t
" assure you.
Ie We entered the speedy launch for
cool ride home in the Incompatible
ID tropical moonlight. We were imbue'
Df with the idea that the Thomas lie tn
Z best boat to carry ''the men benin
the guns" and vas thoroughly Ina
"a pregnRted with the kindness and goo
win that cleaned from the eyes o
u the kind old general whose nam
n she bears and whose pictures Z Il
n more than one place.
al Well, / have given you the bes
: description Of q transport that l ca
! and ] hope 1t win prove the same jo,
! to the dear people of Mexico as
i il for me to write to you, and that !
always q great pleasure to write t
y the LEDGER. Long may It unroll it
sheets that help to make it n Of tn
best OF papers, and l hope viii hav
the pleasure to alwys read 1t.
:. To-day at 9 O'Clock l have been o.
i the island one year and the time ha
simply gone by In a hurry. l wonde
= II I viii be here next year. 1 don
care II l am, for I like it all right.
= don't go into anything with my eye
closed. Very respectfully,
FRED O. LUCKIE,
a Private, Hospital No. |
P. g. Please give my love to m
> daay naranfa