Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-01-06
ESTABLISHED 1855
WOULD FIGHT ON THE GREAT WATERS.
Vircqua boy, Son Of Elmer Dunlap. on a Naval
CruisA.

INDIANAPOLIS, md, Dec. 2S.
lR CENSOR: The following Is q
ietf ON my son, on board the u. 8
cuI Topeka, which at present is
nef the coast of Panama to land 800
ms and acting as convoy to the
10 q } boat destroyers, Truxton and
81 I. The two latter will patrol the
" can coast of the isthumus. The
81 New Orleans was cut short by
o from the navy department to pro-
Key West, Florida, taking the
! es on board and then TO Colon.
N Is studying hard to succeed in
% avy and has progressed nicely. He
may not make himself Paul Jones, q
Schley or a Dewey, but when he returns
tnere ls one at least who will be proud
Oh him Yours respectfully,
ELMER E. DUNLAP.
New ORLEANS, La, December IS.
MY DEAR FATHER: We arrived at New Or
leans from Hampton Roads, Va, after six
DAYS ana nights at sea. We had rough wealth.
er az hrst and many OF the old sailors had
ing the waves. One day several men and
boys were standing near the starboard gang.
way ana e big wave gave them all good
from below You were in luck IL you did not
land on the other side Of the deck
On the Topeka every man has reserved
seat IN some one OF the boats To go TO at tfc
command Abandon ship" When we leave a
port the cutters ara supplied with fresh
water. eatasles, all kinds of groceries. life
preserVers ana extra stuff such As goods in
waterproof tins to be opened II we are strand
ed longer than expected. At the blast of
nt,s.I o1gle the whole ship goes 70 their certain
steamer where they all pile up on one boat
generally creating panic. Uncle Sam looks
out Tor his men alright. | was stationed as
one re Souy, and the q. s. 8. Hlst.. which
was two points off the starboard beam when
noticed. am having fine time.
s,sSa sunday. for the first time In three days. we
slghted land. the coast of Florida. and being
nne weather, we layed around on deck In our
white uniforms. MY! but IL was hot. don't
suppose you are troubled with the heat now
Wednesday morning we arrived at the
mouth or the II Htssissippi river where We took
q pilot on board. All along the river ! saw
ola shacks OF honses where "niggers'- fiye
ana now and then cotton mill with row of
otu cabins such IS you see In pictures OF
siayery times. The negroes crowded on
shore az every house and yelled az we passed
Tor Y was unusual TO see three of Uncle Sans
oattlesship tthe Topeka. the Yankee and the
MinneapoIisl passing their very doors. There
anG young girls, ell presented an interesting
picture, All along the shore were negroes,
some fishing and some sleeping in the sun. AZ
every mouse Whole families piled In on the
front yard, In their enthusiasm, and they
were all Ia families, too. Roosevelt ought
TO see them. He would be satisfied then. At
one place an old man, his "frow." and q
dozen Kids came down TO the waters edge,
and the old man had shotgun. He held the
OLD hlunderbus In the air and fred six shOts
In honor or the three cruisers. He was as
proud as a peacock. He thought he had
done fine act.
We arrived in New Orleans TO help in the
ceieDraton or the Louisiana purchase amid
whistildg and firing Of guns that was deAfen-
ing, the Hertfort 10 here making four u. 8.
cruisers. The French cruiser named La Grio
de la Marvills fired II shots In our honor and
as we passed, their secondary battery OK hr
teen men hreo s. tlnte and hauled down
their colors and hoisted the u. 8. flag and
then saiuteG IL and put up their flag again
Inc french wear funny un forms, topped of
with blue ht Is with red tas, els.
The people OF New Orleans seemed crazy
with delight At our coming and they lined up
on shore and yelled.
The people seem 10 love the sailors down
south. We are treated with more Consider.
tion here than In Boston or Glouster, We
parade for the first time tomorrow. We will
stay here seven days and then leave for
haYana; ouhai thsn 70 Santiago. Sc. kits.
y ". l., ard probably then we Will. 90 into
the Mediterranean se&. stoppir mr. az princfraf
ports, and we viii return ia 100 days from She
time we left Boston, and then ! Will be home
and what time will havel You and Ethel
ana | VIII go 20 Rockford, virosua and Ii,
Crosse, and then l can Justly feel uroud ~
tell the people used TO know OF my advar-
css In the navy OF Uncle Sam. / Will ssud
you suil,s little trinkets and curioa from Cuba
and foreign countries. | will be home In
April WAYNE DUNLAP