The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-12-02
WRITES FROM
MARINE CORPS
FLOYD FERTIG FORMERLY
OF THIS CITY ENJOYS
LIFE.
Is Located at Goats Island in
Golden Gate Harbor Cal.,-
Expects Ship Service.

Mrs. Frank Fertig OF this city,
who enlisted in the Marine
Corps and has been located at
the Naval station at Goats Is
land, California, writes the fol-
lowing letter to this paper, which
will be read with interest by the
many friends of young Fertig,
in this city:
Editor Tribune:
Dear Sir:
Receiving the information that
you wished me to write letter
for the paper. will relate few
of my experiences in the Naval
Marine Corps, of California.
Well, | had a very nice trip out
here. saw some very beautiful
scenery, passing through the
states of Indiana, Illinois, Ne
braska, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado,
Utah, Nevada and California,
and the principal cities and
scenes | saw were: Omaha and
Lincoln Nebraska, Colorado
Springs, Col. Pueblo Col and the
(Royal Gorge Col, Canyon,
Cal.,) Salt Lake City, Utah. We
went across Salt Lake on the
bridge 40 miles long, was a day
and night crossing the Nevada
Desert, passed through 30 mile
of SNOW sheds away up in the
mountain (sheds to keep the
snow from blockading the trains)
and the Blue Cany in California,
1t was certainly pretty trip
from Toledo O., to the west
coast.
Well | arrived at Mare Island
Cal, all O X. and after being
there about months was trans
ferred to Yerba Buena or Goat
Island, which is a much better
place.
The island consists of a noun
tain and the climate is fine for
we are up in the mountain, and
we get the pure mountain air
and sea breeze. The Island is in
the center of San Francisco Bay,
between San Francisco and the
"Golden Gate" Tor entrance to
the Bay and the prettiest scene
of all, is to sit and watch the
sunset through the Golden
Gate" Tor mountain on each
side of the entrance) and throw
its red glare across the water,
and we watch it till it goes down
below the large ocean waves.
Well. | like the Marine Corps
fine by this time, the food is
plain but we have plenty of it
and I've gained 22 pounds since
| came and never felt better in
my life. We have no hard work
to do, we do a guard every three
days and stand inspection once
a week and one hour drill in the
morning. We can go to shore at
one O'Clock every day when we
are not on guard, and stay till
7:30 next morning.
We have an amusement hall
with pool tables, library and
other means of entertainment to
pass the time with, and a can
teen or general Merchandise
store where we can get anything
we want. We are living in tents
now, but will have a new Bar
rack which we are going to
move into the first OF the year
There are only about hundred
of us. here, and are four or five
hundred blue Jackets in the
barracks below us. The Marines
are all jolly fellows and we al
ways have a good time. Those
with over three years to serve
will go abroad ship between now
and February, for all first class
battle ships carry Marine
Guard and I expect to leave here
most any time now. and then
will get to see some OF the for.
eign countries. | will certainly
see a lot here that | wouldn't
have seen in Plymouth and as
experience is education | am 90
ing to get four years OF it.
| suppose it is getting rather
cold back east by this time. whil,
here we have strawberries an(
flowers growing all winter. L
gets a little chilly nights. but
the DAYS are fine. Well as hav,
said about all J can about my
trip. new life and home. and tn,
Marine Corps will close, hoping
this fnIds you well, and happy
as | am.
Sincerely Yours,
Floyd r. Fertig. u. S. M. c.
| u S Marine f Lex -pffhi :
L. S. Naval Training Station.
San Francisco,
California
Nov 10 1000