The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-01-01
SWIFT WRITES OFF
COAST OF FLORIDA

To all friends at Hood River, through
the columns Of the Glacier let me say
that have recently made the escape
from what seems to me TO be fire
furnace located in and sqout Tsmpeco,
Mexico. The entire community around
that city is riddled with musketry and
much else, that makes a man think of
desoaltion and death near the other
world.
Out in the sea large battle ships are
seen by the score, and that array of
lighting monsters present a fearful
veiw, not only dangerous but
beautiful and one thinks after sitting
round such scene for some days and
then some more that II they would all
break loose at one time there would be
doings right now.
The trip across the gulf is one of
perfect beauty and all the way one can
sit out on deck, and even sleep out
there and listen to the waves roll and
toss. This old ship has stood on both
ends since starting. not both at the
same time by the way. but it has done
some hard trying. and you believe me
we have enjoyevd every minute of thai
rolling, and the more the better. have
learned to have a lot of faith in the
ship and her crew. for they do certain
ly know their business. This is Ger
man ship, about as good and much
more cafe than anything have seen
in the United States, but what do
We need to care, we are sailing Ger
the sea.
Rounding up the west side of Florida
headed for New Orleans is a trip lot
soon to be forgotten. Such scenery.
tell you people that il is nearly as
beautiful as the scenery of your state,
Oregon, and If these folks would visit
Oregon and find out how to make
money. they would soon have as great
a state as you have there.
Without any mishaps we will be in
Orleans in about six hours. but the
captain said that we would be late
tonight, so ! am going to bed and
wait until morning for further writ
ing.
Dec. |. just breakfast time, and
am as hungry as though had climbed
Mt. Hood but there are lot of fellows
that will not eat much this morning
for they got too much salt water yes
terday. am all o. X. yet and the
only thing lack is a good tumbing in
the sea and then plenty of fresh 0ys-
ters about as big as one of Ed Hol-
mans 40 cent steaks and only one half
dozen is enough too. | feel like
could stand it until dinner as it is nine
now.
After a visit and some business in
the Coliseum for two nights | think
we will 40 either across land to Savan.
nah or to the frozen north. We have
not made up the trip as to which way
we will 60 the last of this week, but
we will be going some place. | noticed
about 80 boxes of Yakima apples on
board yesterday and lot of empty
boxes from Colorado and they remind |
ed me Of Hood River and | thought
that If these men knew as much about |
Hood River apples they would not be |
fooled by purchasing any other kind at |
any price, but did not dare tell them |
for they would have called me a boost |
er so let them drift along in their
ignorance.
The weather for some time has been
very wet and muddy, but to those that
never saw Mexico mud you cannot ap.
precate the condition of the ground
that thousands of soldiers had tramped
to jelly about ''steen" feet deep.
The pleasure that the boot blacks have |
in that country is great. Boys, go to
Mexico but take your Backing along.
Hundreds of men string along the
roads, if you can call them roads, with
their clothing, if you can call it cloth
ing, smeared with that mud paste to
their knees and more. They look like |
the last rose of Oregon production. |
My God, friends, that sight was simply |
beyond mans description. God only |
knows the misery there is among that
people. Starving and being starved is
the seeming disposition. There is some
work to be done over there
but pity the missionary.
Well, friends, if | land on the Allan
tic or in the frozen north | will send
you some more news of the travels and |
with the compliments of the season.
When you read this remember us as
those that would like to spend Christ
mas with Hood River people, but not
this time. j. H. Swift.