The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1915-06-17
FROM THE
BATTLEFRONT

TIE Amer ~ people as class are
greatly interested an the European
war, but their attention for some
time has been given TO the diplomat
ic relations OF this country with the
countries Ut war FsS of our citi-
gems of this inluediaie community
have any personal interest In the con-
troversy, hut Mrs. Il. q. d'Easum, OF
l. NH, has brother I'm the service
with the Canadian troups at the
front Arthur Stacey is In the Al
berta Dragons, tie same regiment
/ Ia which MIR. d Easum served during
the Boer war. He has been In the
battles Of Neu'e Chapekle, YpIes,
and several others. His letters to
his sister are closely censored and
nany things which would Interest
them are taken out, BV permission
OF Mrs. d Easum we publish eXtrac
from recent letter which brings out
clearly some of the horrors Of this
cruel warfate.
For us things started to happen
about y. IN. when violent artil.
leTy duel began In our vicinity
Soon the Dig shells bevan coming
over and dropping In the town Of FL
yerdinghe and uear Poperinghe, and
along the road nearer US. These,
(called Jack Johnstous, Black Ma.
rias, Coal Boxes, etc, according to
their sizel are plainly audible tor
miles before they arrive, hut IL IL I'm
possible to judge where they will
light. The noise they IA axe en- route
resembles that made by a rackety
wagon travelling fast over a rough
road, and when they exploded q
dense black smoke, big hole In the
ground or wrecked building as tht
case may be. and one can feel the tAl
for mile or more.
9 "'' About 7 p. IN. we learned
/. from some French soldiers that thel
had been driven from their trenches
a by the poisonous fumes. We all 70
Il saddled up and rode out ia the direc
. tion Of the fighting which was the'
/. raging fast and furious. We coul'
70 tell when the charges came OF by tn
i,res sent ny bV the side belnl
?. charged. All minor noises, such n
rs shouting, ETC., were completed
; drowned by the rattle OF the rides
A village near us, Bortinghe, Sas be
Ing shelled industrIously by the en-
AZ emy and the shells we're shrieKin
"A and sizzling overhead and tearin
pr things up wherever they 1T.
- sFs Next day was on patrC
duty in the road between Viamel
tinghe and Ypres The latter plac
was being shelled furiously by III
German artillery, 30 that every tim
=, my "beat'' took me +" that end {
10 the road was partolling tabout
n miles bad the some what doubtf,
~ pleasure OF having the houses crumI
nv ling up md falling down and bl
IN holes suddenly appearing IN the roa
near me. On my first trip ba
gs ma rely got my nose into the tow
m wlen a shell came splutterIng dow
>, about 20 feet from me and III in
nd pile OF vet manure and mud alou
,s side the pavement. A huge show,
so Of mixed straw, manure and pavtI
q stones rained down after the eIpl
40 sion. On the street lstone pave
m were a number OF other peopl
mn There was an did mHB with one
he. those quaint old wheelbarrows load
in with bundles OF housshoid treasure
a there was q girl on = bicycle, u We
for fat old woman and half dozen ch
al dren All OF these, my horse and
.he Included, were upset on the road Al
.is. almost hurled under the shower
fthly stun that came down hut n
,uI one % .us was hurt. The old M
II |c,l "ly gathered uu hts bundles, {
Ia GIRL got on her wheel and the
u.- wom and the kids picked the'
Ter selves up aud all proceeded on th'
NOT way as II such occurrences ~
orv auite an every day affair, as inde
g >, they are In that Tuined city. for 10
ten ~ in ruins nov.
Ird, Nv second trio got = similar Fec'
'art tion though there was nothing hu
Sod urous about IT. A ''cnal boz stru
oVs the cathedral WSll and bounced u
the street where 1t exploded With
horrible jar, killing three or Il
% 80, people snd injuring others. Dur
- the whole Of that day the road
VIamertinghe was packed with re
" gees, mostly women and ehiidr
learning with th'm such Of their
lads fects as they could. 1t was pitifnl
he see them. noticed one yoJng 40
ther an trudging along carrying III
see four or i've year old child on
I'd r back and leading two goats by a ce
UWe t-..- a., tha 1uU I noffeRd the a