Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-22
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ON RIO GRANDE
Sergeant Thomas Writes ofsthe
Boys in Camp on the !.
Border


On the Border, Fort Bliss, Tex. July
14.-Company l of the Eighth in
fantry is in camp at last.
Our section of the Eighth Regiment
tthird section companies l, X, L, NJ
and the band) left Mt. Gretna at
o'clock p. m, July 8. and arrived here
at 10 o'clock a. m, July Is. Our sec
tion had seventeen cars and as we
travelled little over 1900 miles, COM
ing by way of Pittsburgh, Columbus,
Indianapolis, st. Louis, Kansas City,
Topeka, Harrington, Liperal, Tucum-
carr TO Fot Bliss, you can see we made
good time.
We arrived here in excellent phys
ical condition and in excellent spirits,
and plunged right into work and be-
fore evening were under canvas and
had practically all the mesquite, sage
and cactus cleared away and were
ready for supper that was cooked for
us by our own cooks.
The Boost For Uncle Sam
The surprising part of the whole
trip to most of us was the reception
at stations along the route west of
Pittsburgh. While there were crowds
out at HiShspire, Steelton, Harrisburg
and other towns they could not COM
pare with western towns. At first 1
was curious to know how the smaller
towns We're aware of our approach.
| was told that most of them had town
bells and when they rang them it
meant that a troop train was ap-
proaChing, and everyone started for
the station. At Columbus, o.. the
first place we left the train, one was
impressed by large banner stretched
across the streets on which were these
words: Fathers and Mothers, the
Nation Needs Your Sons; Will They
Enlist" We marched through the
Capitol grounds there and the officers
called on the Governor. At several
places packages of food, cigars, Gig
arets, lemonade and postcards were
distributed
At many towns girls were on hand
and went along the train shaking
hands and giving slips of paper to
name and address and in some cases a
request for a card from them when
they reached the border.
Near FL Paso
We are located nine miles west of
Ell Paso, and our camp is on a broad,
level plain with a ridge of mountains
about six or seven miles south of us
and another north. much farther
away. | do not know how to de-
scribe the land to a northern person.
Picture stretch of perfectly level
land stretching east and west as far
as the eye can reach on which there
is not a single tree, but on all this
plain every three or four feet is a
mesquite bush, a sage plant or cactus.
mono over three or four feet high. So
far l have seen no other plant
The sun is exceedingly hot, but If
you are under the canvas with your
tent rolled up, it is cool. as there is
good wind blowing. At night it is
cool
The mountains present even a
greater contrast. They are in some
cases 500 feet high and looking at
them with the naked eye are peT<,
fectly bare, but through a good glass
you can distinguish cactus and sage
brush. The sides are scanned, narrow
at the bottom and wider and deeper
at the top which makes them look like
a series of pointed mountains. I am
told that trails run up these seams
and that the tops have rich table
lands. If we are here any length of
time l will make a trip to the top and
will try and describe what I see. They
say rattlers eight feet long and more
abound on them.
Welcome the Telegraph
The boys will welcome the Tele-
graph when it arrives, as we have
not had paper since we left Indian
apolis.
Private Philip Buckley and Private
NSu NtLIS are ueldlleu as permanent
orderlies to regimental and brigade
headquarters, respectively. Musician
Leiby has been detailed as regimentaI
bugler. Private Troup has been ap-
pointed corporal to replace Corporal
McCurdy who has been appointed SER
geant. The coach dog presented to us
by the Mount Vernon Hook and Lad
der Company is with US and is a
friend of all the boys and knows our
company from the others. The air
here is so thin and pure that a num-
Der of the boys noses have been
bleeding
SERGT. C. w. THOMAS.