Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-12

Fairfield, Ne, July 11.-(SpeciaD.-
From the grey baked clay land Of
Texas, Herbert E. Rlakney cornetist
in University Of Maine Regimental
Band, with End Maine Infantry.
writes home to his mother, Mrs. Bert
Blakney. His troops are stationed
just outside of Laredo. Texas. and he
writes with all the enthusiasm Of a
Maine lad, of the country, the people.
the customs, and most important Of
all, the camp life. His view is a typi-
cal one of the majority Of Maine bows
there, an experience long to be re-
membered. He writes as follows:
we are here in Laredo at last ana
it is some place. 1t is 104 in the sun
today. We got here Tuesday afternoon
and started to set W our tents right
off. We have the same tents as we had
IN Augusta and have cot beds so we
are not bad off at all This is a very
peculiar town Of 5000 population and
only about 1000 Americans. The
ground here is gray, baked clay as
light as dust The motor trucks sink
way down into the soft clay and of
ten have to he helped out The sur
rounding country is covered with low
shrubs or bushes scattered here and
there. Sand every where and an ncca-
sional sandstone. We had a sandstone
Yesterday and It was some sight. The
SKY was covered with sand and we
could see II as 1t came toward us. one
sheet of sand driven by high wind.
We are quite near the Rio Grande
The International bridge is only a
little south Of us. We have been hav-
that we had almost rather go with
out than TO go out after it. We had
beefsteak last night and some spllds
from Maine. We also had coon stew,
bread, butter. coffee and dried apple
sauce. The evenings here are nice and
cool and we sleep fine. The idea is to
keep out of the sun as much as nos =
sible during the day. All the people we
see around here are "Greasers." it
seems They come around the camp
selling Watermelons, canteloupes and
other fruits and instead of having
horses they have little mules Ii is a
iunny sight to see one of those big
fellows riding little dinky donkey
with his feet nearly touching the
ground They are almost as black as
hats with high crown.
They are for the most part peaCeable
around here and make good citizens. al
though they won't learn to speak the
English language. The first night here
we went downtown and we incurred of a
number of different men in different
places and but one could understand what
we were saying. The stores in the city are
very good and they also have a fine green
park with regular United Stat IS grass We
are gong To get our regular army khaki
uniforms off and have altogether differen.
equipment. Instead Of a blanket roll we
have nifty little roll that straps on our
backs over the shoulders, and instead of
a Canteen we have sort of q Thermos bot
tie which goes in a case attached to our
cartridge belts. Everything is compact
All the boys in camp are feeling fine and
We are surely enjoying ourselves at pres
emit We have talked with some of the
regular army men stationed here and they
are disguised, for they have been here
two years and things are no worse now
than they We're at that time. Besides the
regulars and the I'd Maine Regiment
some troops from Missouri are also camp
cd here and troops from New HAMPSHIRE
are expected daily. We fit fine with the
townspeOple because we come from Maine
and many people come up from town with
free ice cream 10 feed members of our
regiment. They think we are hustlers
around here because we got here so soon.
Motor trucks are huZZing around here
all the time hauling one thing and anoth-
or. Everything is quiet around here and
many of the boys are expecting to set
hack home before many more weeks have
passed. They All agree that the best
place of all is in the old Pine Tree state,
and although we are ready for any ac-
ton. hone TO be AT home soon.