The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-07-13
ION MEXICAN BORDER
Interesting Letter From ]. ]. Gala
CHER of Columbus New Mexico.
columbus. N. Mex., Jnly q

Columbus, N. Mex, July Ar
Mrs. Annie Morrison Having re-.
| coived your letter yesterday, which 1
was sure more than glad to hear from
I you, and to hear that you. and all were
in good health, which hope to God
you will continue so. Well, Annie
from the looks of things. we are going
to have war, and the sooner it comes
" the sooner it viii be over as we are
bound to have it,. We are preparing
every day, so that when we get ready
to strike we viii strike hard. o have
been down south into Mexico as far
as 241 miles at Namiquipa and got
stomach trouble and had to be sent to
the hospital here. am now out and
around but not very strong yet. They
think that | got poisoned while there.
u expect TO go back in week or two
to be stationed at Colonia Dublan,
five miles from Casa Granda where
the base headquarters are. Helen
heard I was sick and had to be oper.
!. ated on and she came here to be with
i me, but now, as am o. X, she is get.
ting ready. to 20 back to San Antonio,
as this is no place for her anyother
woman, as we have been looking for
ito be attacked several times since the
IElirst raid here. We have the Massa-
/ chusetts and New Mexico militia here
|, and more coming in and going through
all the time II tell you, Annie, this
, is one of the business places in the
III. S. Villa sure made this town what
il is one of the most famous towns in
the U. s., but the people here are do,
ing nothing but rohbing the soldiers,
, They are all grafters. Villa ought TO
Imakeanother raid and drive them all
, tout. Prices are just doubles to what
, they are any place, when they should
he more reasonable. I know of one
: lplace that cleared $4,000 in six months
, time. How is that for business? PEG
, pie that. never knew what dollar
, was, are worth thousands today. we
have Is trucks tauto) trains Have
81 trucks to the train, which carry
, supplies from here to the front ano
, every time they go out they have tC
!, go under heavy guard of about 1Ve
, men to the truck. That is what they
9 are using the militia here for ano
!, they are doing good work, as nearly
= every day they are fred upon; that Il
, from a distance far off, whore the
brush is the thickest. Once in while
, la man will get hit but never has one
y GOT killed. You see the Mexicans arc
1 all towards They won't come out anC
), fight. they get far off and fire ant
= they hide in the brush and the mel
y have no time to waste looking TO-
!, them, as they have got to get the sup
Il oil
J lit is sure wonderful sight to SCI
I these trains 20 out; some times three
!, four and FIVE trains 90 out at once, an
I. the movie machines are sure busy -tab
!, ing pictures, which / am sure you haV
" seen there or you VIII see some day
% hope. sure had a narrow escape tn
day before arriving here. came II
the ambulance (auto). Left Dublal
% Hospital, June "a. Six ambulance
v with 30 patients, sick and wounded
b" for here went into camp that night D
i miles from here with two guards T.
- the ambulance and that night, Will
- all were asleep, our sentimental 81
1t post saw three MeXiCans trying T.
- sneak into our camp, when he fired o
u them waking them all up. There Wer
!. about fifty shots fred, but no one hurt
y but the excitement caused some q
q the patients to have a backset. Abou
:; two hours after, when everything wa
u quiet again. | was in the ambulance
81 a bed patient, when | heard noise i
lie the grass. happened 10 look out an
to my surprise, | saw three spick
"a (Mexicans), sneaking toward men,
le reached down to get my gun and hal
III pened to make noise and they mad
&c their escape jumped out of the an
- bulance and gave the alarm and wen
III to where ] seen them when one &c
So up out, OF the long grass and ran,-Rt
II did not run fast enough. We Lett tina
e. camp early and got away before NOR
&c Nexicaus arrived. After arriving her
we heard that there were seen, at 4:A
al that morning. about 100, which sur
DC would have wiped us off. Everyone l
le here heard that we were attacked an
y several wounded and killed, whic
was not true. That is one time "
"a got up ahead of them, as they mai
> their attacks about daylight We ha
, Buick auto ambulances and you b'
we did not lose any time making OF
n get away.
h Your loving brother John.