Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-22
AS TO THE GIRL
OF TERRE HAUTE
Co. d, Enroute to Border,
Nearly Loses Its Whole Heart;
the Great Ride

camp stewart, rort Bliss, Texas,
July 15.-Take it from the fellows who
surely think they know, the prettiest
girls between Harrisburg and FL Paso
live in Terre Haute. Ind.
The knowing fellows are the men of
Company d. Eighth, Infantry. Ma
tional Guard of the United States.
Terre Haute was one of dozen or
more lively cities we passed through
on our way down here and in every
station hosts vf folks met us at the
train with lemonade and cake and
other stuff to remind us in that pleas
ant way of the folks at home. And at
I nearly every station the townspeople
must have inquired that we'd want to
see the niftiest skirts" And believe
me, we saw 'em all.
The Girl
OF course we have the prettiest girls
in the world back in the old home
Iown-some of en- anyway-the boys
down here will ell tell you that But
oh, you Terre haute girls.
The prettiesU along the way live at
Terre Haute, and that's why so much
mail that goes in and out of Fort
Stewart these days is postmarked
Terre Haute. Ird.
But TO go on with my story of the
trip TO the Border.
The Story of the Trip
Sunday evening. July 9, Company D
left Mount Gretna bound for FL Paso,
Texas. There was great rejoicing
among the men from Harrisburg that
they were at last ordered to the Bor-
der When the train stopped at Har-
risburg some OF the scenes of the pre-
Nlous parting we're enacted over again.
Boxes of daintios werH passed through
the windows to the different men by
their friends ana were very much en-
Joyed, as they will probably be the last
to be received for some time.
The company then passed through
Altoona, Pittsburgh and west to Co
lumbus, Ohio, arriving at Columbus
about $50 a. m. Monday. Then the
men were taken out of the coaches
and given about twenty minutes walk
on the main street. Incidentally we
got a glipse of the capital city of Ohio.
The next large town we passed
through was the capital of Indiana,
Indianapolis
The Reminder of Home
The men were not allowed to get off
the train and only a glimpse could be
had of this city. The dome of the
capitol reminded them of the State
The Mississippi river was crossed
about midnight and the company then
passed through St. Louis to Kansas
City. Here the men were transferred
from day coaches to Pullmans, which
/ certainly was a relief to the men. The
IA4tAl were lllGll NOtl " ulSIohtt oS d
nice hose of water was waiting for
them outside the coaches. This bath
was greatly appreciated and made the
men feel almost like different persons.
The company then travelled south
west through Topeka. Kan, and the
rich wheat, corn and alfalfa belts of
this great state; through sparsely set
tied oklahoma, touching the north
western part Of Texas, then through
the sa~dy plains of New Mexico to
Fort Bliss.
Fort Bliss was reached at $50
Thursday morning, after travelling
2,139 miles in about S4 hours.
At Fort Bliss
The men took breakfast on the train
. and then pitched in to work. They
. marched about one mile north of Fort
Bliss and Immediately started pitch
feet aboe sea level. This plain was
/ covered with mesquite, cactus and
some sage brush, which was all cleared
off by the willing guardsmen. The
plain is inhabited by Lizards, horned
toads field mice. grophers and many
kinds of ants. 1t was great fun for
the men of the North to chase these
different animals while awaiting the
alignment of the different companies.
Mountains? Sure!
Company d has not been affected
so far by the change in climate and
the heat doesn't seem much greater
than in Harrisburg at this season of
the year. This is due to the dry atmos-
phere and the air that is constantly
| stirring. Directly west of the COM
pany is chain of mountains (part of
the Sacramento Ridge). and the air
was so clear that the men thought
they were about one mile away. In
fact. it is just six and one-half miles
to the top of the nearest peak. The
men can see n ridge of mountains east
| of them which is about ninety miles
4 away. Last evening Privates thinner
man and Cummings decided they were
going TO climb 10 the top of the near
est peak, but after travelling about
4 three hours and killing a rattlesnake
on the way they decided they would
give it up until some other time and
returned to camp.
The first two days were spent in get
ing the camp in good condition and
Saturday morning was inspection.
Monday the men will begin the regular
camp drills and by that time every
man will be accustomed TO the climate.
In FL Paso
Corporals Selway Slatterv and
Rretz. with Privates G.. ]. Selway.
Diener. Fairall. GoudY, Shearer Num-
inert and ]. L. Wolf got their first
glimpse of Ell Paso, the international
bridge and the Rio Grande Saturday
morning. They were very much dis
appointed in the river and the bridge.
They expected to see large body of
water and a fancy bridge. Instead
they saw a low. muddy stream about
one-half dry, easily forded. and a low
| two-pan, plain iron bridge, one half
painted red (American side) and the
other half painted black (Mexican
side). Exactly in the center of this
bridge where the red and black lines
meet, is the dividing line between
Mexico and the United States.
Red and Black
II certainly was a strange sight to
see our trim American soldier pa
trolling one side Of the bridge, while a
slouchy Mexican, clothed in a white
shirt and loose oyeralls, patrolled the
other side.
Thoughtful of Patrol
Juarez lay just across the river with
Villas wireless station looming up in
the rear The guards told the mem
bers from Company D that If they
ventured too far out on the bridge a
Mexican would take a shot at him, so
not desiring to waken up or alarming
the American patrol. the Harrisburg
ers stayed along the shore.
FL Paso certainly is a very pretty
city and all of Company D expect to
get in to see II as soon as their turn
comes. as there is only certain num-
ber of passes issued daily.
The Harrisburgers all are we'll and
happy and are getting accustomed to
the sand blowing in their faces and
seeing whirlwinds and sandy deserts.