Gunnison news-champion., 1917-12-07
CEDRIC WILLIAMS SEEING
LIFE AT CAMP FUNSTON

Dear Mamma:
Received your letter dated Novem-
ber 18th few days ago, and thought
would wait until l returned from
Kansas City before answering it. Re-
ceived the pocket kit this evening and
thank you very much. I am all fixed
out fine now. We got back from X.
G. this morning about six, just in
time for "Reveille". There were some
big football games there between the
Navy and Camp Funston.
We pulled out of Funston on the
train at 1880 A. M. Saturday and were
due in Kansas City at 1890 but were
wrecked at Topeka. Our train col
lided head on with q freight on the
same track while rounding q curve
in the yards. Neither train was going
very fast, about twelve miles per
hour. Both engines were completely
wrecked and made into scrap iron.
The baggage coach just ahead Of us
was spiintered but no one was hurt
or even scratched. It gave us quite
. jolt though. One engineer had q
leg broken but outside Of that it was
the luckiest wreck / ever saw.
They had to clean away the wreck
before we could 60 on, and we got
to Kansas City about 400 p. M. Just
in time for the last quarter Of the big
game between Great Lakes Naval
training station and Camp Funston.
Camp Funston won with . score of
seven to nothing. After the game
we marched around the field playing
"The Stars and Stripes Forever
while the crowd just went crazy and
called for, more and Just kept on as
long - we would stay. Then we got
on motor trucks and went to the main
part Of the city where we paraded
till dark. Then we went to the Dixon
Hotel, one Of the best in Kansas City
and had supper. After supper we went
out and paraded through all the
streets In the city and went to all the
hotels. We just simply took pos
session that was all.
Sunday night Captain Diamond took
all Of rs to the Orpheum Theatre,
one Of the best here. He had box
seats reserved for all Of us. After
the show we hiIed for the station.
Kansas City has the second finest
station in, the country, being sur;
Psssed only BY New York Central
0J8tIUus AlteI We AIIlVcQ t0eIe we
played . few Of Sousa's marches
There was . crowd after us all the
time) and took the train back to
Camp Funston arriving ut six this
morning.
/ am having experiences never
thot Of having before and we get the
best Of everything everywhere we 60.
! think we have the best lot Of Of
fcers in the Camp. Major Goths-
chalk is away now and Captain Dia-
mond has taken charge Of US. The
boys all say il he would run for pres
ident we would all vote for him. He
says that when the war is over he
Is going to take MS around the world.
That makes you feel better doesn't
III
We have plenty Of bedding and ev-
erything and the Red Cross is max
ing sweaters, etc, for Ms. So you
80 We are well taken care Of. Ev-
er5thing II 90 closely guarded that II
4 almost impossible for spies to do
anything here.
/ m still playing the alto, or mel
lop6pne, a. here d NO one else TO
tG1ne e nd I can shift on the eornet
vhenevoe neeo6axy.
X1ie elooe poW or VIII have q
beek hoFo. See trsneh ard camp rfi-
~ Nfoht betpse laavthg tor j. G.
i - enegl1g q yleEpre ,e6 car l1od-
'G Ae2t), 1lSs - e ~ beni.
8 !! 8; A
S.fsf 33s1 N S5 - - R1nnnns