Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15
From Virgin Islands

FROM Virgin Islands
The following letter is from Hubert
C. Weidman, son of Mr.. and Mrs. Grant
Weidman, Ableman. The young man
is one of the islands recently pur-
chased from Denmark. His interest
ing letter runs as follows:
st. Thomas, Virgin Islands:
October 20, 1917.
Dear Folks.
Received your very welcome letter
last night l wish that I might be at
home fer a short time, helping with
the potatoes and the apples. Do not
attempt to send me anything but can
DIV. as | am three thousand miles from
home and it takes at least ten days
for mail to reach me. We are at the
extreme east end of the West Indies,
where the Atlantic and the Caribbean
meet and only 10 degrees north Of
the equator. Will try and give you
an idea of our daily program.
ReveiIle sounds at 500 a. m, and
we hit the deck, scrub up and fall in
at $40. In( other words, we dress,
wash and line up in front of the bar
racks twenty minutes after the bugle
blows. Then we have little calls
themes exercises, deep breathing, ETC.,
and breakfast at 6; at $50 we turn
to and sweep up in our quarters and
around the barracks and then fall out
at 1880 for As minutes Of drill; spend
we go out for another As minute pc
riod and have bayonet practice, bomb
throwing etc. Dinner at II and moth
ing more until $3.50, when we have 40
minutes of signal practice-code sig
mailing with flags; have supper at 5,
and then we are free for the remain
der of the evening. Have Wednes-
day and Saturday afternoons off and
all day Sunday.
There are enough of US for guard
duty so that | do not go on but once
every seven or eight days. When on
guard we have two hours on post and
four hours off for twenty-fOur hours.
When we get settled we will take a
hike every Friday, just for exercise,
generally not over six or eight miles.
This seems like a vacation after the
drilling and work we had to do at
Paris Island. The routine is broken
now and then by fire drill, hurricane
dralI and an occasional "call to arms" -
All the buildings are built to with
stand hurricanes-heaVy doors and
solid shutters on all windows. Am re-
turning some pictures and films for
you to keep; will put a few words OF
explanation on each. Will attempt to
give YOU an idea Of what the natives
here look like.
There are not over a dozen white
people on the island outside the corps.
There are quite a few of Danish and
French origin, but they all have negro
blood. Some look white; some are
what are called high yellow" and the
balance black as coal. The sale of the
island was voted by the natives. The
Danish land owners levied such high
rental on the natives that they were
all miserably poor and almost destf-
tute. When the fever got poor man,
he simply laid down and died. Since
our country took possession, things
have changed considerably for the bet
ter. If you have a conversation with
a native he will always have the last
words, God bless the Marines or
God bless America It is mighty
good evidence of the spirit we have
brought about. They get their con-
ception of the United States by it's
representatives the marines. We have
a big hospital here now and the ma
tives are taken in and well cared for
at very reasonable rates.
Have just thought of something that
i I want, and am going to accept your
offer to send me anything that want
| to-wit: A pair of field glasses and 9
case for same / cannot get a pair
here or a catalogue to order from
You can order through some firm and