Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-06-05
INTERESTING LETTER
. FROM PROF. MITCHELL
Writes From Fort Miley, CAL, Where
He Is Stationed With the
Coast Artillery.

high school. who joined the coast ar.
tillery and is now stationed at Fort
Miley, California, has placed the
fort, with its attending life and du.
ties, in vivid outlines through the
medium of one Of the most compre-
hensive and interesting letters it has
been our privilege to print. It is an
easy matter to close the eyes and
see the rocky headland projecting out
to sea with the white capped waves
breaking at its base, the marvellous
Golden Gate and the wonderful ex-
panse of sea as far as the eye can
reach, and over it all hanging the
grim spectre of trouble with which
Uncle Sam is striving to cope and
thereby preserve unruffled the Sc
renity, the calm, Of the Pacific, in
fact as in meaning.
Prof. Mitchell speaks not only Of
himself. but of Professors Sifert and
Nelson, and also Mac Mccullough of
this city. as members of the Webster
City contingent. He says in part:
1--WE are still here at Fort Miley,
and will probably remain here for a
while at least. 1t is fine place to
stay-everything considered, that is.
We are on Point Lobos, a 300-foot
cliff just UP the hill from the cele-
brated Seal Rocks and Cliff House,
This fort is one of the outer de-
fenses of Golden Gate, which is in
full view of our parade grounds. To
my mind this is the finest thing in
the way of scenery that we have wit
messed on the entire trip.
"The fore is not as large as most
of the other coast defenses Of Frisco
Harbor, and the barracks are not
very imposing, being only wooden
buildings. Most Of JUS recruits are
still IN tents, but we will be moved
into the barracks as fast as vacan-
cies occur. We have the advantage,
however, Of being located within easy
reach Of the downtown district. car
line running just block from the
main entrance to the fort.
eve have sixteen 12-inch mortars
here, besides a number of disappear
ing rifles. These are seldom fired
in practice-we haven't had smell
of powder, since our arrival. Ours
is mortar company The mortars
are big, stubby guns for compare
lively close-range work. They toss
the projectile to great elevation,
so that they will descend upon the
decks of approaching warships, the
most vulnerable part. Naturally,
this sort of fire is less accurate than
that of the direct-fi-e, armor- pierre
ing rifles, so the mortars are ar
ranged in groups Of four, all fired
at the same angle.
This increases 1.-The chances of hit
just that much.
"The mortars are concealed in 30
foot pits dug in the top Of a hill. and
their fire is directed by plotting
room which gets its data from two
widely separated observation sta
tions. These stations phone in the
and elevation angles Of the
moving target. the plotting room men
go through a complicated set Of
and predictions, aided
by charts and mechanical devices,
and phone directions to the mortar
pits for setting the gun. The whole
process occupies less than minute,
so thoroughly is the system worked
put.
eve four Webster City fellows
were lucky enough to be assigned to
the plotting room. rather than to the
pits. Our work is considered the
most interesting Of the various duties
WIFI u HOIldI udLtSly
Later on. though, We will doubtless
get the actual drill with the guns, so
as to have an all-around knowledge
Of our work. In practice, as / have
said, the guns are almost never fired.
The observation stations simply Sc
lect some vessel which happens to be
within range at the time, and pro-
ceed to track it. Everything is done
except the actual firing, and mean
while the unsuspecting vessel pursues
It's course. not knowing that it has
helped contribute to the training of
Uncle Sans gunners.
1--WE are all hale and hearty, get
excellent grub, and have received
fine treatment from everybody con-
,erned. We drill six and half hours
per day, and for my part. at least, l
enjoy the routine of ourdoor life and
exercise. Most rockies, put on from
10 to 20 pounds in the first three
weeks of army life, but that would be