The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1917-10-18
Interesting
Letter From,
Glenn Sperry

On Tuesday of this week Rev. and
Mrs. 5. II. Sperry received letter
from their son. Glenn. who for the
last two years has been stationed in
the Philippine Islands as a member
of Company L. Eighth United States
1 infantry. de has been in the military
service OF the government for about
fourteen years; part of the time at
Laredo. Texas. with the army OF
-watchful waiting during the Mexi
can trouble. Three times he has been
In the Philippines with his command
Glen Is two years younger than his
brother Herbert. well known IN Can
on City. who Is now in France with
the Thirteenth regiment OF engineers.
u. 5. y. His letter follows:
At Sea. Aboard the L. $. Transport
Thomas. September 10. 1917.
Dear Folks
Well. as ! haven't anything TO do al
present win write you an account OF
our trip thus far. We expect to reach
San Francisco about the 27th inst.
but 1 will be so busy then that won't
have time to write for several days
afterwards and viii do 70 now and add
fcw lines following our arrival there
We LEFT Manila on the I3,n OF Aug
ust and two days later nan into a ~
phoon and hit Il right in the center
never knew The wind TO blow so
hard in my lifc. They say its velocity
- a.
after the storm broke we didn't know
where we were. The ship just drifted
around hclplessiy. where nobody
knew until the night OF the 18th at
ii o'clock when the vessel struck a
hidden rock and everybody on board
thot we were goners. She struck head
on (the rock must have been about IL
feet below the surface, bounded back
aad then struck again. The second
time We hit we were sure that we
: about ten seconds. I tell you my heart
was in my throat Ms II waa impossible
10 tell how serious the situation was.
didn't pay 80 much attention TO the
first jolt, but when the second one
came got out af my bunk and put my
clothing On. | heard n great commo-
tion on deck and the water came pour.
ing down thru the hatches and l
hastily crawicd back into bed and
kissed myself goodbye. II may sound
mighty badly scared people on the
transport about that time. was lucky
in not going on deck for about 2h OF
the men got their arms and legs
broken hy boxes, tables and other
moveables flying around on deck.
"one poor fellow was washed over
board and was lost. They could hear
him yell for help and life preservcs
was thrown TO him, nut II was impos
sibie for ANYBODY to live in such a ser
and he was drowned. He was aprivatc
, OF Company II. Another fellow Of
Company I was wished over. but he
caught hold OF the railing OF the ship
and hung on until they threw blank
ct to him and pulled him In. When we
hit the rock the second time the cap
tain OF the transport signaiied the en-.
gine room to reverse the engines at
full speed. and. about that time. n
wave hit US and lifted us on the rock
and ! could feel the boat roll again
and tell you IL was mighty biz
relief.
"rt was surprising to me. and to cv
erybody else. how orderly the men
were In the face OF the great danger
that threatened them. The officers
sleep up in what they call frst.class
end there is nobody but enlisted mon
in our berth deck and II In up to the