Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-16
Letters From a Soldier Bow
u. 9. N. g. "ST. PAUL."-orF THE JER.
sEY COAST.

1eHeIs from q Soldier Boy.
U. 8. N. g. "ST. PAUL"-orF THE JER.
sEY COAST. ,
I'll scribble q few lines before turn
Ing in tonight and will say we are
pretty we'll tired out. The cinders are
still with us but We had a mighty fine
time and mighty good food.
| tried to take in all the scenery in
New York this afternoon and it is Ger.
tainly worth while. So absolutely
different from any thing | ever saw;
the whole country looks cultivated,
which can hardly be said Of our coun-
try. We have two artists in the unit
aud they raved accordingly.
The personnel Of the unit seems
very high and the men Ihave met are
very fine. We have an ex-Rabbi-
Voorsanger-with US; he is a fine
fellow.
We were 81 hours or the train and
mighty glad to get on ground again.
We crossed on the ferry and | n
tered New York, even as Benjamin
Franklin, with my pockets stuffed
with toilet articles and in the capacity
Of . baggage smasher.
The vess ell we are going over on is
smaller than l had anticipated, but
pretty fast, as we are due in Liver
pool one week from Monday. We have
four 6.inch guns, two 4-inch guns and
say they know how to use them.
The boys have been buying seasick
remedies all day; they range from
chewing gum to veronal. We also
have been taking lessons to improve
our French and if WI can keep up the
speed, will be able to spout when
we return.
We get no shore leave, SO will not
be able to see the town or any friends,
but Uncle Sam knows best. We aren't
hardened enough to take "French
leave"
This will have to do for tonight
will write later.
S. $. ST. PACL-3D DAY OUT.
This is my third day out on the ocean
blue and do not feel badly yet, but
the weather has been very good. We
left New York half an hour late, or at
1880. / thought we would 60 out with
bands! playing, flags flying, ETC., but
nothing like that-only people on the
ferry boats cheered us and we cheered
back, waved hats, etc.
New York harbor is very pretty
and the statue OF Liberty much larger
than I anticipated. We lay in the
hsrbor until A O'Clock, waiting for the
Mongolia carrying the Chicago unit.
Time hung heavily but we had a
chance to watch an airplane playing
around an island in the harbor. Sum
day morning we went to church and
in the afternoon just walked around
on deck and watched the sea. l heard
q saying once that just described the
ocean to me--''a big, wobbly mass of
water"
We have sighted several vessels
since we started, 20 do not feel SO
isolated, but can realize to some ex-
tent the courage OF Columbus, also
why the apcients thought the world
was fiat.
Our gunners have target practice
every morning, using barrels for tar
gets; they knock them out of the
water nearly every time, SO we feel
pretty we'll protected, aside from our
convoy. The vessel, q long rakish
craft, is a fast one and is setting a
course around the north coast Of Ire
land, which is pretty well out OF the
most dangerous zone. There is some
danger but the crew Is not much o
ried and they say submarines can't do
much to fast boats; as we travel twice
% fast as { submarine can 60. ! sleep
pretty well. Have picked up some
very good friends tesides the ones |
already have, so l never lack con.
genial company.
To-day we have been up on deck
drilling-school OF, the soldier, life
boat drill, etc. This afternoon spent
in the dispensary giving typhoid in
jections. It has been very cold and
! have been mighty fond Of my big
overcast a. everyone else seems to
DO.
9TH DAY OUT.
No entries for two days previous,
the darn boat was jumping too much
and the fellows all around tho vessel
ars shooting lunches-or the "lunch
puty u II ID called. 70 my great
surprise / hsve not been seasick and
thsrs ore but few others who are NOT.
II fact, ! liks the motion Of the ship,
oAn sleep like ! log, eat everything
Oan bog, stsal, borrow q buy, and 4
hsve done every one o. them. w
have : crooked bunch Of stewards
aboard and many talk : various IN
~9uare-.took me- oovora1 days 10 ftd