Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-09-19


member of the One Hundred Sixty
eighth United States Infantry, better
known as the Third Iowa or the
Fighting Fifty-frst, who left Des
Moines on Sept. 8, for Mineola, l.. l.,
New York, wrote two interesting let
ters to his sister here, which we are
permitted to publish below:
Cleveland, Ohio,
Sept. IL, 1917.
My Dear Sister:
Thought I would write few lines
to let you know am o. X. hoping all
you folks are the same. We. have
been on the train since Sunday, the
9th, at $3.50 p. M, and have been
travelling over since. 1t Is sure some
miles of country that we have seen
since we left Des Moines. We are now
near Cleveland, Ohio. We just stop
ped at little station here and it
SAYS 800 miles from Chicago and 221
miles to Buffalo, so we have got a
long ways to ride yet. We sure have
nice cars to ride in; they are the big
steel Pullmans; there is hot and cold
water, electric lights and sleeping
berths and we have negro porters.
! Oh, it is right up to snuff. There are
about 600 men, all together, in the
one train or section. We are the
fourth section. We are going along
the shore of Lake Ontario; it sure is
some lake. The waves are running
high as the deuce and it certainly is
a sight. Wish you could see it, too.
l am sure you would enjoy it. We are
running about so miles an hour now,
so you will have to excuse this writ
ing, as it is sure the worst l have
ever seen. 1t is all vineyards around
here, acres and acres of grapes. Well
l will have to close for this time, hop
ing this finds you o. K, and tell mo-
lther hello.
Your dear brother,
HELOF.
A second letter was written from
Scranton, Pennsylvania, the next day
Sept. II, and is as follows:
will drop you a few lines to let
you know that everything is all o. X.
with me and the rest of the boys. How
is everything at home; suppose it is
going on same as usual. Well, tell mo-
ther hello and give her my best wish
es, and also tell the rest of them he'll
10 too.
We are travelling thru the noun
tains now. We just left Scranton
about five minutes ago. 1t is some
town aid it is right up in the noun
tains. 1t is made up mostly of manu-
featuring establishments and coal
mines. We stopped there about 20
minutes. 1t is now about twelve o.
clock and l think we will be il New
York about nine O'Clock tonight Well
how is everything at Valders' College.
Suppose they have a big attendance
lnlS year. t ndut quite d sup III
Buffalo last night. We were there
from nine until two this morning. We
pulled out a draw pin between the
cars, so had to wait to get it fixed up
again. Did you get that letter l sent
you yesterday, the 18th. l threw 1t
lout of the car window TO fellow and
he said he would mail it for me,
which presume he did. l must have
about a hundred addresses of girls,
given us along the line; some daisys
too, believe me, ha. ha. They all
flock to the depot when the soldiers
come. There is crowd waiting at
every station. We have gone through
about four states, Iowa, Illinois, In
diana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New
York. Into Pennsylvania then into
New York again. We sure have seen
lots of scenery.
How are all the kids on Goose ISL
and getting along? Tell them all
hello, l.. r., B. G., and B. L., and all
the rest. Well sister l will have tc
close for this time, hoping this finds
you all o. X, and tell mother not tt
worry too much.
Your dear brother,