davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15

The Mrs. Mable butcher family has a
letter from Corporal Harry G. Nc
Mahon, Of Portage, who is somewhere
in France. The letter in part reads as
follows:
Just a few lines to let you know l
arrived here safe and sound. After we
left New York we sailed north to Hall
fax, where we put into the harbor. We
stayed there a few days, waiting for
some other transports. After they ar
rived we again put out to sea for our
long, dangerous trip across the sea.
The first few days everything went
along smoothly. The sea was as calm
at a lake Nothing doing on the boat
except we had lifeboat drills. We were
taught how to launch boat in case we
were sunk. The third day out, the sea
started to get rough, and most OF the
fellows started to get sick. Strange
to say, it didn't bother me bit. we
kent a submarine lookout on the JOB
all the time. After we arrived in the
Irish sea we had to wear our llfebelts
all the time, because we didn't know
what minute we would be sunk. we
finally landed in Liverpool all safe and
sound. We were loaded on train and
taken to Borden Salisbury Plains), an
English rest camp. We stayed there
three days, during which time we
were taken up to London to be re-
viewed by the king and queen. we
sure received a big ovation. We
were the first American troops that
were ever in England. Next morn
ing after the parade we were put on
board a train and taken south to
, Southampton, a seaport on the Eng
Hsh channel. Here we embarked on
ship for our trip across the channel
to France 1t took S all night and
in the morning about IL o'clock we
unloaded at Havre. We stayed there
until II o'clock that night and were
loaded on a train again for a long,
tiyesOme ride across France. | can
tell you any more about what town
we are in or where, on account OF the
/ censor. Well, we finally landed in
some town about II o'clock at night.
It was pitch dark and you couldn't
see your hand in front of you. You
know lights are not allowed IN the
war zone on account of German aero
planes. We rested at this place for
about three weeks and then moved
up here. We are five miles from the
trenches and believe me it's some ex-
citing place. We are raided every
night by "Boche" aeroplanes, and we
spend most of the nights in dugouts
under the ground. The only time
that they don't bother US is when it
rains. Well will close.
Sincerely yours,
CORP. HARRY G. MCMAHON.
Co. D 18th Engr. Ry)
A. E. F., via New York city.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15

served with meals unless one asks for
it, and as for public drinking foun-
tains, the people have an idea that
they might rust their pipes if they
started to use much of it. Whenever
we go out on long walks we always
take our canteens filled with water, as
artesian wells are few and far be-
tween.
First Good Steak
Recently we have been very busy
and operated every day except Sun
day. Yesterday we received a convoy
of wounded at p. m. AS a result we
worked until early in the morning be-
fore we had finished. 1t was the big
gest days work we have had and to-
night we get another lot, so we will
be kept busy as long as the push"
lasts. We soon expect to have more
doctors arrive, which will help some.
1t seems as if we get convoy of sur
gical cases one day and the next day
lot of medical cases arrives, which
don't need operations, consequently
the work does not come quite as heavy
and we have a chance to catch up. ]
can't tell you much about what we
are doing, as the letter would not pass
the censor, but all of us are feeling
fine Tonight l had the first good
steak since leaving the states. We
really are very comfortable here COM
pared to some of the other neighbor-
ing hospitals. Wish I could send you
some pictures of the place, but we are
not allowed to take photographs.
Address all mail to London, as you
have been doing, and it will be for
warded to u.s.
FIRST LIEUT.. r. F. FISHER
M. r. c., U. S. A.
No. Fl American Base Hospital
No. II General Hos pital, B. e. F.
Army Post Office, London England.
A More Recent Letter
DR.. Fishers sister, Miss Grace Fish
er, received a letter a few days ago
in which he says he LETT Rouen recent
Iy and went to a new location to re-.
leve Dr. Murphy, who has been there
month. 1t required two days to
reach the hospital from Rouen, the
train service in war time not being,
as comfortable as it might be. They
are working on eight-hour shifts and.
have some interesting work. DR.. Fish
er thought he would be there for
about a month, the letter being writ
ten on October Is, and says not to
worry for he is having better time
than at the base hospital. He is on
the night shift, sleeping during the day
when the weather is warm.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15
part reads as follows:

part reads as follows:
Dear Mother:
| sprained my ankle a while ago and
I am now in quarters. Believe me,
that sweater feels good. / have it on
now. 1t has been pretty cold here in
the mornings, but in the middle of the
day it is like summer.
There is not much news now only
that there were thirteen men died over
in the base hospital last Sunday.
The dust has been awful, blowing
all day. There is dust everywhere, in
our dishes and clothes, and the air
is full OF it. There hasn't been good
rain here for over year.
I don't think that we will leave here
much before Christmas or New Years.
Well, mother, this is Halloween, and
a dull one for me. Hattie said that
there was eight inches Of snow in
Portage 1t would seem funny to see
snow down here.
Lawrence Wakefield and l are laid
up in the same tent, both with sore
feet We have not been paid yet. We
Just signed the payroll this morning
and stood muster. We will be paid
about November 5. I guess that you
will have a real Thanksgiving, with
snow on the ground.
Well, guess that is all for this
time. GEORGE.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15
Cotton Palace Opens at Waco

Mr.. and Mrs. A. E. Wickus have re-
ceived the following letter from their
son Jesse, who is at Waco, Tex:
Dear Parents:
Received your welcome letter Thurs.
day afternoon. Am we'll and feeling
fine and hope you all are the same. II
has turned out just as | said it prob
ably would. A part of us have moved
again, and are now located at BOsQue.
vile, little berg of about hundred
pOpulation-a church. schOOlhOuse, one
store, doctor and about ten houses is
the size Of the place, and it is. located
about six miles from Waco. The in
fantry has been digging trenches out
here, and have about ten miles dug
They march out from camp in the
morning and back at night, but we
brought our tents and are going to
stay here a couple Of weeks. There
are only eight from each company, and
cook and captain, so we only have
seven tents and cook tent. Our tents
are in the front yard of a ranch and
we can throw and hit the house from
any of the tents,
We are sent cut here to learn to
pat Notifications in the trenches and
then we go back to camp and show the
rest Of the company how and what to
do. Pretty soft out here so far. If
we don't do any more than we have
so far we won't learn much.
We rode out on trucks yesterday
morning and got here about $3.50 a.
m, and all we have done so far is set
up our tents and put the floors and
stoves in them. We eat when we feel
like it and the captain said that we
could go to bed or get up any time we
wanted to, so l guess we won't have to
arise very early.
The weather is fair again, but we
have to light our fires just as soon as
the sun goes down.
The schoolhouse is about a block
from our tents. They had Halloween
doings there last night, and one of
the teachers invited us, and of course
everybody went. It(Was just like the
fairs they used to have in the base
ment of the South Side church. Ev-
erybody ate so much that we could
hardly walk back. I had seven pieces
of pie, besides the other things.
The cotton Palace opens today.
don't know whether we are going to
get to see it or not. I was working
down there Thursday afternoon and
got a chance to see the areoplanes
and guns used by the French and Ger
mans.
The land that we are on is rented
by the government from the farmer
for period of four years, and longer
if wanted. The farmer where we are
has rented 107 acres and he gets
$1,289 a year for it. He says he is
sorry he let it go, because in good
year he can make about $4,000 off the
land by raising cotton.
Have not had any target practice
yet, but expect to soon. All I know
for this time, so will close.
With love to all,
JESSE WICKUS.
Co. F, lot Engrs.
Camp Macarthur.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15

will have to get busy and write
to Harvey. Have not heard from him
since came down, but expect to soon.
Am glad that he is getting along so
well with his company, and am sure
that he will make good.
With love to all
HUBERT G. WEIDMAN.
u. S. M. G..
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15
Behind the Times
Plenty of Patients

We certainly are getting lot of
war surgery. Sometimes cases come
down twenty-four hours after they
have been injured. Usually we get
them later, but when the Germans
we're Smelling the hospitals up the line
they had to get rid of their patients
as soon as possible, and as result
we received a large number of cases
in a short time.
The other day they tried out some
new powder captured from the Ger
mans. They shot off mine contain
ing 10000 pounds, and it looked like
the pictures you see in the Sunday pa
pers. | was about a quarter OF mile
away and the sandbags went about
200 to 300 feet into the air. The pow
der was buried about 20 feet under the
sand and made very little noise. OF
course the earth shook a bit, but did
not knock any of us over. Today they
tried out another lot, but did not go
I'D to see it, as we were too busy. we
are all we'll and have not been shelled
even though the papers / received to-
day gave an account of our being
| bombed and some Of us killed, so dc
not believe all you read or hear. The
| Germans are having enough trouble
I'D the line without coming down here
! to drop bombs.
Not Much Water to Drink
| There are some very fine peach and
~
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15
Onn needs

one needs.
am feeling fine and we get four
meals a day: to 8, breakfast; at l
lunch, at tea, and dinner at s. Our
food is good and we have all gained
some since leaving the states. The
eats are much better than those we
got in London.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15

Mrs. May Capener, 315 South street,
has received letter from her son,
George Capener, who is at Camp Mac
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15
Woods in France

The other day I took a long walk
along the river past the Indian camp
and throug the woods. They have
wonderful woods here; most OF the
trees are pine and all the underbrush
has been cut away so that one can
see a long distance through the trees
No chance Of anyone hiding in the
woods because the trees are not very
,args around and there are only a
few branches near the tops OF the
trees. We came back up the Seine
on launch and got back in time for
dinner.
spent my birthday going through
poison gas. 1t was poison gas alright,
because the buttons on our uniforms
were furnished and our keys were
black, although we were in only few
minutes. We all have gas respira-
tor which fits over ones head. There
is a clip for the nose SO that you will
not breathe through your nose, and
rubber tube to put 2nto your mouth.
You breathe through this tube, which
is connected to box filed with chem
icaIs and which purifies the air. One
can use these respiratOrs for II to IA
hours without changing them. If one
breathed the gas one would have
lingering death which would end in
suffocation. I don't expect we will
ever be in any gas attack, neverthe-
less we all have our respirators and
get the training.
Behind the Times
There are some very beautiful walks
in this section of the country, but the
people seem to be ages behind the
times. Yesterday I saw two dogs and
a man pulling a tw0-wheeled cart filled
with brush that they had picked up
in the woods. The woman was walk
ing behind the cart pushing it, while
the man and dogs did little pulling.
A great many of the people are very
poor, but we don't see a many wooden
shoes on the youngsters as we did in
England.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15
CONSULTATION
FREE: To
THE: SICK

! DIR. HOAG, the Chicago Specialist
treats all Nervous and Chronic Disease
of Men, Women and children, and offer
to ali that will can on that day, dat
and during the hours given below, con
Bultation and advice FREE OF CHARGE
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15
Ball Through Mans Head

The past few days we have been
rushed again, and they have been do
ing some severe fighting up the line.
/ received about thirty new ones to-
day and have spent the afternoon put
ting up arms as I had six Of the bunch
who had bad breaks. Of course there
were a few legs and abdominal wounds.
We get real freaks once IN while. At
present | have a fellow in my lot with
a rife bullet through the head below
the level of the eyes. 1t went in in
front Of the right ear and came out
about an inch behind the corner OF the
left eye. He can't breathe through one
nostril, otherwise he is up and about.
He can see, chew and except for lit
tie swelling, one would not think he
was injured. Another has a bullet
wound through the right side OF the
neck which managed to escape all the
main arteries and nerves.
Our hospital is near Rouen, France
which is not near the lines. This is a
tent hospital on the grounds OF an
old race track, and has been used as
hospital for a couple of years. There
are 1,40O beds in it, and have charge
of 80 of them. The grounds are very
pretty, there being flower garden in
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15

Former Mayor and Mrs. A. F. Fisher,
617 East street, have received a num-
Der of letters from their son, DR.. Rollo
F. Fisher, since he went to France.
His sister, Miss Grace Fisher, has
kindly made extracts from them, as
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15
Wooden Ruts for Winter

The officers have tents in one cor
ner Of the grounds and there are two
to tent, besides one enlisted man
who is given us to keep the place clean
and shine our shoes, bring hot water
in the morning and act as our valet.
We certainly are leading regular lives.
Wooden huts are being built to be
used in the winter in place of the
tents.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15
Not Dull in Camp

One night the Australian hospital in
vited us down to a concert which was
held at their camp, about ten-minute
walk from ours. We had very good
time and the music was very good. In
fact there was one Italian who had
sung in grand opera and who at pres
ent is the camp cook. There are all
kinds of people here and we are not
having a dull time Of it by any means.
l was talking with one of the AustraE
ian nurses, who says that II takes
about four months for her to get an
answer to her letters home. Some Of
the nurses have been here almost two
years, and have seen a great deal OF
war life. After the concert we had
cake. coffee, wine and some of the
largest strawberries l ever saw.
Most of the men in our unit are
much younger than those in any of
the other American units that are
over here. We don't keep patients
here very long. In fact we just dress
their wounds and get them ready to
go to England to recover. NO case
is kept over three weeks, and few
are kept a week. Besides taking care
of our patients we are obliged to CEN
sor their mail and as result have
several dozens of letters ito read each
day. I never saw such bunch OF pa
tients. They all write home that they
are only slightly wounded, though
they may have a leg or arm shot Off,
and they seldom make murmur when
they are dressed, even though some
of their wounds are very severe. Some
of them I have given anesthettcs in
order to dress their wounds but most
of them want it done without any
thing to stop the pain. We use very
little morphine.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15

The following letter is from Hubert
G. 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.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15

The Mrs. Mable butcher family has a
letter from Corporal Harry G. Nc
Mahon, Of Portage, who is somewhere
in France. The letter in part reads as
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15

Co. D 18th Engr. (RyD
A. E. F., via New York city.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-15

NOT MUCH WdLET 60 Ut TIN
There are some very fine peach and
pear orchards here and plenty of
Evening journal., 1917-12-01
CHESROOK men ASK
ACTION BY Police
ConlInned from FIrst Paee.

continued from FIRST Page.
any question should have been raised
like ihis.
Had the officials or members Of the
club the least inklng that liquor was
being dispensed. as is now charged, we
would have stopped It Immediately and
would have had the squad Of police
men on duty about tie park 90 have
arrested the offender or offenders. The
Chcsrook Club as an organization and
IFS members as individuals always have
stood, and will continue TO stand, for
clean. wholesome sport and actions. and
will not tolerate anything to The cou-
lrary. either in its organization or on
the part Of anybody coming TO witness
its gsmes.
1--WE are sorry that the men who say
thcy witnessed the distribution Of
liquor did not call II 10 The attention Of
officials or members Of the club at the
time and thus have enabled the club TO
put an end to that disrepuiablc action.
We intend 90 go the limit TO try to
cause. the arrest and prosecution Of the
man or men alleged TO bc involved in
TIE dispensing Of liquor, whom we must
say are not known to us, and we also
have requested Chief Of Police Black
10 use every effort 10 bring about "a
If such is iusliiled.N
Evening journal., 1917-12-01
People of France and Britain Will
Probably be on Raiions by Jan. I

Il will be possible for the allies TO han
die the food problem in a scientific
way, determine just how much Of each
food must be transported from the
United States and Canada. and Just
how much shipping must be set aside
for its transportation.
Tho food requirements OF both
France and England will be larger than
last year. England's reserves have been
reduced 10 an extent that more than
Offsets her increase In production
France must import two million tons
Of cereals alone, her wheat crop this
year having dropped from s7,s3G00O
hundredweight before the war 10 39.-
100000. Her production Of cereals, po-
tatoes and beeis dropped from 35s,-
100000 hundredweights I'm 1918 10 about
2200O0,OO0 this year
Only by rationing. II Is believed, can
equitable distribution be maintained
through the rest Of the war; and the
allies be able scientifically 70 allot
shipping for food and for the other
absolutely necessary war purposes.
Evening journal., 1917-12-01
RUSSIA 5 NATIONAL
DEBT IS SECURED
Reputation by BolSheviki
Not Feared-.Go and Sill.
yer Held by British
MUCH BUSINESS
DONE ON CREDIT

NEW YORK, Dec. lin response to
the suggestion in the financial district
yesterday that Russia might rcpudiate
her foreign debts while undergoing her
revolutionary period it was said in
some circles that the amount Of such
debts is fairly covered by Russian gold
and silver deposits and property ip the
allied countries which would be subject
to forfeiture by such action.
In the case Of the state Bank OF
Russia. formerly the Imperial Bank Of
Russia, gold and silver formerly held
in the vaults is pow held BY. foreign
nations TO the extent Of more than
si,O0O.OOOOO0 II is generally believed
that The bulk Of this is held in Eng
land, and that Russian bankers will not
ieopardize the balances they'have main
laiued in branches and with CORES
pondents throughout the world.
It. was further pointed out that
reputation of national debts by Russia
would place Russian property in the
confines Of all Of the allied nations in a
delicate position. and that this might be
contlscated to Offset BOlsheviki repud-
iatiOn
a heavy proportion Of the war flnanc-
ing done in Russia since the beginning
Of the war has been done through the
state Bank Of Russia Comparative
figures show that before the war the
note issue Of this institution was ap-
proximately 3O0.0O0O0O rubles, while
this had been increased in this one in
stitution 10 i7.s5OOOOOOO in October
last. This has quite generally been at
iributed TO aid extended by this bank
TO the Russian government.
Loans by the United states 20 Russia
since the beginning of the war have
been approximately S275,0O0000 This
is in addition TO s7500O0O0 OF bonds sold
in the United States by Russia through
American bankers. Thousands Of Amer
lean investors also hold large quantities
Of the 2,OOO00O.OOO ruble internal Rus
sian 80 per cent. loan.
Evening journal., 1917-12-01
WAR REGISTRANTS
should FILE new
HOME Addresses
Contlnued from FlrsL Page.

ner had been listed as a Stacker through
an error. He was called and reported
but has been held up pending some dem
tai repairs. In the same division VIII
liam Fulton who has been called and
examined did not file any claim for ex-
emption. lie has been certified for SER
vice.
In local division No 3, Yam Cieszka, Of
No. loss Louis street, Camden, n. j., was
examined but failed to pass the physi-
cal test. lie had been listed as a de-
serted but surrendered voluntarily.
The great importance Of the exemp-
tion boards and what they mean TO the
country are forcibly pointed out by Gen
eral Crowder in an announcement TO the
boards Of the work they have before
them.
There are nearly 1900 members Of
local and district boards" he says.
with their assistants there arc consid-
erably over twice that number Of per-
sons engaged, greater clerical force
than is contained in a combatant divi-
sion Of soldiers. They are pioneers
They have blazed their own path. They
are trained in the work and familiar
with the law. They have become an
essential and highly specialized and inn
portant part Of the war organization Of
this nation. The selective service sys-
ten is as essential to that organization
as is the army which it produces Il
is the balance between the military and
The industrial need Of the nation and
stands as q source Of supply 10 one and
o shield Of protection to the other 10
cannot be replaced Any break in its
ranks would be an act Of even greater
harm to the nation than accrues when
a soldier abandons his regiment OF
sailor his ship. 10 would be as mex
cusablc 10 dismiss, disrupt or replace
this organization as to attempt to re-
place or dismiss a. division on the field
Of France. Most Of you are without
the military age, yet you may canvass
the field Of all that you could have done
to serve your country outside Of fight
Ing forces and YOU will find no more
valuable thing than what you are do
ing