La Junta tribune., 1917-08-09
SOLDIER BOYS IN MID-OCEAN
Railroad Regiment ON Briny Dcop
En- Route to Somewhere In France
NO Submarines Yet

News has been received from one
Of the soldier boys who enlisted in
the Santa Fe railroad regiment. who
are now In mid-ocean on their way
to somewhere In France" The let
ter was written by Walter Burrows
to his mother. Mrs. Carrie Burrows.
507 Ration avenue. and brothers. and
ID dated Mid-ocean. Atlantic. July
25th. and It is herewith presented
in full:
Well. here I am In mid-ocean. or
In other words ON the briny deep.
have not been sea sick yet. but may
be We have not been on board long
enough yet. Several Of the boys
have been sick. but not real bad.
Our trip up to the present date has
been good. The sea was . little
rough yesterday and It has been very
foggy ever since we came ON board.
Yesterday We had the pleasure OF
seeing both whales and sharks. and
believe me they are sure monstrous
big animals. They did not bother US
any. This morning when We woke up.
or I should nay when the bugle
sounded. we looked out the port
holes and discovered several fishing
boats equipped with large sails. II
was quite q novelty for US.
We don't do q great deal on the
boat. In the morning We generally
have our physical drill. then in the
afternoon, when 4 o'clock comes. ev-
cry body on board is given u life
boat drill by the captain and officers
OF the boat. Everybody assemblies at
the appointed time. and without any
signal they march up to their life
boats or RATS. whichever they hap
pen to be assigned to. There they
Get their instructions and 20 through
the drill. In the boat that ! am as
siGned to. there are Lieutenants Ken
nedy and Mcconnell. Sargent Foster.
two corporais and squads five and
nix. Ian IN squad five. II IL some
thing that every 0ss should know.
bat befors we start to our boats ev-
cry one must have on his or her life
pressrver tied securely on their per-
son.
We are not on . regular trans
port. but on n British passenger boat.
We have . very good boat. and II Is
sure . monstrous big one. There is
something over one thousand Of US
boys on board. besides the first class
passengers. The most Of the passen-
gers are English people and are very
interesting to talk to. There IL one
little English lassie that I have be-
come quite friendly With. and II sure
helps to pass away the time. She has
told me all about her country and !
have told her all about mine. The
boat We are on. 20 one OF the sailors
says. has made fifty-seven succsss-
full trips since the war started.
We did not tarry long In New
York. We got to Hoboken At . .. m.
got right on the ferry. came across
and went right on board the boat
We left the harbor sometime that
afternoon. Before We got on board.
however. We all lined up and were
presented with two cards. One Of
them was Q berth card and the other
. meal card. My berth card reads
something like this: "BerthinE card.
Section One. Deck Lower. Berth No.
s<." Then my meal card something
like this: Dining room No. 2. ~"
Deck AT. Third Sitting Table. Nod.
Meal hours: Breakfast. 7:30 .. m:
Dinner. l2:3o ,. m: Supper. s:%s
.. m" Then at p. m. they serve
cheese sandwiches and tea.
Our meals on the whole are very
good. For breakfast We generally
have "porridge." hot biscuits. link
saunage and coffee--but the biscuits
are not like the ones you make
Then for dinner. II 10 light bread.
roast beef or pork. potatoes. sbout
two kinds Of envelops. or ~ we call
II vegetables. and water to drink. OF
course ws have butter and jam with
On meals. Thsn for supper ws have
cold neat ee some kind. German
frtsd sDuAs. light tesad. cake and
cannes fpuit. aad plsaty es tea---and
ths tsa b Bagllsh an1 Il y sure
eeod. ooiyou - We fase vesy we'll.
We have eu,ts . tins q pight 70
find eus wsy - our s)oeD1ng euas-
ten. tseayps q . e'eseek si1 iishts
srs atAss put eut o. eovese6. 40
thsrs y ~ . light h s1ght - say
~ ~ lssks. Ysu saa't svsa Msht
. 0ateA.
q esstaioly vss . great siGAt vhsa
~ veso sDolns eut es New Yest