Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-12
DEAF OF COUNTRY
DOING THEIR BIT
Unable to Enlist, They Are
Sending AmbuIances to
France.
GALLAUDET BOY DRIVER

or the country, wishing to DO thelr
bit" and not being able to enlist.
have collected nearly $4,000 to send
three ambulances TO France, and al
ready have sent the first ambulance.
The car is driven by John X. Cloud,
who attended the normal class at Gal
laudet College last year, where he was
widely known for his ability on the
Gallaudet foot ball and basket ball
teams.
How the ship on which he went to
France was attacked by submarine.
one of which was believed sunk, to-
gether with other interesting details
of his trip. are contained in letters re-
ceived from Mr.. Cloud by friends in
this city and here published for the
first time
1t is declared especially fitting that
the deaf have sent ambulances TO
France. since the manual language of
the deaf originally came from France.
The ambulance now being driven by
Mr.. Cloud is named after the Able de
IEpee. who originated the manual Ian
SuaSe.
Started at Gallaudet.
The movement to send an ambulance
to France was started at Gallaudet
College by Miss Sarah Porter. an in
structor. The driver of the first am
bulance is not deaf. but is the son
OF deaf parents. His father is Dr..
James II. Cloud of ST. Louis. Both his
father and mother Were students at
Gallaudet.
The ambulance committee. which has
raised nearly $4,000 among the deaf
people of the United States. and will
send two more embulances to France
shortly. is composed of DIR. Percival
Hall. treasurer; H. d. Drake. +. H.
Hughes and r. J. Stewart. DR.. Hall
is president of Gallaudet College, Mr.
Drake and Mr.. Hughes are Instructors
at the college. and Mr.. Stewart is
clerk in the census bureau. The last
three members OF the committee are
deaf.
Mr.. Clouds Letters.
The first letter from Mr.. Cloud. dated
June 3. at sea. is as follows:
To-day is Thursday and the fifth day
out. had no idea this pond was so
large. We are slightly more than half
way across; land at Bordeaux Monday.
THE first morning out I was awak-
ened and or deck thalf dressed) with
life saver. all in about half minute.
Was awakened by shouts. running feet
and a report. | jumped up and looked
out of my portfolio and saw one of our
boats being lowered into the water.
That was the cue for me to slip on
something and beat it up on deck. II
was awfully foggy and our fog whistle
about everybody else on deck carrying
life belts and all greatly excited. The
boat had stopped. but we could not
ind out what the trouble was. In about
half an hour the boat returned to the
ship and was pulled back on board. The
story came out then. | learned We had
run down a small fishing skiff with one
man in it. l suppose he was drowned.
The report which / had heard was
caused by the throwing of life saver
to the man and which had a bomb at
tachment on il which was supposed TO
attract his attention by the report
Next day we had some more excite
ment- Two ships appeared together
way Off on the horizon. Believe me.
that brought everybody on deck. We
went of our course and went around
them. The crew is taking no chances
whatever
Yesterday at pm. we had lifeboat
drill bell was rurg and every one
had to appear in assigned places ON
deck with their life belts on. This was
good drill, but l hope we never have
to use it.
'All lights out at Sunset-not even
smoking on the decks-tin plates are
put into our port holes 10 keep any
ray of light from getting out. a watch
kent pb and day