The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-03
Camp Dodge. Ia, Sept. %, 1917
Wy

ART MALoNEY..
Camp Dodge. Ia. Sept. 2s, 1917.
G. w. Wilkinson,
Fargo, N. D.
Dear Friend: No doubt you re-
ceived the postal card sent
few days ago, saying would write
a letter telling you as best I could
the way a soldier has to drill and so
on. l arrived here with the rest OF
the boys from North Dakota. and
some points in Minnesota as far
down as Staples. where No. 10 on the
Northern Pacific was changed into a
special train with dining car. ana
where we received our dinner. we
did not get off the cars we crawled
on at Fargo. until we reached Mime
apolis, where they backed up into the
yards. We had the same cars all the
way through to Camp Dodge. Had
a Jolly time all the way from Mime
apolis to Camp Dodge, though. A
bunch Of us formed a singing club
and sang for three hours without
stopping, and then at each town we
get off and sang and shook hands
with all the folks, mostly girls, and
told them we were going to get the
Kaiser.
Some of the girls met us at the
station or at different stations with
eats, and believe me. they didn't last
long among 376 men. b. -
They separate the men into differ
ent companies as soon as they regis
ter, being IL companies up to L, the
machine gun, headquarters and sup
ply companies, making hfteen com
panies in a regiment, this being the
352nd regiment. Have been drilling
the past few days and like 1t pretty
we'll, but the first three days
thought would die.
/ am among good bunch of fell
lows here. was. the first picked for
the supply company. going in as
bookkeeper.
Say, if you can spare any Of those
magazines up there, / would appre-
ciate it by reading them, and passing
them on to some other chap. Excuse
me for writing on both sides of the
paper, but paper costs like -four;
s52nd Infantry, N. A. Supply Co.
(Formerly with the Fargo post
ofice).
From Somewhere in France" and
under date of Sept. 3, Lawrence OIL
win, former student at the Agri-
cultural college who left his work in
his Junior year to join the United
States colors, writes to his mother,
wife of e. c. Olwin. chief clerk OF
the railway postal service in Fargo.
The letter follows in part:
II got my first mail today, Sept. 3,
and will try to write as much as
can. I'm in perfect health, so don't
worry about that. The climate here
is moderate so far with quite a little
rain. don't know how cold it will
get this winter. but that doesn't
bother me.
I'VE might have a good time here
IL we only understood the language,
but we don't It's hard TO see so
many people and still not be able to
talk to them. They are in the same
boat though, so guess It's about
even.
"The first thing I think Of is how
the agriculture here compares with
our own. The land is all cut up into
small tracts Of a few acres and all
work is done by hand. They use the
crudest piows and drive oxen mostly
in the fields All the land Is old and
the chief fertilizer used is sea-weed
which is washed up on the beach.
Everything seems about Is years be-
hind the times compared to our
methods of farming.
"D- letter came today and
she asks about the very things that
we cannot write about. She will
have 10 walt till come home and
then I'll tell all about my experiences
until everyone is tired.
Mother, would feel about 100
per cent better If / knew you were
not worrying so much. This can't
last forever. you know. Tell Edwin
that we sing only three songs here.
They are Mother. MY Little Girl,
and There's a Long, Long Trail
That's Winding"
Have somebody write at least
twice a week if you have time and
send magazines and papers.
Lawrence"