Mexico Missouri message., 1917-09-13
A Molino Boy
In The Army
Son OF MIR. and Mrs. II. II. Stuart
Doesn't Like The Army Much,
"But It's Mighty Interesting"
Fort Douglass, Utah, Sept. 2, 1917


writing you as long as l possibly can,
We have been just too busy to do
much writing. So many men are com.
ing in that it is quite job to look
after them. l don't have the time
used to have, either, for l am assis.
tant supply sergeant, carpenter. me.
chanic, and general trouble fixer,
you see l have a pretty hard lob.
We don't know when we will leave
here; everybody is expecting to go a,
any moment. You can't get officia
information as to when we we will
go. There's a new rumor every da,
about it, but nothing comes of it.
have gotten so never pay attention
to the rumors.
Well, how are you folks? It's Sc
long since l heard it seems that
don't know anything any more about
you, or how you are getting on. An!
news will be appreciated, so don
hesitate to write anything, it will be
enjoyed, l tell you!
l certainly wish l had not had t,
leave Iowa; was just getting starte
nicely when l left. my credit wa
good for any reasonable amount; hat
a Studebaker roadster and it was
paid for; six head of hogs; two calves
and, in general, a real good chance
That chance is gone now. OF course
can get the stuff all back again,
but l can never get the same chanc
had before. just wish you folks
could see Iowa. up where l was, am
sure you would want to stay there
too. Good place to live and make {;
living. Wish Dad could look at that
country. People seem to prosper ant
be happy if they half try,
Edna and Theo like it there, don't
they? It's the first place I will heat
for when I get out of the Army
I'm saving money, and will see tha
you make it all right. But it's hard
ly any use to make promises while
in the Army. Still, I guess there /
not much chance of me getting killet
for l don't have to drill or fight, tho
sometimes l may be in more danger
Gus places than those who fight. III
ahead of them, maybe, building en-
tanglements or other work of tha
kind.
Don't know whether I'll get, (
keep this job, twas just the othe
day that the first sergeant recommen-
ded me for war photographer. I
would be quite job. At present
get $500 month; the other Job
pays more, ;hope I get it, but it's
more dangerous.
We have about 5000 men here and
there are lots of interesting sights to
be seen. Sunday I was down looking
at the trenches our Company has
made. One might think there is
not much to atrench but he would be
mistaken; there is much to them. Be.
sides the plain trench there are dug
outs and passages running all thru
the grounds. Back in these passages
which run from the trenches are
rooms for all purposes, for the re-
serve soldiers, doctors, officers
wounded, and for everything. One
can we'll say that. this is an under
ground war.
We have bayonet drill, too; they
consider that most important to learn
as they use the bayonet in this war
more than it has ever been used be-
fore. Up to three weeks ago we ha
the old United States drill, now We
copy our drill from the French and
English.
l can't say that like the army
yet, but it's mighty interesting, and
I've not regretted joining when l did
One thing sure I'm going to get
away from the army just as soon az
the war is over. Never like it we'll
enough to stay in time of peace.
Could write for a month about the
army. One has to be soldier every
minute of his life while he is SOL
dier. So you see it soon gets old to
fellow
Fort Douglass is situated upon a
plateau above Salt Lake City and
from up here one can see all over
that interesting city, and clear
across the valley to Great Salt Lake
and beyond to the mountains. The
scenery is beautiful Beyond the
mountains lies the Great American
Desert, the largest desert in the Uni
ted States Then to the east are