Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-23
EVERYONE ON THIS
OTTAWA Boys SHIP
SkEENFOR FIGHT
IRA HUNDLEY WRITES FREE
TRAOER.JOURNAL OF ACTiVI-
TIES ON LEAGUE tSLAND--ENvY
SAILORS PULLING OUT FOR
ACTION.

Ira Hundley. son OF Mr. and Mrs j.
w. Hundley. of Twin Bluffs, now
part of the U. S. S. Massachusetts
lighting force, writes the Free Trader
journal interestingly of his expert
cnces in the service of Old Glory. AT
League Island, where he is stationed
Hundley says all is activity. ships ar
rive at all hours and depart ready for
action. leaving bunch of detected
sailors and marines behind who regret
they too are not on their way to mix il
with the German foe. His letter says
Philadelphia, Pa,
Editor Free Trader.Journal:
Have been at League Island Navy
Yard week and during that time
have had good many boyish dreams
realized. Gould hardly begin to tell
you all the wonderful and very inter.
esting things have seen in that time.
Every one is rushing to and fro with
a quick step and light heart in lieu
of the possibility of active naval duty
in the European war zone. Ships are
coming in night and day from all parts
OF the world to get in fighting trim.
As soon as they are made ready they
are loaded to the bows with ammuni
ton and supplies and then disappear
"a q In xxrn no
go no one knows. 1t sure is sight to
see the boys who stand by the rails
Of these big battleships as they throw
off their lines Every one of them
has smile on his face which turns
into big grin as the boys who will
come later stand on the dock and
cheer fer all their worth 1t is an
awful feeling to see them go too, and
be left behind. Some of the boys or
rather most of them say, why can't
we go now?" and why don't they
hurry up and send us?" But they are
hurrying all the machine shops and
foundries are working night and day
to get the ships ready in the quickest
possible time.
Philadelphia is bubbling over with
patriotism. There are thousands Of
flags flying thruout the city. Prac-
tically every house has at least one
flag and others have a flag at every
window
Recruits are coming in from all Ov
er the country and am glad to say
that the majority of them are fine
young fellows who have enlisted with
no other motive than to serve the u.
$. in her hour of need.
Only marines and sailors come here,
as the whole island is used for naval
purposes exclusively. The marines
are fine branch of the service and
have earned very worthy name They
have a large barracks here capable OF
accommodating several thousand men.
but with the steady flow Of recruits
coming in every day they are very
much over crowded On every first
class battleship there are two com
panies OF marines or about two hun
dred and eighty men. That is be-
sides the sailors which make up the
ships crew
There 10 about as much chance OF
spy getting into this navy yard as
there ID OF a minnow going up Niagara
Falls Only men in uniform are al
lowed in the gates with the eXcep-
ton of government employees and it is
said they are under constant surveil'
ance by secret agents. Nights when
return TO the yards from Philadelphia
am stopped by the sentinels on an
average of fifteen times between the
gate and my ship, which IS at present
the Massachusetts When a sailor
leaves the yards he must leave his
name with the guards at the gate,
then when he returns he must be iden-
titled. After he is identified he Is CIV
en- the countersign and allowed to pass
thru. But that Is only the beginning
every hundred yards he is challenged
by sentinel with loaded rifle ana
1 fixed bayonet II the unfortunate sailor
should get excited and forget the coun-
tersign after he has passed one or TWO
ports he is in bad way for then ne
4 cannot 20 in either direction and VIII
have to submit to arrest. The OH
GERS realize that they must be eX-
ceedingly careful.
IRA HUNDLEY.
y. s. g. Massachusetts, care Post
master, New York City.