Mexico weekly ledger., 1917-10-04
WHOM MILDRED
PLEASED WITH THE
LIFE IN NAVY
Audraia Be yat Newport Naval Sta
ton Tells Of Experiences in Co.
ing East and in Quarters

William viviOn. Of this city, has re-
eeived an interesting letter from his
nephew, Yivion Mildred. an Audrain
county boy. training for the U. s.
Navy at Newport. The leeter fol-
lows and gives an interesting insight
into the lads experiences;
Dear Uncle Will:
NEWPORT, R. L., Sept. s6, 1911.
i will try and write TO you at last.
1t is a very hard matter TO find time
to writeaas we are kept busy drilling
in the day time and our only spare
moments are at night. As there are
no lights in our shaeks we cannot
write then.
have been here n month today
| do not expect to be here two weeks
longer as we will likely be sent 10 some
navy yard for more training after
we leave here, and will probably be
sent to Panama before the winter is
over. There we will be given actual
practice. There is where the rifle
ranges are and our commander said
that we would have plenty of target
practice upon our arrival.
They gave US a lecture the other
day and told us that we would os
leaving within a week OF two. We
were given our blue uniforms yester-
day. Previous to that time VI had
to wear white ones. The blue uni
forms are good ones. | received a
blue serge, but ONE of the men have
been given broadcloth suits. They
look mighty nice, but one thing j
don't like about the pants is that you
have fifteen buttons to work with
everytime you desire to remove them.
/ will first tell you about my trip
from st. Louis. / sure did have
some trip and saw lots of the coun-
try. We travelled two days and two
nights and stopped only for water and
something to eat. These Eastern
rail roads sure r easy to ride over
and our train made IS miles an hour
part of the time. Most of the roads
in the East have at least two tracks
and some more than that. They also
have troughs in the center Of the
tracks at various points. These are
filled with water and the engines
scoop the water into their tank while
running. 1t stopping. There
were II coaches on our train and it
sure was a fine and easy trip. This
Eastern country doesn't look near as
good as the Central West.
Newport is an old-fashioned New
England town and faces the Allan
tic Ocean. The streets are very mar
row and run in all directions. The
walks are very narrow and the hous-
es are built right against them.
The people still keep up the old Eng
lish styles and ride in coaches.
This training station is located on
an island and has been very much
enlarged since the war. | understand
the National Army is goin gto have
men trained here after the navy boys
W. must retire at nine and rise at
five in the morning, taking a bath
and putting on clean clothes in order
to keep free from disease. This is one ,
very great advantage Over the army. ]
We must ever shine our shoes every. /
morning. s
As for our meals, we have plenty I
and have different things at the va
rious meals, but we never get any, ,
thing sweet to eat. The eating is 4
along the meat line. Our q
room holds about 1000 men at d
one time and we stand up to eat. Y
We are lined up and march in.
The boys here at the camp are {
very happy and think nothing of the 5
war, although some of them become
homesick. | have never been a bit '
nomesick. Vivion Mildred. n