The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-11-24

Mr.. Bieker came in on the evening /
train of the 10th, not returning to /
Camp Funston until Wednesday, the !
18th Sunday was spent with home /
folks, while the first of the week was
mostly given to work in the General 1
Office. 1t was good to have him back !
on the campus and at his former job. !
His new uniform helped US to remen- |
Der his service for Uncle Sam.
One of the great changes of the
past few days is found IN the General
Office. Miss Prussner has advanced
to Mr.. Bieker's work, Miss White to
Miss Prussner's and Miss Fitz Hugh
has come in to take Miss Whites
work. Miss Georgia Fitz Hugh comes
from Kansas City, Kansas, where she
has been employed at the City Hall
She spent some time before this with
the Kansas State Board of Review.
The appearance of the room since the
addition of the wood work vanished
and the new desk rails is very pleas
ing. Most of all is the temperature
of the room changed by the success
full connection of the heat to the new
building.
Excellent Letter from Sites
Camp Grant, Illinois,
November Is, 1917.
To Hays and F. H. N. in general; and
Ursula Finch in particular:
Subject: Ny army experiences.
1. MY army experience dates
from my entry into Uncle Sans ser
vice on June 1, 1917 at Fort Logan,
Colo. / expressed my preference for
the engineer branch of the service.
remained at Fort Logan about a week
doing the fatigue work (my share)
of the camp, and getting a little bit
| of drill. Of course a mans standing
in the army is rated quite bit on his
date of enlistment. At first he gets
the worst jobs that are to be found.
When he has creditably gotten
| through that stage of business the
newest recruit takes his place. Ad-
vancement is here, for anybody who
tries, and tactfulIy does his duty.
2. I left Fort Logan and all the
familiar faces that I knew had
seen Lester Wilson, Maurice Craig,
Lawrence Oldham-on special train
| bound for parts unknown. There's
a sort of queer expectant feeling that
goes along with a bunch of men who
| are under orders to go they know not
where. It was sort of a glorious ad-
venture for me. We entrained at
Fort Logan about three p. m. on Fri
| day. We went through Denver, and
had a Union Pacific engine ahead.
We went north. l happened to be
seated near the front of the foremost
car on my section, so was soon
picked as one of the acting K. Ps.
Kitchen poIice) for the journey. l
may say right here that for trips of
more than twenty-four hours dura-
ton Uncle Sans soldiers are given
Pullman transportation three men
| L
car in which were located our COM
missary stores. We K. Ps. prepared
lunch that evening. We had plenty
of army bread (and that is good
bread.) We opened about three doz-
en- or more cans of corned beef, cut
the contents into slices and put them
in a sheet. When the train stopped
for water about six o'clock, We got
out with two big cans (about twenty
! gallons went up to the engine, and
had the engineer fill them with water
mixed with steam. Sure was hot. We
took them back into our car, dumped
in some coffee, a little later put in
some cream (evaporated milky and
sugar. We also had some fruit des-
ert. Ready to serve. So we an
nounced supper. Every man had a
mess kit. So a couple of US carried
can of coffee down the aisle, pass
ing out a cupful to each man, others
carried meat, bread, fruit, etc. We
soon had the whole bunch, two hun
dred and nine fed. Then we placed
another can of hot water, which we
got from the engine when we got
our coffee water, in the end OF one
car ION the platform between coach
esq to be used for the men to wash
their kits. Soon everything was done
| OH oil RI
them out the car door. That evening
at about nine o'clock we were al
Laramie, Wyoming. Next morning
we were still going west. At Green
River we were put behind an 0. 5. l.
engine. That was just after break
fast and then we learned that oul
destination was to be Vancouver Bar
racks, Wash. The mountain scenery
was beautiful. We crossed the
Shoshone River at American Falls
Next morning We served breakfas
At eleven o'clock we pulled into Van
couver, after a observation-disclosures
tripS down the Columbia Gorge from
the Dalles to Portland.
8. On June 20, after a week Of
inaction, we were assigned to on,
companies in the 4th engineers.
landed in Company D. Then began
= our summers drill. We were gIVel
infantry drill at first, soon we wert
given an hour each day for knot ty
ing. After that We had something
new every day all summer. We bull
span bridges of various types, 1earnet
how to arrange the timbers and ii
secure knots. We also broke in
brand new set OF government shovel
digging trenches in the reservation
There was quite a rivalry betweel
companies. We also learned to bull
ponton bridges on the Columbia riv
er The first of August was mad
private first class. A detail froT
each company of the regiment wa
put to work constructing a new riff
range at Vancouver lake. We starr
ed on a series of hikes, practic
marches out into the country, wake
for about fifty minutes, ten minut
rest, back again. Then we were civ
en- our. first shot of paratyphoid ant
toxin just under the vaccination @
our left arms. / went on guard Sur
= day at one o'clock, September 9tl
Came off next day just in time t
pack up to go to the rife range. "