Mexico weekly ledger., 1917-10-25
CAMP CODY SOLDIERS ARE
GUARDED VERY CLOSELY

CAMP COD1 SOLDlERS AXE
GUARDED VERY CLOSELY
The following excerpts of letter
received this week by Mrs. E. S.
Wilson from her son, Lieutenant
Bryan Wilson, now stationed at Ft.
Cody, New Mexico, are of interest:
Sunday, Captain Boyce, of my
company, two other captains of the
regiment, one of the lieutenants and
Lieutenant Ellis and myself of E
Company, hired a Hudson Super-Six
and started out for the day. We
stopped at Haywood Hot Springs, a
Recommendation for the water which
the driver gave US, he having stopped
there a couple of weeks. Then we
went on to Henley, where the Chino
Copper Co. (Guggenheim's) has a
big mill. The driver having worked
there he was able to show US through
the plant thoroughly and we saw
about all there was to see. 1t was
quite interesting as he explained the
different ways they were using to
extract copper and why.
"Then we went to Santa Rita and
saw the mine. 1t is all open. They
simply dig off the top and then get
out the ore and rock with steam,
shoyels. l asked how long they had
worked the mine and the driver laugh
ed and said 500 years. The Indians
worked it before the Spaniards came
and there is yet lot more.
"After eating some sandwiches at a
Chinaman's, we motored through Ell
Centio to Fort Bayard. This most
interesting place is where Uncle Sam
sends the military consumptives. We
only drove around the reservation and
did not get out.
"Silver City, the objective, was next
hand we got out and stretched for an
hour. 1t used to be live spot, but
there is mighty little doing now. The
military authorities are watching its
waking up and will probably put a
stop to its saloons and other side-line
ulcers if they get very prominent.
'Deming is dry and quite necessa-
rily SO. The taxi drivers are afraid to
take the soldiers to find women--for
the most part because it means the
loss of the license, $100 fine or six
months Imprisonment, or both. AL
so, if they haul men back to camp and
the provost marshal finds liquor in
the car the driver is responsible and
loses his license. So good many CT
them are not very keen to carry the
soldiers around the country.
81 don't know how much liquor
finds its way into camp, but certainly
the men do not show up drunk and
that is very important.
"No women are allowed in camp
except officers wives and they only
between 8 o'clock a. m. and 6 p. m.
and for this the officer must secure a
pass and bring his wife in himself or
have her brought in by some male rel
ative. We may bring party of
friends to see the camp, but must get
a pass for a certain number and
come in with them.
81 am not drilling this week, but
am on duty in charge of the incinera-
tor, garbage cans, kitchen, mess hail,
street, latrines and bath houses.
From a sanitary standpoint, you
know, and have to inspect all, see
ing that everything is clean. The
men have bad habit of not moving
their boxes, ETC., when they sweep, but
aside from that my inspection this
morning showed only the following:
One apple core and two pieces of
pealing in the street; one squad-tent
with an undershirt and drawers hung
on ropes to dry Che probably did not
know he should not do that; one
squad-tent with wash-pan, soap and
towel on the outside. Pretty good,
isn't it?
"Rumors point to my going into the
Depot Brigade. If so, do not know
when shall go to France. Not soon
anyway.
"Had horrible dust-storm yester-
day and another is blowing up. Yes
terday's filled everything in my tent
Even my tightly closed trunk showed
the contents to be dusty this morn
ing"