Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-07-16

Forces in France, to his mother,
who was Mrs. w. d. Mann. Lieuten-
ant Newsom was one OF the first
young men to enlist in Paris and he
has been promoted time and again,
he has suffered from shellshock, pto-
maine poisoning, trench fever and
wounds from exploding SHELLS but he
comes up grim and smiling after every
attack ready to go to the front as soon
as possible. He writes:
90. The work beyond the lines
is beyond belief. The roads are
e packed every minute Tor the twenty
: four eventful hours of the day with
vehicles of every possible sort. Long
grey limousines with their loads oil
3 brass hats"-huge motor lorries
: throbbing and rumbling as they wait
their turn-long snake-like columns
of guns from the field piece with its
six.horse team to the 'heavies' drawn
: by artctors, looking more like houses
in their canvas covers than like guns.
Ammunition wagons increase the
columns and lastly, but far from the
lease important, the infantry is pour
in gin daily along every road. The
traffic is really so intense that police
are posted at every crossing; many
roads are kept for up traffic to the
line. and as many others for down
traffic to the rear. Near our village
two of these roads meet. passed
. there a couple of days ago, and had
to wait for some time. The whole
place seemed to me the perfect rep
: resentation of the war. To the right
= unending miles of troops forever 60
ling forward out of sight over the
nearby rise towards the mutter Of
& the guns--to the left convoy OF
ambulances.
I'VE are forever feeding the guns
Night after night, the wagons are
loaded and we swing off in the dark
in our turn passing TO the right
and over the crest. Away off in front
the sky is lighted up with flashes
turning the low-hanging clouds TO a
bright red-twinkling up and down
the line without a pause; from afar
off the rumble covers the jinkle Of
chains and the clatter Of hoofs. AS
we go the traffic diminishes; the road
grows worse; the lorries turned off at
the last village-hardly village to
be seen now-only name remains
to cover a heap of bricks and mortar.
. Still on and we can near the dry
:. rattle OF machine guns. No smoking
: is allowed now as we pass through
4. the remains OF anc tier village. The
$ policeman at the crossroads gives us
!. our directions and the convoy moves
3 off again. This tire II Is along 4
r sunl.en road. a shadow moves TO us
<. OFT fthe aarkncSs-we have reach
IA ed the dump and the unloading M
9 .nonCes The bnt,elie sare just "a
front of us and the rumble head In
the distance has become mighty
- crash One nc'ock-unloadins fin
= ishcd the mules ted. Get moInted.
: and we are away. Icy cold. thici
!. drizzle and bitter wind The roat
heavy with mud is pitted with shell
holes into which the mules and
y wagons stumble and sway. The pace
Le Is dead.slow, but we are heading to
# wards our billets and sleep-every
q body Is cheerful. We are following
q down Toad-ahead of us stretche
- long, crawling column of limbers
wagons, ration and water carts. w
q now move a hundred yards or so ant
n have to halt. Urgent inquiries go VI
r the line. After a time the answer
, comes back wagon with broker
wheel or some similar reply. NJ
q good can be done By worrying 50
again through another ruined an,
,, smashed village, back 10 the goo
road. Behind us there is a sCreecl
- and a clash--in the dawn's half ligh
we can make out the shell whicl
q turns over the battered remnants q
the village. Again and again the
n come, but we are out of It. windin
II up the slope. II is too dark for tn
Hun to see us and unless he depart
ID from the usual course OF events "
II are safe. Mile after mile we put $,
III tween ourselves and the line. To tn
81 left now from the main road an
down in the valley can be seen tn
red tiled roofs of our billets
-. Had quite a well employc
night, last night. left our presen
billet early in the afternoon with
long string of wagons and went I
the dump TO load UP with ammun
ton. or course the dump was pacl
ed with every possible kind Of vel
VI icle that can take ammunition. r
give you an idea--f had to wait o
the road for over two hours befor
ii my first wagon was able to start Loaf
81 ing. They crawled along under tn
moon, up to the batteries TO UNLOAD
n Both sides were fairly lively and n
we drew nearer the Hun started I
III "~~~-->---~----~---~-~-->