Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-10-02
Letter From Band Boy.

members of the Second Regiment
band is contained in a recent letter
. written by Frank L. Carswell, band
man, to Falstaff O. Satter, now with
the Boone County Democrat. The
letter is as follows:
Deming, N. NJ, Sept. 19y1917.
| Dear Falstaff: Received your let
| ter several days ago and thank you
for your well wishes. We have been
experiencing some very rainy wealth
err lately and consequently the band
has not done much rehearsing. We
put in several hours yesterday,
| playing in the new regimental hos
pital, but were finally driven out by
the carpenters who stuck it out.
The Boone company arrived in
good shape after speedy ride over
the Santa Fe, and are now very well
located, just three companies away
from us. The band marched to the
railroad yards the evening they ar
rived and played them down Cody
avenue to their new quarters.
Eppels Senior orchestra played a
dance for the first battalion Of the
Second regiment Saturday evening,
and everyone present voted that the
people here are more than cordial
and that their southern hospitality
is something to be proud of. They
treated the boys royalty and all con-
cerned are looking to the next
dance, which is to be given next
week. About seventy-five couples
were present ard all voted the first
dance splendid success.
A large theater has been erected
here, accommodating about 1,50O
people, and the formal opening took
place Monday evening. Teal's mu-
steal company presented "The Time,
the Place and the Girl" and were
we'll received. Eppel's Senior or
chestra furnished the music and
will continue to do SO throughout
the season.
A stock company has been formed
here to build street railway
company throughout the camp, but
owing to conflicting traffic condi-
tions, nothing has been accomplished
thus far.
Headquarters company has pur-
chased enough lumber to build up
the tent walls, and our company
now resembles the ones at Browns
vile. Just as we had finished max
ing the frame for the wall of our
tent, the laundry man brought OAR
rel Eppeps trousers-all cleaned,
creased and ready to wear, for the
opening of Teal's show. Darrell
hung them high and dry, out Of the
way, on the frame work of the walls
and forgot all about them until a
miniature hurricane happened along
with an abundance of sand and
dust, and took those trousers about
a hundred yards heavenward. When
they were in the sky they resembled
German sausage balloon, and the
gymnastics they went through would
have shamed a contortionist. Dar-
rel finally recovered the trousers
over in the vicinity of the horse COR
raj, but they were in no shape to
be worn when calling on lady
friends, and he sent them back to
the laundry to be "redone.'
Gale Fitch has sold the monkey to
one of the Nebraska boys and it is
missed by the boys of our company.
The band is at this time without a
mascot.
Local people of Swedish descent
have invited all Swedes to a picnic.
Those Of our company who are not
Swedes have been trying to get the
Swede boys to teach them few
words of the language, so that they
can attend, as there will be chicken,
ice cream, ETC., on the menu.
On Sunday the boys received their
sixth paratyphoid injection and all
of the old men received another vac
cination for smallpox. Up to now
no ill effects are noticeable, but all
will be glad when the "hypo" sea-
son has closed.
Am sending you a local paper of
camp news that will no doubt inter-
est you. The band has to leave for
town at 6 o'clock to play for flu
neral march. A member of the
quartermasteri corps died yesterday
and the funeral is in charge of Chap
lain Shook of Webster City.
Must get ready to leave, so will
close for this time. Wishing your