The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-01-10
UPTON GIVES IMPRESS
S|0NS OF France
MinOt Man Who is Assisting in Work
for the War Tells of the Queer
Customs of France-He's Learn.
ing the Language.

Two interesting letters have recent
ly been received from F. C. Upton of
the Minot Motor Sales Co., who is
now in France where he was sent by
a New York firm of exporters engag-
ed III selling tractors to the Allies. In
his letter written Dec. 8, on shipboard
he says that the trip across has been
without incident, the ocean being in
tranquil mood, the enormous waves
resembling nothing more closely than
the rolling prairies of North Dakota.
There were 648 passengers aboard,
thirty-five states being represented.
Among the passengers were young la
dies from some of the richest and
most exclusive families Of New York.
They had bot their own motor trucks
and had been specially trained to OPP
crate them. A distinguished Belgian
general was on board, as well as many
noted singers orators, Salvation
Army, Red Cross, Y. M. C. A. and Y.
w. C. A. workers. An entertainment
was held one evening going across
and after that ended an auction was
held, various articles being auctioned
including hat, which brot SIS,
pocket knife which the Belgian gen.
eral had purchased for his son who
had been killed at the front brot SOS,
and book containing the autograph
of every passenger aboard brot $26.
While passing thru the danger zone
the passengers slept with their clothes
on and life preserver strapped about
their waists. In another letter writ
&nv DE- ho -
landing in France and the many
strange sights which greetd them
from every side. He wrote: "We
landed in ---- on Monday, Dec.
the 10th, at 4 o'clock, just as they
said we would when we left New
York. This you understand is ac-
cording to the French idea entirely
to land no sooner, no later, and if we
could have landed two days sooner
there would be no use because it
would be ahead of the time for us to
land and that would be reason enough
of course. We were all thankful that
we landed at ALL" He writes that the
French are just as old in their ways Of
doing things as the country is itself.
In one city there was a stock yard
within one block of the principal rail-
road depot. At the stock yard every
hog was so white and clean that they
had the appearance of being scrubbed.
The cattle were tied separately. There
was no evil smells arising from the
stock yards but the streets were dirty
and ill-kept. He writes: 81 saw q
team Of mules hitched to mammoth
two-wheeled cart and there was not a
rope or a strap of harness of any
kind on them. They pulled the cart
by means of yoke. The cart would
hold more than any dray wagon in
Minot, however, the frame swung low
and piled high with barrels Of wine,
never saw so many drinking places as
here in France. The farms are small
but well farmed, even the fence cor
ners have something useful growing
in them, if nothing more than some
grass for the goats which abound
everywhere. | wonder where all the
Percheron horses come from, as J
haven't seen one yet am favorably
impressed with what l have seen of
France so far. The peaceful valleys
with their old stone houses that
give one a restful feeling, when one
looks at them and compares them
with the northwest" He writes that
he likes his new duties immensely. His
manager is a man from Des Moines.
He is busily engaged in studying
French and has working agreement
with a party who teaches him French
in exchange for instruction in Eng
fish. The French are eager to learn
to speak English. The sight of air
planes over the city is an everyday
occurrence. He had seen no milk and
very little butter since he got to
France. They have plenty of meat,
but no white bread whatever. They
have plenty Of war bread.
Mr.. Upton has promised to write a
series of special letters for the Inde-
pendent during his stay abroad. One
of Mr.. Upton's nephews is an aviator
and is now in France and his address
has been forwarded to Mr.. Upton,
who as yet is not aware that he has
kith or kin on European soil, There
is bound to be some surprise party
when the two meet.