davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1918-01-31

same way. In france tney go
to the right. as we do. They
have no air on the freight trains
so you see the brakeman has to
be on the job all the time. In
England the freight cars are
quite small as compared to ours.
The largest one hauls IL tons, they
remind one of circus wagons
more than any thing else and
they look a good deal like them.
and are bout that size. Each
car is equipped with a link and a
hook to couple them together
and they have bumpers en- each
side of a car with springs in
them and also have a screw on
the hook so when they hook
them up they screw up the slack
between the cars. They only
have three men to the crew in
England the driver stoker and
the guard which corresponds
with our engineer, fireman and
conductor. The engineer runs
train. They have no motion
signals at all. They have a red
and green flag by day and a red
and green lantern by night.
This lantern resembles our bulls
ego lantern very much, it has
three glasses on it. When they
want to start they turn it green
and when they want to stop they
turn it red and white when they
want to walk about. said they
have no motion signals but | was
mistaken, they have few; and
they resemble our go-ahead and
back-up signals but they mean
the opposite directions.
In France they have five men
to a crew same as we have.
The conductor has the cab next
to the engine where he rides,
one brakeman about the center
of the train and one on the rear
or second cab. They call the
conductor the chef. But the
funniest of all is the French sys-
tenn of signaling. They use
lights similar to the English but
when a train pulls up to a yard
the engineer blows a long whis-
tie signal then the yardmaster
comes out and plays a tune on a
bugle so he will know what track
to come down. Same way when
they get ready to stop or start,
the conductor will play a tune
and then the rear lreakman will
play the same piece if he's ready
to go. Same way when they are
switching, the foreman will
stand down the yard with the
list and line up the tracks and
he will play a tune on ms bugle
then the switchman will cut off
one or two or as many cars as
the tune calls for, then they will
pull back off the switch then the
foreman will play another tune
and the switchman goes under
THE cars and releases the screw
and then unlock the cars. He
will then play a tune and the
hoghead gives them a kick. 1t
takes bout five minutes to make
a switch. They have some very
fine passenger cars bout the
size of our larger street cars, but
they have three compartments to
them, first, second and third
class. In the third class cars
you sit on a wooden seat, in the
second class you have a cushion
to sit on. The only difference
between first and second are
that you have an extra'seat par
titioned off from the rest and
have curtains to pull down.
You enter the car from the side.
They have no steps on them so
when a train stops at a station
they pull up beside platform
and you enter the cars as if you
were walking thru a door. The
doors have handles and very
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1918-01-31
HEARD ON THE STREET.

First Socien Girl-There's a love-
y murderer Ter at the Jail.
Second SOdhty Girl-Isn't he per
fectly killingt
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1918-01-31
Letter from France
Somewhere in France,
December %, 1917.

Dear Bill,
received your letter only a
few days ago and this is the
first opportunity I've had to
answer. You have been the first
of the fellows to write me. |
most always ask Aunt Susie
bout you and told her to have
you write me. What makes you
write such a short letter? Boy,
do you know that the fellows
over here look forward to receiv-
ing mail with more pleasure than
they do pay day? So you people
over there should write as often
as possible.
Well old boy there's so much
to tell you and so much l can't
tell | don't know just where to
begin. When | was there last
simmer | had already enlisted.
| went back and reported to the
regi nent at st. Louis, stayed
there about a month then we
left for New York and of course
came straight across to England.
Landed at - August 10th and
stayed at a camp in England for
six days. suppose you read in
the papers where the first Ameri-
can troops marched thru the
streets of London, and believe
me it was some march too. /
think we must have marched
bout ten miles. We marched
thru the principal streets. We
marched over the Thames river
by the parliment building, past
the American Embassy, down
Piccadilly, thru Trafalga Square,
and by Buckingham Palace and
into the Kings court yard and
there he gave us a feast. Then
we marched back thru some
more famous streets to the train
and back to camp.
The following day we sailed
for France and-came straight out
to the front and here we've been
ever since. We are also the
first Americans to be under
shell fire and also the first to
come to the front. For the first
month we didn't do much but
dig bitches and make roads.
But bout the 18th of September
we took over what is called
the light railways. We haul the
ammunition. rations and sup
plies from the standard'guage up
to the reserve or third line
trenches. The railroad we oper-
ate IS a mere toy besides q regu-
Ior railroad. The engines ar
|
bout the size of a shay engine,
you remember the smallest en-
CINE the Sumter Lumber Co.
used at Electric Mills, we'll they
are just bout that size, but the
cars are quite large. They are
all gondolas and flats and very
long and you can haul a large
amount of stuff in them. They
are built after the American
style and most of the engines
are built by the Baldwin Loco
motive Works. The engines and
works are just like the engines
over there, except there's no air
on them. They use steam jams
the cars have no air, only hand
brakes so you see we have to
to stay decorate all the time.
They only use one conductor and
one brakeman to a train. The
brakeman rides between the last
two cars and the conductor bout
two cars from the engine. They
have no knuckles, only links and
pins so you see we are getting
back to the primitive over here.
The greatest novelty over here
are the railroads. The railroads
lin England and France are bout
| the same-I mean the equipment
but they operate them very
differently. All the roads are
=
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1918-01-31
a "Yank" too.
AS | said in the first part o.

Our camp is just four miles from
old Fritz's front line trenchesI
but that's not alarming at all; 1
feel just as safe as if | were
back home. Old Fritz knows we
are here for his airplanes come
over most every day. So far h,
has been very nice to US, he ha
not bombed US a single time, blu
he put a few shells in the CAM
a few days ago. He came yer
near getting our kitchen tho, bu
even at that he wasn't after on
camp at all. Airplanes are a
common round here as flies il
the summer time. Have see
three fights in the air and say
old Fritz come over and bring
down one of our war balloon
and just for that an Englisi
aviator went over and brough
down three of his. A couple o
German planes were over thi
afternoon and they were YER
low too. They were down S
low you could see the iron eros
on the wings. AS a rule the
stay very high, these two wer
the lowest I've seen.
When we first came over her
we used to go up on the hig
hills and watch the bombarc
ments at night but that soon bt
came old stuff. They surely pt
up some awful bombardment
Most of this is done at nigh
They have got guns up her
wheel to wheel and when the
cut loose it shakes the grour
and it looks as if the whole wor
is on fire; it is SO terrible | can
see how an insect can live inI
much less a human being. III
seen all kinds of sights bd
good and bad and some vel
amusing since came over hei
The French customs are hardI
get used to, some of them d
very queer.
suppose you've read someI
the accounts of the part I
American Engineers took
holding old Fritz back, well
guess we were there with the l
mitt. WishI could tell you sol
| of the details bout it but t
censor won't permit it.
According to the letters a
papers get. we are faring b
ter than the people back hon
We get plenty to eat and it is
a pretty good variety too.
also have good quarters even
we are so far from civilizati{
4
! We have a large wooden
with three big stoves in it an.
fire going in them all the tin
We have also built a bath houl
have hot and cold shower bal
any time we want it in the aft
moon. so you see we are VI
comfortably situated. Guess
will move now as we usud
move bout the time we gee
camp fixed up nice and cozy.
There's fellow here
Company D named Bob Meek
don. who was fireing on the
& O. at the time you and ! woi
ed there. Archie Norman is
Co. F of the 18th Engineers a
| think Flynt is the 18th. M
man, McClendon and a fireni
named Gum and | came over
the boat together.
I've seen some of the larg F.,
cities in France since / ca
over here. / will get a sei
day leave some time in Janu;
and I'll spend those seven d'
in Paris.
Give my best wishes to y
mother and tell her | wish |
merry Christmas and many me
| often think of her, as
know she has been a kind
God Mother to me.
There are many interest
~ 7 ,<,,1J all va, b,,f
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1918-01-31
cooL.HEApED.

sRounder a fellow with a pretty
cool head.7
Il know rAat he often puts ice on
it,
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1918-01-31
OKOLONA MESSENGER
EsTABLIsHED 1872.
' T. QUINN, Editor and Publisher.

Telephones: Residence. Ind 126:
Office: Independent %; Cumberland GO
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-13

The defenses form three great en-
trenched camps on the north, east
and southwest, the northwest side of
the city being left practically un~
guarded except for the national pro-
lection afforded by the River Seine.
1t is o,,nthe north and east that
the greatest danger Of a German at
tack. Ii q, and it is the forts on this
side of the city that have received the
mostattention. in Strengthening the de!
lenses. ~ a..
A railway more than 60 miles long
connects all the. works, and, under
shelter of the guns Of the forts, it can
keep them supplied with the necessary
ammunition and stores until ths-<very
last.
The outer, ring of forts is built on
the high ground upon which the Ger
mans in 40 placed their siege guns
and bom6arded the CITY,. Nowadays it
isn't necessary for the Huns to bring
their big guns up close, but while the
Krupp factory has been turning out
siege guns, the big Creusot factory in
France has kept pace with 1t, and
the guns whose crescendoes will an
swer the Germans, If they open a. real
bOmbardment of Paris. are as big or
bigger than any the Germans have In
vented. al.
Therefore the Germans will not find
Paris as easy a nut to crack as were
iLege and Antwerp. -
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-13

100 miles from SOC per ton to $2.40
per ton between points on the Nor
thern Pacific and for 200 miles the
increase would have been from $1.0O
to $3.50 per ton, Such an increase ON
Ignite rates with an increase OF only
3Oc to SOC per ton on bituminous coal
from Montana, Wyoming and the head
of the, lakes would have made it prac.
ttca1ly impossible to sell Ignite coal
in competition with bituminous coal
at points in this state " Ags9 Gs h..4i
Ii" Concessions Granted. .ct4u
II Immediately presented this mat,
ter to Director Prouty and. Mr..
Chambers of the railroad administra-
ton through Luther Walter of the
division of public service and account
ing. AS result of our representa-.
tons l was finally assured that our
Ignite rates. would be increased as
planned according to the
fuel administration, but that the In
creases would be made on the same
basis as all other coal rates which,
would be from soc to 45c per ton above
the Ignite rates now in existence.
Fortunate for State. t@e
+ 1T Is very fortunate for US that we!
were represented in Washington at
The time the advanced rate order was
issued. II the Ignite rates had been
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-13

(6y Newspaper Enterprise Ass'n.)
The Germans are nearer, to Paris
than they have been since 1914, when
the valiant defense of the r'rench army
under Generals Joffre and Foch saw
ed the city. a.-.,.
The present drive has not brough.
the Teutons as near the French cap
ital as they were" at the beginning OF
the war. At that time Paris was con-
sidered one of the strongest fortress
es in the world; it was absolutely i'm
pregnable, the French, military lead
ers said
But the Germans showed at Liege,
'Namur and Antwerp what their long
range siege guns could do to "impreg-
na5le" Notifications, and Paris was
not ready for siege. Accordingly the
French command devoted it's efforts
to an attempt to stem the German
advance northeast of the capital,
rather than to prepare the city for
q siege. That their choice was wise,
the battle of the Marine proved.
The French government decided to
take no chances, so on September :,
1914, it moved the capital from Paris
to- Bordeaux. When the Germans had
been driven back from the Marine, the
capital was restored to Paris
Since then the French have devoted
their best efforts to strengthening the
Notifications of the city. until now
there is no city in the world so well
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-13

protected from the possibility of cap.
ture by an invading army. 1t is as
nearly impregnable as an entrenched
camp can be made in this day Of de-
structiye 75,lnile guns and 16-incn
shells. ..
The defenses of Paris comprise a
triple line of Notifications, each one
of which the Gremans. must force be.
fore they can enter the city proper
The first, or inner circle, is that
within the shaded area on the accom-
panying map, consisting Of wall 81
miles long encircling the city. This
was built in 1S41-44, and consists Of
a nold-fashioned rampant, with a moat,
glacis, and wide military road be-
tween the slope and the surround.
ing houses. This wall is of practical
ly no military value today.
The second circle consists ;of II de-
tached forts within distance of three
miles of the original wall. These, with
the rampant, were the only defenses
of the capital in the war of 1870.
Since then an outer ring of forts
has been constructed, with a front OF
nearly 50 miles around the city These
are strictly modern Notifications,
which form the main defenses of the
city. They enclose an area of 400
square miles, and the principal ones
are from six to ten miles from the
heart of the city.
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-13

employee of the fuel administration
told me very frankly that the. north
west would get very little; and I sup
pose that he meant by that, much
less than normal; quantities Of lake
coal. The prospect of bountiful
crop seems good. With similar pros
poets in Minnesota and South Dakota
we will unquestiOnably have grave
shortage of cars and congestion of
transportation in this territory. As
Stunning that there may be some short
age of labor this crop will move to
Lake Superior very slowly and very
large part of the crop will not be
moved to the Atlantic Sea-board over
the Great lakes. 1t will therefore be
necessary to send large volume Of
grain all rail to to the Atlantic Sea-
board for export to our allies and for
consumption requirements as we'll as
making similar shipments for con-
sumption all over the United States
because of the low stock of wheat
flour, which will be much lower next
fall when the grain is threshed. This
all rail movement of grain will take
very large numbers of cars out of this
territory. The imperative demand for
box cars for handling this wheat will
probably result in shortage of cars
for coal shipments from Wyoming and
Montana mines and from the head Of
the lakes docks.
Condition in 1906.
Following the large crop of 1906
there was a severe car shortage and
congestion in transportation which
produced a fuel famine in North Da-
kota during which some people were
frozen to death and others narrowly
escaped similar fate. In this con-
nection it should be remembered that
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-13

. q . e b r.y., "a p
Dakota which would enable them to
sell Ignite coal in those states. They
cannot sell any coal in these states
on the basis of rates now in effect.
This matter has been placed before
the director general of railroads by
representatives of the states of Mimi
esota, North Dakota and South Da-
kota and it has also been presented
to the fuel administration: IA
Support at Washington.
I'm presenting this question at
Washington we have had the active
support of senators and representa-
tives Of Minnesota, North Dakota and
South Dakota. We are very fortunate
in having in the official family at
Washington man who is AZ. loyal to
his home state as Governor Burke,
and who Is at the same time inf1uen-
tial and a force in. the councils of the
administration. We found Governor
Burke very willing to lend all pos
sible assistance in any matter of vital
Importance, to his home state and the
Surrounding territory. Governor
Burke knows the condition in North
Dakota, and the northwest. He has
taken a great deal of interest in this
matter and has done everything pos
sible to secure early and favorable
consideration for our problems.
Freight Increases.
In presenting Our requests for
freight rates on Ignite to points i'm
Minnesota and South Dakota, traffic
officers of the fuel administration
told me that the rates on Ignite coal
ID this state would be increased to the
basis Of rates on bituminous coal be-
tween the same points. This would
have meant an increase for . haul Of
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-13

|5chaneed A. originally stated by the
traffic department of the fuel admin.
istratiOn the change would have be-,
come effective on the 25th day Of. June
and our Ignite operators would have
suffered considerable losses Before the
matter could be adjusted.,Vs aisa @
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-13

during the winter of 1907 there was
plenty of coal at tle head of the
lakes, which could rot be transported
to consuming points in this state. At
that time there was no such strain
upon our TRANSPORTATION facilities as
exists at present because of war con-
ditions. 1t is therefore safe to assume
that a similar combination of cirCAm-
stances will produce like results next
winter.
Must Depend on Ignite.
"The Ignite mines of this state will
probably be the principal source Of
fuel supply pext winter. They cannot
increase their OUTPUT to take care Of
this emergency, unless they are kept
busy at full capacity this summer.
Many of our Ignite mines are. closed
down and others are operating at a
small proportion of their full capacity
at present. If this conditions should
continue during the summer the
miners would not have an efficient
labor organization and they could not
increase their cap city to meet the
fuel emergency viii oh faces this state
next winter. 1t is therefore matter
Of self-preservation for orr people to
substitute Ignite fof bituminous coal
wherever possible this summer I'm
less this is done our people run a
great chance of freezing to death next
winter even though Ike have 5000, 900, :
100000 tons Of coal under the ground
in North Dakota. ii
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-13
Board Tries to Help.

''The board of railroad commission
ers has been trying to help the Ignite
mine, operators to keep their mines
busy by securing the establishment of
freight rates into Minnesota and South
Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-09-11
WILL SEEK SIGNERS
TO SUFFRAGE PLEA
Petition Week Innuguratcd. wnn,
1850 Women Who Believe in
Votes for Women.

Plans for petition week from sep
smber - to september IS we're
completed no asiurcfng Of the Pulsa
Woman Suffrage association ycster.
DAY evening uur.ng the week an
effort Will be made by members Of
tho organization 90 procure 1850
women agncrs who believe IN won
ans suffrage and desire tho passage
OF tho oklahoma woman's suffrage
amendment In November, 1915
Throughout tho summer mem
bets have been circulating petitions
In certain precincts lu house 10
house canvass and will complete
thelr work this week Beginning
to-day banks drug stores theaters,
drN goods stores groceries. office
buildings and aundrIcs Will be COW
cred iu l1 effort 20 secure uEuors
Special features OF the weeks pro
gram viii include maintaining OF
siy or eight booths on prumInen
corners on tho coming Saturday
and a large booth ut tho Tllu
Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-09-11
OFFERS ESQ HORSES FOR
PARADE, MADE MARSHAL

a Broken Arrow man hiss solved
one Of The big problems for the re-.
union committee. when Kelly Glib
son offered his services 10 the or.
ganl1ailon and agreed to have $50
horses for tho veterans to ride In the
parade. they promptly made him as
Hslhnt marshal for the day
Mr.. Gibson SAYS he's going 70
round up these horses az the mini
mum expense. IN fact, he hopes tho
farmers Will loan them without
charge 20 the veterans The soldiers.
however are perfectly willing 20 pay
i'r their mounts Former cavalry
members viii use them. as well as
the commanding officers.
Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-09-11
City Briefs

4. S. COMMISSIONER ! n. Wi.
k.ns has returned trum MusAosoe
where NO held commissioners court
He repofts a heavy docket from that
| district
II J ALLITON won the hearts of
tho women OF the Rod CROSS yes
tcrday when he donated the usc of
six chairs 20 tho home service scc-
/ Non
MISS ADAH ROBINSON hao rc-
| turned from her summer N4ruion
spent in Oklahoma rity and In the
| u West with Mrs II = Anderson uf
/ this city She VIII be the guest ~
Mrs. Robert Fox Macarthur
THAT JACK PORTER h1H are
rived safely In France .s The r..t ~
a card received yesterday n hH
parents, Mr. and Mrs b. D. Porter.
22s South Phoenix
FUNERAL SERVICES uH be-
held for Jess Burnett from 'n. Uun.
ust church In Wegt rlH.t lt 10
o'slock wednesday morning Tho
remains will be taken tn IU1 IurIt
FOR burial
THERE WILL 1879 committees
meeting of the community .Hr F..
rectors this morning 80 the Council
~ Defense building at no O'Clock
This is for tho rurrofe of aasua. ns
plans for the further operation ~
tho city Bongrests
-
on ACCOUNT of 81 men .c.l' af a.
total quota Of 40 men NOT n,rIne
reported 10 the local driu board
for the call on Ser. owrer { 3 total
~ 81 men Will be sent out from
this board In the next few day.
They will 80 10 Camp Logan
TWESTY-sENFN thousand ctrdr
Will be transcribed hy the student,
Of the Tulsa Business College Tor tho
local chapter ~ Rcd Cross Those
cards are 20 ho permanent record
~ 4pe pledges made last yoir In the
Christmas fund campaign
MRS WILLIE ANN NcNrLLFN.
32 years of age died AZ her home.
is South Owlssn. Monday night
The funeral Will be held from the
residence and ln'orment viii take
place at 10 o'clock Wcfncria,
morning az Oaklown cemetery
-
oNERHAULlNG OFTHE ripo or
gan az Convention hall loo prrpprl-
tion for use during tho Confederate
teunlon was completed ycstsrgs q q
r Marshall who installed tho of,,,f |
was procured FOR the work ~ o,oTNf
hauling It by Commasloner NJ J. !
McNulty jr.
ONE or THE "war meBsures' |
that has recently been decided upon
by the council of defense and police |
department according 10 CITY Aftor- !
ney Earl Sneed. is the proposition of |
tho council taking the names Of an |
who are arrested and tried iu the |
city courts Investigation will he |