The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-03-21
Melvin Olsby Writes
Of San Antonio Camp
South San Antonio, Texas,

. Dear sister: received the welcome
box of dates just before getting on the
train also letter from Eva but will
not be able to answer her for time,
It surely makes fellow feel good to
get something sweet once in a while
and it did not take long for the dates
to disappear. .-
Now am going to tell you about
our trip as we 60 along and where I
place an x you will know that there
are many miles between each X which
I mark each time leave off. We left
South San Antonio, about 4:30 this
morning and are now in San Antonio,
did not leave Texas any too soon as it
was getting pretty warm for US. San
Antonio is a nice place, Harry was
there wasn't he? Just passed
bunch Of apple trees all in bloom and
several nice green gardens so you can
imagine what the weather is like here.
Passed several other camps on the
way. Maybe you will not be able to
make out what am writing but it is
rather hard writing on moving train
and the roads are very rough, we
have an oil burner which is an engine
that uses oil instead of coal. Most of
the land here is sand and cactus and
all along the track you will see Mex
leans living in dirty little huts. X.
Just arrived at New Braunfels, an
other pretty place. There are girls at
every depot cheering US along and
you know that helps because we do
not see girls very often while in
camp. Are now passing over little
river can see the bottom as the water
is very clear, the bottom is like blue
rock.
We surely see some wonderful
things, things that we read about in
school at home, cotton bales all along
the line, as I look out on the plainsI
see small trees, cactus and sand, like
we often see in the movies at Y. c..
l was anxious to see rattlesnake but
it is too early in the season, one of
the boys killed a scorpion, it is like
a spider only larger and poison if they
ever bite you. x.
Friday, am now starting in after
a nights sleep, though I am ashamed
to say a nights sleep because it fas
VERY little sleep we had as we had no
Pullman car, some slept on the floor
in the aisles, some under the seats and
others on top so yop can imagine what
it was like, well we are all up now
and at little station and the people
say we are still one hundred miles in
Texas, near Fort Worth. Must quit
now as they are bringing in our mess
and I am very hungry. K. Another
troop train just passed us on another
road, there were three big troop trains
left Kelly Field the day we left, some
bound for Long Island, the band was
playing some good snappy music, that
is the train l wish I was on. I tell
you we love our Uncle Sam and it
would not pay for any one to say any,
thing about him while we are around.
X. We are now at Fort Worth, it
seems to be a big place but of the
niggers, mostly all Of the places
whether large or small nave paved
streets. K. It is now dinner time
and we are at the first station out
side of Texas, just across the line in
Oklahoma. you see we do not stop at
very many places. x. Back on the
train again after a fifty minute hike
Through Ardmore, Oklahoma, the
whole town seemed out to cheer us.
There are about 400 of US on this
train, the hike was very welcome aft
er riding so long. The land here looks
more like North Dakota. X. Just up
after another half nights sleep and
find we are in the state of Kansas, sat
up a while last night when l found l
was in big city. I kept my eyes
open and tried not to miss anything of
interest, only of course at night when
we can not see. l wish Adolph was
with me but he will see his snare be-
fore he is through. x. Just came to
Topeka, Kansas. X. We are now in
Kansas City, Missouri. If had seen
pictures. and had them described to
me l don't think l could have believed
things to be as they are now that |
see them with my own eyes, we pulled
up at one place where there was hill
Of rock with many buildings on it, the
hill looked as high at the mill at Val
ley City. Part of Kansas City is
built on hill and it sure is beautiful,
still there are some of the dirtiest
places I have ever seen. St. Louis
was about the worst have seen
though. x. If l should try to des-
I