The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1918-08-29
CAMP LIFE in WEST
TOLD BY MILLER BOY
Carl Meyer Writes From Coast Camp
of Army Life
Camp Fremont, Calf, Aug 1

Camp Fremont, Calf, Aug Is.
Mr.. Lloyd Tamblyn-Friend Tam
my" Kenyon and Bonk say they have
not yet written to you and as l sup
pose you might be a bit interested
in what is going on here, I'll tell you
what / can about camp life at FIRE.
mont.
The camp is situated in a little
valley at Menlo Park, surrounded on
nearly every side by the mountains.
From our part Of the camp W. can
look in every direction and see moth
ing but tents, mess halls and bath
houses. There seems to be no end
to them. There are about forty thou
sand men here-more men than l
have ever seen in one place before,
and a skirt" is a very unusual sight.
A woman is a curiosity like the wild
hyena from Timbucktoo, the only one
| in captivity. or course 1t will be diff
| ferent when we are out of quarantine
and can go up to San Francisco, San
Jose or somewhere else on Saturday
and Sunday. We will not be out of
quarantine until we get over the eff
feet of our innoculation and VAGINA
ton. They ~innoculated and vacinated
us Immediately after our physical X
animation. That was an interesting
experience The men were rushed
through the building at a bewildering
rate, passing through the hands of
some fifty doctors. The whole exam
nation takes about an hour and a
half.
This is a great life-if you don't
weaken. There are, of course, a few
disagreeable aspects; chief among
them perhaps is the dust. A column
of men marching across a field kicks
up a frightful amount of dust with
their heavy shoes. That and the heat
the heat is never excessive
makes drilling disagreeable some
times, but there is a remedy for that
"a cold shower afterwards. That
brings a fellow out as fresh as il he
had just got up. Today washed up
of my clothes. Sunday is gen.
eral wash day in camp. You take a
pail and a cake of soap to the bath
house and scrub 'em out in the good
Did fashioned way. But we enjoy 1t.
In fact it's like one big camping trip.
wonderful how your appetite picks
Up. We have plenty to eat and a good
of food. Then besides we can
Duy ice cream. pie, candy, milk and
pop at the %canteens. After supper
'ruit wagons drive out from town with
peaches, pears, grapes, cantaloupe and
which are sold at moderate
prices. There are as many ways here
% spend your nfoney a5 there are at
nome. A good deal of a new recruits
money goes for clothes. We are is
sued all the clothes we need, but we
ike to have an extra pair of Logging
dress, hat cords, and our breeches
Ind coats altered by the tailor. Peg
OPP breeches are the only thing. The
army, l guess, is the only place they
ire stylish. +
l believe a soldier ismuch more vain
han any man in civil life, His clothes
re about the only thing he has to
hink about. He has no choice about
low to spend the day, about his food, {
IT the place he sleeps, SO he spends 4,
lis mental energy on his clothes. +,
Do not imagine that army life is I
lull and tiresome. We are having the +,
ime of our lives and as happy as we {
ould possibly hope to be.
Sincerely, h
Private Carl Meyer,
9Th Co. Sind Infantry, Casual Camp,
Camp Fremont, California.