Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-08-14
HARRY CONOvER
ON WAY ACROSS
Writes Parents a Letter From
Camp Mills Where He Arrived
on Aug, z, From Fort
Stevens, Oregon
SECOND LARGEST CAMP
IN THE UNITED STATES
Don't Know When He Will Sail But
Expects to be Moved Over Most
Amy Day Now
Camp Mills, New York,
Aug. 8, 1918

| ..... SdiHp Mills, NEW L IOIhs
Aug. 8, 1918
Dear Folks:
Will try and tell you a. little
about my trip out here, but it will
be hard to write about all of it. VIII
tell you everything when 1 get home
again, when that day comes. I re-
ceived the answer from my telegram
this afternoon. Well we left Fort
Stevens Wednesday, July 81, arrived
here at Camp Mills, N. Y. Aug. z.
The weather was cool until we hit
Spokane where we were paraded
and got pretty hot; the Red Cross
met us there. We went on and did
not get off the train again until we
reached St. Mary's, Idaho. There
we all went in bathing in the st.
Johns river, and that swim was
certainly great relief Our next
stop was Harlowtown, Mont, where
we took another hike (short) got
back on again and woke up In
Rhame, n. D., where we stopped to
take off one engine. | didn't see
soul I knew there. We got in Aber-
deem, S. d. about p. m. where the
whole outfit gave another parade,
but had permission to get off there,
as wanted to see Bess Neill, bought
an Aberdeen paper and found that
she had left town on weeks outing
at Big Stone Lake the morning we
got in there, but happened to meet
Dale Fagg at the depot. He was an
old pal of mine at Cedar Rapids.
forgot to mention our stop in Mo-
bridge where i got off and had the
depot agent call Joe Webster. Had
short talk with Joe, then pulled
out of there. Our next stop was
Montivedio, Mimi, where there was
la large crowd out. We were all in
4 bed there. Got to Minneapolis and
ISt. Paul at night, also Chicago, so
couldn't see much at Chicago ex-
cept the lights the railroad yards
and the stock yards. We stopped at
Battle Creek, Lansing and Port
Huron, Mich, where we went up in
Ito Canada, going through many
large cities there at night. Stopped
at Niagara Falls, Ga beautiful sight.l
Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and many
other big cities in New York.
Believe me our eyes were open
when we took the Ferry from New
Jersey to New York City down New
York harbor. Saw the Statue OK
Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and
many other sights too numerous To
mention in a letter. Going out or
the city on the train it was impos-
sible to see everything. trains run
ming in, under and over us and along
side of us. Wel landed here at night
of the hottest day New York has
ever witnessed, so you can imagine
how the Precipitation ran off OF us.
lhight now you can hardly hear your
self think from the noise of the
aeroplanes. Guess there are so or
40 of them up in the air all the time.
Talk about Ruth Law, you ought to
see these fellows go up out of sight
and drop, then turn ~somersaults In
the air; its no more curiosity with
me, but a nuisance.
To tell the truth Dad a person
never knew what was going on III
the world until he has seen New
York CITY, or part of 1t. l almost
forgot Milwaukee, where we got the
biggest send off of any of the places
All the whistles in the city blew and
the Red Cross gave us everything l.
can think of. You can't imagine the
enthusiasm there is in the country
now. people run out and drop every
thing to wave their hands at a
troop train going thru.
1t will be impossible to tell you
when we sail. in fact ! don't know
when myself, but no doubt 1t Will be
in a very short while. l don't blame
Fred Moore for cussing this place In
the winter, If it is as cold then as II
is hot now, it must be awful. They
saw this is the second largest camp
in the United States and agree with
them. as it is sure big one.
The papers look awfully good to-
day, in fact they have looked good
for many days. should think that
the Germans woald get their fill In
a short time and believe me they will