The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-06-08
What Our
Lads Write
Describes Mexican Eorts.

Describes Mexican Forts.
George Pechstein describes San An.
tonic and number of interesting ole
Mexican forts in letter he has writ
ten to his father. Henry Pechstein
1923 Concert street. One of these forts
the st. Alamo, was taken by two hun
dred American troops from much
larger force of Mexicans many
years ago. Mr.. Pechstein is in train
ing at Camp Travis.
His letter reads as follows:
Our trip yesterday changed my
opinion of the. south to a certain ex-
tent and think that would rather
like it in civilian life where a person
could go when and as often as he
pleased. We drove altogether forty
or fifty miles and saw many things of
interest.
San Antonio. as you no doubt know,
is a real old town and also quite his
toric. The streets run in no particular
direction, but are all nicely paved and
well kept. The town contains few if
any high buildings, the highest one
have seen was four or five stories.
They have fine city hall, a, VAeaMtiful
postoffice and number Of comfort
able-looking hotels. The residences
too, are worth mentioning. and COM
pare favorably With those along our
avenue, although the lawns and yards
are not so attractive.
On the roads leading out Of town
are numerous road houses. These
houses set about fifty yards back from
the road with large palm trees all
around. Some are surrounded with
wild rose hedges and make a most
beautiful sight, especially when the
roses are in bloom as some OF them
were yesterday.
The most Interesting Of these old
road houses, to my, mind, was one
called Hot Sulphur Springs hotel This
is sort Of health resort with hot sui
phur baths in connection. These baths,
they claim are as beneficial as the
Hot Springs, Ark, baths and are of
the same nature. The grounds sur
rounding this hotel are especially
beautiful. Large palm trees, a we'll
kept lawn, with tables, benches ETC.,
all around in the most comfortable
hooks and corners. Would like to
spend week or ten days there my
self
Further out the road, and let me
here that the roads are all as
smooth as a table and well oiled, we
saw large amusement park, similar
to the Electric park at Kansas City.
On farther is large insane asylum,
a monstrous big place.
On this same road we saw four or
five of the old Mexican forts. They,
of course, were nothing but ruins, but
when you stop to think that they were
oil hl,i1f n cl- ;y, 1or
ly expect to see them still intact. The
walls are still standing and are about
three stories high. In some cases the
roof is still on but in most instances
only the walls are left One fort, St
Alamo, think they call it, is about in
the middle of the city. This fort was
taken by two hundred American SOL
diers from over five thousand or more
Mexicans and the doors still show the
bullet holes put there during that
siege
When told of this. the superiority
If the American soldier over all 9TH
ers fixed itself more firmly with me, !
md can't help but believe that just |
IS soon as the force of our soldiers |
ire felt in Trance, the Germans will |
'ealize they are dealing with differ
INT proposition than they have ever
before faced and be ready to stop
lighting. can't help but feel that
way and believe that is the general
opinion.
l also saw the Brooks school Of fly.
ng and the Stinson school of flying.
he latter is a school run by two sis
ers, one of whom carried the mail
ia afr from Washington to New
'orll a few days ago You no doubt
cad OF this in the papers.
Fort Sam Houston is also on the
utskirts of the city and we passed it.
his is a regular army post. Then ,
90, we saw couple of military
chools and the army post arsenal +.
A trip through the park I have al
eady told you about and a run out
hat they call the North Loop wound
p our afternoon. We were out about
our hours, going all the time so you
an imagine how much ground we COW
red. I surely did drink in the sights
nd the whole bunch acted like kids $
Ding on a Sunday school nicnic. Be 1
lg locked up for nearly five weeks G
nd then being taken out on a lark of
lis kind was like letting a bird out
! cage. You can imagine yourself t
hat it would be like. N
All in all yesterday was the best day d
have had since becoming a soldier. l
When I came back I did a days y
ASKING in about half an hour, but g
y clothes are not yet dry, because
the rain of last night and this
orning. II
Having told you all the present f
avs, I will close for today and write 9
rain in a day or so. With love, I am E
always, George. In
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Who w,e Nonv;neeIo