Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-03-12
y: EAST SIDE NEWS =
Account Of
G Disaster
i Is Received Here

Suddenly there was n jarring,
) flashing explosion. The lights went
Snt. tho boat shuddcrel and liste<t
npidly,' writes Walter Nelson Of
Grand Forks; in telling Of the
sS1anking of the transport Tuscania by
aaE%M German submarine off the coast OF
&S4reland.
.'r., Nelson. who was aboard tho
SS3hAfated transport at the time of the
s~Hdisaster. was a member Of an aero
having volunteered for the SER
Eyice several months ago. He was for-
Asn,erly q student at the University OF
North Dakota.
M#$ Extracts from three letters written
ssby MIR. Nelson on active service with
SsHthe American expeditionary forces.
8Sdated February II, 10 and IA. receive
by his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. N. ].
sSs&lEelsoh Of this city, are as follows:
s sN, Dear Ones at Home--I have had
Experiences lately that I could write a,
5shundred-page >letter and then leave
BBSout some. They begin when We
MSssmarched,s out of Garden. City in the
ggMssnow at 4 a. nj. on Jan. 23- and are
Sstill happening in this great camp
asaMn e Winchester.
aHk THE Tuscania of the Anchor Lin
was. az you know, a large ship. 1t
all our equipment. both is
and still in cases. besidesa large.
me- go in the hold. l might mention
SS8Nsthe cAmouf1age of many OF the boats
saw. Ours had strips and hotches
Vet black and brown. gray n blue.
@ Zone + saw was painted to look X a
SNf very, very distant shore line.
M q the last plight on board, Cliff
. and were across the hall talking to
Uni sone fellows there O the Bible
III III prophecies OF this and ether wars and
~ the trUeness OF the statements made
grelatinE. to a prophecy in the: Bible
MSbe in February. After this we were
M SsconEratulatiug ourselves on Dur safe
We had seen land at noon.
ASSnnd lat that time land was not far
@SSdistant on both sides. We did not
Of an order which had been
~ given, that no n was to get into the
/ dcrs for DAYS to carry a life preserver
s. (of the belt TYPED, so every one was
hi wearing or sitting on a belt.
Nh The first sitting for supper were
III III ok, and it was about time for the
SMha second. which I intended to make use
IMftf. At any rate, there we sat con
;#F graduating ourselves while we passed
III through one of >the most dangerous
M channels known. when suddenly there
N was q Earring. crashing explosion. The
III lights went out. the boat shuddered
s8 and listed rapidly. hastily put on
III mv life belt, but as ] expected an
HI other torpedo, ] did not stop to take
N even my hat: although I thought of
81 taking n,y overcoat. ! did not. as I ex-
n prected tn have to swim, for It. At any
4. rate. 7 hustled up through the Off
cers' quarters onto \ deck to my
Saff position to enter "10C" boat, rs we
H# had been drilled for the boats in
ssaa SQUADS. vs. YOU have read. our own
@s tScn were stationed to lower the boats
IN However.stthe boats crew. who were
n IN direct the work. left in the frs,
u boat, so our. nler were alone on the
" job.
4 Tho ,aforcc.~ Of 1.-the .saexplosian. a had
& smashed most of the boats which
! were hsngins on II: dayits: Thos.
these hurried1y. "l0oH' couidcnot, bt
nut over. After q wait OF about two
hours finally allowed byselt to &c
/ down . o onto the second destroy
= er w%hichgcsme to oisr rescue.
cone thinlk ] v'ases,,re would no
tnrr. ItaaMa:~ rather e unpleasant t.
r.-~a -rSai@4rt"6 dsoE exne"tins an