The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-15
Edgar Karr ReIates Facts
 ofInferest ira Letter Home
Bessemer Boys Experiences
 Read Like a Novel Since
 Joining Uncle Sam S Navy

Edgar J. Karr of the D. S. $. Sfawmut, which has been operating in European waters, relates some very interesttns facts in a letetr of November IS, to his fatneg, Jerome Karr of BessemAr. Young Karr enlisted In the navy moro than a year ago and has had some varied ex-. periences during that time.
 At the outbreak of the war he was in Europe and. was arrested as a. spys the American consul cabling the late A. Lewis, mayor of Bessemer at that time. to secure Information concerning the boys age and parents.
 The letter, leaving out the personal part Is as follows.
 'Dear FvatAer:
 Suppose you have heard that victory was at lfafn and am glad it is all over but the ho1nemard bound trip. We are goffg to fly a homewafd bound pennant from the lime we sight the United States until we tie up to q dock or anchor and every man of the ship will get g foot of it for souvenir. l have never told you what was doing but first of all a new mine that is a real mine ahd sure-fire was perfected, as the old one might explode and @it might not. The new one is the deadIiest proposition ever drcpped intosthe sea. How it was de- vised snd turned out thousands upon thoueamds is a story of accomplishments like few in. the history of the war. Next, mine carriers had to be found to1carry them across the Atlantic and old coast trade boats, some antiduated naxal ves- sets done over in "a hurry wete pro vitfed as were some Hudson river pleas ure boats that used to be dance halls. ringing with jazz music, loaded with enough explosives, to rip up thes W hole Hudson river valley. While the tnou.' sands of mines were being brought across other ships were preparing for planting, them. More unheard of methods were devised which may not now~b be described but speed was the watchword. The deadly coutraptionss were shot from the ships fo tracks out and down with new apparatus almost sautomatically placing them just so. at the reqhired distances. The Yankee boys sa1 h6ped the Boche would attempt interference, but they didn't
 Now thddsands upon thousands of Anaericsh devised, American made, Aanericah transported and American pImted IhineS hang in water a broad belt aaaded with concentrated death, set in ilaI trigger fashion to go off on con- tact and Sure to do 1t.
 .sThesGerInans are surer than ever pen1ed in. 1t. is far and away the greatest feat.-of the war, and when the whole story is told 1t will comprise one of tho produest pages in. the history ot the Anneridap slavY. You .re1nember the su6s which Wers pparating off the coast of tTseIJnite States in sJpne? sWel1 the people in yermafIy had splannsd large dinnsxs and dances tor the sub-sailor boys, bnt f~tHlnk tha dinner IS getting old t0 6Hnco if they keturn. They, went out thropgh anFcpeaing before we scame out The English and Scotch tell Bus that Me hats been Where no other ves- seis- liaxe taeftSince 1914 and came back.
 we shal coriimodore's inspantion last Saturday which took about three hours. Had x0 ,uetf0rnl every dftn 1t takes to mako a ship sufficient for sea daty, or a s'rnan-o' ~svsr. 'sg After that he made an locked and how efficient the crew was, also that we had fully done our bit, and then he lett the ship amid roar of cllears.
 nour money xaptrt last long. Went into a restaurant and ate 2 eggs which cost B nssta They are opiy selling for seven Shiliings tslW a dozen. How would you like to have . fewf
 '..It seems that 'ReQ Bill' the Kafser, has leaten 1t to Holland. His sea min nows have giSen un end we ifah just gotten back from a tTip of egg dropping when we got news that subs were seen going south with their white flags fly fag. That was, of the coast of Norway ana we were Just over therA one day. That was n ona~day trip we had no sub attaeta. and Hze bad been used to several everx trip. Did. rpt tell you of the a4 starA ssa had on Our pilof house. three nnqntflp after We eo4 hsre, represept4ng II uuflea{able 9npa T'hb Huns could not hamper with the eggs re put 0yt for Hs& the tiEpe they 4otrch them they, explode end tnht isn't very healthy.