Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-07-03


Will write you a few lines to let
you know l have changed location
and tell you little about the trip.
1t was a very interesting one. We
left Camp Pike, Ark, Friday after
noon about 4:3O We had day
coaches, as they were short on Pull
lmans, but we all got all the sleep
we needed and all our meals regu-
lar and plenty to eat too. Our
first stop was Memphis, Tenn. We
arrived there about IL p. m. and
left at II p. m. so We didn't see
much of the place. Nashville, Tenn.
our next stop, we had about an hour
SO we aparaded around the city and
took in the sights. We also stopped
at Chattanooga, Tenn, and had
good view Of the Lookout Noun
tain. There are quite a lot of
small mountains in that part of the
country; it's quite rough and lots
of woods and wild looking country
in thru there. Saw lots of small
patches of wheat, rye, corn, and to-
bacco. Believe. me they farm "a
round here; don't look anything
like up north, They had~corn on a
steep side hill in one place we pas
sed, so steep that one of the boys
said they wouldn't dare turn cattle
loose on hill like that, for fear
they would slip and break their
necks. Almost all the fences down
here are the old rail style We
cut the corner of Alabama and
Georgia, crossed the Tennessee river
and our next stop was at Bristol,
Va. We arrived there at S:45 a.
m. and set our watches ahead one
hour. The main street of Bristol
rhas the Tennessee and Virginia state
line going through the center of it,
one street car rail in each. state,
but l think the prices are the same
in both states, ha, hE We were
served coffee u and home made
COOKIES and cake by the Red Cross
and also cigaretts and post cards,
and they also had number of autos
there to take Us for sight seeing
trip around the city. Believe me
the Red Cross is sure the biggest
and finest thing in the world. They
are always on hand night and day
to do everything possible for the
comfort and happiness of the SOL
diers. AT Bristol was the only
place we had mishap of any kind,
and that only that six of the boys
got left so they had to stop the
train and wait for them. We are
in the Blue Ridge mountain district
now; they are not so very high,
but there sure is a lot of them.
They are all covered with woods,
mostly fir trees. l didn't see very
many pine trees like they speak
of in the Trail of the Lonesome
Pine."'
Our next stop was at Roanoke,
Va. We were served by the Red
Cross with coffee and cakes and they
sure did taste fine too. We landed
there Sunday forenoon, so it was
kind of dead, but believe me we
woke the old city up before we left,
ha! ha! Our last stop in Virginia
Int& -
only just long enough to be served
by the Red Cross with sandwiches
and iced tea. The farms in Vir-
ginia looked pretty good. The corn
was up quite high in. most places,
on an average of about two to- three
feetS We also saw lots of wheat
already cut and shocked The next
place we came TO was Washington,
d. c. We landed in there about
BIS in the morning, but We got
off the train and marched to the
capitol. We didn't stop, but kept
right on around it and back to the
train again, but we were all very
glad to even get a chance to see it.
even if We couldnt stay. 1t was
a great sight pulling into the city.
1t was pretty well lit up and guards
around here>and there. We passed
thru Baltimore in the early morn
ing. We crossed the Chesapeake
bay and also the Susquehanna
river and saw a few good sized
boats on it. At 9:15 Monday
morning we crossed the Mason and
Dixon Line which put us back
in The good old north again where
we will get all our pep back again.
Its too warm down south for a
northerner Passed thru Whining
ton, Del. quite slow, but didn't
stop. We were up high so we got
a good view of the city. 1t sure
fc IA al o.