Baxter Springs news., 1918-08-30
SOLDIERS LETTERS

G. l.. Hardy, of this city, received
the following letter last week from his
son, Earl, who has been in Washing
ton Barracks, ID. c., for the past two
months. Last year he was an EN-
ployee at Riverton. A card dated
Friday, Aug. %, states that they
were leaving the barracks, probably
for Siberia.
u. $. Engineers
Washington Barracks, d. c.
August 20, 1918.
My Dear Father:-Your most well
come letter received and it is the first
one for over q month. As this prob
ably is the last letter | will have u
chance to write to you from the U. S.
A. | will tell you something of the
life and conditions of soldering in
Washington, d. c.
The barracks are about one mile
from the Capital building, facing on
the Potomac River and very pretty
place, but it sure is hot here. Of
course being used to the mountains
made it rather bad on me but consid-
ering every thing have stood it fine.
Here at the barracks men of special
training are assembled and given the
military training, or enough of it so
they can take care of themselves and
then they go over to do the work they
are qualified for, they are mostly col
lege men. We also have trade schools
in which the men are given short
course to determine just what they do
know. My special line of duty, as you
know, is a meteorologist, and owing
to the experience / have had along
this line l have been acting as in
structor in the school for the last six
weeks. But have made my master
engineer now and go with $50 other
men from here to Siberia, leaving
sometime during the next 4S hours.
We now have only one blanket, one
overcoat, two pairs field shoes, one
raincoat, one extra suit of underwear,
three pairs of socks, and our dog tent
and one wool suit, with little French
style cap, and wool leggins. Oh, we
are fixed for the cold country we are
going to all right. OF course we do
not know to what port we are going,
but probably to the Calf. side.
You asked what part weather work
plays in this war. Well it would take
books to print it all in but to give you
little idea of it, there are three
branches of it. The forecast division
which the army has in all of the coun-
tries they are now in. Not u move
ment of troops is made until the fore
cast is received, as you can see how
important it would be if they were
caught in a wind, rain or other kind
of storm. Important movements are
made in the protection Of storms, and
perishable stuff is held up for the
same reasons.
Another branch is the aeroplane
section, keeping track Of the upper air
currents to protect them while flying
And then the one branch have been
studying and am going with is the fire
and gas. We have to determine the
kind of gas that should be used in dif-
ferent kinds of air and weather, when
it can safely be used so that it won't
be blown back on ourselves, keep
track of all weather conditions so as
TO tell when the Germans can use it
and the length of time they will prob
ably be able to keep the barrage up
if they do launch one, and hundred
and one other things, so you see we
have our hands full. There are six Of
US going and ! am in charge OF them
or will be on the field.
We carry our special instruments
besides a complete outfit like we had
in Santa Fe. ] have put it up and
knocked it down so often can now
install the full outfit in twenty-One
minutes, put up Soft. wind vane and
all.
Well il is late and ! must write a
letter to my little family in Sante Fe,
so goodbye to you all and may God
be with you till we meet again. With
llove and best wishes, your son,
Earl L. Hardy,
Master Engineer, U. s. Army.