Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1918-01-30
ROBERT REEVES
ENTERTAINED IN A
FINE EASTERN HOME
DESCRIBES TRIP THROUGH IN
DIANA, OHIO AND THE CUM
BERLAND MOUNTAINS

III leIIer written 10 his parents
from Camp Saunders, Glenn Burrie,
Maryland, Robert Reeves gives a very
ynterefting description of Cumber-
land, Maryland and other places in
that state. We are glad to publish it
below;
January 13, 1918.
Dear Parents and Brother:
Just arrived in Baltimore from
camp in time to write before church.
1t was only a short walk from the
station to the service club and so /
came here instead of going to the Y.
M. &. A. l have just met a fine
young soldier who is going to take me
up to the Baptist church.
l wish l could properly convey a
conception of the scenery along the
Baltimore & Ohio route from Chica-
go. The western part of Indiana was
prairie. Ohio was little more like
Michigan, but not so varied in gen.
eral landscape outlines. We saw lit
tie of Pennsylvania as we rode all
night. The illuminations of the many
blast furnaces in the coal regions
were interesting.
1t was not until we reached Cum
berland and the day dawned that we
could see the mountainous landscapes.
The altitude was not so high at any
place but that small trees at least
could grow. The whole region SEEM
ed to me like a high plateau with
wide. partially cultivated valleys, the
high hills rising gradually (some-
times very steep) into the air $50 to
800 feet. In many places there were
homes with no signs of any means of
livelihood in sight, although occasion
ally there would be chicken park or
cow pasture high above and directly
back of the dwelling house Tin order,
presume, that the eggs coud be au-
tomatically gathered and the chickens
caught more easily, with possibly a
small corn field farther down the val
ley, and even on the summit of the
hill, $50 feet above.
Trails, sometimes the width of a
wagon track, often only wide path.
led over the mountain. 1t was signi-
ficent that not even Fords were in
evidence here. | believe any car
would burn up in attempting some of
the steep climbs. Two-wheeled carts
were the most prominent vehicles.
Cumberland, the first large city / ever
saw in the mountains, convinced me
that the location did not prohibit con-
veniences and responsibility in way of
cleanliness, etc. The streets were
well paved and lighted; homes modern
and orderly, although sometimes sit
uated on spur of mountain not easy
of access.
From Cumberland we entered the
long pass leading to Harpes's Ferry
and Washington, along the route Of
the Potomac. 1t was here that /
viewed the really admirable land
scapes and steep rocks (interruption
for church at Y. M. G.. Al studded
mountains overlooking the winding
Potomac.
The first tunnel we entered was not
such surprise as it might have been,
had not the bend in the road enabled
us to see the tunnel ahead. We div
ed nito some tunnels quite precipti-
ously. We passed through some very
good farming country-fine buildings,
owned probably by wealthy city peo-
pie. The country from Washington
to Baltimore is we'll built up, increas-
ed shipping (export trade) having
helped this country considerably.
Baltimore has 100000 population
and growing rapidly. We reach camp
from Baltimore, a twenty-mile ride.
We are quartered in new mess halls
for present. Accommodations are not
much better than at Camp Logan, but
it is warmer. Zero weather here now
and people complain much as zero
weather is not common here. Satur-
day / worked a little on the butts
(where targets are raised and lower
ed) getting them ready to use in in
structing 1000 soldiers from Camp
Meade, who come Thursday, this
week as
A company of engineers are here
now building. up camp, pitching tents,
etc. They sleep in tents. They say
they are fed here better than at Camp
Meade, one of the big cantonments.
They work long hours and / pity some
of them. l get plenty to eat. We
had .frankfurters, oatmeal, bread and
butter. coffee this morning for break
fast. The new mess hall will be COM
pleted soon and it is good one. Car
penters and engineers are working on
it today.
l quit work yesterday about 2:30 p.
m, slept awhile in butts, as we finish
ed our job, and then went over to
some oak grubs where gang was
cutting firewood. That is one reason
why like the place, many trees in it.
peake Bay. The air is damp and
costs 43c now round trip to Baltimore;
reduced rates later. The camp sta
tion is only few rods from camp,
the Glen Burrie station three-quart-
ers of a mile or less. There are
stores where we can buy eats, etc., at
Glen Burrie.
/ must tell you how / passed the
day. The two words descriptive of
the southern people is hospitality and
disposed. The soldier was
acquainted with some very fine peo-
pie, and we received royal welcome.
/ was invited to dinner by Mrs. Carl
Gray. president of the Baltimore
Western Railway, now located in
Washington helping straighten out
the railroad situation. We rode out
into one of the fine new residence
districts in a 12-cylinder Pierce-Ar-
row. Mrs. Gray's niece from Denver
was there also. Sat down to a four
course dinner served by a negress.
Nothing was wasted however az Mrs