Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-12
Italy Us Parker Sees 1t.


1915 Twenty fourth and a half
street, Rock Island. has written
most interestingly Of his life in
Italy, where he IS in charge OF an
air service corps. Mr.. Parker at
tended the Rock Island high school
in the years 1902 and 1903 and later
graduated from the mechanical en-
gineeTing department of the North
Dakota A. & NJ. college. MIR. Park
er before going overseas was en-
gagged in most interesting investi-
cations and experiments bearing on
principles Of motor design and con-
Struction, and since his entrance
into the army he participated in
the test runs on the latest motors
for aircrafts, including the Liberty
motor. He is recognized for his
scholarly interest and capacity with
. practical knowledge of engineer
ing and native executive ability.
Several letters written to his par
ents are appended:
Hotel Locarno, Milan, Italy,
Sunday, Aug. rs.
Dear Dad and Mother:
Since | wrote you last there
hasn't been any particular excite
ment to write about Now that we
have our work started, everything
is running along pretty much on
routine, and | am spending most OF
my time chasing from one end OF
! the town to the other. First II IS
out to the plant to see something
in regard to the work, then over to
the air service offices for lnfOrma-
ton. then to the Italian officials TO
make some request, and from there
up to the American consulate to
get some official dope stamped on
/ something. AS all of these places
are about as far apart as 1t would
be possible to locate them, l don
/ have time to do much OF anything
else. We have absolutely no kind
OF TRANSFORMATION of our own here,
and have to depend entirely on the
, street cars and shoe leather. 1t
+ is a very fine thing that the city of
Milan has good street car service.
Might tell you something OF the
/ horrors Of war as demonstrated by
/ the manner in which we are living.
/ I have a very nice little room here
at the hotel which we have leased,
with electric lights, running wa
/ ter and all the latest improve
meuts. We have organized a lit
/ tie officers mess in one OF the
rooms down starts, and are having
+ everything the market affords 10
eat. which Just now means any and
all kinds of fruit They raise Won
/ derful fruit in this part OF Italy,
and we are enjoying it Immensely
after coming from France where II
was extremely scare and OF poor
quality Also we are getting fresh
milk occasionally, and American
! coffee. The Italian coffee is a5sO-
! lutely impossible
| Haven't had a chance to get
around to see the sights OF the city
as vet. and understand that there
are some real masterpieces here IN
nainting and statuaTy. Believe
/ there are no less than four prom
inent art galleries in this city
alone. The original OF Leonardo
! &c Vincis' Last Supper" is painted
on the walls of a small chapel
! somewhere here in town
THE people of LOmbardy are
! evidently very much given to music
and art. The Scala, which is said
, +, be the worlds most famous OPP
era house. is located here for one
/ thing. The streets are full OF grind
organs and old men playing &C
cordions. the purpose Of which OF
course, is to attract a lew coppers
from the new arrivals. CoppeFs are
very plentiful, but after you have
tried to hand out a few you soon
discover that there isn't enough OF
The metal in the world to go around
To all the beggars, so you quit by
mot giving any and get along a
Great deal better. Begging seems
r. he one of the chief industries OF
the country.
"As TO the musicians, they are
rather good. even the grind organs
sounding better than those we used
To hear at home The only com
DIaint we have to make about the
music is in regard to the quality.
It's rather nice TO have them come
around and play in the street when
We are eating dinner, or early IN
the evening, but we are very nuch
~qafnst the practice Of starting I'M
nrouptu concerts IN the street IN
front OF the hotel AT or } in the
morning. Have been trying 10 ger
some paper bags to fiji with wafer
so that we can retaliate for some
of these night raids.
Am making q little progress IN
the language. At least / am be
ginning to make out the head lines
in the newspapers, and the signs
over the shop doors. so that don
en- TO a dressnaker's for mar
cut. or try to buy cigarets al sill
5xersmith's any more. We had some
I funny experiences IN that line to
start with