Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-05-27

who left here April 3 with the District
/ / increment for Fort Terry. ~ Y.
who in letter 70 Charles & Reed.
gives the following very interesting
detail OF his "trip eastward
Fl. Terry. y. V
May II. 1918.
Dear Friend
Well | suppose you think ! forgot
ynu. but | didn't Only kind of ne
elected writing am feeling fine and
m the best of health. The only kick
/ got is the camp we are in, and IT
is the last place God made and II IS
a poor lob. We are fifteen miles south
east of New London. Conn, ON Plum
Island and the place Is about three
and half miles long and mile wide
ut the widest point We got one con
ISOLATION here. for ouS officers are real
hen aud treat us like ogod officer
should
The captain is the finest type OF a
man that can bef0md and he AWAY
has his mems interest at heart.
Their meals AT first weren't the
best. hut now we get dandy meals
the kind that makes a fellow hnld
It's good strong food, just what 4
worf1ng man would eat a. home.
We have a hard time TO get OF
the island. Co. c is al Camp Upton
hfty miles from here and they are
expected TO leave there today or 10
morrow for France. one Of the boys
here has brother in Go. { and the
CAPTAIN let him 90 over to see nun |
this morning would like TO get
away today but ! can't
wish you could see the subchaserS
maneWering around here They sure
can 90 some. and they are AS timex
as bees IN the sound. I'd give whole
lot To see German sub show. but
she would not last long enough to get
a good look at near this island, be !
cause those subchasers are sure quick. .
We have our uniforms and expect |
our guns and other equipment next
week. tried TO get a picture taken /
but postals are the best ! can get |
II ever get to New London I'll try !
to get one taken.
We sure had a fnetrip east We /
travelled two hundred and seventy |
miles in Canada and every place we !
passed through We got the clad hand I
In Niagara Falls, " !, we had big !
sendoff for they blew all the whistles !
and every one came to The depot to |
see us We stopped there about hall /
an hour for train inspection
The Red Cross canteen and field
corps girls there presented each OF
Us with a package that contained
candy. box of cigarettes and cigar
and gave us postals and waited to col
lect them and mail them for us
When we pulled out we got red lights /
from the switchmen and our train !
looked swell as we had about sixteen |
coaches Where we left the people at |
the depot sent up cheer mat must !
have shaken up the town That town !
sure won our hearts It is Kind OF sad |
TO ride through Canada for all Of the |
bows are gone only old men and boys
around. fourteen or sixteen are lett
II looked sad to see such old men
working In the fields. II was some
'un to see the way the Canadian girls
begged for orr flags. Some Of the
girls gave us the union jack to ny
With our flag, and other girls trade'
lags. and some men and women had
American flags to wave at us
We sure had a lovely time and es-
,ecialy in Canada we woke things
ID. bet after we left they thought
he American boys on the U. s. side
we're some loud bunch Our trip thru
canada was all made in daylight and
wouldn't want to trade one corner
VI the Retort farm for all the whole
larn country. II has darn poor
Irainage and an honest-togoodneSs
grasshopper couldn't make
living on It. And the eastern part
VI the United States is as bad or q
title worse, as far as Massachusetts
" Connecticut are concerned,
The Y. NJ. c. A. sent a man as far
IS Niagara Falls with rs and at the
lock in New Haven we got a lunch
rom the Y, NJ c. A. and ont here
hey are doing some hard work 70
make It pleasant for us. The Y. NJ
: A. building here Is a soldiers
All the shops along
he line stopped work so their EN-.
'loyes could see us, so by that you
now We made some noise as well as
ONE hit. Oh, there isn't any one
Who ever got better send.off than
We did.
But IN all the towns I passed thru
here wasn't one that looked as good
0 me as good old Ottawa And when
get back the FIRST man that says
ottawa ~ a dead town will have TO
ght How is everything around OF .
ava and the shop? Give my regards =