The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-04-20
PARAGRAPHS FROM
SOLDIERS LETTERS

Following are excerpts from recent
letters from James A. Burke to Mrs.
Burke
In Active Service With the A.EF.
February 27. 1918.
I'VE have arrived at THE place;
do not yet see much difference. On
account of censorship. | can't write
you of the interesting things | have
seen. l stood the trip fine. not being
sea-sick at all. We had steerage pas
sage and the food was as good as they
could give under the circumstances
While our quarters here are not as
comfortable as in the United States.
still they are better than we expected
The food is good and plentiful. We
eat out of doors and on the ground,
which will be fine later when the
ground gets dry. 1t is a little incon-
yenient just now. There is YIN.
CA. here"
March 9, 1918.
Received three letters from you,
forwarded from Maryland. Was sure
glad to get some news again / never
felt better in my life, so think / am
lucky. | am sorry | can't write of
the things we are doing. Rained
hard all night and the roof leaked
right over my bed, so had to put my
tent over it or swim out Is very
damp here. Was down to the town
near here. Sixty of us went down
to get a bath. There were fourteen
tubs. We are over two hundred miles
from the front. so don't expect to stop
any bullets here yet"
March IL, 1918.
Your letter of February 10 re-
ceived. II was forwarded from Camp
Merritt, NJ. Don't send any more
boxes, as / haven't as yet received
the others. Too expensive, besides.
| can get tobacco here about sd ne
price as there. The town near here
is pretty well Americanized, even to
prices. At restaurant l ordered
re Al steak. potatoes and coffee (you
have to furnish your own bread). The
portions were very small and the
meal cost seventy-five cents. Would
like to send you some news, but am
aot allowed to. The weather has been
line the last few days and things are
Trying out some. Had letter from
our mother in this mail. Can't write
much. only about the weather and
myself"
March 16, 1918.
This makes four letters to you.
How many have you received? Yours
terday. Our company is pretty well
split up. Don't know where the
others are now. Don't expect to re-
main in this camp much longer. Have
been giving my laundry to the women
acre. They come with wheelbarrows
o get the soldiers clothes. You
would not see an American woman
pushing a wheelbarrow up the main
street. The youngsters are all full
ledged little beggars. They can all
5ays Penny" even to the smallest.
and when you eat they get right on
our back and talk in your ear, say
.ng FINNISH" about every minute,
wanting to know if you are finished
% they can have what is left. We
get all the news in an American paper
which is published here. We are eau
.loned not to write long letters or
lany. as the mails are so heavy now.
We are not railroading. Don't think
he 2Sth will ever cover that line of
work. but can't tell you what we will
De doing. When we get to the West
-ront will try and gather you a few
lelmets. as per picture you sent. You
lissed your calling: you should have
)een cartoonist. GiYe my regards
o all the boys and tell them | said to
ONE on over here. Tell me all the
news.
PVT. JAMES A. BURKE,
"2Sth Eng. Co., AE.F.,
"Via New York Cifx -