The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1918-08-01
Writes Of Trip

for Camp Grant and Rockford, II
writing to his congregations her
and at Ashland has the following in
teresting things to say:
| En- Route July 25th, 1913
My dear People,:
This has been week of thrills
One might question whether taking
liz coaches of drafted men from theil
homes to Camp Grant would b'
thrilling. Not taking them to Camp
but the many experiences made the
trip one thrill after another.
was asked to represent the Y
M. C. A. on the train making up al
Washburn and containing drafted
men from Bayfield, down to Chippews
Falls. My chief job was to keeT
them busy and happy. Men leaving
home for war are not as rule very
happy. These men were not. Yet
they went to camp with that deter
mination which covered up their
real deep inward feelings. If they
were sad they nobly concealed their
sadness. They who could be happy
realized that others could not and
they set out to make that train as
happy as possible. They cooperated
with me. They sang. They cheered'
| thank they enthused the people
who gathered all along the line to
bid them farewell.
At Spooner we were met with two
bands and multitude of people.
A splendid meal awaited us there
too. We were all very hungry and
forgot all about Hooverizing. As
we pulled out of Spooner every
whistle in town blew and every bell
and throat screamed a wonderful
farewell. 1t was great!
All along the line especially in
the small villages handful of inter
ested people met us with waving
flags. At Drummond someone
handed me great big box of sweets
enough to 60 around all the men.
They finished up our supper.
Then came calm. The men set
tied down to writing. | had dis
tributed hundreds of Y. NJ. c. A,
postcards. In Spooner | laid in
supply of stamps. | announced thai
| was prepared to sell stamps. The
stamp rush really equaled the usual
at the Post Office just about
l6 D. m. was soon oul
of stamps. The men had written
short messages to their folks and
sweethearts telling of their trip and
no doubt thanking many of them fol-
fhe little surprise packages given
them. You know it is often easier
to write our thanks than to express
them.
l mailed hundreds of letters and
cards all along the line. | was able
to leave the train when it pulled into
a town while the men were not. Al
Chippewa Falls fully 10000 people
were at the station to welcome the
men and to say farewell to their own
Bands played, whistles blew, auto.
footed their horns and throats yelled
The train pulled out very slowly, il
was thrilling
j Once again we settled down. By
and by we came to Elroy Junction
There was grand rush for the
dining room and | was in the rush
My objective was the ice cream
icounter. 1t was also the OBJECTIVE
of hundreds of others. Being small
and apt to move rapidly got quit,
close to the ice cream barrel anG
soon | was ladened down with al
many cones as l could carry. Som.
men surprised themselves and us b,
putting into their stomaches tremen
dous pies i'm addition to sandwiche
and ice cream cones. Their N. Wis
consin appetites which temporaril,
left them returned violently. l
was way after midnight too. Sool
the train pulled out and Madison
was our next stop. Few of the mel
slept. | could not sleep. Irealizet
what a luxury a good bed can be
But really fell asleep just befor,
reaching Beloit and no doubt restet
for haitian hour.
We finally arrived at Rockfort
about $3.50. The men were dirty
tired and weary. l don't thinl
Ira.la Coro 10 ever tired Az laoe