The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-02-01

1t was so full OF dust Just TWO MIN
utes after the storm broke there was
coating of fourth of an inch of
dust all over everything, including the
letter / had started. | rescued the
letter about $50 alter being relieved
by one of the boys from holding
down the tent. The tent almost got
away from us, but we finally got it
fastened down pretty fair by sitting
on the edges and putting cots on it..
The wind was getting worse all the
time, and several times | thought the
tent was gone. We had one man act
as relief, and he relieved each man in,
turn, so he could get his things
Strengthened out and overcoat on to.
be ready if the tent went. Finally we
side and look after the guy ropes. No
one seemed to relish the job so /
had to take it on myself to try any
way. | opened my eyes for just one
second after crawling out on my
stomach, and couldn't see a thing, so
II went around the tent like a blind
man, fixing the ropes. 1t took me
about twenty minutes. / had my
overcoat on, handkerchief over my
mouth and nose, and a towel around
my head as | couldn't possibly wear
a hat When | crawled back in the
tent what was exposed of my face
was just black Then we settled down
to an all night job of keeping our
tent up. The storm had only just
started. A couple of us climbed in
to bed to try and get wink of sleep,
and at the same time hold the cots
down on our tent. Suddenly we
heard patter on the tent that sound
ed like rain. We were tickled as that
would settled the dust The winh in
creased and the patter became a.
roar felt of the tent walls and they
were tight as drum. That meant
that someone had to go outside and
loosen the ropes to keep the stakes
from pulling out. For a minute it
looked as though l would have to do
that too, when one Of the others
agreed to do it. When he got out
he told us that it was sleet and not
rain, l then bundled up and went to
help him. The wind was blowing so
hard and so much sleet that it felt
like bullets. We got things fixed IN.
four of the ropes being pulled off. We
went in again and then the real fun
began, the wind grew worse and you
couldn't hear thing in the tent. r.
then suggested that we go out again
to see if everything was all right, and
one OF the others agreed to go with
me. l was pretty sore by this time
at couple of the fellows who had
crawled into bed and didn't move all
night When we went cut this time
1t was showing hard, but finally we
got things fixed up again. 1t was
getting colder right along, and we
bundled into bed with our clothes on
4 certainly enjoyed the experience of
That night as it was exciting and a
new thing for me. | woke I'D about
two O'Clock and the wind was still
blowing hard and it was showing RI
got up and looked things over. but
couldn't build q fire because orr
chimney had blown off. | went to
bed again and slept until four O'Clock
Ihen got up, lit candle and made
another inspection. / was never so
surprised in my life. Two of the
cots had snow under them up to the
springs, and snow on the blankets
There was drift inside the door,
about eighteen inches deep. stepped
outside and into a two foot snow drift 4
Then | went back and slept until
l:45. | went into the company street
ana IL was very desolate looking
camp. Some tents were down. some
torn, ropes loose. stakes up and a
person might think that cyclone had
paid us visit. Practically all of the
Kitchen tents were fiat. Outside the
canteens were about 100 cases of pop
and every bottle busted, being frozen
solid 1t was then fifteen above. When
started to write the letter it was
eighty or eighty five above, making
about sixty degrees drop in temper
AZURE within a few hours. About
three inches of snow had fallen, but
drifted bad. We didn't get much
breakfast, but cup of coffee at noon.
and about $3.50 p. M, were given
enough to make up for it, All we
have done all day is to set tents. Ours
was the best in line 1t thawed this
AFTERNOON and about half the snow is
gone. Tomorrow it will all go and
then imagine the mud Heard TODAY
that two lines or about forty tents in
another part of camp had burned
down, and one man was killed. Will
NJ ~1,4