The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-01-31
Interesting Story Of How the
ND: Boys Sailed "0ver There .

&c. ---
(Ry Earle H. Tostevin il tic Fargo
Forum.)
december something or other,
At some port or other
Somewhere in the war zone
which l trust is sufficiently vague
10 satisfy even the keen scrutiny
OF the Honorable Censor.
We have, after sundry and devious
travelings in some ocean or other,
dropped anchor in some harbor of
Europe. Where, the captain of the
ship and the general in charge Of the
brigade, have not as yet informed us,
but we Of course presume we will
know in due time. You see; this GEN.
sorship business is" asareality ''over
mere" and the governments, our own
and the allies, are taking no chances.
1t was a great trip this jaunt in
the transport, and not chap on
board but ran the whole gamut of
emotions from inconsistencies and
dread OF leaving the old shores of the
U. S. A., to seasickness, and from
fear of the submarines to hope that a
submarine might end their misery.
An Established Routine
We set sail from some port or other
in the United States at some date or
other this month, and it was not until
the shores OF the good old u. S. A,
were hazy in the distance that the
boys were allowed on deck. There
was an established routine followed
on board throughout the trip. Went
something like this.
$50 A. M.-That is if you awaken
ed that early. Go out on deck and get
a few whiffS of fresh air and cigaret
smoke.
: 6:95 A. M. to 1870 A. M.-Talk with
various sailors and receive their re-
ports as to which part of the ocean
we were in. We really travelled tre-
mendous distance on the way lover
here,' as We were informed that we
were, on different dates as follows:
FIRST day, straight east of New York;
second day 200 miles south of Cuba /;
third day, near the shores Of Labra-
dOr;- fourth day, in the war zone !;
fifth day. sailing directly east for the
straits of Gibralter, on the way to
Rome, nearing the war zone; sixth
day, nearing the war zone and north
of Iceland; seventh day, in the Med
iterranean and about to land in Cairo.
in the war zone; next day, 1900 miles
from. embarkation point and headed
for the Philippines by way Of the Pa
mama canal, also headed for Liver
pool, Bordeaux, London, Queenstown
and Halifax. And all the rest of the
days the same line of information.
1t may have taken us five days to
cross and it may have taken two
weeks. or three weeks, but then we
must respect the censorship. The
above schedule merely shows how
much We, or any of the crew except
the captain commander and his navi-
gators knew about it. -:
Kept IN the Dark
We were kept in the dark. EsEe-
cialjy at night. For all the lights ON
the ship except those we'll inside were
turned out. All portfolios painted and
repainted, blackened and reblackened.
Men were prohibited on deck after
shutdown, and officers were placed on
their honor not to smoke on deck, and
there were rumors around that cou-
pie of them were severely repriman-
ded and punished for sticking too
closely to the love of Lady Nicotine,
turning Their backs and brains on
Uncle Sammy.
1880 A. M.-Mess line. Messy line
as well. Present mess kits was the
order and you received ''chow," the
navy term for CHUCK"
8,to 3-Confned to quarters and
more information from the sailors or
from soldiers who had talked with
that guy working No. II gun" "They
say conjecturing was decidedly in
teresting topic. And in the first few
days out the officers swelled the chap
lain's fund by confscating money
from crap and poker games.
No one was allowed to gamble on
shipboard. Yet everyone gambled on
the prospect of reaching the other
side. But then Uncle Sam was bank
ing the game and it was square deal
all around, although it was feared
that Germany might have couple OF
aces in the hole and slip across a
queer deck Zone of those kind of decks
with a small turret and a periscope).
but then we quit even.
8. to accompanies were taken out
ON deck in turn for setting up exer-
cises.
3 to. Sunset - Promenades. on the
deck with lots of water in sight. The
usual near joker pulled the same old
Tets go over on the wine side," mean.
ing port; and the. same companion
pulled the same old one Of staying
on the .starboard to watch for; the
stars.
Cast Iron Stomaehs
Sunset to acknowledgements as
TO whether the ventilator was turned
off or on. Sympathy and coincidence
for the seasick men-from others in
like predicament only; Dragging by
chaps who have cast iron stomachs
and more information as to where we
are.
p Yes. it was agreat trip. Now that
it's over no one would have missed it
for g. quarter section of land, but they
wouldn't do it over again for whole
blooming township.
What ship did we sail on?
Um hum! Isn't it nice evening out
I'll never tell if you won't.
Maybe the censor will insert the
name in this letter some place. Yes
o~l x>o,1.bo ho Loicor will surrender