Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-03-04
CAVE LIFE FOR sAMMIEs.
Americans Occupying Underground
BiIets Once Germ an Owned.
IBy the Associated Press.l

BilIets Once Germ an Owned.
[By the Associated Press.l
With the American Army in France.
March 3.-Some OF the American
troops in the Chenqin des Danes sec
life behind the front trenches. their
billets being deep underground quar-
ries and natural recesses beneath the
Surface.
The correspondent on a visit to this
!sector found them thus quartered,
occupying posistaas held by the Ger
mans d year agHste8 ~ ost OF the AmGri"
cans, however, are liking in the
trenches, which are strengthened and
improved.
The underground billets, some OF
them old limestone quarries and others
partly natural in formation and i'm
proved In blasting operations by the
Germans, are variously named. One
of them is called the Pantheon 1t
accommodates 1000 men. The CORES
spondent found American and French
soldiers living there In harmony.
The living quarters in this cave are
seventy-two feet under ground. Fresh
air is supplied by large air pumps. The
cave Is In part electrically lighted. The
men usually remain In this cavern
from four to six days each, a company
being assigned a certain portion Of the
excavation.
The men are not permitted to roam
about at will lest they be lost.
The troops here sleep on low doubled
tier hunks. covered with straw. A
small railway for carrying supplies
runs thru the cave. A sign over one
entrance reads East Boston tunnel"
and one Of the men standing near said:
THAT reminds me Of home"
No Chance For "Scrap."
At another point the correspondent
saw some men who had just COM
pleted their turn in the trenches. An
officer said the men had begged to
remain in the line few more days.
"Why they even took us out before
we even had a decent scrap" said a
machine gunner.
The Germans put up a sign, "Wel-
come, Yankees" but the machine gun
|ners riddled the sign with bullets.
Most Of the men would rather be in
the trenches than in a training camp.
In the cook shack meal Of fresh
beef. potatoes, onions, canned corn,
white bread, coffee and canned peaches
were found in preparation.
No mo Mans Land"
The general took the party Of cores
pondents to his headquarters and
pointed out the location of his troops
on a large map.
How much no mans land is there
between the trenches at this point?'
asked one Of the visitors.
There Is no no mans land there, Il
is all American" said the general.
Later a French officer said the Amer
leans had Immediately assumed control
Of mo mans land" when taking over
the trenches.
German prisoners declared that the
Americans attacked with such vigor
that the Germans threw up their hands.
German Prisoner as Guide.
Altho numerous daring courageous
deeds have been performed by the
Americans one of the most interesting
Is that of German born sergeant, who
with a small detail took a German
prisoner in a patrol fight but lost the
way with the result that the party
wound up at the German barbed wire.
where they could plainly hear the Ger
mans talking. The sergeant pointed
la revolver at the prisoners head and
said:
Maybe they will get us before we
get back, but If they do I'll get you
flrst. Now lead us back to our lines
The German prisoner led the Ameri-
lcans back to their own trenches. The
lpriosner was turned over to the intelli-
coora nffirar NJ tho INIT =