Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-05-08
RAYMOND HJERLE|D I
IN new JERSEY
Decorah Soldier Boy Writes Like
Veteran Newspaper Man. His
Letters Very Interesting.
HAS BEEN DOING
NEW YORK CITY
Tells Our People to Buy Bonds and
Make Gardens, Which Will
Help Win the War.
Camp Merritt, N. j.


Dear Editor:
1t has been some time now since
wrote your paper and now is my
while. Guess you are tired of my
hot air. BY the looks of what the
others write / don't think mine will
| hold a candle to them. This
country and camp is somewhat new
| to a westerner. 1t is very large
camp and compares in size to that
of Camp Dodge only larger. Men
go and come from where and no
one knows. We have both colored
and white troops here and both
furnish plenty of amusements.
The Y. Nj. G.. A. and x. c. Halls
have good lectures, shows and pic
lures every night. l had the rare
chance of hearing Mr.. Wetmore OF
the Bronx Geological Gardens of
New York last night. He sure is
we'll posted on animal life having
had charge of this work for fifteen
years. Also had the Manhattan
Ladies Quartette sing yesterday
afternoon which was very fine.
They have a large Liberty theatre
| here and for the first time l used
the celebrated smilage book. Have
seen Richard Carle in "Furs and
| Frills." l wish the Grand opera
house company would book that
for Decorah as it is very good.
Passes are issued to New York
City for only short time from IL
lp. m. to IL p. m. the following day.
This doesn't give you very much
! of chance. to look over where the
They tell me though that they are
not always bright. For the saying
is "a sorrow for every light on
Broadway" On the way one sees
Grants tomb which is landmark
and wonderful. Farther up-the way
you soon run into the busy section
of the city. Some get off, go see
Jhe Pennsylvania Station which
has a whole yard underneath and
only cost around $20,000,000. get
anything you want in this place.
Others go through the tubes to the
Island where they have friends and
relatives. Here is where they
travel. The cars are low and the
traffic so big that they must go.
/ asked a gentleman how fast they
went and he said around seventy
miles an hour when under way.
They have started something new
over here called the Liberty Land
Society. 1 believe it is. Every day
during this loan drive some one
noted either speaks, sings, or plays.
Well Caruso and Geraldine Farrar
we're there and you should hear
the voices. Oh this U. S. A. has
got some wonderful people in it.
Well our time was soon up and we
had to go home. Kind of hated to
leave, but a thirty dollar soldier
has no business staying too long in
that place. Forgot to tell you an
other thing, you people probably
read about two ships colliding with
each other the other day, we'll they
were some from out of our camp
and they brought all but the ones
that were lost back here again
Sixty-eight lost.
They are close to us and some were
pretty badly bruised up. Some OF
our boys were talking to them
yesterday. Well / must close an6
bid you goodbye for a while. Send
the paper as you addressed the last
and l will get it after while
The only thing we boys must have
our minds on is to win the war
Will you people at home do the
rest? Don't let the boys go away
with the wrong impression. Buy
Bonds and build gardens.
Goodbye,
RAYMOND HJERLEID.
l31S-Co. F.. Engineers.