The Redwood gazette., 1918-01-16
Camp Cody Has
Lots of Weather
Dust, Rain And Snow Makes Life for
Company L Boys Varied; Some
Changes Made
BOYS ARE COMFORTABLE
Warmer Clothing, Extra Bedding And
More Tents Issued; Sickness and
Deaths Decreasing
Camp Cody, New Mexico,
January 9, 1918.

Camp Cody, New Mexico,
January 9, 1918.
Dear friend:
Today we've been favored A bit
of rain sprinkled over the camp to-
day, the first cloud-drip since we
started to live here that first Tues
day in October. Say, but it sounded
good, that homelike, pleasant "patter
of the rain upon the roof" And by
the eager and vociferous welcome it
received from the men along the
streets, one would think we had just
received orders to move to France;
or maybe be it was like the return
of a good old friend from a long dis
tance.
Tactically speaking, this bit of rain
was a success; and the half has not
been told without mention of the dust
storms that have preceded it, feeling
US out as it were. Old timers in this
region have "cal'lated" we were due
for either rain, sleet, snow or a COM
bination of the three. We have had
big dust storms tear loose on US sud-
denly about noon the past few days
and run wild the rest of the day and
come out of the horizon to sober down
larly in the mornings an olive drab
mist of fine dust rises over this val
ley, quite befogging the distant noun
tains, but soon clears away. This
morning that mist held fast and in
creased in density, as if foreboding
some deluge. And the deluge arrived
in all it's feRdish glory. 1t was the
most superb burst of dust that we've
had yet, a regular cyclone of it. For
about two hours it ragged, so thick at
imes as to cloak objects ten feet
away. Other dust storms which we
have thought the biggest ever have
been dwarfed by this one. At that,
strange to say, there was as little
Grabbing" as we've had so far. Per-
haps that was due to the fact that
all outside work had to be called off;
more likely it is because this soldier
discipline is Tightening it's hold on US.
P. S. (the next morning). This is
certainly the dav of real sport. We
have had a snow come upon on us in
the night. Just a light layer COW
cred things early this morning and
appeared first as the dust does under
the moonlight; only this morning
there was no moon to give account.
1t was real snow. 1t is going as
quickly as it came or faster under
this warm sun.
Camp Enlarged.
The army at Camp Cody is enlarg-
ing it's quarters. No longer will tent
be congested with eight or nine men.
Orders now have provided extra tent
age, frames, floors and stoves, and
REQUIRED s1 that there be only five men
to the tent. This will be luxury
death to a lot of pestering germs
which the doctors claim thrive in
these overcrowded tents. The men
ave made themselves comfortable so
far but will welcome the change. In
many of the tents double-decked hunks
have been built up so as to provide
necessary ''parlor room space, and
clothing and equipment has been un-
sanitarily stored away in boxes or
iammed under the bottom cots. In
L company we will now have a street
full of forty-seven tents.
Wearing Woolens.
Lately every man has been fitted
with full woolen uniform. Extra
blankets and quilts have been issued.
With such clothing, warm and en-
larged quarters, hot-shower baths, big
meals, we are certainly living COM
fortably. Sickness in the camp is be-
ing reduced. The number of deaths
at the base hospital are constantly
decreasing. Men with physical dis
ability are being discharged or given
special treatment to make them fit
for duty Next Monday school opens
in this division to which will be sent
men who are troubled with fiat feet
and there they will be given gymnas-
tic work and special drill to correct
foot trouble This sand has been
SIificult to work in and has been the
Cause of many cases OF broken arches
or general foot trouble: Of late IN
all drill movements we lave changed
the regulation stride, shortening 1T,
and the relief on feet has been at
once noticeable.
Not So Bad.
There seems to be growing con-
viction among the men here that this
is after all good camp, healthy, and
bothered with as little inconvenien-
ces as any other camp. Letters from
friends in other camps, where their
work is hindered by snow, rain or
mud and cold weather are spreading
general contentment with conditions
here. Our sand is our worst enemy
here and the last two months 1T has
not seriously Inconvenience the sched-
ule, in spite of what visiting COVER
nors, politicians and relatives of sol
diers may have reported to the folks
back north. AS to the dust, the roads
are now being oiled, company streets
watersoaked and packed, and much
of the loose dust scraped up and
hauled out in to the desert. Yester-
day afternoon was the first time di-
visional schools were interrupted by
the sand, and the rain settled the
dust storms in time to allow the men
to participate in some of the regular
Wednesday afternoon athletics.
~ Company L will have good rep
resentation at the Officers Training
Cannn. which for this department is