The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1918-01-11
PARIS BOY WRITES FROM
GREAT LAKES STATION

Mr.. Ben Leach, of Paris, a former
attache of THE NEWS and Of the
Kentuckian-Citizen, and ! good
printer, writes very interesting
letter to a member of THE NEWS
force, in which he tells of some of
his experiences and Impressions at
the Great Lakes Naval Training
Station, where thousands of young
Americans are undergoing training.
Among other things, Mr.. Leach
writes:
Great Lakes, III,
January 8, 1915.
Dear Friend:
mo doubt you have all thought
that I would never write back, but
to tell the truth, I have been so
busy up here that I haven't had
much time for writing. But since
came here 1 have realized that fell
low doesn't know how many good
friends he has until he gets, away
from home, and has to write to all
of them.
This is certainly some great
place up here. I had heard quite
often before / enlisted that they
were awfully hard on fellow, but
the hardest thing / have found Is
getting to the dinner table. There
is always such rush that if every
one doesn't rush for himself, he Is
surely going to get left ,out There
are 1876 men in our company, and
We all eat in the same room at three
tables, and Believe me, Xantippe,'
it is some sight to see that bunch
put away the grub.
"On another night you should
have seen us at a Christmas tree
On Christmas Eve there were about
thirty, thousand jackies formed into
O square, covering. a space said to
eight hours a day, and like the
work very much. 1t made some OF
the boys very tired when night
came, but it hasn't had the least eff
feet on me. We have a drill hall
that would cover about two blocks
in the business section of Paris, and
about two thousand men drill in 1t
at the same time. We have a re-
view every Wednesday before the
Captain, and on that day we have
fine music to march to. We had q
fine marine band of eighty-One
pieces yesterday, and believe me It
would make fellows blood hum to
hear that splendid music.
.''You ought to see little Bonnie
slip out of his hammock at an; early
hour in the morning, hustle into
his work clothes, grab "a big seppy
mop, and go to it, II makes me
think Of Lum Smell WashinS we
forms at the Kentuckiah-G Citizen
Office about five in the morning.
/ Have seen several copies OF THE
NEWS that has been coming to
Carl Mitchell, and have certainly
enjoyed reading them. Mitchell is
in the Hospital now. He broke out
with the measles about two days
ago. We have had three cases OF 1t
in our company, while there have
been several cases of the spinal
meningitis in other companies
1.-THE weather is surely some cold
around here, as the wind comes over
the lake at the rate of about nfty
niles an hour. II may sound funny
that we have been here almost a
month. and are within half-milel or
the lake, and yet / have never seen
it. 1 was within about one hundred
Yards of it a few days ago. but the
fog was so heavy that 1 could not
see thing. We have had but very
little snow. At the time this letter
is mailed there is about foot OF
snow on the ground, but don't
+hirk it will leave before next sum-
mer, as the sun only shines up mere
about two out of every thirty days.
when we first arrived they pIac-
ed us in a detention camp and left
MS there for about three days. Then
we were moved to where we are
now. about mile from the flr5t
place. Every fellow who comes
here is placed in the detention camp
for three weeks. While we were out
of the detention camp, we, we're not
allowed to leave. the grounds or to
go to any of the entertainments for
three weeks. On New Years Day
we were given our first freedom,
ard most of the boys went to chi
cago. I did not get to go, as was
on police duty that day. chicago
is rather large town, thought
had a halliday there on my way up
here. t
Zone announcement feature about
this place is that we don't get paid
often enough. We haven't drawn q
penny since we have been here, ana
don't know when payday will come:
A fellow would be in bad shape IL
he should happen to hit this place
broke.
.sWell, there is not very much
happening around here yet! not
enough to make much of a Letter.
but you can take this for what ~ Is:
worth. AS soon as can get out ana
get something big I'll come a little
bit stronger. $50 s a. x
with best wishes and regards,
am,
yours Trulv.
BEN LEACH,
Company L., First Regiment, camp
Dewey, Great Lakes, Ill.