New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-03-14

Nihd blew SO Strong Sailor Was Car
ricd Into Sea and Disappeared
Foresters Decide to Have Service
Flag.
!. "A letter has been received from
Willard Cowles who is now in France
Cowies enlisted in the Radio depa TT
ment some months aGo and is now
chief wireless operator on Il trans
port, The letter follows:
Somewhere in France,
February S, 1918
Dear Mother:-
We left Newport News Saturday
at noon. Our convoy left about II
hours before us. They are about 100
miles ahead of us.
The gun crew which is aboard was
formerly on the ]. II, Luckenbach,
which was torpedoed and they re-
turned on the liner Finland which
was also torpcdoed. The transport
was not sunk but taken to port.
THE weather is miserable so far
This is our twelfth day and we have
not had a good day since We left
home. We are in midst of a, terrible
storm. The wind is tie worst 7 ever
witnessed. 1t was so strong that it
blew the doors off he radio room.
II is either raining or showing all the
Tlme.
"On account Of the ter rihle storm
VIC have not caught up to the con-
voy yet and we don't know where it
is.
'TomorroW we commence to wear
life belts all the time. Last night
i SST9C OF n
one of the sailors overheard and
that was the last ever seen of him.
Another one of the sailors was
thrown up against the winch and his
head was seriously hurt.
We are now in the war zone
proper. This storm has put us fur
tner away from the convoy than ever
and we Will have to take care of our
selves. We have to run the blockade
for about 500 miles
The captain today made out a
map showing the latitude and longi-
tude SO we are prepared for the
worst if it comes to us
There was great excitement on
the boat today when we saw a sub
marine this afternoon. We saw him
quick enough and started to zig "a &.
The gun crew manned the guns and
seen at different times but didn't
send torpedoes at US because we were
zig Tagging all the afternoon. Jus:
three hours. after Guy call for help
Vas answered by two small patrol
boats. We just then got a m essa &c
that an American man-of-War and
torpedo boat were coming to our aid.
We have supper about 4:3o SO
that we don't have to ourn any lights.
We will arrive in some port in
France on Lincoln's birthday at
noon.'' -.
Governments Suggestions.
The government has suggested that
the people save all their wood ashes
| which will be valuable for fertilizer
for lawns, gardens and fields. In
every 100 pounds of wood there are
4.71 pounds Of potash, which cannot
be obtained from any other sources,
and about p pounds Of phosphoric
acid and $685. pounds of lime.
The government has limited the
sale of -four One customer will be
sold "a pounds of -four a a time and
no more, All -four will be sold with
any Of the following substitutes:
Corn flour, corn meal. corn starch,
| rolled oats, oatmeal. rice -four. Buck
| wheat, corn flakes and puffed rice
| will be considered a flour substitute.
! Sugar will be sold with any other
| commodity and the com bi nation of
! corn meal revoked,
Congress has extended to April IL
! the application for war risk insur-
ance for soldiers. Those enlisted be-
fore December IS, 1917 have until
April ? to file applications.
Foreste1-s' Meeting.
Court General Lawton held It's
monthly meeting in the rooms IN
Grange hall last night. The chief
topic of the meeting. was the buying
of a service flag. Up to the present
time there are about % mem berS
serving the country. In almost all
towns the Foresters have a service
flag, and the local court thinks it will
be a good plan to have d flag for the
| Plainvi1Ie members. 1t was also de-
cided TO have one of the members Of
the grand court preside at the rails
ing of the flag and the court give
smoker The PIainVille Foresters who
are in the service are as follows:
Peter Prior, Peter Skinner, E. Judd
Wadsworth, Frank I,a,Vassar, James
Livingston, Earle Medley, Edward
Barrows William Cunnihgha m, James
Cunningham, John Pennato, Daniel
Tesco. William Bartlett, William
Weigle, Clarence Hemingway, Francis
Cassidy, Albert Conlon, Harold Corn
ing. Frank Skelly, Albert Allan and
William Parkingson. At the meeting
it was also decided to make a, drive
for members in May. Until war was
declared, the Foresters had one of the
largest societies in town.
Cemetery Association Meeting.
At the annual meeting of the Plain
Lii C<nrantnrn, association which WAS