Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-03-08

aware of this, and shut their eyes and
charge. There is considerable COM
plaint from visitors to the city. But,
this is none of my business, so wont
meddle. We met n number of fine
people on Sunday morning in Park
Memorial Baptist church. They know
how to treat strangers and visitors.
There was a large number of soldiers
boys among the worshippers. Twenty
| one soldiers were received into The
membership of the church during the
past month.
We had our home at the Alabama
hotel, one of the largest and finest in
the South. Here we met many SOL
diers, and several fathers and moth
ers, wives and sisters, who like our
selves, were visiting the boys in the
camp.
Fire in the Building.
The only incident out of the ordi-
nary occurred on Saturday morning,
when fire broke out in the lower part
of the building, caused, we were told
| by crossed wires. 1t was soon put out
| by the fire company. The men were
all on the street, and some of the
women, but there was something do
n while, but the excitement was soon
over.
The Big Camp and the Soldiers.
Few readers of this paper, we take
it, have seen q large military en-
campment, and no newspaper descrip-
tion can give an adequate idea of one.
Like the mountains and the sen, it is
indescribable and must be seen to he
appreciated. The government has ac-
quired about 10000 acres of land six
miles east of town. and on this land
is now living and drilling about 10000
soldiers, thev told me, and also thous-
ands and thousands of horses and
mules. A railroad has been built,
great depots, department buildings,
Y. M. C. A. and library, canteen,
laundry, bath houses, bakeries, sta
bles---everything necessary for pros
ecuting the work of training soldiers.
There are rifle and artillery ranges,
where the boys learn to shoot. The
ing, line roads into and all about the
| camp. From appearances and indica-
tions Uncle Sam expects to stay at
Admission permanently.
How The Boys Live.
The most interesting and important
thing about this camp or any camp is
the soldier. And everybody wants to
know how he lives, what he eats, etc.
| write these lines particularly to say
to those who have boys in Camp, and
sum it up all in one statement: The
boys are living well, are we'll taken
care of and in the finest of shape.
They live in tents. The officers live
in WOODEN huts. The tents are plank
cd up about feet and over this the
tent stretches. They sleep on cots.
and only in the severest weather do
they have difficulty in keeping warm.
Each tent has a plank floor and a
stove, and shelters from two to eight
men.
Albert Peery's tent has eight men,
as does also many others. The boys
have good, strong, food and plenty of
it. Each company has a kitchen and
mess hall attached. The food is not
served just exactly as the boys have
been accustomned to, but as to guam
tity, ETC., they are living about as
well as they did at home. ate a
meal in camp and never enjoyed one
have beef, beans, apple butter. pre-
L aAPPiSop SOih SssJ GIN
bread and occasionally ice cream and
cake. Have no fears that your boy
is being starved. After going thru
his daily drills boy can eat any,
thing and any amount of it. He
does his own washing, except when
he chooses to send his clothes to the
laundry and pay for it. He can get
also meal at the restaurant at rea.
sonable prices when not on duty. One
thing certain, he works 1t is work
work, all the time. If he is sick, there
are hospitals and fine doctors. The
looks of the boys is enough. = They
are strong and healthy. | met moi
one that had not gained in flesh
Your boy is all right, and only now
and then do you find one dissatisfied
If he is he says nothing about it, al
least not to a visitor. Don't negle,
to write to him often, and be certain
to write nothing discouraging. Write
often and nothing that will give hin
"the blues" The finest specimen O,
American manhood, physically and
morally, is the American soldier. Ant
every mother and father should fee
and no doubt do feel, proud of him.