Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-01-21

by fine turkey dinner and the dis
tribution of Christmas packages. The
Red Cross of California furnished the
Christmas packets for the soldiers
at Cody and every man in the big
camp was remembered. The pack
ages were piled high on long tables
in the officers mess hall and the men
marched through and received their
gifts. The day, itself, was ideal and
programs were held in every Y. NJ.
C. A. hut to provide entertainment
for the men.
Mrs. Groves had the novel ex-
perience of seeing two companies
exchange quarters. Moving day at
Cody is somewhat different than
what the housewife would expect it
to be. All tents are boarded up
three or four feet from their base
and when tent is to be moved, a
half dozen men take hold of this
wooden base and lift it bodily :. to
the new location, picking up the
tent that occupied the space before
and carrying it over to the former
location of the first tent. No pack
ing, no disturbance of individual be-
longings; in other words the SOL
der picks up his tent and walks.
The Band.
The old Second Iowa band under
the leadership OF John V. Eppel is
with the 125th Machine Gun Bat
talon, An organization to which a
number of the Webster City boys be-
long. Mrs. Groves had the pleasure
of hearing them in concert and after
wards they crowded about her to
know if she did rot think they had
improved their playing. She told
them it was impossible, meaning
chow could it be improved?" Mr..
Eppel and his boys are looking es-
pecially we'll. Mrs. Eppel of Boone
is spending several weeks at Dem
ing with her husband and son, OAR
rell, and seems to enjoy the climate
and surroundings greatly.
The Webster City people at Dem
ing were very anxious that Mrs.
Groves experience real sand storm
and this she did, the worst yet known
since the troops have been in the
south. The sky suddenly became
black about ~ o'clock noon and
within fifteen or twenty minutes the
sand was blowing so dense that a
car standing short distance from
the house was completely obliter-
ated. The storm continued until 3
o'clock in the afternoon when 1t
changed to rain, only the third rain
that has fallen during the past six
or seven months. 1t rained the rest
of the day and at night the falling
moisture turned to snow, leaving
about an inch on the ground the
next morning when the sun came
out, The snow remained in shady
places most of the next day.
Morals Of Men.
The utmost effort is made by the
army officers to safeguard the morals
of the men. A woman visitor to
camp must not only have pass,
which is renewed at least once a
week, but must have an escort.
Visiting hours are between O'Clock
in the morning and 6 in the evening.
Every woman must leave camp by
that time. 1t was rumored before
Mrs. Groves left that soon no passes
whatever would be issued to women.
The soldiers, too, must have passes
to leave camp and the hours of
duty are plainly marked. The regu-
lations in this respect are very
strict.
1t was Mrs. Groves privilege to
see the arrival Of the six barrels OF
jams, jellies. and sweet things in
camp sent from here. Nothing was
broken, everything being in excellent
condition. The contents were dis
tributed among the various organi-
cations to which the home boys be-
long. Perhaps the most that can be
done for the soldier boys by friends
is to let them know that they hold
their places in the hearts of the
home folks. Keep the home fires
burning"
Newspaper Plant Burns.