The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-05-30
|NEWSY LETTER
FROM VIC. man

and wonder why am here. I want.
ed to 60 to war but of coures that
was impossible. But when read
read President Wilson's appeal to
the working men to help build
plants of this kind and ships, etc.
quit my job and came here.
have been here since Feb. II, 1918
and believe me, it has been some
place to stay. Until the last month
the weather conditions and food were
not of the best but now everything
is very good the men are we'll fed
we'll housed and exceptionally well
paid. There are about $4,000 men,
whites and blacks, at this, place, and
are paid from $3.50 per day for labor
ers to $12 per day and double time for
over, time on Sundays. The pay roll
is about $350,000 per week. We are
paid off every Saturday afternoon at
4:30 in cash. Now you wonder how
this is done. I had to light cigar
cite. Please excuse the delay. We all
line up single file and pass right thru
line to a window and every man has
number and a slip for his money,
he calls his number, shows his badge
and presents his slip. For instance
my number is 7O88. They hand me
my money in small envelope the
number is on the envelope. This
week rdraw $51.60 less $4.20 for meal
tickets and payment on my liberty
bond and it's always correct. We have
a mess hall that seats about 4 1000 men
we go in just the same way and pay
for our meal at the Office window.
Then we go in and take knife, fork
and spoon and tray as we pass
along our food is placed on plate and
farther on is dessert and coffee. No
tea. We go to long tables and take
off our hats and eat. Each man gets
the same amount. Then we pick up
our tray and carry it to the washer at
the end of the room and pass out.
When I came here three months ago
there were few bunk houses and
mess hall and officers. Today there
are 10 or IL big steel buildings, a
chimney 300 feet high, accommoda-
lions for 10000 men. Mr.. Moe it
would be impossible to give you a
faint idea what this great army of
men are doing to build something to
beat the kaiser. There are young men
and old. All working toward the same
end. Get the kaiser. And with all
these men working, eating, sleeping
together you very seldom hear cross
word. The people of North Dakota
have duty to perform which lot
of them do not seem to wake up to. In
order for this war to be won the vast
army of workingmen must be fed or
we may just as we'll keep our boys at
home for without guns and ammuni-
tons they are absolutely helpless.
The men at the front must be fed so
its up to every man, woman and child
to raise something to eat. l often
stop and look at this great work and
think how little the folks at home
know of what's going on. This camp
bought 100000 worth of liberty
bonds. We paid $500 for one home
made cake for the Red Cross. I say
give until it actually pinches, it must
be done. / wish could say something
to wake up the tightwads, it isn't the
poor man or the rich man it's the mid
die bunch that is the bachelor with
money, you know the class I mean.
When the Red Cross drive is over I
hope to see North Dakota up at the
head of the list as having given the
most per capita. The state of N. D. is
the best state in the union. No excep-
tions and believe me l am in position
to know. When they talk about our
cold winters. I wish to say I never
suffered so much with the cold as I
have in Florida, Georgia and Ala
bama. If it isn't cold it's rain and
chills and fever. Don't let the south
ern land sharks mislead the people at
home for I wouldn't give one section
of White Bros. farm for any 10 Sec
lions l seen down here unless it was
to fool the northern people. Straw
berries are 30c a box right here where
they are raised. When man comes
to North Dakota to live and make a
living and he shows he is right and
needs financial help to get started he
gets it. But in this country if you
come broke you better get to work OF
move no questions asked. .@l.=
Well old time friend I am
100 miles from home and its
hard to tell when I will be back. But
I am going to stick, this work must b.
done. Now what you must do per.
sonally is to get out and tell the PEG
pie that they must hustle and help
They must deny themselves to the
limit. We must keep the boys il
khaki going. l hope this finds 70,
and your family well and happy. Ny
two sons are here working but will
soon have to go, / suppose. But it
for the best. My wife writes me tina
forster is sick in hospital in Min
neapolis. l am captain Of one of tn
companies Of the volunteer fire de
partment.
| / must do my bit. D..
With best wishes and hoping t.
hear from you some time, as l re
lonesome down here for good oil
North Dakota. It is hot here now.
remain.
| Your old pal, ,..
&c. NJ. McKinstry.
Air Nitrates Corporation, Muscl
| CLoo1e A1oko mo ~