The Monett times., 1918-10-18
NEWS OF OUR SOLDIERS
His Trip Across the United States

His Trip Across the United States
Laurence Lewis has written de-
scribing his trip across the United
Safes from California to Camp Eus-
tbs Va. as follows:
Camp Eustis, Va, Sept. IA 1918
We got here the night of the 18th
at IL in the night and slept in the
Pullmans that night; got up at 6 and
had breakfast and all the rest of the
day laid around on the grounds near
the R.. r. where we detrained. At
Up. M. they took pity on us and found
us place to sleep; little comfort
last night; cold sleeping with nothing
but mattress cover over the springs
l had spring prints all over my flesh
This morning we laid around again
until about 11:30 when we were
called out and assigned to companies.
After dinner We had all the after
noon to ourselves so l took a much
needed bath and am now at the Y.
M. C. A.
The arrangement of this camp is
much like at Camp Johnston, Fla
There are 65 men from our regiment
away at school and as soon as they
return we expect to be equipped for
oversee service. We are fifty miles
from Richmond and fifteen miles
from Newport News. The camp is
still in course of construction.
Now will endeavor to give you
description of our trip across the
continent. AS you know, we left Fort
Macarthur, California, on Sept. 6.
There is very pretty scenery between
Las Angeles and San Bernardino. 1t
must have been about 7:30 when we
got to San Bernardino, for it was
still light. We We're met there by the
largest number Of Red Cross ladies
that ever met our train at any sta
ton. There must have been two
hundred Of them. The treat was all
we could eat of white California
grapes, figs, peaches, plums, melons,
cantaloupes, and magazines. Two
girl glee clubs rendered several Sc
lections of the latest war music. We
were introduced to the captain Of
the Red Cross, a middle aged lady
VINO has two sons "over there" We
also made the acquaintance of. a
little six months old baby with curly
red hair whose daddy is cover there"
We left at s o'clock with an extra
engine, for it takes two to get over
the mountains; we also left two fell
lows at San Bernardino. They de-
serted us there; after that we had
guards at both ends of the car
Sept. 7. Kingston, Arizona, and
another Red Cross Reception: cigar
cites, gum and cards. At Peach
Springs, Arizona, saw as near what
they call cowboys as will ever be
seen, anywhere. | think there were
a lot of Mexicans in the bunch. At
1880 we stopped at Seligman, Ariz-
ono to take water and ice the drink
Ing fountains. While they watered
the train we took exercise. Water is
hauled to this town from a place
thirty miles away. We left one of
the engines here and went on our
way through Arizona, desert. rocks,
opl h;lle Az IN;ll;o,ou A ,.;1npo
another Red Cross Reception, apples
etc. Williams is in the pine forests,
large lumber mills there. At Winslow
at $50 we had our exercise double
quick time. The Red Cross met us
with plums and cigarettes.
Sept. 8. New Mexico. Vaughan,
at noon, we had no exercise, no Red
Cross, town too small | suppose to
support it. A Mailet engine hooked
on to pull us the next two hundred
miles. The last few hundred miles
we travelled through New Mexico the
towns are few and far between;
plenty of people at the stations to
watch us go through but no Red
Cross.
At Clovis we got off and had our
afternoon exercise. We crossed over
into the Pan Handle before dark.
Here is the prettiest prairie land |
have ever seen.
Sept. 9. | went on guard at A.
M. At we had crossed into Okla
homa and it was at Sayre, at $3.50
that l found that we would go
through Oklahoma City. wanted to
send telegram to the Millses here
but was on guard so could not; was
relieved from guard at 6 A. M. and
/ at once wrote out q telegram on a
piece of linen writing paper wrapped
a dollar in it. and as there were no
stops for several hours, took the
chance of the operator at some sta
ton, ! don't remember the name of
the station. but I took a chance of