The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-01-31
Warm Western Breeze
Hits Us in Mid-Winter

Seymour Stafford gives details Of
his western trip and journey by boat
from Portland to San Francisco:
San Francisco, Cal, Jan. 70, 1918.
My dear Editor:
What blessing to get the good, old
Times Record to read, when fellow
is long ways from home: -
Your issue of the weekly Jan. IL,
at hand and was shocked to hear OF
the death of George Fridd. He always
had a kind word for me and l esteem
ed him in the highest along with 9TH
ers of the good people OF valley
City.
also read the letter of TrubshaW
from Milwaukee and was glad to- near
af the marriage of my old friend
Inu;s Parsons. But say Charlie, 1t
is great to be out here in the land
Of sunshine and flowers and read OF
the below zero weather and deep
snow back there. l haven't seen a
Jake Of snow since l left He'll Gate
Csuyon, in the Rocky Mountains, in
my tin grasshopper. on yes, l went
INTO the ditch three time coming out
here but came out all right. You
would have had good laugh If you
had seen me on one occasion near Big
Timber Mont, chasing around the
eountry looking for a crowbar to
straighten the crank. You see was
thinking of those English tanks and
nv sub-conscious mind told me to try
ola tank" across the ditch and l
did Oh, no, never had to crawl out
from under, | always did my ditch
humping gracefully and thoroughly.
wrote a great many cards back to
The old town but never let anyone IN
OF my secret so you see 1 am only
making this confession to relieve my
conscience.
am now taking in the sights of
San Francisco and believe me it is
some berg to see. met young
Myhre here who is in the navy hos
pitaI corps at Yerba Buena island
otherwise Goat Island. l left the tin
grasshopper at Sheridan, Oregon,
where my parents live and came down
to Frisco on Pacific steamer from
Portland, and such a trip never will
forget. To begin with they took US
all off the boat at Astoria, Oregon,
saying there was German trickery on
board but l guess they were afraid
to try the sand bar at the mouth of
She Columbia river at night. Any
way it put the scare into five of the
passengers 50 that they left the boat
and went back to Portland. We laid
Is hours in Astoria and then headed
for the Pacific ocean. AS we neared
the sand bar we could see the great
breakers ahead hitting the bar and
then we smashed into them. Oh yes,
It was great, it had all the merry
gu-round and shoot the chutes back
ed off the map. After about half hour
Of this l began to have a sneaking
idea that all was not right under my
belt. Twas on the hurricane deck and
excused myself to go to my state
room for a cigar. Il was smoking
one at the tine.)
Well, l never got there. / took a
sudden notion on the way down that
me and the railing would be good
friends and l was so enthusiastic
over this idea that / began hugging
the rsiI at once. Well to cut matters
short I was very kind to the fishes.
OF course / had plenty of company,
nearly everyone was seasick as it was
very rough. The second morning out
my bunkie talked me into going down
to breakfast. l summoned up all my
courage an dwent to breakfast with
him. I ordered three hard boiled and
while waiting for them the dishes
started to do a "all the men left"
around the table. This was too much
for me and l beat it out on the deck
and renewed my acquaintance with
the railing again. On the way out
a party met me and asked if he was
in my way. l said "You certainly
am" The seats are screwed to the
dnsr quite a ways from the table SO
a person can make quick getaway.
There were several that never ate a
meal all the way down to Frisco.
Never again the raging main for me.
We entered the Golden Gate just at
sunrise and it was a beautiful sight
and 50 here am, sweating and read
ing Of the severe winter in North
Dakota and Milwaukee. So l must
close this masterpiece as Rex Beach
might sue me for stealingg his
thunder. Regards to all.
Seymour Stafford.