davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13
LETTERS FROM BOYS
IN THE ARMY CAMPS


Rev. A. B. Bell received the follow
ing letter from William J. Keene,
stationed at Camp Robinson, Sparta,
Wis.
Camp Robinson, Wis, August Is,
1918.-Dear Mr.. Bell: You will no
doubt be surprised to hear from me.
suppose you perhaps have missed
my presencelat Sunday morning SER
ices so were aware of the fact that
] was away. Well, l don't have to
spend much time explaining to you
were l am and why as you will note
that by the heading
l have been in the service near,y
two months now. Was sent to Camp
Grant, ILL.,, at first where was equipp-
ed and got my first taste of army
life under the hot corpbelt sun.
Within four weeks | was transferred
to the light artillery which is located
at this camp.
The artillery is a very interesting
branch of the service and feel lucky
that / got into it. Of course it is
no snap and there is a lot to learn.
"A good deal of time is put in at
classes like going to school, / am
learning to draw various kinds of maps
and military sketches, gun range
finding and to ride horse. The lat
ter is the toughest of all as l am not
used TO them. We execute all the
usual military drills on horse back
besides having imposed on us var
ious circus stunts. Can you imagins
me doing them?
This camp is not very large place
compared to Grant and is all artillery
/ am living in tent in true army
style So far i have rather enjoyed
the army although it is hard work
these hot summer days, but feel il
is doing me lot of good physically
besides great change and a rest
| from whatlI have been doing. 1t /.
a great experience and in spite Oh al
restrictions and hard work l think
the boys all like it for they certainly
are a happy bunch. There are nc
worries or cares here. / also find the
army a much more moral and clear
place then expected to find it. II
| is way ahead of civil life in that res
! pect. One. of the contributing fac
tors of course is that the liquor evi
! is entirely eliminated and restric
,tions on bad women severe. The
Y. M. c. A. is always the most popu
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13

of trucks ready to be moved forward
to the front. To the right another
huge crane was bodily picking up a
locomotive and passing it around to
its proper place. These locomotives
come from the United States in parts
packed in crates. Looking at the long
rows of these giant crates, they
seemed to be streets of cottages or
shacks, and one wondered how they
could ever be brought across. the
ocean with >all the shifts and storing
between docks.
We watched one of these locomo-
Etives as it was taken from it's seven
giant boxes, and gradually grew into
a massive engine. Soon thereafter
this locomotive was moving through
the yards on it's own steam, and soon
after that it was on it's way to re-
equip the State Railway of France,
which is one of the vital links of
the war game. First of all the Amer
lean double track road up to the front
was equipped, and then the French
state railway took it's turn, for they
are all part of the network of
feeders for the allied war service.
1--WE turn out six to ten complete
locomotives day." said the Baron,
"and by September it will be 20 a
day, the largest construction of the
kind in the world
Now the Baron led the way to
some of the detailed processes of the
huge plant. Here was the boiler
testing plant. Steam was up and the
big boilers were being tested after
their voyage across the ocean to see
if the sea water had opened any
joints or loosened rivets. 1t was, sur.
prising, said the Baron, how well
they stood the voyage with no loosen
ing of parts, and practically perfect
when they arrive.
Besides the industry of such a
huge concern, there is besides, the
equipment of living quarters for the
army of workmen- soldiers. Thus a
good sized city has sprung up, with
avenues and streets lined with bar
racks, mess rooms, canteens, barber
shops, dentists office, baths, and all
the activities of a Furnishing frontier
town
Beyond the shops and barracks are
the great stretches of railway tracks
and sidings, for this is the first step
in the intricate system of transporta-
ton by which American troops and
supplies are moved to the front When
the Americans came here there We're
two tracks; now there is a network of
twenty one tricks. Hundreds of Amer
lean engines and cars were moving
over these lines as we went through
the yards today, and some forty
newly completed locomotives just
turned out at the nearby shops were
starting on their way And as these
went out, long trains were bringing
in more of the huge crates with the
bodies and wheels and boilers, soon
to be put together in this steady
stream of vast war construction.
Passing headquarters, word haG
just come by telephone that the Ger
man offensive had begun on an 80
kilOmetre front. Soon it passed from
shop to shop, and the whole estab-
lishment was stirred and stimulated.
Officers and men beamed at the
thought that the fight was on, with
a feeling of confidence that knew no
such thing as failure, and a feeling
also that these soldier workmen in
their overalls were doing their part
in winning the fight.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13
CARE OF THE NURSES
Convalescent Home Where They Viii
Be Real Comfortable

ConvaIescent Home Where They Will
Be Real Comfortable
London, August 18-[By Mail]-A
convalescent home for American
nurses, the first of it's kind in Eng
land has been opened by the Amer
lean Red Cross at Putney.
The institution is housed in Cole
brook Lodge, one of the finest houses
on West Hill, close to Putney Heath,
formerly the home of Charles T.
Yerkes of Chicago. The house is a
three-story modern building, con :
structed on the 200-yea old founda-
tons of Putney Manor house. There
are nearly three acres of gardens and
lawns. At the start the convalescent
home will have accommodation for
twenty five nurses, most of whom
are recovering from illness incurred
while on duty in France.
The Convalescent home will be un
der direct charge of Miss Carrie Hall,
chief nurse for the American Red
Cross in Great Britain.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13
SEEMING OF LAKE
Work Will Be Done BY Parties In
q CIjeur County

Work Will Be Done BY Parties In
lie Sueur County.
Following is a paragraph taken
from The LIE Sueur Center Leader
Democrat relative to the SEEMING of
Lake Washington:
Peculiar how some things work
out! Last winter a lot of Mankato
fellows put up an awful roar against
the SEEMING of rough fish at Lake
Washington in this county, claiming
it killed the game fish. The contract
at that time was held by LIE Sueur
Center man. Now this lake is to be
let soon again for this year, and chief
ard prominently among the contend
ers for the right to seine the lake are
some Mankato individuals, and some
of those who objected last year The
roar last year was, no doubt, due to
the fact that they did not have the
contract The state fish commission
er is wise to the game being played
and it may not work out to suit the
Mankato sports"
w. e. Polzin stated this morning
that Mankato sportsmen who plan to
sein the lakes this winter had been
denied the right to sein Lake Wash
ington but not because the state fish
commissioner was opposed to their
scheme or for any like reason. Mr..
Polzin stated that he had talk with
Carlos Avery and that the Mankato
men have the right to sein all the
lakes in this county. Washington
lake is mostly in LIE Sueur county
and ''the powers that be" at the state
capitol have secured the lake for LIE
Sueur county parties,
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13
HUNS SPREAD POISON
Retailing Their Peace Propaganda
All Over Switzerland.

UNITED Press Dispatch.]
Rome, September 5.AItalian press
in Switzerland report
that German agents are constantly
spreading the propaganda these days
that Germany is very DESTROYS of an
immediate peace. These agents pre-
tend to agree entirely with the state
ments of the British labor party, that
peace should be concluded as soon as
Germany evacuated France and Bel
GUM. They go farther and state
these areas will be evacuated i'm
mediately.
No mention is made of indemnities,
however, or of the Italian demands,
or of the Balkan tangle Germany is
apparently playing for a breathing
which she knows F'ech does not in
tend to grant her.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13
ACTION OF YANKEES
SURPRISE TO FRENCH.
LIEUTENANT LEROY BOWEN'S
STORY OF OVER THERE
Met Number of Mankato Men
Who Are All In Pink of
Condition

Americans are certainly fine SOL
diers," remarked a French officer to
Second Lieutenant Leroy Bowen of
this city, while they were watching al
American raid of the German
trenches at the beginning of the big
German retreat. "They are fine SOL
diers al right,-but, they wear nc
coats!" The fact that the American
boys took off their coats, rolled up
their sleeves and literally pitched in
to the fray"-without coats-was a
very strange thing to the French
soldier, who never goes anywhere
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13
LETTER FROM TRENCHES
Rudolph Thompson Writes of Bomb.
ing BY the Teutons.

Rudolph Thompson, formerly a
salesman at the ]. B. & d. Richards
store, who is now in France with the
American Expeditionary Forces, in a
letter to relatives in the city, under
date of August 4. stated that he was
at that time in the rear line trench
es on the fighting front in France. He
had been in the trenches twelve
days, and it had rained steadily ten
days out of the twelve. The "F'rit-
zies" came over once in awhile and
dropped bombs but they had not
taken much effect, and it was ex-
pected that the Germans would soon
be forced to retreat so far that the
danger of German bombing machines
would be greatly lessened.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13
WAGE RAISE PROMISED
Poorly Paid Railway Men To Be Given
Stipend Advance.

Washington, September 5.-Over a
million of the more poorly paid rail-
way employees will receive an i'm
mediate raise in pay. The railway
board granted today that those men
who have not yet received the major
raised granted be given an increase of
$25 per month where the pay is
monthly and of twelve and one half
cents an hour. where payment is
made by the day.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13

According to the court records the
case of ]. c. Kumerow versus the
School Board of Mankato was started
on December "a, 1917, and the case
was tried and completed about the
middle of January. This was about
seven months ago and the decision
has been pending since that time. One
of the members of the board stated
this morning that the board would
push the case through now and get a
decision as soon as possible. He
made an examination of the court
records and found the proceedings as
stated above.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13
CROWN IS AT STAKE
Answer Of Hert7inc to Prussians Who
Want Reforms.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch.

IASsOcIated PTeSS D1Spalch.1
Amsterdam, September 5.-Von
Hertling, speaking to the con-
stitutional committee of the Prus-
sian upper house on the .fulfillment
of the emperor's pledge to reform the
franchise, said: with this serious
question, the protection and preserva-
ton of the crown and dynasty is at
stake"
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13
Attorney Named For Place in Feder,I
Jurisdiction

Attorney John Temple has been an.
pointed United States court commits.
sioner, vice. Attorney Benjamin Tav-
lor resigned because of Illness. Wr
Temple will assume the duties of his
office at once.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13

In view of the increased work
caused by the wreckage of the Union
school building and other changes it
was moved and passed that the sal
airy of l.. A. Radcliffe be increased
$50 for the year. 1t was agreed by
the board to take the trip to Redwing
and Rochester by train and inspect
the school buildings there. The trip
will probably be made the middle of
next week.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13
Austros in surnrise Attack

HuStTUS III SURPRISE HttdCK
Vienna, Official, September 5.-The
Austrians in surprise attack cap
tured Monte Monticello, Punta, San
Mateo and a summit glacier on the
Italian front.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13
viii Take over Platinum

Washington, september 4.-Gov-
eminent machinery was set in action
today for the collection of all avail
able stores of platinum in the country.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01
ASSERTS IA
POINTS FAIL FOR
PEACE INWORLD
Scores Presidents Appeal For
One-Man Power in
America
BY Associated Press

Wilmington, Del, Nov. Speak
ing in Wilmington last night former
President William Howard Taft, as
serted:
IF I cannot demonstrate to you
that President Wilson's fourteen
points as set out are unfit to settle
a treaty of peace on, 1 will agree
to vote the Democratic ticket. 1
can't do anything more"
After considering the terms of the
President in detail the speaker de-
clared: I'VE want an unconditional
surrender. Wilson's peace terms are
unadapted for means of this nature.
They have nothing definite, nothing
specific. Such a peace by negotiations
we do not want. When 1T becomes
known that a solid American opinion
was against it, the cry was changed
to unconditional surrender"
Referring to the Presidents APP
peal for a Democratic Congress Mr..
Taft said: We prided ourselves on
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
CALL TO PRAYER

To the Editor of the Telegraph:
1 am just this moment in receipt
of a copy of a joint resolution which
was introduced by NJ. Clyde Kelley
on the 2Sth instant. 1t is such a re-
markable, and such a vital resolu-
don that 1 want to call your atten-
ton to it. Perhaps nothing like 1t
has been introduced in our national
Congress since the days of the Civil
War. 1t is hoped that it may be
passed at the earliest possible mo-
ment. Mr.. Kelley writes me, "ow-
ing to the fact that no resolutions
can be considered until Congress re-
convenes, there will be no chance
for action until late in November"
II is hoped that the scourge will
have passed long ere that date. May
be God will accept the resolution as
a national prayer, and send the ans
wer even before the petition is Of
fered. The joint resolution reads:
Joint resolution requesting h
President to recommend a day for
prayer that the prevailing epidemic
may cease.
Whereas our whole land has
been visited by an epidemic which
has invaded our military and naval
camps, our cities and villages and
isolated homes, and carried away.
thousands of our people of all ages
and conditions, and
Whereas it is right that a ma
ton should put itself in a right re-
lationship to Almighty God when his
judgments are abroad in the earth;
therefore be 1t
Resolved by the Senate and
House of Representatives of h
United States of America in Con-
gress assembled, that in humble
recognition of the supreme right of
Almighty God to do what seemeth
to him to be good, we sincerely and
devoutly believe that it is incum-
bent upon us as a nation to make
confession of our sins which nave
brought their judgment upon us,
and to plead for grace n pardon
through the mediation of Him hose
mercy can cause these Affections to
pass. Encouraged by Il assurances
contained in His Holy Word, to
seek relief according to the way ap-
pointed therein, through Jesus
Christ, the President of the United
States is hereby requested to desig-
nate, by proclamation, a day where
in the people of these United States
may place themselves in such rela-
tionship to our Lord, that He, the
Great Physician, may cause the
scourge to cease, and we, as a peo-
pie may know that the Great Mas
ter of Life has impaired to us
health"
This resolution was introduced
Monday, October 2Sth, and referred
to the committee on interstate and
foreign commerce, and ordered to
be printed. 1t numbered House
Joint Resolution. 341.
Sincere yours,
@. e. HALVES.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01
LETTERS FROM FRANCE
Effect of One Shell Dropped on an American Company
From Enemy Airplane Told by Harrisburg Officer

i. our sorrow. that such was not the
| case.
Our resting place was a pleasant
little glade with a ravine and mar
row stream running alongside, The
weather was agreeable and we looked
forward to a few days rest from our
labors, with three good meals a day
| and plenty of sleep in spite of the
roar of French artillery about US.
Taking advantage of conditions 1
had one of my mechanics rig up q
bed of boughs for me, several teet
off the ground, truly palatial
resting place. and soft as any mat
tress. Some of the men did the same.
although the majority were content
to spread their blankets on mother
earth and flop without ceremony;
Precisely at midnight was VIDE
~ awakened by a tremendous crash,
followed by a second roar, and the
sinister Hun of a Diesel motor. |
was on all tours on the GROUND,
for a few seconds so ,dazed that l
could not collect my thoughts. Al
once moan and cries of pain arous-
ed me to a sense of what had hap,
pened. and those of us VINO haa
escaped injury took immediate aStloh
to help the wounded.
Until dawn we worked, and after
the last man had been carefully plac-
ed in the ambulance and dayllgnt
made 1t possible to. work with great
er efficiency, a wide grave was dug,
the chaplain came, and a brlet put
impressive service was held over the
bodies of the six whose lives had
been sacrificed to Hun barbarism
without a chance to strike back.
I'm my company alone, twenty-five
men were wounded, more or less serl-
ously. in addition to those killed.
Other companies suffered in greater
or less proportion. The bomb that
nae done the damage dropped square,
Iv in the center of the area occupied
nv my Another hustled
through the trees and buried its
ugly nose in the earth at the further
edge of the area. 1t was a duo, or
possibly our casualties would have
been doubled.
"The next night Jerry could have
dropped 500 bombs in that woods for
all we cared; we We're chasing MIN
eastward with great eclat."
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01
Harrisburg Boy Writes
of Wounds in France

Howard Hitz, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Jacob Hitz. 422 South Front street,
in a letter to his parents tells of a
wound he received in the side while
fighting with the One Hundred
Twelfth Regiment. He is now con-
valescent in a base hospital.
Mrs. Mary E. Grumbine, of 1902
Market street, has received word
that her son Machinist John Cliff
ford Grumbine. was slightly wound
ed July 16. He has written her two
letters since she received the notice
from the adlutant general of the
One Hundred Twelfth Regiment, in
which he states that he was gassed
and is recovering slowly.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01
GEORGE GILBERT

Shippensburg, Nov. l. - George
Gilbert died Wednesday at his
home in North Penn street. Death
was due to complication of diseases,
He was aged 81 years. He is sur
vived by his wife. six children. Dan
iel and Milton Gilbert, of Harris
burg; George Gilbert, in France;
William Gilbert, of Shippensburg;
Mrs. Lee Bair, of Harrisburg; Mrs.
Harry Diller, of Shippensburg; one
brother, H. Gilbert; and one sister,
Mrs. H. Basehore.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01

We read much nowadays of the ter
rlble havoc wrought by the high eX-
plosive shells dropped from German
aeroplanes and the following from a
letter from a Harrisburg officer re-
garding the terrible effects of oae
shell in his own battalion is interest
ing:
1T was the night after we had
taken -- Woods. north of the
ourcq river. a 2x4 stream, which
scarcely boasts of an water whatso-
over at the point we crossed. Our
battalion, having suffered a certain
number of casualties. had been march
ID back several miles and ~bivouaced
in a dense woods. screened, as we
thought, from hostile aerial obser-
walton. We were shortly to learn, to
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01

Genuine Irish point curtains in ivory and
ecru, beautiful patterns; pair, $3.50 to
$500.
Filet net and Craft lace curtains in a
wide range of patterns, both neat and
elaborate; white, ivory and ecru; pair,
$500 to $1,000.
Sunfast Madras, Chenille and tapestry
portieres in the popular shades; full width;
pair, $3.50 to $500.
SO and 4O-inch scrim and M~arquisette
plain and fancy lace borders in white, ivory
and ecru yard, &c to 69c.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01
IN FRANCE

Shippensburg, Pa, Nov. Cor
poral Carroll Hockersmith wrote a
letter from France in which he
stated that he was wounded in the
leg. The letter was written to his
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. j. l.. Hooker
h' VI .tfest Ming street.
Mr.. f. b. Fleming received a let
ter from Albert Green, son of Mr..
and Mrs. George Green of East
Orange street, in which he states he
was severely wounded. He was in
the big drive of September 25.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01
CAMP HILL AIDS RED
CROSS LINEN SHOWER

Professor H. A. Walter, chairman
of the Camp Hill Red Cross aux
Hilary, to-day reported a check of
$10s to the Harrisburg chapter of
the Red Cross as Camp Hills con-
tribution to the linen shower for
hospitals in France. Mrs. r. L.
Myers, vice-chairman Of the Camp
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01
NEW BULLETIN MEssAGE

The message which stands to-day
on the bulletin board of the Market
square Presbyterian Church. is taken
from the One Hundred n Third
fsalm. verses 2-4. There wasn't room
ON the board for the entire passage.
but the major portion appears. The
xull message is: Bless the Lord. o
my soul, and forget not all His bene-
ties; who healeth all thy diseases;
VINO redeemeth thy life from destruc-
ton; who crowneth thee with loving
kindness and tender mercies."
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01

the very fact that our constitution
represents equality of all, and now
Woodrow Wilson. wants to cast this
to the winds and make himself SIM
liar to William Hohenzollern of Ger
many" =
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01
HELD FOR

JoCes BZeneI, the MeNlcan VINO IS
charged with having slashed Charles
Hartley the night of October IA, was
held under $500 bail on a %felonious
assault with intent to Kill charge,
after a police court hearing. yester-
day. The stabbing is said to have oc-
Cured in the neighborhood of 1907
Currant street.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01

Hill auxiliary. gave a letter or
thanks to the people of Camp Hill
for their contribution.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01
20 s. OLE A. TO MEET

Announcement. has been made
that the regular meetings of P. o..
S. of A., camp No. $50, will be re-
sumed next Monday evening at Bit
ner's Hall. Enola.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-01

Marquisette, scrim and voile curtains
some plain hemstitched, others with eth
er narrow or wide lace trimming; ele-
gantly made in white, ivory and ecru pair,
$1.39 to $3.50.
Worsted and tapestry couch covers -
extra sizes in beautiful patterns; each,
$500 to 5000.
Wonderful display of cretonne in 81 and
36-inch, suitable for draperies, cushions,
bags and upholstery in rich new combi-
nations; yard, Soc to $r.98.
BoWMAN'S-Second Floor