Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-05-21
DESCRIPTION OF TRIP FROM WAU.
SAU TO CAMP WADSWORTH,
S. CAROLINA, BY MAURICE
o. MATHISSON

| ceived by relatives of Maurice O.
Mathisson, who left here short time
ago for military training and is as
follows:
This is my second Sunday in the
army, but it does not seem that long
to me, as Monday and Saturday are
the same as Sunday. We are in a.
| detention camp for ten days and then
we move to the main barracks. There
is no river around here and eyery-
thing is sandy, red clay. 1t is a good
one-half mile where we go to take
our bath, which is only cold water.
The drinking water is warm. and not
much OF it. This camp is only week
old and up to now have nearly $4,000
soldiers. The main camp has held as
many as $4,000 men. Our camp is
located in an old cotton field. and parts
OF cotton plants can still be seen. It
looks like our corn fields back home.
after harvesting. There are about
eighteen streets, and every street has
ABOUT thirty tents, and a squad of
eight men per tent. AS this is new
camp, we have the honor of spading.
ShoVellng and pulling cotton and
weeds to make things look neat and
clean. 1t sure is warm here. In our
company there are all kinds of men.
and Minnesota, Wisconsin, Baltimore.
Maryland and Virginia are represented,
For fellows used to inside light work
this preliminary work is rather hard
Our meals here are of the following:
corn beef, bread, bla> k coffee, potatoes.
and some times apple sauce. We have
seen no butter since we left Columbus
barracks. The Y. NJ. C. A. quarters
mere are as big as the ticket office
OF the ST. Paul depot. The canteen
is not much larger, and pop, cakes
and apples are sold out in the early
part OF each day. The Wausau bows
are nearly all in Co. 8, and in our
tent No. %, there are two Marathon
boys, five Maryland boys and myself
In tent No. 20 there are five Marathon
boys. All the boys from S down 10
q were left at Columbus. Jessie
Smith was the last one of the Wausau
boys with US. He sure is witty and
sleeps with the regular army SER
geants. We all get a little kitchen
duty, pealing potatoes, etc. We are
waiting patiently to be put in the
main barracks, where conveniences
are better, which is supposed to be
in ten days.
AS to our trip from Wausau. we
mad everything nice and fine. When,
we arrived in Milwaukee. we had a
military train of fifteen coaches. in
Guiding two diners. Supper was served
TO us in the dining cars at Milwaukee.
and was a great feed, which was our
last regular meal There we met
Y. M. c. A. Secretary Brandenberg
formerly OF Wausau. We left Chicago
at about 1890 o'clock Saturday at
midnight, and in fifteen coaches we
fooe Ill on the Pennsylvania road and
coaches, reaching Columbus, Ohio, at
ABOUT $3.50 o'clock. The scenery from
Chicago to Ohio was very beautiful
The land or country is rich and level
Apple and cherry trees were in full
blossom, and we also noticed lilac
bushes in bloom
Ohio sure has wonderful level roads
of limestone. At Columbus we marched
from the Union depot to the barracks
Wnlch was at one time an old park,
with many beautiful buildings. The
barracks are right in town. Columbus
is somewhat like Milwaukee.
Sunday we had roll call and started
out to be fitted out. BY Monday we
went through the examination rooms.
shot IN arm, vaccinated, and fitted out
IN full complete uniforms and extra
suits. We repacked our suit cases and
sent them home, and by 1870 o'clock
that night our seventy-four Marathon
boys were in complete khaki uniforms
with mess kits and clothes bags.
While at Columbus we slept on the
porch. Everything there is stone and
brick, absolutely fireproof. The walks
are of Tile. We also saluted the flag.
stood at attention, took out insurance,
signed up in what barracks, etc. This
was all done in one day.
In Columbus, at the main mess hall.
they fed 30,400 men at one time. Tues
day we had our military shave and
hair cut, which took about ten minutes.
We sure did look nice. For all the
physical examination, we all feel near
ly 100 per cent perfect.
Wednesday at 1:30, 525 men lined up
for general inspection and the march
to the depot and twelve coaches of
the Baltimore Ohio r. r. started us
out for Carolina. Leaving Columbus.
we saw potatoes nearly eight inches
high, wild Strawberries in bloom, also
onions, lettuce, etc, were up. Our
meals on the train consisted of corn
beef, wheat bread, black coffee, beans
and jam. We had no butter. Went
through Cincinnati in the evening at
about $3.50. There are many factories
IN that city. They use the blue mer-
curry lamps. Noticed many hills and
long bridges. In one place I saw three
bridges, one on top of the other.
Kentucky is rough country. The
homes are long, and most of them
have fireplaces on one end, and there
we heard southern dialects, etc. Ne
groes galore, playing banjos and gui-
tars. From $50 in the morning, go
ing through Kentucky, until S:45 that
night, going through Tennessee, we
passed through nineteen tunnels. We
saw the Allegheny, Cumberland and
Blue Ridge mountains. The scenery
was wonderful. We followed a river
of red clay, brown color, all the way.
very winding and sometimes the rear
end of the coach would nearly touch
the engine. Went over many very high
bridges and cliffs. The scenery Is
beyond description. In one small
town, Oak Dale, Tenn, we, including
525 men, marched around town and
the people gave each one of us
beautiful rose. Knoxville, Tenn, is
quite large city. This country and
scenery reminds person of "Swaunee
River" cold Black Joe," and "Old
Kentucky Home" Saw few coal
mines and limestone mills. The coun-
try around Tennessee has roads of
limestone and sure are great. They
are even nicer than Third street back
home, honest they are. Lots OF pigs
in this part of the country, and big
supply of corn. Went through New
port, Tenn, at 4:30 o'clock. The peo-
pie here are good looking. At Oxburg,
right in the wilderness and mountains, |
we saw the German Prison camp |
rThnra ~ al