Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1918-11-08
Interesting Overseas Letter

Interesting Overseas Letter
The following interesting letter
BON Private Frank A. Powell, son Of
and Mrs. Ollie Powell, of this city
Es been received by Richmond girl
rcnd:
October 8, 1918.
iv Dear FRIEND
At home you have probably retired
b. this time-9 p. m. there-while |
have about five more hours on duty
bet. | haven't forgotten all about you
1t, but just haven't had time, until a
Pew night ago to write TO anyone. II
WAS about three weeks past when
"had a chance TO send some letters
n home.
Our stay at the rest camp was brief
4 only a week, in fact,-but that
4 week was sufficient More than car
\ ed to stay there. Influenza was very
prpvalent-(th Spanish influenza in
4 tunce) We had something like SO
on the sick report the second day af-
tcf arrival. But most Of the cases
only lasted few days; and though
We only got wet every time II rained
(Which was continually, and every
thing else pleasant but the mud and
eats, we were satisfied 10 leave that
part Of the country for better or
worse. We figured out it couldn't be
much worse So one night we mal M
ed back TO the station and sh6tid
aboard the "side door Pullmahs."
These were on the order, in a way, at
Of our American freight cars, only
about half maybe a third as large.
And forty men with packs sprawled
out over the floor trying TO sleep is
some joke, don't think. But there
was a whole lot of fun. after all. Some
fellow would hollow out in the chilly
stiffness Of the night, "Get your hob
nails ofe'n my ear" or "Whatda you
think | am down here, mattress ?"
And bully beef" three times a day.
ior three days, isn't cinch either. But
rs all in the game and we all grouse;
some lust for the sake Of grousing, I
some just to be disagreeable, and /,
some Just to make themselves feel 1
better. so we don't mean any harm |
about t. after all. In the daytime .
We MNuIN WAifn Nllf NifNFAN ~ wv n
flew on with the eastern limited nj the /
rate Of rs miles per hour 90 lot Of /
the time). because scenery is good, /
even from a box car window. And I
there was plenty Of it. too. It's much .
prcttier when the sun appears, and /
then you don't wonder that the French I
have sacrificed so much for their
country and civilization. We pass by
tho American camps. Chinese camps,
French and U. s. prison CAMPS, ard
our eyes open when we see all these,
tho miles and miles Of tracks, hun /
drods and hundreds Of engines, and
thousands Of freight cars; and other
things too numerous to mention, in
Guiding enormous warehouses. 'he
smpendous task, the big miracle that
Uncle Sammy has wrought in. year
and a half II is almost unbelievable,
And when I saw It, thought Good
night, Bill; ] see your finish" That
reminds me Of heading in paper
good while back. in the States: "kai.
ser says Wen fight to the hit end;
He knows what kind Of an end it's
gonna be. doesn't he
With Bulgaria's capitulation, ami I
the Central Powers bowling for peace J
looks as if the end might be- jim sight; !
Wouldn't il be great If it would all
end by Chr -tmas?
IT'S n comedy better than Shakes
peare ever v'roia) 90 zee me. tryinglto 7
talk to these French cooks in our or =
But TO go back wher | was S
When we arrived at our barracks we {
were assigned to real beds with mat 6
tresses and good soft blankets for the
hight. Maybe we didn't sleep some! I
nj. boyl In the few days that FOL \
owed we took over a number OF
American made buildings for our hos
)ital, and also a number of patients
Il raned lot Of the time there, too, ?
md we were forced to wade through 4
he mud mile or so, then shovel our u
way to the kitchen door. ITO the tune
II School Days") One morning an
,ther chap and / started down to the
title village to explore it. Before
We got there II started to rain, and
aimed the entire day. But we hap
'ened to have our slickers with us so
We walked around for about two hours I
n more in the rain and then returned
-ood and proper "wet." We stopped