Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-10-10

system. A train runs from station 10
another station, and when he leaves a
station he doesn't know what he is 60
ing to DO until he sees the red board
against him, and stops and awaits
further orders in written form, which
is usually that he shall "maneuyer' or
run 10 the next station and stop, where
ever that may be. They don't have a
dispatcher or anything like that. In
other words, at every station he comes
to he gets a 81 order. Dut when We
take some more roads over and operate
them. that will no doubt be changed.
The hand and lantern signals are some
what similar TO ours, only they have
good many more, meaning different
things. The semaphore signals ! don't
know anything about as yet, only do
know that red means step. The camp
commander and division superintendent
here is Captain Smith, former North
ern Pacific superintendent, and a finer
man you wouldn't want 10 know.
Practically all of our officers are rail-
road men Of long experience, and you
know, papa, that sometimes | believe
YOU yourself would like it right here
railroading in this place, and sometimes
| think how good il would be if,youwere
here. for even though you would have
TO forego a few home comforts, you
wouldn't find il hard getting along The
climate is all that could be wished for,
YOU would get all you wanted TO eat
and good grub, too, would suit YOUR ap-
petite. You'd be kept busy all day, but
YOU would have a good bit of time TO
Yourself. have every evening and the
past two Sunday afternoons of, but !
stuck around camp and read and slept
away the time with the papers and
magazines YOU sent me. But there are
lots of first ieutenantS here that haven't
had as much railroad experience as you
have had, and I'm sure you could make
Yourself an officer i'm short time, for
if I've been recommended for A second
lieutenant on eight years experience
YOU should get captaincy on 50 years
and there are older men than you right
in our company If had known what
comfortable place | was coming to, !
sometimes feel sorry that | didn't insist
that YOU come along. You would make
pretty good looking soldier, anyhow
and YOU would find that old Uncle Sam
would have all kinds of consideration
for you. You could be train dispatch
er or Just a telegrapher or get out and
work in the yard. They use the Morse
alphabet here.
I'm beginning 10 feel at home now
right here with a railroad and lots OF
railroaders, and feel as though did the
very best thing could by enlisting in
this kind of an organization, and how
can help finish this scrap in this way
better than any other. ! don't know II
shall ever be near the front or not.
If have to 90, I'll go right up and work
there the same as back here and not run
There are lots Of fellows UP there, and
nv the casualty list, which ! read every
day, they are getting killed too, but
thev are not dying in vain, can tell you.
But right here it's just as safe as in a
camp in the United States, and that
reminds me, papa, that sometimes from
the tone Of mama's letters il seems that
she worries a great deal about me and
nv welfare. OF course ] know IT'S
perfectly natural that she would be
greatly concerned about me - any
mother would. hope I'm wrong and
hope by this time she has received my
letters from here telling her how COM
fortably am fixed and all, but when
tell YOU that I'm just as busy as can be
and Just as happy and contented as
can be. outside Of missing you all oc-
casionally. want you 20 impress upon
her that it is so in every way, and con-
sidering the fact that ] am in the army
whv. | wouldn't want to be fixed up any
better. haven't been downright home
sick at all yet and ! haven't shed tear
I've lust made myself satisfied, but III
have TO admit that after being without
any word from you all for over month
and did receive the nine letters from
mama and one from you all at one time
and read them over, came the nearest
TO homesickness thta ever did before
II was more from gladness, though, than
anything else though, in hearing from
YOU all and that you were all right. But
I'm now getting mail about twice
week. The longest time have been
without it since being here is 10 days
Ny salary equals about SllO per month
so you see I'm not poor BY any means.
I intend saving as much as can out OF
il, and when the war is over want to
have a little pile at least.
The scheme the railroad is working
over there should now work out veil
and save a lot Of money for thcm, and
I'm glad to know that Mr. McAdoo is
liked so well by all the men. Tapscott
working at the Junction yet? Wish 20
would tell Tap to write me line some
time. and IL ever get the chance III
write TO him. I'd surely Ike 10 sec his
old white bald head once, and tell him
for me that haven't handled a Shenan-
doah Despatch load Of freight through
these yards yet, on one Of his card bills.
A car over here moves on "Ordre de
Transporte." It's something like a
co,,b;oation card and revenue bill and