Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1918-03-08
RAILRoADING IN FRANCE.
Amos F. Jones Gets Letter from Broth
err, Sydney Jones, of 9th Co., 101st
Ammunition Train.

Ammunition Train.
Amos +. Jones of 3 South Main
street. a Boston Il Maine ilagman be-
tween Brattlcboro and Windsor, has
lust received letter from his brother,
sydney Jones, II member of the 9th
company. l0lst ammunition train,
written in France Feb. .. Sydney
Jones was n chauffeur in Springfield
(Vt). and he writes some interesting
facts about railroading in France. lie
writes:
Dear brother Almost
Just a line to let you know that ! am
we'll and happy and hope you are all the
same | have Just received the cigarettes
YOU sent to me for Christmas, but did not
receive the letter There are lots OF boys
here who have not received their Christ
mas boNs yet but have received letters
saying that they have been sent as early
as Nov. !.
1--WE are having fine weather here now.
We have had only about six inches OF
snow and it did not last more than three
weeks. 1t was rather cold for few days,
but nothing like home. We are in tine
camp and our work is transferring freight
IRON the wide gauge road to the narrow
gauge. We do not have to work very
hard as we only have about 30 to % cars
a day and there are about 100 of us to
unload them. The cars here are small
and hold about one-fourth as much as the
ones at home. They have only four
wheels and sit up ON springs that look
like wagon springs. The wheels are larger
but are not SO heavy.
They have no system or signals to 20
v here. and it is fun for us to watch
them. If they want to move they begin
To yell and run up and down the track.
They only have a conductor and one
brakeman and when we get all loaded
and ready to start they blow a little
whistle that sounds like the ones YOU get
IN Il penny prlze box.
"The passenger cars are built in COM
partmcnts The first class cars have four
compartments Each one holds four to
six persons. The third class are not so
good and each compartment holds eight
persons These cars are just about half
as long as our cars at home. And the
doors open on the side and you cannot
20 from one car to the other. The doors
arc locked when You get in and when you
want to stop the station agent comes a
long and takes your ticket and let's you
out This would be some laroadng at
home, believe me!
Il would like to let the railroad men
here sec two of the b. 4 NJ 2G00 class 60
ing mp the G.. 4 p. side with about 50 OF
more. guess they would be some sur
prisod
There is a nice place here where we
can get a good hot water bath. They
have got nice big tubs and plenty of hot
water and all they charge YOU is 30 cents,
aud it is worth it. ! was down this after
noon and had one and feel O. X. You
can also get a good sized washing done
for % cents. They do not have any wash
ing machines or scrub boards here and
they take your clothes down to IA brook
and take scrub brush and go to them
and they come back all cleaned and
pressed
Il had one washing done in one place
for 60 cents and | had three outside
shirts, three sets of underwear and three
pairs of stockings and thought it cheap
Il have not had any papers from home
but expect to get some soon, as Heller
said in her last letter that she was send
ing the b. +. Times every week. Tn,
only real paper that | have seen sine
coming here has been the Brattlebor
Refolmer, which is being sent to some o
the Company | boys,
"There are a lot of Company | boy
here and they all know you. | saw i
one of the papers that Willie Obrian {
North Walpole had died here OF scarlC
fever. / saw him once since we wer
here I wrote to Harold after you sen
me his address, but have not heard froi
him yet.
"Well, guess I have written enoug
for this time, so | will close as it is be
time. Write often as it seems good
hear from home. Give my regards {
Harry and Bunk, and Tom Connors
Sydney"
9th Co., lOlst Am. Train