The Ordway new era., 1919-02-07
FROM BILLY WALKER

Billy Walker has written his par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. A. w. Bartlett,
the following interesting letter:
Die Wahct am Rhein.
Dec. "a. 1918.
Dear Mother and Dad:
Christmas Eve and the Watch on
the Rhine" has run down. AT least
as far as the Germans are concern
ed, for the Americans are strung
along 1t for some distance. We are
in little village, susc off the river,
about two miles from Coblenz. and
we are having the noftest time of
our army career--good grub, good
scenery, good beds-but first 1 want
to tell you of our trip thru Luxem-
burg and Lorraine.
When 1 last wrote you we were at
Blerecourt. We left there ON the
morning of the and about noon
went thru the old fortress, "On Ne
Pasee Pas" Verdun.
OF course all the country towns,
trees and everything else in this part
Of France was all s,iot to pieces, but
the moment we hit theLorraine line
things commenced to take on a bet
ter appearance. As you know. Lor-
raine was taken from the French
in 1870, and while France has been
paying heavy indemnities. Germany
has been building up, and the con-
trast in cultivation, factories and
general industry is great.
All along the line were signs of
the hurried German retreat-aban-
doned autos and trucks, guns. big
and little. stores of ammunition and
supplies, and in one town eight To-
oil utd
After two days OF this we hit
Luxembourg. and of all the places for
scenery and thrift, this is the best.
This little coustry, covering less
ground than is owned by Senator
Warren, was over-run by the Boche,
just as Belgium was. but was not
large enough to put up fight. Now
that she is free again. French and
American flags are hoating from
nearly every house. end big banners
hung over the roads. welcoming the
deliverers, as they call the Ameri
cans.
The country is very hilly. but every
acre is doing its bit. Some of the
hills are so steep that they have to
be terraced every 80 or 40 feet, and
cut down enough for a man to stand
on and work. All such are put in
vinyard. and the valley land is put
In grain, beets. etc. One vinyard 1
noticed was equipped with its own
quarry for terracing. and its own
grave for growing poles and little
coal mine tracks for hauling over the
place.
was surprised how cheap the land
was-only about 1000 francs an acre.
Cattle, horses and all live stock
have all been taken Dy the Boche.
and milk, butter. eggs and all pro-
duce are almost curiosity.
Esch was the first city we hit, and
1t looks more like an American town
than any we've seen on this side of
the pond. 1t is thriving smelling
and manufacturing town, set in a
good farming country, and 1t remind
ed me considerable OF Pueblo. We
found them using American blast
furnaces in the smelters. and Nation
al cash registers in the Offices, and
all together II is great place.
We stayed abouS 3 kiiOs from
Esch for two days, and in spite of
the scarity of food. young fellow
from Montana and I were invited
out to dinner and had roast chicken
un' everything that goes with 1t.
The next day we nad mighty en-
joyable trip thru Luxemburg city
and arrived at Wasserbillig, the last
town before crossing the Mosele
river. and going into Germany prop
err The people in this town are
mostly pro-German. and speak the