Gunnison news-champion., 1919-05-30
DR.. Stocking, Formerly Of Crested
Buttes, Writes From Siberia
Evacuation Hospital II,
A. E. F., Siberia,
March 1S, 1919

March IS, 1919
Dear Friend Cowan:
! suppose that you have given up all
hope Of ever hearing from me again.
There have been sufficient reasons
for my not writing were to tell them
all but since there is ban on our
talking even this long after the sign
ing of the armistice l will not relate
them. Excuses don't amount to any,
thing.
There is very little we can write
about what we have or have not done
since we came over here. We have
all been anxious to get home ever since
the armistice was signed but there has
been never IN intimation rs to when
such o move would be made. I sup
pose those over in France have felt
the same way about it. However It
seems that we are to be relieved in
the near future. am hoping it is not
all rumor. Most Of the fellows in our
organization will be leaving on the
next transport boat but am not GER
tain il will be included. ] would
not object to staying here until along
comes there will be one fellow about
my size that will be getting awfully
peevish.
Our winter here has been . revela-
ton to me in many ways. We have
spent the most delightful winter, rs
far - the weather and the climate are
concerned, that ! have ever spent any
where. We have had some bad days
but there has been more sunshine than
! have ever experienced. ] don't be-
lieve there have been ten cloudy days
from the first Of October to the first
Of March and never has the sun failed
70 shine for part Of each day.
Neither Gunnison Or California have
anything on that. The days have
bean reasonably warm except when
the wind has been blowing from the
north, and, although the weather has
been uniformly below freezing, !
don't believe We have had nix days on
which the tempera*ure has gone be-
low zero. Az Tor snow, there hasn't
been any. We may have had four
inches Of it altogether but at no time
have We had to walk II Snow for
forty-eight hours continuously. There
was 70 little Of II ct any one time It
Just naturally disappeared. Our worst
feature has been the winds from the
north for we are situated on the north
erh exposure Of . hill and we got It
al.
We have been wen housed, in big
brick buildings with walls close to
three feet thick with double windows
on. Our heating stoves have not
been Ill that could be desired but we
have been very comfortable except
ON . few days when the cold north
wind has been especially viciouR
Those fellows with rooms on the south
side Of the house have been comfort
able all the time.
This II the most pietnresque country
! have ever seen Every place one
looks there is . picture you would like
to have someone paint for you. l
have never seen anything like It.
Colorado is pretty enough but this ID
enchanting. There Is such q wealth
Of color to everything, have never
seen the sea 80 blue or the mountains
so purple or the sky 50 scarlet. Last
night l saw the most beautiful sunset
! hAve ever seen. When one gets mp
on high elevation, enchanted il the
only word 1. can think Of that des.
crihes what one feels like.
{ Living IN . country like America
one cannot but be impressed ~ ths
barracks md fortihcations around
hare ID our Immediate vicinity, for
instance, there are seventy-six forts
which held I'VE hundred and eiph.y
guns at the beginning Of tho wsr.
And taxzael.-fIl 1t / eould 70 up
- - ~ fhaee hiGh hills around here
- et tNp ~ 6roe hnndred bril-
nG&f &na 6GiIHx1w61l = 11,an4 anI
|s' . q .zeeef = t1s1 {. ~ sesslas !
II essi5 ~ \ kswdyr fsr -.