The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1919-11-28
HOME FROM ACROSS THE SEA.

"o'S toheh very pleasantly by
surprise last Friday when ]. T. Knight
Tom Knight, as he was formerly
known among his familiars walked in
TO this office. for be it known that
Mr.. Knight faded from this popula.
tion over two years ago, and rumor
has been free with his name as hay
Ing snatched a harp and Joined the
heavenly choir. But we found him very
much alive. with two years of very
exciting life to his credit upon which
TO discourse, and without a drop of
wormwood In his habitual good ma
ture
When the United States declared
war against Germany Tom Knight
was determined to get into the scrap.
Mr.. Knight was handicapped in carry
ing out his ambition Oh account of the
age limit on enlistments. Mr.. Knight
confesses to being so, but there is a
suspicion among those who know him
II ne VIII ever again celebrate birth
day much under 60, although prior to
seeing service he was a mighty we'll
preserved man for his years. But that
Is digression. Mr.. Knight wanted to
get belt at the Hun and he chased
over to Camp Lewis, or rather Seattle.
following up the boys from this place
VINO were rallying to the colors Of the
old End Washington, and really en-
listed In an engineering regiment that
was afterwards attached to the 41st
Division, the same organization to
which the End Washington, rechrist-
ened the 161st Infantry, was attached.
he accompanied the division to Camp
Mills. but on the eve OF the sailing OF
that body of volunteers the examining
physician sternly turned Mr.. Knight
down. refusing him permission to sail
for France. He was offered q military
job in New York, but he refused on the
ground that he was out to fight for
eign foe and did not care to loaf
around in peaceful community Sc
curing an honorable discharge Mr..
knight hoped on an English vessel
and was on the dock at Liverpool to
welcome part of the 41st Division
that reached France via that port.
But Mr.. Knights troubles did not
cease with getting to England, that is
his trouble in trying to break into the
American army. Although he gave in
his age at 40 there seemed to be no
place for 49ers in any Of the units of
the American army. He was not dis
couraged with his repeated failures to
horn into the American contingent, al
though disappointed. There were other
armies needing volunteers eager to
get to the front, and at last Mr.. Knight
was able to join Canadian engineer
ling regiment He was sent across the
channel and was soon camping pretty
close on Mr.. Huns trail when Mr..
Hun was not camping on his trail. He
saw considerable real life and much
death, mutilation and destruction. He
held up his end as an active partici-
pant in the merry war, which at times
was not altogether any too merry, for
some six months, at last finding his
way to the hospital owing to his eyes
giving out. Among other unpleasant
things that came his way was much
and several brands Of gas, and while
the gas did not affect his lungs or
stomach it was that noxious and new
method of reducing the enemy that
finally laid him on the shelf through
his eyes. Before recovering sufficiently
to get back into the game the armis-
tice was signed and Mr.. Knight lost
interest in further proceedings.
Mr.. knight was shifted from one
hospital to another and at last in the
spring Of the present year he was
drafted into a casual company and
sent to Edminston, Canada, where he
was discharged, April 1st. The Can
adian government were good to their
soldier boys, as Mr.. Knight received
$42O In cash a sa bonus for his SER
vices, and also a sildier's right to 100
acres of land. The day of his discharge
Mr.. Knight accepted job with gov
ernment surveying party and went
north some 500 miles to Peace river,
where he got in nearly six months
work. Four weeks ago the cold had
reached 80 degrees below zero, there
was two feet of snow on the ground
and the surveying had to be suspend
ed. He came out by the way of Van
couver and Seattle, and up to that
time the only person that he met
whom ba knew in This country was l..
F. Pourtales, who accosted him on the
streets of Vancouver. One of the in
stances that Mr.. Knight mentioned as
occurring during his stay in the north
was the killing of an enormous bull
moose that measured 81 inches be-
tween the tips of his horns.
Mr.. Knight is in the pink OF condl-
ton at the present time, although his
eyes still bother him, especially at
night. He has not decided as to where
he will settel down, and that will be
difficult Job after his browsing
around over large part Of the world.
He will remain here for some days
and while here will investigate the
Canadian irrigation project, just
across the line and if that looks suf-
ficiently good to him, and arrange
ments can be made with the powers
that be. Mr.. Knight may decide to cast
his lot in that irrigation district,
which is destined to become one OF
tho most flourishing sections of Brit