davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

find. If we have to stay in Germany
this winter / hope we have to stay
here.
Today it has been rather cold and
windy. 1t rains here every day and
the sun shines only about an hour or
two each week. However, the tenn
peraturc has not been low enough to
cause much discomfort and there has
been very little snow. The Bosche
tell me that they have the most of
their cold weather in January and
February and that they have deep
SHOWS SO we probably will have some
regular winter yet.
/ am sure that you and father will
be glad to hear that your contribution
to the war has been decorated" l
was given the Distinguished Service
Cross the first of last week. l am
under the impression that the Wal
Department notifies the next of kin
in such cases, so this will likely not
be news to you. There were six of
us from the S9th division decorated
last Tuesday. The Division Comman-
der presented the medals and the
356th Infantry paraded. l have
known for some time that / had been
recommended for this but | expected
the recommendation to become lost in
the shuttle as my other recommended
tions had. Frankly, | didn't deserve
this honor but they gave it to me any
way. suppose they were caught with
a big stock on hand on account of the
sudden termination of the war.
| will send you a copy of the official
order comforting the medal, when l re-
ceivc it. In substance it states that
| "displaycd conspicuous courage etc,
near Pouilly, France, on the night of
November 10-11, during the crossing
of the Mouse by passing five times
through extremely heavy she'll fire and
leading three companies of my battal-
ion and attached machine gun COM
pany that became lost, two and a half
kilometers through a dense fog to the
river crossing Thereby enabling the
battalion to get into action and ac-
complish its mission in the operation"
l have already written you that the
night of the 10th and 18th was quite a
large slice of He'll for our outfit.
This leaves me in perfect health
despite the needles.
Lovingly,
CHARLES.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

them as their intentions were the best
in the world and that's all that really
counts.
l just received a letter from Marie
telling of the doll l sent Mary Frances
but not mentioning the soldiers ! sent
Sid. Did he receive them? / surely
hope so as I realize how disappointed
he would be. Afterward / sent him
some French medals for them. Too
bad Marie's Christmas was ruined by
the flu but l am delighted the family
got through it o. K
Give my love to all of the folks and
write often. 1 haven't heard from
you for several weeks, ages it seems
to Inc
Je vous Anne,
SID HOUSTON, Stars and Stripes,
A P o 705.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

lots of enthusiasm displayed. Mostly
all the players r college men
Ligore of Yale Fish of Harvard, etc.,
and the college spirit was very much
in evidence.
There were seven bands, drum corps
and bugle corps to liven things up.
Between halves there was a snake
dance in which a band and several
thousand Marines participated for
they were a head at that time.
Here at the Remount station We
were in a position to see the End divis-
ion Ching to the game. First a train
load came down then a truck train
(about 40 trucks) came and then sew
eral hundred of the ones closest to the
field marched down lead by a band.
Next Thursday the seth and 4th
play for the championship of the A.
of o. and they lin turn play for the
championship of the A. E. F. with the
S. o. S. And believe me | am going
to be on hand when the ball is kicked
off.
1t is the same old thing yer again
and that is watch the Rhine and see
that it don't escape. I am back doing
guard after a wrestle with the "Flu."
Between the "Flu" and the Trans
port Blues" l have been on my shul-
ders several times but never was
counted out" Can't keep a good man
down. Must close for the present and
see about starting a fire so the boys
will have a little something to eat.
Write. Sincerely,
CAVE JOHNSON.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20
RAYMOND LOOMS.

Lieut.. Kenneth Sanford and bride, of
Camp Holabird, Md, where he has
been stationed for sometime, is home
on leave the guest of his parents, Mr..
and Mrs. F. R. Sanford. Lieut.. San
ford holds the position of Production
Mechanical Engineer with the 306tn
Mechanical Repair Unit of the U. S.
Army at Camp polabird. Through
this camp, during che year this coun-
try was in the war, $4,000 motor
trucks were assembled and prepared
for overseas service even to the repair
toned near the front to keep the cars
in repair.
The extent of the work accomplish
ed at this camp is remarkable. The
territory included in its activities was
all that north of Atlanta, Ga, north to
Chicago. The trucks were driven over
land to Camp Holabird from Chicago,
Detroit, Cleveland and other manu-
featuring %centers and prepared for
overseas. Many trucks were rebuilt
from the bolt up.
In France there had been built an
exact replica of unit 306 which even to
the placing of the machines in the
building at Camp Hohbird was ex-
act. 1t was planned that the unit
when it reached France would enter
the huge shop and find its places just
as readily as it did in this country
where the men had been at labor for
months.
Using the camp in France, which
was never completed because of the
signing of the armistice, it was plan
ned to have repair shops on trucks in
charge of % expert workmen, who
were to be stationed near the front for
repair work that did not require a
truck being sent to the base shop.
Lieut.. Sanford said these repair trucks
were excellent marks fer German air.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20
d. S. c. GIVEN TO LIEUT..

SlAkhIhAJEAD N liz
Lieutenant Charles K. Hanger, of
the 356 Infantry, S9th Division who
was cited for extraordinary heroism
in action mean Pouilly, France, is a
son of Mr.. and Mrs. J. w. Hanger of
Laddonia, Mo. He has written his
mother a letter under date of January
5. Lieutenant Hanger is a graduate
of the University of Missouri and en-
listed early in the war. He received
his training at Camp Funston. When
three companies of Lieutenant
Hangers battalion had become lost
in the fog, in the crossing of the
Mouse, he made five trips through
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

Raymond Loomis who is in the Navy
writes his mother in Mexico as fol-
lows:
Dear Mother
Philadelphia, Pa, March 2, 1919
Received your letter, also one from
May On my birthday and am answer
ing them both now.
Well l am sure having some time
here in Philadelphia. Seeing some old
places of historical interest such as
independence Hall where the declar-
alton of Independence was signed; the
liberty bell, Betsy Ross's home, VIM.
PENIS home, Gen. Grants headquar-
tiers, etc.
And for hospitality Philadelphia
can't be beat, at least so far as a COB
is concerned. There are clubs all over
the city where one can meet the best
in the city and / am trying to disprcve
the old saying that you can't teach an
old dog new tricks, by learning to
dance.
Would hate to leave here right now
but hope l will get my discharge soon
and then l may stay and work in the
navy yard for a couple of months or
so. Think / would like to get in on
some Of the big wages for a few
months, but they say they are starting
to cut them already.
Wonder how you are getting along
there all alone. We are having quite
a spell of warm weather here at pres
ent.
Did / tell you of the parade we had
here Feb. Sth? was one of the nine
teen to represent the Lawrence.
Got a letter from Frances the other
day. She gave me Testers address.
think | may get down to see him some
time.
Must close now, write loon and
often. Your son,
RAYMOND LOOMS.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

CAVE JOHNSON.

Private Ernest Garrett, son of
Earnest Garrett, the timer, who is
known to his many friends as Skippie,
is stationed at Ransbach, Germany.
| He writes a letter to a Mexico friend
which has been censored, a large part
of n page having been torn out.
The letter follows:
Dear Friend
Ransbach, Germany, Feb. 16, 1919.
We'll this is a lonely old Sunday
acros sthe Rhine, so will try to write
you a couple of lines. 1 am on the
border of the neutral zone some 80
kilometers across the Rhine.
/ have a nice white bed to sleep in,
so you see we cant kick very much,
but all of US wiuld like to get home,
but it Inks like we are stuck over
here. Was the first to arrive in
France and will be the last to leave.
Nearly 10 months foreign service and
am wearing three service stripes now
and also one wound stripe. My Regi-
ment fired the first shot in the war
and has take it's part in ever battle.
We all have stood plenty of hardships
quite a number of times / would nave
taken a cent for my life, but come out
of it all o. K.
l have never saw any n from
Mexico but the Worsham boy. He be-
longs TO the farmers First Division
also. 1 received the paper a few days
ago and enjoy myself reading it very
much. / was to a real good show last
night given by the Y. NJ. C. A. Very
seldom ever get anything for nothing
from the Y people. Well it is nearly
dinner time so / guess I had better
close for this time hoping this to find
| every one well. Yours truly.
PRIVATE ERNEST GARRETT.
Battery D. 9Th Field A. 1st Division.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

He hopes to see his friends here by
Easter. The letter follows:
Dear MITCHELL
Grimancourt, France, Feb. IA, 1919.
Really, / can't say as to what sort
of a letter this will come to, but l
shan't let that change my detcrmin-
alton to write.
When l wrote last, we were quar-
tered up in the woods covering the
famous heights east of the Meuse,
overlooking the plains of the Woeurc,
some five miles southeast of Verdun.
Now we are about eight miles north
west of Commercy in a small village
that is bravely fighting off the bitter
French winter.
These villages make a wonderful
study of the results of the war if one
takes time to study them. In the first
place the only visible inhabitants are
elderly folks, very feeble and who
seem to merely exist. The soul of the
place seems to be buried beyond re-
covcry and their only excitement is
when the town crier announces sugar
or some other commodity will be for
sale at such and such place and time.
Then it is only a luckless American
who is caught in the rush for the point
of sales. The old become young and
we soldiers slow indeed. We have de-
rived a scheme whereby we are fore
warned and doing the mad rush stay
off the paths. Young and middle aged
French people are unheard of, both
sexes and the only work done, is the
bringing out from hiding the precious
bundles of fagots to warm their cold
bodies. All in all it's a great air for a
bunch of anxious Americans to live in.
The couple with which / am living
are both about eighty years of age and
are sure fine old people. Their entire
family was wiped out by the "Hun" in
the first year of the war.
In the last month l have had a little
excitement that about equals the front
itself, namely; travelling over France.
Upon January 25th left the battery
for a seven day leave to Aux les Bains,
excluding travelling time and was gone
some eighteen days. We left Com
mercy one cold morning in a special
train without either windows or heat,
bound for Aux les Bainis by way of
Nancy and arrived in Nancy, a very
beautiful place, about eight in the
evening. | reported to the A. p. NJ,
was checked in and had full run of the
city for twenty four hours, the first
freedom in a large city in nearly two
years Did | let my lack of French
become a drawback? Not that any
one could see. 1t was my celebration
of the armistice and where my good
luck started. Upon reporting to the
A. P. NJ, / was informed the special
had left and that | would have to take
a regular French passenger train with
its steam heat and soft cushions. At
first l refused but finally consented
and then rode as a white man should.
Upon the train I met some very fine
French people who could talk English
and we enjoyed ourselves as far as
Bourg. There / had to change trains
and arrived in "Aux" some fourteen
hours out of Nancy, beating the spe-
ciaI in by about five hours. l reported
to the A. P. M, Checked in" and was
assigned to the Hotel de Europe and
it was seven days of relaxation. /
visited the Casino and the Gamer
lean bar" made famous by Thaw,
tramped through the mountains, top
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20
FEEL MISERABLE
FROM THAT COLD?
Colds and coughs are quietly
relieved by DR.. Kings
New Discovery

Nobody should feel perfectly mis-.
cradle" from a cold, cough or bronchial
attack for very long. For it takes only
a little while to relieve It and get back
on the road to recovery when Dr..
Kings New Discovery is faithfully
used. 1t soon loosens the phlegm, re-
lieves irritation, soothes the parched,
ore throat, brings comfort.
Half a century old and more popular
today than ever.s At all druggists.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20
Parts of the letter follow:
Surges, Jan. %, 1919

Parts OF the leCter IOlloW'
Surges, Jan. %, 1919
Dear Mother:
Just a few lines in regard to my new
job and my new home.
This is a real nice little village and
very quiet. No excitment whatever
and about all | do is to eat and sleep,
Get up in the morning at o'clock,
Have a wonderful bed that is one thing
the French have on the Americans
l never in all my life, saw such beds
Once you get in M of them, yon never
want to get up.
1 would love to tell you all about this
work but you understand why l can't
Of course, chances are this will never
be censored as l am sending it through
the French mail but l am taking no ch-
ances in the Army, l have seen what
has happened to a lot of fellows,
This proved to me it pays to live up to
orders. l wouldn't be where l am had
l not done so. 1t seems as though / am
not in the army any more
AS l told you in my last letter, there
are only three of US here. Don't know
how long we will be here but chances
are that l will see a lot more of France
before l sail for U. S. A. That is the
only trouble but one has to do what
Uncle Sam says.
l am feeling fine and dandy and ou-
ght to get fat now as / am eating three
square meals a day and the Major sent
us two bicycles yesterday, so l will get
plenty of exercise.
Am hoping to be with you in a few
months, hope you are all fine and
dandy.
Lots of love to all from Orpheus,
Department of Criminal Investiga-
cation, A. Pc. 735
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

ped Mt. Reward and went until 1 was
without-francs.
The day we were to check out l re-
ported to the hospital, suffering from
a bad cold and received a written or
der to the r. T. o. 70 furnish me with
transportation to Commercy on reg
ular trains. received my papers and
think of my horror when | noticed it
was by way of Lyon and Paris; every
mans ambition. 1t was hard to be
lieve. Five twenty that evening |
climbed into a second class compart-
mcnt and arrived in Lyon at 9:20 p. m.
reported to the A. p. NJ, assigned to
a hotel, hot and cold running water,
steam heat and all modern improve
ments. Mitchell it was paradise.
Next day l explored the city, which
is as large as ST. Louis and took an
afternoon train for Dion. At Dion
| met Parker Marshall of Mexico, who
has been over here about four months.
He seemed very glad to see some one
from home and you may be sure l
was.
The next day l left on the Paris
Express and arrived in gay Parie"
about eight in the evening, reported
to the R. T. o., A. P. NJ, Red Cross,
Y. NJ. C. A, and was off to see the
city. Did l see it? Well ! still dream
Of it. By the way, | see the ladies
are wearing them shorter this year.
Next afternoon I left Paris passing
through Chateau Thierry, Dormans,
Chalons, Epernay and Bar de due to
Commercy. The famous bridgehead
at Chateau Thierry was plainly seen
from the train as well as the destruc-
ton wrought by the Huns.
This trip was and is of a great edu-
cational value to me and a deeper
sense Of appreciation for the French
has come to me. L met and talked to
people whose life has not been con-
fined to half an acre of worn land and
an old run down village.
1t is rumored the 35th will ~entrain
for the LIE Mans area Feb. 81 for a
six weeks s~ojourn and then for the
best place in the world, "home." This
should bring US into New York about
April 1st. l hope it works out per, as
I am very anxious for the sight of
dear old Mexico and friendly faces.
Presume you people have heard of
Gov. Aliens little rush at the War
Department. All I can say is; he
was here.
Expect | had better leave off for
this time as for you to read this let
ter might interfere with the output Of
your esteemed paper.
Best of regards to all and hoping
to see you, by, say-Easter.
| am as ever. ROY CREASEG.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20
LETTERS FROM OUR
SOLDIER BOYS
TOAST TO S9TH.
UAS To SyIH.
Poem Praising Efforts of Division
Local Bows We're in.

roe PraIsIng Efforts of Division
Local Boys We're in.
The following toast to the seth Div
ision, in which many Audrain county
boys fought, was read in France at
Christmas dinner given to the men of
TIE division there:
\ TOAST TO EIGHTY NINE"
When old Eighty Nine" fell into line,
Then guns began to rattle,
sshd every day with ardor, they
; Confirmed the order of battle"
!
Eat Lucey, the Boche said. well py
Gosh,
We've tried, und tried, und tried,
10 make der raid, but der men hat
\ stayed,
All on der American side!"
We've given 'em hell at St. Mihfel.
And have chased EN- back of
Xammes,
Till the Kaiser Bill had a terrible chill,
And the Clown Prince holler-
ed Damn"
So here's to Eighty Nine" my boy
Come clink me a glass of wine.
We all of US knew that Wright Wood
VIM"
And they gave up the ghost" in
Berlin,
When they met with old Eighty
Nine, my boy,
When they met with old Eighty
Nine"
From Mont Secs hill, thru Bantheville
To Stenay on the Mouse,
Till the war was won, we chased the
Hun
There was never such a word as
close"
Oh there's many a Hun, who's dropped
his gun,
And cheat it" for home like mad,
When he once had met with the bay
onet,
OF a Midwest farmers lad.
So let's be gay, this Christmas Day,
Here, clink your glass with mine.
It's a common decision, there's not a
division
That's better than Old Eighty
Nine"
So here's to Eighty Nine, my boy,
Let US lift the glasses high.
We all of us knew that "Wright
Wood Vim"
And they "gave upthe ghost in old
Berlin"
To the spirit of "Never Say DIE, my
boy,
To the spirit of "Never Say Die"
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20
Make Your Bowels Behave

Make them function with gratifying
precision. II regulation Of the diet
does not relieve their torpidity DR..
Kings New Life Pills will They are
perfect bowel trainers, cleanse the
system surely. comfortably
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

Virgil L. Barnett, who has been with
the 35th Division in France, returned
March 18th, and is the guest of his
sister, Mrs. Jesse Martin.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

Mr.. and Mrs. John w. Rutter have
received a letter from their son 0rphe-
US Rutter, who is with the Department
of Criminal Investigation in France.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

CHARLES.

The following interesting letter has
been received from Sgt. Roy Creasey,
who is with the A. z. F. in France.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

Corporal Cave Johnson, son of Col.
and Mrs. j. T. Johnson writes an III
~teresting letter to his brother-in-law,
Claiborn jackson from Germany. He
says between the Transport Blues and
the Flu they almost had him down, but
he is up and coming again.
The letter follows:
Dear Clay
Ehrenb rustein, Germany, Feb. 81.
1871 went over to Coblencc and
saw the S9th Division trim Head
quarters troops 30 to 0 in football.
A fair game but nothing to compare
with the game the day previous when
the End (Marines) and the 4th tied
up. The score in this game was 10
to 7 in favor of the 4th. There were
about 10000 at the latter game and
Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

The following letter was written by
Sid Houston, former city editor of
the Mexico Ledger now in service in
France. Sid was with a machine gun
company during the war and had some
thrilling experiences, he is now with
the Stars and Stripes, the soldiers
paper. The letter reads:
Dearest Mother
Bordeaux, February 9th, 1919
AS / wrote you, / visited the chateau
Of the Black Prince at Lormont where
I formerly lived. The place is now
owned by a French count who has
modernized it somewhat but still has
a great deal of the furniture of the
former wners. The chateau sits on a
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-17

the heavy fur on the muskrat.- or
the goosebone theory OF detecting
hard winter. He'd just as soon ac-
knowledge the existence of Santa
Claus or put his faith in a pow
WOW doctor. That's how scientific he
is.
Mind. we don't say he isn't right
Most likely he is. But tradition dies
hard and the weather has a most
reverse and dismaying habit of pro-
ducing a most vicious storm round
about the date when the days and
nights are equal. and to-morrow's
that day. Ergo, yesterdays disturb
ance in. popular belief is the "equi-
noctial storm" 1t might have come
two weeks earlier or two weeks
later, and it would have been all
the same fpr our purposes.
The onion snow" is an equally
variable event. The last snow is al
ways the "onion snow" Therefore. it
may be the middle of May before
We will know positively that last
Fridays visitation was the regular
honest-injun "onion snow" of the
year or only a miserable make-be-
lieve. Be that as it may, it certainly
did make "a lot of darn fool CONVEX
sation.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-17
Two Appointments

In the. two important appoint
ments he made last week, Governor
Sproul continued his principle of Sc
lecting for leadership in branches
of State administration men of high
type who have had experience. His
latest appointees are Thomas b.
Donaldson to be Insurance Commits
sioner and Harry L. Knapp to be
chairman of the Board of Moving
Picture Censorship. They are gen.
orally considered to be excellent ap-
pointments.
Mr.. Donaldson has for over seven
years been Special Deputy lnsur-
ance Commissioner. During that
time. he has been in charge of the
liquidation in many important cases.
He knows his subject forward,
backward and sideways and has Sc
cured recognition for his personal
qualities OF tact and efficiency. He
is known to several generations of
University of Pennsylvania men as
a leader in Mask and Wig and other
college activities. Mr. Knapp has
been dramatic editor of the In
uuirer for years and will bring the
professional viewpoint to aid in
clearing up a much-veXed subject.
Press.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-17
ECONOMIES HIGHER Up

THERE is much talk of re-
trenchment in railroad circles
these days and railroad forces
have been reduced to a point that
to the outsider looks like serious
interference with the effective and
efficient operation of the roads But
we haven't noted that any of the
high priced regional directors and
others who came into office with the
taking over of the railroads have
been dropped from the payrolls. No.
indeed, the overhead expenses for
luxurious offices and well-paid rail-
road commission attaches must be
kept up even if the freight and pas
senger service must suffer and work
ing men be furloughed by the thou
sand.
Which gives rise to the question
where are the loudly ,heralded eco
Monies of which We heard so much
when the railroads were taken over?
What has been the result to the
passenger and the shipper of the
shortcuts and eliminations of COM
petition that were to speed up traf-
fic and lower costs to the public?
Does the answer lie in the deficits
that began piling up the day Mr..
McAdoo took hold and have con-
tinued ever since? Isn't it soon
time the administration gave an ac-
counting of it's stewardship and ans
wered the questions that are in the
public mind?