Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1919-06-19
LETTER FROM
FRED sNOWBERGER
SUNDAY. MAY 4TH
Montridhard, Loir ct
Cher, France.
May 2nd, 1919.


l will write you little more de-
tails of the trip that we had coming
down here and just what we are do
ling. / wrote you from st. Afghan
but did not have time to write you
very much.
/ | think / wrote you about the
little banquet we had the afternoon
before we left. 1t was a pretty nice
iaffair and the company presented
! Lieut. Pease with gold watch and
chain, as he was transferred to an
other company. We had pretty good
eats as we had pretty big mess
fund and we had to blow it in as
it is all turned over to the Q. M.
when the company is sent home.
We had chicken and nice spring ra-
dishes and booko cream pie with all
the rest to go with it so you see for
an A.E.F. man it was a pretty good
| feed
We left there on the evening of
the 23rd on the American special,
and reached Nevers about ten
O'Clock, where we stopped for a
short time We reached Bourges
about noon where we had dinner,
pro eeded on to St. Afghan where
we unloaded and marched out to
camp. But we were supposed to
come down here as they had no
orders for us there so we stayed
there two nights while they were
getting the thing straight. st. Aig-
nan is large casual camp where
casual companies are made up to
be sent nome. 1t gaze us chance to
see the town and l visited the most
noteworthy thing which was a
Chateau that was built in the 18th
century and is surely worth seeing.
1t is d big massive structure set
up on the top of high hill right
in the middle of the town, and
could be used by large number of
families. However it is only used
eral staff of the division headquart-
ers. There is roadway that leads
up from the rear that nearly reach
es to the top and that is the en-
trance for vehicles. Then there is
a large stone stairs that leads up
from the front, which lands on
flat piece of ground right in front
of the old cathedral and from there
one walks right down to the street
below. 1t is a fine piece of work
as you will see by the pictures that
l am mailing you, One gets good
view of the country from the court.
That was about the only thing worth
note in that town but l have mail
ed you several pictures of the coun-
try round about.
We left there on the morning of
the 10th, by way OF auto trucks.
1t was certainly interesting to go
that way as one sees so much more
of the country. The road winds
around the base of a mountain and |
/ wish you could have been along |
to see the house that we passed. Be- |
ieve me the cliff jewellers in Ameri-
"a have nothing on these people. |
Most of the smaller houses are dug
tight out of the solid rock and one
sees windows peeping out from be-
lind large boulders and perhaps a
high up on the mountain ,
side A lot of them are more novels
han anything though there are
some rather respectable houses,
shich have been faced up in front
WITH stone or brick. Some are way
high in the air and can be reached
,nly by way of narrow path or
steps up the mountain side which
,nshes them safety in case of an
stack Many of them are very old
back to the 18th century
tut the most of them are what they
ERIN new over here. There is an
occasional chateau along the way
90 and some very nice looking gar
lens and shrubbery.
The chief thing of note here is
he old chateau that sets up on the
op of a hill almost above where l
IN sitting writing. 1t was built in
80 over nine hundred years ago,
" French noble and was used as
fortress at several different times.
II fact it was stormed by nearly
II the kings of France during about
hree hundred years. l went down
nto the dungeon where King Rich
I'd was held prisoner and he sure
ad a pretty poor home. 1t is right
t the bottom Of the main tower, {
nd see now why few prisoners
OF away One of the kings OF
rance had the walls cut down sew
n feet out of spite but the rest is
till there to be seen and in mighty =