The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1919-12-18
Interesting Letter From Miss Triple.
& Caesarea, Asia Minor, July 6, 1919,

the interior TO our various SCaClOIS. !
have handled groceries, kitchenware,
shoes, crockery, clothing, hardware,
medical supplies, etc. 1t has meant
from fifty to hundred hamals Ga
borers Greeks, Armenians, Turks in
gangs) packing, unpacking, repacking,
carving for me ten hours day. !
have spent whole nights helping to
load ships for the Black sea stations,
and to unload ships from France and
America. Great gangs of men were
put on at these times using hand
trucks, motor trucks, etc, or in most
cases their own strong backs. In the
latter case they wear saddles and car
| nv several hudred pounds at one time.
! I always marvel at them. From one
hold of the ship the winches take out
flour, depositing it upon the wharf,
| where it is then lifted to the backs OF
these strange foreign men in their
,, queer bloomer-like trousers and bright
sashes, who carry it across to one OF
the hugh warehouses, where it is
stored.
We lived on the fifth floor Of ware
house No. 2, until the last of May,
and then Mrs. Norton and I were given
lovely little portable house with
easement windows which stood close
to the water. Mrs. Norton is very
artistic and, by our investing little
money in rugs. copper and brass can
dlesticks, bowls, coffee cups, lovely
hand embroidered curtains and com
Portable cot beds, we had most de-
lightful home. Our meals we took
over at the mess hall, which was just
short distance away. l believe we
never could have stood the hard work
if it had not been for our splendid
quarters and our baths in the sea.
Many swim we'll and it was our joy
to swim out into the gulf to huge
iron buoy belonging to the Germans
to which we had attached knotted
rope-pull ourselves up and dive off.
There was slight danger Of sharks,
porpoises, ETC., but that made it all the
more fun. And, by the way, this
travelling into the interior with it's very
decided danger-danger of brigands-
makes it all terribly thrilling.
At Dercnji the English are in con-
troll and the American navy in direct
control of the A. C. r. N. E. goods
and personnel. Very close to us were
the officers Of both living in peace
and harmony and the good social times
we had were splendid. 1t was dinner
one night with them,-Turkish coffee
and jolly time, another night with
us, or we cooked supper back on the
hills,-all men we'll armed, many
times with an armed guard Of from six
to dozen men of the U. S. navy with
us. One time it would be delightful
| ~, q
| of England's great warships stationed
in the gulf, at another time dandy
picnic dinner on U. S. submarine
chaser as she steamed about the gulf.
Not far away is lovely little city
called Ismid, in which is one Of the
many palaces Of the sultan. The
palace is at present the headquarters
of the English forces stationed here.
had the great pleasure of dining in
the palace with the officers. The din
ner was in special honor of Mrs. Nor
ton and myself. I found it hard to
believe that was sitting at the sultan's
own table and in one of his very own
chairs. The palace is magnificent and
very richly furnished. The sultan's
Turkish bath and reclining rooms were
of special interest to me (you all
know my failing).
These pleasures were sandwiched ir
as best they could be. Nothing was
planned which would take us from oul
everlasting warehouses. We at times
worked evenings, all night, Sundays
and so on. It all depended on what
ships were in or what orders on the
railroad must go out.
I have many pictures of Derenji but
do not dare send them. The mails arr
very uncertain. / sent many pQs1
cards to, all friends but understand thai
no post cards are sent so suppose you
avereceived none. $50 far as known
no cards have been received from Mis-:
Tipple.) I have written but four long
letters, and do hope you have gotten al
these by this time (Only three let
| tiers have been received.) Your let
tiers have been very few. I had on
from Miss Burgess, two from Mrs
Brewer, two from Tina Miller and tw'
from Mary Peterson, one from Mrs
Holmes and one from Rev. Johl
Holmes and those are all. Oh yes, on
from Miss Proser. The Turks hav
now refused to take any U: S. mail
so hope to get this to you via Lon
don.
I am now in the compound Of Cae
sarea, one Of the most beautiful Of al
our ports. The hospital, college build
ings, girls and boys high schools, dis
pensaries, ETC., are located out tw
miles, at Talas, right in the vinegar
section, and on the mountain sides Q
Ali Dagh, very close to the grea
snowclad mountains Of Argens, fam
Gus in old Roman days. Argens wa
visible to US at all times on gu
Journey from our nearest point on tn
Bagdad railway Oulou to Caesare:
Just on the hill are the ruins Of an Of
monastery where Cicero spent or
winter.
"A chance to send this now at once
4 will close, may not be another Of
portunity in weeks. Sivas is very r
mote. In winter we may be entire
shut in, so all write now while Il
roads are open. / will write frequen