Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-01-29
WimesEiek Soldier Boy Writes Mr.
and Mrs. Jonas AlTe Very
Interesting Letter From
France
WENT OVER ON THE
U. s. s. LEVIATHAN
Carried Eighteen to Twenty Thous.
and Passengers. Sunk Two Subs
on the Way Over
st. Julius, Cote D. Or
Dec. 3, 1918

folks getting along? Have you still
got cold? Hope that it is all over
by this time. ] am feeling fine and
dandy, with the exception of slight
cold, but then it is getting the sea-
son Tor colds and such things now.
We are having wet and damp weather
at present and also little foggy, so
it is sure some weather, believe me-.
Expect you folks have had some
snow by this time, or probably you
are having the so-called Indian sum
mer. How is the Spanish influenza
acting around there now. Hope that
1T is checked by this time. Had lett
ter from Dorothy and she wrote that
Christina Skjevoheim had died from
that sickness. Am sure that made it
pretty bad for Mr.. and Mrs. skjeov-
helm, but am sure they have the
sympathy of all in their bereavement.
Expect you folks are done with corn
husking and all fall work at this
writing. Well what do you think
about the war proposition now
Looks pretty good, don't it? Hope
that peace will be signed this year,
or early part of next. The day of Nov.
IL will sure be day of memory for
all the allied nations, and if there
ever was cheering and celebrating it
surely was then. How long We will
stay over here do not know, but
think that if l live long enough
might be back inside of the next two
or three years, if not sooner. We
have a very nice camp here, all the
tents lined up in fine shape, the
streets and walks are gTaveled, so
we don't have much mud to walk in
around camp, which makes 1T very
nice. We also have a large mess hall,
a big Y. NJ. c.: A. tent, with can
teen attached. In the Y. we have a
photograph, reading matter, our
mail box and the bulletin board also
a long table for writing letters, etc.
We also have stove in it, made
out Of a garbage can, but it certainly
produces the heat. The hunks in the
tents are the double berth type, and
and there is one in each corner, so
we have room for the stove i'll the
middle of the tent. We also have
table that we use for writing pur-
poses. 1t is not one of those fancy
oak tables, nicely varninshed and
polished, but next thing to it, just
simply a table made out or rough
and green lumber. but we surely get
along fine with it. We of course have
boards FOR a floor in our tents, anu
the door is also made of boards, so
with the tent pole raised high enough
TO allow plenty of room for our
double berths, we sure have very
classy and coy little home. Bains
that the censor rules and regulations
are now vacated, to certain ex-
tent. we are allowed to write about
our location, about our trip across
and such things as that. Will tell you
few words, about my trip across
We left Hoboken, N. j. on May ~
and arrived at the French harbor
called Brest on May 80, so our trip
covered just eight days. Could have
been made in less than that, but on
account of dangerous waters and the
lurking subs the. sailing was quite a
zig gag route. The last day We sailed
we sure did have an attack OF subs
lit was in the forenoon, and OF course
ON that particular day no troops
we're allowed on decks, so did MOI
have chance to see 1T, but never
the less the gunners on the transport
succeeded in sinking two subs, while
the other two were chased OF by the
firing from the conveys that follow
ed us. But believe me our gunners
saw them in time too. One or the
gunners fred without orders from
the captain, and III ne nau ho', "0h
its hard telling how it would nave
gone. Nevertheless luck was with US
and more so the hand of the Al
mighty was protecting us from ABOVE
and guided us safely through.
We sailed across on the iarges'
transport in the world. Just think o.
II. the U. S. S. Leviathan, formerly
known as the Vaterland, German
ship, captured in New York harpoi
when war was declared with Ger
many. And believe me 1t was sure
some ship, too 1t carried between i
and 20. 900 passengers, Including the
ships crew, and you sure would nave
thought so if you had been there a.
mess time. Why the first day attei
the first meal ate ] got lost on my
way back to my compartment hk'
so many others did, and believe M