The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1933-12-21
Men of CCC
Camps Face
HardWinter
Uncle Sam Has Prepared
Comfortable Quarters in
the North Woods
WELL FEED, CLOTHED
Time Is Devoted Largely to
Brushing and Removing
Fire Hazards
Co. 715,CCC, Camp F 80

Virginia, MINI, Dec. II, 1888
Mr.. Asa Wallace, Editor,
Sank Centre Herald:
Dear Asa:
Winter has set in up here with
vengeance. Been about Is degrees
below zero for the last three or
four mornings. Very dry cold
though so we do not suffer. The
men who work out doors are plen-
tyfully equipped with good warm
clothing, in fact when they go out
to work in the morning one would
think they were part of Admiral
Byrd's Polar Expedition. Uncle
Sam keeps his "nephews" comfor-
table. The clothing is all good SER
viceable wool. Each man has an
engineers style cap, a blue wooden
jacket, heavy wool breeches, rub
ber-bottomed boots and heavy WOOL
en- socks so you see they are dress
ed very warmly.
There are to be some changes in
the company this week. Capt. L.
H. Collins will be relieved and is to
report back to his home station at
Fort Riley and Lieut.. M. l.. Rule,
second in command, will assume the
duties of Company commander. We
are very sorry to see Capt. Collins
go but Lieut.. Rule is very able
successor so our company will re-
tain it's high rating in this sub
district. Lieut.. L. F. Steffens will
remain as our camp "medico."
There have been several changes IN
the forestry personnel this last week
also.
At present the company is engag-
ed in brush and hazard removal
and in surveying lines for fire
breaks. There is quite a bit of
snow but not enough to interfere
with the work. We also have some
men on the wood detail. The esti-
mate is that we will burn about
1000 cords Of wood this winter.
There have been a few cases Of
frozen faces the last few days but
nothing severe. This company has
been very fortunate as far as cas-
ualties. No deaths and only one Sc
we're case of pneumonia since the
organization date. A record we
are proud Of.
Our camp is 100 per cent COM
plete with electric lights and a COM
plete sanitary arrangement. Our
recreation hall is finished and our
weekly church services are con-
Quoted there. Rev. Blacklund, the
First Baptist pastor from Virginia,
is the camp "sky pilot" All the
boys like him very much, Our at
tendance is increasing every Sun
day. The Catholic boys are tran
ported by truck to the Catholic
services in town but arrangements
are being made for the local priest
to come out to camp to conduct
masses.
We acquired a piano a short
time ago so we have some splendid
"sing songs" now. We have work
ed up fairly good male quartet
and are working on camp male
choir One would be surprised at
the way the company morale is
holding. We also have an excel
lent company orchestra. Couple Of
saxes, two violins, banjo, guitars,
piano accordian and piano. The on
ly thing we lack is a good drum
mer.
Passes are being issued to half
the company over Christmas and
the others will be allowed passes
over the New Years. You see at
least half of the enrollees have to
be in camp in case of an emery
ency.
Hoping to see some of the Sank
Centre folks visit our camp in the
near future, I remain.
Very truly,
Douglas Opheim,
Overseer. Co. 715, CCC.