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OREGON CITY ENTERPRISE, FRIDAY, JANUARY 3. 1 91 9,
OREGON CITY ENTERPRISE
Publish I very Friday.
E. E. BFtOOlE, Editor anal PyUUher.
BatarU at Oregon City, Orefoo. Postoffice aa aacoad-oUaa matter.
- tubeenptlon Rataa:
Ctta year J1-89
Bit Moats N . "s
Trial nbaortpttoa. Two Months
abaorlban will Bad tk data of expiration stamped on Ulr papers tol
It'wtM tMr asm. It Uat payment la not credited, kindly aoUty a, and
tS aaattar will racalra cur atteatloa.
AdTMtlatni Rates
BOYS OVER IIERE
TntproAtinor Fncts About Oregon
City 15oys In llie U.
Service
Many of the Ore Ron City boys are
home on a furlough for the holidays,
biit will return la their duties after
New Year's. They are being enter
tained by their many friends and rel
aQyes here. Among the boya visiting
tfare are Frank Champion, Bert Lage
aao, Neal Sullivan. Ted Sheahan.
Tlfese boys are stationed at Mare
Island.
PS. Pa
Frank Ke.nhofer, whose home is at
Mountain Road, near Stafford, re
cefyed his honorable discharge from
th'ti service, and returned to his home.
H4 waa in the army.
Pa Pa Pa
Johnnie Christiansen, who is In the
nayy, atationed at Bremerton, Wash.,
after enjoying & furlough and vist
tag bis relatives at Mountain Road,
returned to his dutiea.
Pa fa Pa
Neils Christiansen, who is in the
army, waa spending his furlough with
relatives at Mountain Road, during
tag, Christmas holidays.
Pa fa Pa
Lyle Daily, an Oregon City young
man, who lost bis leg in battle in
France, and has been in the hospital
at Washington, D. C., where he has
beeji receiving medical attention, is
now able to walk by means of a
cans. He has been equipped with an
artificial limb, and will be able to
return to Oregon City in the near fu
ture. He writes his mother, of Port
land, that he la In (he best of health.
' Pa fa Pa
Many Christmas tetters have ar
rived from the boys over there to their
fathers in Clackamas county, and
boys who have given their lives for
their country wera remembered to
their fathers through their comrades,
who wrote a father's letter. Father's
day was on November 24, and all
boya wrote cheerful letters to their
"Dads." Those having no "Dads" to
write to remembered some other
young man'a father.
Pa Pa
Among the Christmas letters and
carta received In Oregon City from
"CDrer There" are from Clyde Green
and John Dambach, to Mrs. Bertha
Adams, librarian. These young men
bare often visited the local library,
, and. have remembered Mrs. Adams
while in France. On the card of John
Dambach, who is in France, he says:
"Merry Chritsmas and a Happy New
Y.ear. Ill bet the Home Fires are
burning In the library now." True
tfiey were burning in the fireplace
. wheji the card arrived here. The big
fireplace was always an attraction to
tfie. young soldier when he visited the
library, and the Home Fires are to
continue in the library until the re
tina, of the boya from overseas.
Green, who Is with the 369th Aero
Squadron, France sent a beautiful
card and Christmas letter, saying that
be had worked hard all day Thanks-
gjylng Day, but be would prefer to
be. home on that day. The rain, but not
tS& gentle, Oregon rain, waa coming
dawn In torrents when he was writ
ing. He waa stationed at a training
center at Issondoun, France. He closes
his letter by wlshng his trends in
this city a Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year.
- Pa Pa pa
The Stars and Stripes has just ar
rlyed at the Oregon City Library, from
France. A number of former Oregon
Glty boys are connected with this pub
tfcation, among these being Charman
and Gerber. The latter la the grand
son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Roman, of
Mount Pleasant He was a resident of
Oregon City for some time. Elbert
Qfarman is the son of T. L. Charman
of this city. The Stars and Stripes is
fdH of good reading matter, and
among the articles tells of 2,000,000
letters having left France on Father's
pay.
Pa Pa Pa
Mrs. Hutchinson and family have re
ceiyed the following letter from Colby
CC Hutchinson:
IT. S. Nevada, Dec. 3, 1918
"Dear Ma and All:
"I am writing this somewhere In the
Irish sea. We left the fleet the first
of December, and are bound for Port
land, England. We will reach there
same time tomorow. We went back up
around Scotland and down the chan
nel We passed the Isle of Man early
tEla morning.
"We are traveling in battle forma
tion, the New York first, then the Tex
as. Nevada, Arkansas, Wyoming and
Florida,
f "You should have seen the 'send-off
t&ey gave us. All the fleet cheered us
wa went oat, and we were escorted
Q&t by the English fifth battle squad-
ran, and fourteen destroyers.
. "We go to Portland where we meet
the. Oklahoma and Utah and all our de
stroyers and meet the President and
tSen for home. r
,We flew the homeward bound pen
nant coming out.ot the Firth of Forth
and it was 300 feet long.
"I got to see Edlnborough anyway
before I left It sure is a pretty place,
and I have lots of pictures of It In my
album.
; "As soon as we get there they will
start giving 'leaves' to London and I
' farm Sales a specialty." Phone or
I , Vrits for dates or make arrangements
f at Enterprise office.
oa application.
- OYER THERE
D 'Rl
am going on the first party()eo ray
next letter will be from Loudon.
"Well, will close for this time,
"As ever,
"DODE."
Pa Pa Pa
In a brief letter written by Private
Thomas Barker to his parents, Mr
and Mrs. T. C. Barker, of this city,
he says In part:
"Just a few lines to let you know
that I am still alive. I was discharged
from th9 hoepital at Vichy last Sat
urday, and sent to a convalescent
camp, where I was classified, and
sent to the replacement camp here to
ue sent back to the company, but don't
know how soon I will be sent there, as
my feet are giving me much trou
ble. "We are certainly having cold
weather now. The ground froze a lit
tle last night
"Am feeling fine only for a little
cold.
"As ever,
"TOM."
Pa Pa Pa
Mrs. Rablck has received word
from her son, Edward Rabick, telling
r- Vy" S
EDWARD RABICK
of his safety in France. He is
with the 369th Aero Squadron. The
letter arrived at the Rabick home in
Stafford on December 23. This is
the first letter that has been receiv
ed from the young man since the arm
istice was signed. He says although
the war la over the boys over there
still work as hard as ever, and says
he had no idea when he would be
back, but hoped soon, for there is no
place like the good old United States
tor him.
Pa Pa
Lieutenant Milo B. Cooper, of this
city, stationed in France, has written
the following letter of appreciation
to the Patriotic Edition of the Morn
ing Enterprise for the letter and dol
lar greenback sent by the committee
of young women:
Company B, 59th U. S. Infantry,
American Ex. Forces, France.
November 18, 1918.
"Staff Special Edition of Oregon City
Enterprise,
"Your kind letter received a short
time ago. Wish to express my thanks
for the enclosure, and am sure that
ill the boys will appreciate your ef
forts aa much as I do.
"Yes, I saw a copy of the Women's
Patriotic Edition while I was still in
England, and I enjoyed it very much
and think it was very well gotten up
"When I hear of the way Oregon
City and Clackamas county are going
In everything with both men and
money, I am proud to be able to call
Oregon City my home. It Is truly won
derful the way the people respond to
all the calls made upon them.
"The boys here have surely been
doing great work. Before now you
know just how well they have done.
"Again thanking you for the treat
I am
"Yours sincerely,
"MILO R. COOPER,
"Lieutenant Infantry, U. S. A."
Pa Pa Pa
Ernest T. Hov, a well known Canby
boy, with the United States Naval Av
iation Base at Queenstown, Ireland,
writes the following letter to the
Women's Patriotic Edition of the
Morning Enterprise, expressing his ap
preciation of his small gift and letter:
United States Naval Aviation Base,
Queenstown, Ireland, Dec. 1, 1918
Committee of Patriotic Edition,
Morning Enterprise, Oregon City,
Or.
"Your letter of October 31 received
yesterday. I had just come back from
another station, where we had played
football Thanksgiving Day, and when
I was handed this letter I was very
much surprised. I did not know what
to make of it at first, as I saw the
return address on the envelope.
"I must say it is a great work you
have undertaken. It sure is a pleas
ure to know there are some that re
member us over here.'
"1 hope to be back in good old Ore
gon for a furlough before so very long.
Its
School WlU De CIOBOU un ' m-
longer on account of illness of the prin
cipal, Mrs. Louise Nelson.
Ther are "50 men to leave this sta
tlon tomorrow bound tor home. I hope
to be one to leave before long.
"I am aondiug'luy heartiest thanks
to you all for your kind letter and
money.
"Yours truly,
"ERNEST T. HOV."
IS
E
SALEM, Or., Doc. 30. Operative to
day a ban Is placed by the Salem au
thorities on public gatherings of every
kind, including churches, schools and
theatres. This is the second time this
winter that it has boon found neces
sary to take this precaution against
the spread of the influenza epidemic
which has made a marked increase
since Christmas day. A conference
of members of the city council and
City Health Officer O. B. Miles was
called yesterday and this drastic ac
tion decided upon. The health de
partment had already issued an or
der prohibiting public dances.
Health Officer Miles says it Is en
tirely, within the range of possibility
that the legls'ature may be ordered
to require all of its members to wear
gnu masks during the sessions as
a precaution against the spread of In
fluenza. The diseasa Is more preva
lent here now that at any time prior
tojthls, with little hope that It will
be eradicated by the time the legisla
ture meets on Monday, January 13.
It this order Is not Issued it Is prob
able that both houses will forego the
usual resolutions prohibiting smoking
by members. Tobacco smoke Is said
by physicians to be disconcerting to
influenza germs, and returning sol
diers say that in military encamp
ments hit by the influenza the army
physicians have recommended the us
of the weed. Customarily smoking is
banned early In the legislative ses
sion. Enforcement of the rule usually
is indifferent
Salem now has about 200 cases of
Influenza and no less than 75 homes
are under quarantine.
E GIFTS
OF G. A. R. VETERAN
Frank Moore, commander of the
Meade Post No. 2, G. A. R presented
some of bis friends on Christmas with
a most acceptable gift These gifts
were of black walnuts from the Moore
home in this city. Ther were 6400
black walnuts gathered by this Civil
War veteran, and made when shelled
28 pounds of solid meat The tree
from which these were gathered Is
52 Inches In circumference at the
base and is about 50 feet in height In
September last the tree was comman
deered by the government for use In
making gun stocks, but owing to the
sudden ending of the war the govern
ment did not require it. The veteran,
when asked for the tree by the govern
ment Immediately consented to have
it rut, although it Is the pride of the
Moore home. Besides presenting a
number of friends with nuts for their
Christmas in this city. Mr. Moore also
sent several boxes East for Christmas
presents, including one larg9 box to
the employes of the St Paul Pioneer
Press composing room, where Mr.
Moore was superintendent for more
than forty years.
NEW BOOK BY
AUTHORITIES ON
OREGON HISTORY
"Oregon Her History, Her Great
Men, and Her Literature," a 400-page
history of Oregon with 200 Illustra
tions by J. B. Horner, professor of
history at the Oregon Agricultural
College, is in type and will soon be
off the press. It Is an Oregon produc
tion in every sense, illustrations hav
ing been made by Hicks-Chatten of
Portland, the printing by the Gazette
Times of Corvallis, and the binding
by the Oregon City Enterprise.
Much of the volume was written
from first band sources, the author
having been acquainted with import
ant characters of Oregon for more
than 50 years. No less than 100 artists
and writers have assisted him in the
compilation of the book which is un
like anything heretofore placed on
the market The first edition was to
have been completed by December,
but delays were necessitated on ac
count of war condltins.
The history of the "Oregon coun
try," that land of mystery and en
chantment, la graphically told, many
interesting stories being woven Into
the pages. At least 500 events are de
scribed. The work Is dedicated to the
heroes and heroines of Oregon. The
reader will observe, points out the
author, In the preface, that the volume
Is offered essentially as a history of
Oregon with only such reference to
the history of the Pacific northwest
as may be indispensable in the intro
ductory chapters. It is designed to
give such a condensed, authentic ac
count of the activities of the state as
will instruct the reader, create a love
for Oregon, and arouse patriotic re
spect for her laws and Institutions.
Gazette-Times, Corvallis.
VANCOUVER LICEN8ES
The following received licenses to
wed at Vancouver Saturday:
Daniel W. Gaffney, 35, of Clacka
mas, Or., and Miss Josephine M. Mich
all, 22, of Clackamas, Or.
Arch C. Long, 34, of Oregon City,
Or., and Elsie N. Davidson, 84 of Ore
gon City, Or.
B. X. POT.K CO la
Bottle, Wuh.
DESERVE PRAISE FOR
SERVICE COMPLETED
On the nUht before Christmas, 75,
000 patriotic orators made their
final appearances, their last speeches,
na representatives of the United
States Government as members of the
Four-Minute Men of the Committee on
Public Information. '
The topic of those final talks was
worthy of their work In the past; It
was no dithyramb of self applause, no
peean of praise to the part America
has p'.nyed In th Great Crusade, but
au earnest and sincere tribute to those
who bore the heat and burden of the
day, who fought the long fight and
were not discouraged even when dis
aster seemed most certain; It waa A
Tribute to the Allies.
Millions may have been brouRht by
these addresses t on keener apprecia
tion of alt we owe and the whole
world owes to the glorious assembly
of free peoples who held the Hun at
the high tide of his fortunes, who
blocked the breach with their bodlos
and opposed soft flesh and brittle
bone to shining steel and harder
hearts.
It was a timely warnltn;, to set the
people on their guard against the re
newal of lying whispers calculated to
drive wedges between those who have
fought side by side the British and
the French, Belgians. Italians, Ser
bians. Roumanians and all who made
up that white company of heroes
which has saved the soul of the world.
WRITES MOTHER OF
re
Mrs. Lizzie McLarty, of West Linn,
has received a lette rfrom the com
manding officer of the company her
son, William James McLarty, was a
aiember of, to the effect that the
young man Is on bis way borne, hav
ing received his honorable discharge.
The letter follows:
Headquarters Seventeenth Compuny,
Puget .Sound Coast Artillery Corps,
Fort Worden, Wash.
Dec ISth, 1918.
Mrs. Lizzie McLarty,
West Unn, Oregon.
My dear Mrs. McLarty:
"In a few days your soldier will re
ceive his honorably discharge and
start home.
"He Is bringing back many fine
qualities of body and mind which he
has acquired or developed In the mil
itary service. The Army has done
everything it could do to make him
strong, fine, self-reliant yet self-controlled.
It returns him to you a bet
ter man.
" "You have been an important mem
ber of that great Army of Encourage
ment and Enthusiasm which helped to
make him and us all better soldiers.
You can now be a great help In keep
ing alive the good qualities' be Is
bringing back from the Army, In mak
ing hlra as good a citizen as he has
been a soldier.
"His far and necessary expenses
to his home will be paid by the Gov
ernment. He will receive all pay due
him, If he wishes, wear his uniform
for three months from the date of his
discharge. The Government will also
allow him to keep up, for the benefit
of his family, his insurance at the
very low rate he Is now paying.
"His return to civil life will bring
new problems for you both to solve.
The qualities he brings back will help
you now as your encouragement help
ed him while away, and In your hands
and his, rests the future of our coun
try. "As his Commanding Officer, I am
proud of him. He has done his duty
well. I, and his comrades, will bid him
good-bye with deep regret, and wish
him every success after he returns
home that spot in every man's heart
no other place can fill.
"Sincerely yours,
"JAMES E. SPROUL,"
"First Lieutenant, CA."
TEACHERS ASK $75
AS
AT PORTLAND MEET
PORTLAND, Dec. 28. Legislation
that will result in the establishment
of 'a minimum wage of $75 for teach
ers in the state of Oregon will be
recommended by the legislative com
mittee of the Oregon State Teachers'
association, according to statements
which met the approval of members
of the executive council gathered from
all parts of the state yesterday at Lin
coln high school. On account of the
Influenza epidemic only the commit
tees of the association are in ses
sion. Although the legislative committee
Is not scheduled to make Its report
for the final approval of the associa
tion until a late hour this afternoon,
the fact was revealed yesterday that
this would be the chief recommenda
tion of the committee, and George H
Hug, superintendent of the McMlnn
ville schools, chairman of the com
mittee, confirmed the fact
FILE8 FOR PROBATE
F. G. Havemann,has filed for pro
bate of the will of the late Mary
Kaylor, who left an estate valued at
$2000.
There are several heirs to the estate
and the petitioner was named as exe
cutrix in the will."
W jrwwv - r
WEELKY SOLDIER LETTER
T. C. Barker of this city, is In re
ceipt of nn Intorestng Chrstmus let
ter written on Father's Day by bis
son, Private Thomas P. Barker:
American Ex. Forces, Nov. 21, 1918
"Dear Dad:
"Well, as today Is Dad's Christmas
totter day, I'll try and scribble a few
lines. My hands are so coot that 1
can hardly write, but hero uoe:
"Wa have been having cold weath
er here lately, as Sy Williams used to
tuty In North Dakota 'clear as a bell
but colder than h .' There Is no
snow in this part of France yet, but
It freezes every night.
"Well, n they say tho censorship
has been lifted soma on these Christ
inas letters, I will try and tell you
something about this country, and
what we havo been doing.
"We were In training in a small
village, until about the first of Sop
toniber when they 8ent us up aa re
serves on that St. Mlhlel drive, but
as we were not needed there, they
loaded us on trucks and took us up
within about forty miles of tho front,
when we hiked the rest of tho way
This was In the Verdun sector. There
we took over tho machine gun imptaco
ments that the French had been hold
ing. Our Infantry also took over the
line, that la, all but tho very front
trenches, which were still held by the
French, as they dldnf want the Uoehe
to know that we held tho sector. We
stayed there about a week, aud then
went over the top on the 2tth. That
was certainly some scrap up there
through the Argonne Forest I waa hit
tho 29th, so you see I didn't get to
bo In the worst of It, although our di
vision got shot up the worst the 29th.
I saw by one of the papers yesterday
that the division left the Verdun sec
tor, and was up In Belgium when the
armistice was signed.
"After I was wounded I was sent
to an evacuation hoepital at Vettell
and stayed there about two woeks;
thon to another hospital at Vichy
where I stayed about three wtka,
Then as my arm was about O. K. once
more was sent to the recreation camp
at Roanne and from there here to
the classification camp where I ex
pect to be sent buck to tho company
This la a small town, but there Is
quite a large camp here men coming
and going every day. Saint Agnona Is
the name of this place.
"Well, it will soon be ThanksKlvln
time once more. I would sure like to
be home, but no chance. If I get home
by February or March I will consider
myself lucky, although I expect that
several will be home by Christmas.
Eat a big dinner for me, and so
long,
"From your loving son.
"TOM."
Private Tiiomaa P. Barker,
M. G. Company, 363rd Inf,
..Amer. Exped. Forces,
A. P. O. 776
Pa Pa Pa
Mrs. Ida Hutchinson, of this city,
and family are In receipt of an inter
esting letter from the former's son,
Colby O. Hutchinson, a well known
Oregon City young man, Vho Is with
the Eighth Division of the United
States Naval Forces, European Wa
ters. The letter was written at Firth
of Forth Bay, Scotland, November 23,
and Is as follows:
Firth of Forth Bay. Scotland,
November 23, 1918.
"Dear Ma, Ed, Verne and Kenneth:
"Well, the censorship has stopped
at last, and here Is where I write the
beat letter you ever received. I will
begin with our trip across and toll
you everything I know or ever
thought I knew, and am going to use
this big paper so that I will have
lots of elbow room.
"We left Hampton Roads August
13, and on our way out we met the
Delaware Just coming back from Eu
rope. We bad fine weather and met
with one submarine which we fired on.
"We arrived at Bantry Bay, Ireland
(our base), and stayed there for
three months. About a month ago we
got word that some Boche ships were
out bo the Utah, Oklahoma and Neva
da were sent out to escort twenty
one troop ships In which we did, and
we sure struck some storm.
"I have never been seasick yet We
took thoee ships almost to Brest and
went back to Bantry Bay.
"Last Monday we were ordered to
sail, so we left Bantry Bay and sailed
west 24 hours, then north until we
were within 400 miles of Ireland. We
heard the Boche fleet was on its way
to surrender, and we sure travelled to
get here first. We came through the
Orkney Islands and down the North
Sea to Firth of Forth, where we are
now with the grand fleet. We got here
Just as the German fleet did and had
to pass through them to get to our
anchorage. We are anchored in line
with the rest of the United States
ships the New York, Florida, Texas,
Arkansas and Wyoming. There are
1000 ships of all descriptions In this
fleet Just acrosB from us are the fin
est Great Britain's ships, and the
War Spike', the one that was almost
Bunk in the battle of . Jutland, Is just
across from the Nevada. The 'Queen
Elizabeth', British flag ship Is an
chored off our stern and is about 800
feet long. The German fleet Is an
chored just outside the nets waiting
for orders.
"Have you ever heard of the great
bridge that crosses the Firth of Forth?
Well, we are just below it. We are
just one hour's ride from Edlnborough
and now that the war has stopped, we
will be allowed lots of liberty.
"I forgot to tell you about the Btorm
we hit off of Ireland this week. We
were rolling 30 degrees and lost one
whale boat, 70 drums of gas and both
of our after booms. I had an 'all gone'
sort of feeling in my stomach all the
time, but I wasn't sick.
"Admiral Sims is going to Inspect
us some day this next week; and on
Thursday we go out to fire short
range battle practice the United
States ship, I mean, and the British
ships are going to watch us.
"There will be no danger of my not
being able to get a furlough as soon
as we get back, for we'll all get one,
I
and we probably won't spend many
more months hern.
"Ist ulght we received mull and I
got six letters, a package of inipcrs,
tho Jersey and candy, and I received
them on the 23rd, my blrtlulny, so
you sou you mailed them just the
i'IkIU time. I haven't 'tapped' tho can
dy yet, und tho Jersey Is a 'poach'. It
couldn't have como nt a better time.
"Eleven men died on the Ntivndu In
ono and a half weeks- of lufitioiuu,
and about 135 men had It. I went
throiiKh without netting It up to
tho present time.
"I was Just up on dock, and you can
see tho siiioko from KdlitluiroiiKh, and
It sure looks good to sea a city once
more,
"1 Just hud some of your candy, and
it sure tastes Ilka home, Cumly It the
finest thing a fellow on this side cut)
get.
"I am sending somo uero messagou
thts Mbtp received, mid when you re
ci'lvo them put them awrty for me, as
I want to keep them.
"I am still captain's orderly, and It
Isn't a halt had job.
"Scotland Is a very pretty country,
but 'nix' on Ireland.
"MuBt stop now, as over your son
and brother,
"DODK."
Pa Pa Pa
Mr. Thomas Cook bus received tho
following letter from her brother, Mu
sician E. W. Miller, who Is with Head
quarters Company, 163 Infantry Baud
In France:
Contres, Franco.
"Saturday night, November 30. If
this letter has good luck it may reach
you by Christmas; If It doean't It was
so Intended anyway.
"First, I will say I regrottod the
fact that I couldn't tend you folks
Christmas Klft. Am glud I sent a few
presents early when 1 did. You know
there are so many In our rotation, and
we can only do our giving In mod
est ways.
"A fellow Is pretty bard pressed for
money, too, In this circumstance.
' I sent Mother some presents and
also Margaret a small gift to show
my appreciation for her kindness.
"You know my heart Is aching for
you dear sisters, aud the other dear
ones, and can only hope that you will
bo happy this Clirlstmastlde. Und may
grant Unit I ran be with you folks
soon.
"The great Peace Day has duwned
and It Is to me, the hnppleBt Christ
mas gift I can wish for. Enjoyment
of course would be threefold if I could
bo with you on this happy day
"Doesn't matter much Just where
we spend It our heart and soul will
rejoice together.
"We can now plan for tho New
Year. Our wIhIi for peace Is roalizod
and it will only bo a question of weeks
now before we can enjoy real comfort
"Guess we better plan a trip to the
Beach, or anything doesn't matter.
"Now I must close with all my love
"Your deor brother,
"EDWARD."
Mus. E. W. Miller,
Hdq. Co., 163 Inf. Band.
Amer. B. F France.
P. 8. We had a good turkey feed
Thanksgiving.
Pa pa fea
G. E. Tabor, or this city, Is in re
ceipt of a "Father's Lottor" written on
Dud's Day by his son, Asol J. Tabor,
who Is In France. The following Is
the letter received a few days before
Christmas:
General Headquarters, A. E. F.,
Franco,
November 24, 1918.
"Dead Dad:
"I will try and write you a few
lines today. I am going to expect one
written on this date from you. At you
have no doubt read the censor has
practically lifted all restrictions on
what we can write I will be able to
write almost anything that comes to
my mind now and In tho future
"The weather still slays beautiful
hns been so for some time now. Can
not stay this way too long for mo.
Longer it stays this way the shorter
our winter Is bound to be. I guess It
will be long enough at tho best. I'll
bet you are getting your share In Old
Oregon by now, I would be glad to soo
what Oregon rain looks like again. I
have almost forgotten
"As I have only boen able to give
.matches of my trip so far I will en
deavor to write you briefly an out
line of my experiences since leaving
New York City,
"As you know I loft New York City
July 15th. We boarded our transport
'ThemlHtocles', an English boat, about
10:30 o'clock. Left the harbor and
passed the Statue of Liberty between
three and tour In the aftornoon. On
reuchlng clear water we headed north
east and sailed so for two days at
the end of which we sighted land
again which proved to be Canada
W6 dropped anchor in a little bay at
ter going past the city, or what was
the city of Halifax. There certainly
was very little of the city left stand
ing. On both sides we could distin
guish the basements of what usod to
be the houses and by them we could
tell where the streets of the entire
city had been Just a wall standing
here and there
"We laid In the harbor above the
city for two days where we were sur
rounded by transports without num
ber.
"Early on the morning of the 3rd day
we saw several of the boats getting
up steam, ours among them and had
a pretty good idea what It meant.
About 8 o'clock we began to steam
out of the harbor. Here is where we
picked up most of our convoy, only
three In all coming from New York
City,
"After getting out In the open wa
ter we formed Into three lines with
seven or eight abreast having now
23 ships in the convoy. We found our
selves next to the outside boat In the
front line, so we had to take the lead
all the way across. Our boat being
next to the fastest boat in the convoy
It seemed to us we were always
couple of lengths ahead of all the
-
I rcitt, especially u Um tinnier soiie.
Fancy probably.
We wera met by a convoy ot de
stroyers three days out front port of
landing and boiiim of the fellows do
dared they thotilit turn Iboy hd fall
ed to meet us n thfy thoUKht we
should h'uo had them a couple of
days stumer. Three days time w sup
posed to be tho danger none. There
wer twelve or more of Un'sn destroy
crs, six I think flyli'K H American
flag und the rest I believe wero ICng
IImIi. They certainly could plow
thitiuRh the water- co ild just run
rings nroiiml all of us and they did
too for they were always on the nioyo
scouting for n lurklnu Hub.
"Tho day after wri met our chasers
wo wer attacked by number of
siilmiarlncs, no telling bow many. It
was 3:30 III the afternoon. About thu
lium la when our "sea doits" not down
to .laiMliiess a ml certainly did somo
traveling. I don't know where thoy
wer sighted first; first thing we
knew tho danger Mlstnal of seven short
whistles were blown by all tho ships
ami th wo know there was something-
up. Wo all mini,, for the llts
bouts. Of course we all hud our boats
assigned. Depth bomb after depth
bomb was dropped by tho destroyers
ami each one wbou It exploded would
throw a column of water several hun
dred foot Into tho air. All that noise
together with nearly every ship fir
ing sure nut do us think we wore In a
sure enough sea bttttln Ono Bub
riinin to the surface so near our ship
wo almost ran over It. It lost no time
In submerging again. After about 45
minutes of fighting the siilunarlnet
gave It up as a bad Job and loft
"Early on July 31st we sighted land
and It certainly looked good to all of
us. About noon Ibe same day we pull
ed Into the harbor of Liverpool, Eng
land, and dropped anchor. We remain
ed on the boat until early the next
morning when we dlsombarkud and
Immediately boarded a troop train for
a rldo Herons Englund.
"We rodo all day through the beau
tiful rural districts of England whore
wo saw somo of tho prettiest country.
Most all ot the buildings woro old and
urtlstlc, especially tho old castle of
which w saw a number. We arrived
lute thut evening at Southampton,
England, and tnarched to a rest camp
whore wo spout tho ulght and most ot
th,) next day.
"In the evening we again boardttd a
boat I (lou t think It was a bit larger
than our Willamette Hlver boats and
crossed tho channel that night As the
channo) U always rough we certainly
did rock and pitch but ot course wo
were all old timers on the sea by this
time. Early the next morning w0 gut
nur first glance at Franco. We know
then that tho beginning of the end ot
our long journey was In sight We
landed at Cherbourg, France, and
went to another rest camp. Hero Is
where we hud to march through as
bard a rain as I have seen anywhere,
some of them even without a rain
coat I happened to think to take mine
out of my locker before leaving the
boat at IJverpool.
"We stayed here two days resting
and cleaning up and waiting for furth
er orders. This was an English rest
camp and was glad when we received
our orders to depart (When I tay wa
f moan twenty-seven of us Field
Clerks who were traveling on the
same orders). First we got orders to
report at Blols, France, and then they
wore changed to read Chaumont
France. We wore given passage on a
regular troop train. Wo were given
coaches, each divided Into three com
partments, and assigned four or five
to a compartment. 8o wo wore not
real crowded for room. But the men
were bunched together In box cars
twenty to thirty to a car and they cer
tainly wore packed like sardines.
"Wo were two days getting to our
destination where we ought not to
have been over one. We would be
switched around on sldo tracks where
we would stand for hours. We laid
olght hours one whole night Just
outside of Paris. We could see sev
eral steeples and the noted towor of
Elfol.
"We arrived at our destination on
tho evening of the. 7th ot August The
next morning after cleaning up we re
ported at headquarters as our orders
spoclfod not having the least Ideea
where we would bo assigned.
"Our work In the codo office Is to
code and decode or cipher and deciph
er mossugos to and from the States.
The entire casualty lists goos through
our office togothor with other moss
ages without number.
"As this s general Headquarters ot
course it Is Porshlng's Headquartors
and I have Been him sevoral tlmos.
We can always tell his car as It has
four stars on It
"This little town of Chaumont is
a place of about 15,000 and has quite
a history. Will write It later whon I
know a little more about It The
streets are certainly quoer. There are
very few streets a person can see
down over a block or two for they
are sure to curve one way or the
other. I think I find some new street
every time I go for a walk. The town
has eloctrlo and gas light and has
running wntor.
"I suppose there will bo'a great
Thanksgiving In the States this year.
All nations certainly have a reason to
be thankful this year, But I suppose
It will be very sad for those who have
lost some loved one over here . I
wrote In a previous letter the celebra
tions of this town. The Central Pow
era certainly did fall fast. Geo! I
thought the whole thing was going to
end while I was In the hospital and it
almost did. Of course I wouldn't have
caved If It had. Turkey and Austria
both went out while I was there, and
Germany .signed the day I was dis
charged. "I read In one of the Oregon City
papers, I got, a description of the
Mill's hotel they have erected across
the river. It must be grand for the'
fellows who have to depend on a
boarding house or hotel to stay in.
"I think I had better close. If your
eyes won't stand the strain to read
this all at once, read it In, install.
mentB. I am feelling the very best
ain- "ASEL J."
IIIINIIMM""" -