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About Ashland tidings. (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 24, 1917)
Monday, September 24, 1017 ASHLAND TIDINGS PAGE SKVKJI A Clock Tower In France How It Helped Two Ameri can Soldiers to Gain Promotion By F. A. MITCHEL When American boys were flocking to the colors for the great world's war EushcII Andrews was seventeen years years old. . lie wlHlied to enlist, but his another, who was a widow, stood In his way. Russell did not consider himself forbidden to enlist, but he knew that Ills doing so would well night break the poor woman's heart. The tempta tion was too strong for him, and, with out Raying a word to her, he went to a recruiting station and became a sol dier. After the deed was done he went home, and about an hour afterward mustered up courage to tell his mother what he had done, blurting It out all of a sudden : "Mother, I've enlisted." ' The resiKMise was not what Russell lad exiiected. "Well, my boy," she said, "since you have Joined the army there Is nothing for me to do but get you ready to go." 1 Hansen Andrews passed to a regi ment and was sent to a camp, where he got his first drilling. Tben he was put on a troop steamer and, in com pany with other steamers, guarded by submarine destroyers, departed for France. Being with the first division that went abroad, he participated in the animated reception they received, and It seemed to him to be worth a whole lifetime to be one of the Ameri can troops on that occasion. The training camp behind the lines was nearer tbe war aud not nearly so delightful as the reception, especially that part pertaining to pretty girls breaking through the lines to bestow bouquets. But the boys were not sent for the purpose of recelviug flowers, and those first happy days in France were soon a mere memory. Itussell Andrews was well fitted for a soldier. Whether cooped up In a troopship or a box car, or making a long march, he was always Jovial. No natter bow uncomfortable the situa tion, he was always ready for 'a Joke. "When bis corps had been sufficiently trained to face the enemy he proved himself a brave man. The ordinary routine work of a sol dier even In face of an enemy was too tame for Private Andrews. Not that the work was not exciting; Indeed, it was at times too exciting, or, rather, dreadful, for the young American. Rus sell was cut out for ingenious devices. He admired the methods adopted by the Germans for obtaining Information of what their enemies were doing nnd longed to try his hand at one of their games. One day in a hand to hand fight Rus aell. with some thirty of his comrades, was taken prisoner. A church stood handy, and since there was no more convenient place to put the prisoners they were shut up there. Besides, a building required less guards than an open space. Four sentries were con sidered quite enough to watch the pris oners, and they were stationed about the church prison. Now, this church was on an emi nence and commanded a good view of what the Germans were doing In its vicinity. It was constructed like most ,1J churches, open within from floor to roof, with a gallery on three sides. From the gallery the prisoners could .see what was going on about them; but, fearing that If they showed them selves at the windows a guard would be introduced to keep them from en Joying the view, they took care not to be seen. Russell Andrews had no sooner been Incarcerated than he began an explora tion of the premises. He found the passageway into the basement, went down there and, opening n door, found a sort of closet about throe feet square. Looking up, he saw that the roof was only a few feet above his head, nnd around it was a frame of light. This .puzzled him till suddenly the roof be gan to rise, accompanied by a clicking sound usual to the winding of the weight of a clock. Andrews saw at once that the closet was the shaft within which hung the weight that worked the church clock above. A vague something came Into bis mind that induced him to go up stairs and look out through a window. He could see the shadow of the spire of the church and noted where it fell. This was the time the sexton wound the clock. The next evening at the clock wind ing hour Russell went down into the shaft, and when the weight reached Its lowest point he stood on a bench and took a firm grip on the weight. In a few minutes the weight began to rise and carried the soldier up with It. When Russell reached the belfry he saw a white haired man turning a crank. Russell stepped off on to the floor. The old man raised his head and, seeing the soldier, stood aghast. "Mon Dleu!" he exclaimed. "Tou are French," said Russell. ''If (you had been German you would have aald, 'Gott in hlmmel.' " "Yes; I am French, but If the Ger mans find me speaking with an enemy they will shoot me. They permit me to take care of the church as Its sexton, but I have promised not to speak with one of the prisoners." j "That you can't help," said Russell, .so don't let your conscience trouble aron. Go on attending to your duty as TK-ual and say nothing about this meet jlng. Show me how to get below." j The sexton led Russell down a flight of winding stairs, opening a door at the bottom that admitted them to the pastor 8 study. A door between the study ana tho church wag locked. The sexton opened it, and Russell after ro- locklng it put the key In his Docket. "Now, my good man," he said to the sexton, "you ueed have no further communication with an enemy. You have done a good turn for France." The qext thing Russell did was to go again to the "basement and examine how be could mine his way out of the church. It was very old and tbe foun dation crumbling. The floor of the basement was about four feet lower than the outside surface. . Russell found a place where the wall was bro ken, and ull he had to do was to tun nel through it and up to the surface, a distance of only six feet. Returning to his comrades, he proposed his scheme, as follows: - "If one of us can make an escape and get through the lines we can be of great service to our fellows. I think an escape can be made. We can break through the wall In the basement or tunnel under It and upward to the sur face. A man thus getting out at night might be able to pass the guard when he la at the far end of his beat. "I propose to use the hands of the clock of the church for a cipher. I can visit the belfry whenever I choose and can place the hands on the dial at any point. Our men by means of their glasses can easily see the tower and Just where the hands are. All that Is to be done is to arrange a code." It was decided that Andrews should remain and scud tbe signals, and James Brooks volunteered to make the at tempt at escape, taking the code with him. There were plenty of hands to dig the tunnel, and all the caution that was required was to avoid work at the hours the guard visited tbe prison ers to bring their meals and for other purposes. That same evening the tunnel wa dug. It was found that the wall could not lie pierced, and u portion of the ce ment floor was removed and the tun neling done under the wall instead of through It. The work was not difficult and was accomplished In a few hours. The earth removed was concealed In a dark lnclosure under the clock tower. When all was ready Brooks, who was a small man of great agility, having been provided with the code, crawled Into tbe tunnel and when at the point where it extended straight upward stood on his feet with his bead above ground and looked about him. The night was dark, and be could see nothing, but be could hear the sentry on that side of the church walking his beat The man passed within twenty feet of him. Brooks noted bis move ments and estimated that the exit from the tunnel was located about a third nearer one end of the beat than tbe other. It behooved the American to leave his point of concealment after tbe man had passed him on tbe longest section of his beat and make his way beyond the beat before be returned. Watching his opportunity, Brooks sprang out of the tunnel and ran some fifty yards into a bush, behind which he concealed himself. He heard the sentry give a challenge, which Indi cated that he had been beard. The sentry stood still for some time, and Brooks heard the click of his rifle's lock. But he probably made up his mind that be had heard some animal, for he presently started again on his beat. Brooks crawled away toward the firing line and on his way encountered a dead body. The corpse was that of a German, and Brooks appropriated his helmet and his coat. Ills riiie lay near, and Brooks took that too. Then he ad vanced to the trench at a point between the occupants and after standing guard for awhile found an opiwtuiiity to steal out unobserved, and, throwing off his helmet nnd dropping his rltie, he crawled on all fours toward the Ameri can line. Before he could make him self known several shots were fired at him, but fortunately he was unhurt. The next morning u man wr-s sta tioned with a powerful glass leveled at the dial of the clock. In time ho called an oliiccr, who in turn called Brooks. When they readied him he reported that the minute hand of the clock was moving now backward, now forward. Brooks consulted the code and reported to the olllcer: "Nothing dolus-" This, of course, meant that there was nothing of importance to he reported of the enemy's movements. During the day the American troops made attacks at two different points. About 4 o'clock In the afternoon, the watcher reported that the minute hand of tho clock was again moving backward slowly. After moving over twenty minutes on the dial it suddenly sprang forward and again began Its slow retrograde move ment Brooks at once read from the code: "They are retreating." The officer at once hurtled to a tele phone station and reported the infor mation to the general commanding. The general at once ordered a barrage of artillery fire, the shells falling Just beyond the church. Then he ordered a charge. ' The fire kept the Germans back, and the troops charging went beyond the church and dug themselves In before the enemy could make a coun ter attack. Brooks, who was with the attacking party, went at once to the church, broke open tbe doors and released the prisoners. Naturally the meeting was very Joyful. The general commanding ordered An drews and Brooks to headquarters aud asked for a recital of what they had accomplished. When they had finished be. announced to them that he would recommend both of them for promo tion, and the same evening they were mentioned In orders for brave and meritorious conduct in transmitting in telligence of the enemy's movements." SOME REAL BARGAINS 1150-Ib Marc, Surry and Harness only $50. 1 light single Express Wagon lor only $25. 1 Buggy and Harness $30. 1 Separator $11 2 Sewing Machines $5.00 each. 1 Sewing Machine $20. 1 Excelsior Motorcycle $30, worth $40. 1 Single Harness $8.00, worth $15. 1 Single Harness $15, worth $25. 2 good second-hand Bicycles. Here and There Among Our Neighbors The Weed Lumber Company has built, up to September 1, 40 new cot tages of from three to five rooms capacity, all of them now having ten ants. The company has nine more cottages building. Weed Leader. Try some of our Half Soles made from aolo llres They outwear anything you can get. VULCANIZING are low. -Our work is done right and prices Salem, Ore.: Manager Robert Faulus of the Salem Fruit Union es timated that the apple yield in the central Willamette valley will be about 40 per cent of the normal crop. Fruit Inspector Constable's estimate of the prune crop is 60 per cent. Good prices are promised, but there Is danger that the box and car short age may Interfere with marketing. lows, attractive in design and sub-1 stantlal In character, a public gar-! age, water system and other public improvements. Grenada Is the bust- j ness center of the Shasta Irrigated j Lands Company, headed by Mr. Har low of San Francisco. WELDING-Ihcm. -Those little broken metal pieces we can fix Eastern Supply Co. Big Concrete Building Opposite Public Library, Ashland News has just been received in Klamath Falls of the marriage of Miss Kathorlno Wells to Sergeant C. iTanforan, Fort D. A. Russell, Wyo., F. Cole of Monterey, Cal, about twoJFort Douglas, Utah, Clackamas, Ore., weeks ago. Miss Wells, formerly an ;and Bremerton navy yard, Washlng- Ashland Eirl. has rpslrlprl In Tflnmnth iton. Falls for a number of years, and has a host of warm friends here. She Is a sister of County School Superinten dent Edna Wells and has been em ployed In the assessor's office for some time previous to her marriage. "The University and the Woman," a 36-nace Illustrated folder descrin- tlve of what the University of Ore-!Ma Cole nas been superintendent of .charge and the sailors and soldiers "Arrangemonts are now being made to serve the soldiers when they visit three big cities close to the larg er cantonments, San Francisco, San Diego and Tacoma At all these places trained secretaries are In gon has to offer the young women of the state during 1917-18, Is off the press as a companion work to "Train the Brain," the general Illustrated bulletin for" the year. Copies of these may be obtained by application to the Registrar, University of Oregon, Eugene. J, H. McKay of Brockway, who Is almost 60 years old, took an exami nation at Portland recently as sea man in the navy department and passed successfully. Mr. McKay was for 18 years a sailor and It was his past experience, that counted for much with the department. He has been appointed second mate and will be transferred to the Atlantic coast Mr. McKay has two sons who are at present in the service of Uncle Sam. Roseburg News. Salem, Ore.: There is money in pigs. This today Is the firm opinion of 55 Marlon county boys. They have a practical Interest In the sub ject of porkers. Last spring G. W. Eyne, a local banker, loaned 55 boys $10 each to buy a young pig. Today the 55 pigs average 250 pounds In weight and are worth $38 each. The boys cleaned up a net profit of about $30 on each pig, it is estimated, or $11,650 on the 55. The pigs will be exhibited at the state fair. Mr. Davles of Independence, Ore.. Is raising and has under contract with farmers near Independence 150 acres of mint. He says It is about the western division of the Bell Tele phone Company and retains his con nection with the company while at the front, fie may sail soon for France, and, if so, Mrs. Cole will proltobly return to Klamath Falls during his absence. Klamath Herald. Y.M.C.A. Workers At 2,000 War Points Few persons are really aware of the extent of the war work of the Toung Men's Christian Association, asserts Irvine D. Custer, general sec retary of the Y. M. C. A. "It is a fact that the Y. M. C. A. workers are serving the soldiers at more than two thousand different points In the war zone. Even on, the firing line these intrepid men are to be found In huts where they serve hot coffee and co coa. They establish their stations In the ruins of buildings, in tents, In any place where they can reach the enlisted mem "The Y. M. C. A. has more than 429 centers In France, 58 In Egypt. 47 In Mesopotamia, 35 In Salonlca, 47 In India, and wherever the fight ing men are sent you will find the Red Triangle of thai Y. M. C. A. It Is one of the greatest organized movements for good that th werld has ever seen. It Is an unselfish, ef ficient, red-blooded work and the brave men of the association are receive every possible consideration and attention. "To reach military posts about San Francisco bay an extension service has been Inaugurated and a secretary In an automobile makes regular visits. In smaller posts tents are maintained where the soldiers may find writing paper, games and books and maga zines to read. All of which gives a meagre outline of the extent of the army Y. M. C. A. work under the auspices of the National War Work Council of the Y. M. C. A." WILLOW SPRINGS ITEMS. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Straube and family motored to eastern Oregon last Monday to visit Mr. Straube's brother. Mr. and Mjs. Robhln and daughter of Nebraska are spending a few weeks with Mr. and Mrs. Robertson. Mrs. Robertson Is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robbln. , Miss Helen Parker has resumed her school duties as teacher near Derby. O. S. Blackford has recently pur chased the old Leathers ranch. Mr. Blackford has made application for water. Mrs. J. W. Hicks Is spending a few weeks with friends in Ashland. Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Elden and fam ily spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Blrholz. Miss Hazel Taylor has returned from her sojourn In California to re sume her duties as teacher of our school, which opened on Monday, uhflrln? tha Bflmfl riflnppra nn tht sol half a crop this year on account of I ... , ,. , . ,,., RCl1001- wmcn opened on Monday, the dry weather, but the price of the J'e ",th n,y th,e J ry " ' September 1 7. While in Callforla ithat ihflv aia rlnlnff n fonlltf nronf .... work. Pacific Activity Great. "Here, on the Pacific coast, the ex tent of the war work on the part of oil Is about double that of last year and the year before, so he will com.? out about like he did those years. Mr. Davles has a still on the place where he grows his mint at Inde pendence and will begin distilling some time this week.-later... -Eugene Reg- Miss Taylor's mother took sick and Is now confined in a hospital in San Francisco. The prune drier In our district Is again In full operation. 25 Veterans Died in So. Ore. During Year Following Is a list of old soldiers of this district who have died since) the last meeting of the old veterans. This data was complied at the recent reunion of the old soldiers in Ash land which ended Friday: Soth Hoag, Company K, 9 th Min nesota. Fi. Byrne, Company A, 48th Massa chusetts. Hubert B. Alversori, Company A 147th Illinois. E. Tuthlll, Company I, 1st Ne braska. John M. Jones, 2nd Indiana bat tery. James Curtis, Company C, 3rd U. S. artillery. John I Scovllie, Company E, 10th Minnesota. Ed A. Wade, Company H, 129th Indiana infantry. Garrison Dotson, Company E, 6th West Virginia. John W. Granger, Company D. 16th Connecticut, Albert Morris, Company K, 1st Ohio cavalry. Hiram Bender, Company H,' 46th Wisconsin. Joseph N. Hall, Company H, 20th Ohio Infantry. Noah B. Bradbury, first sergeant Company F, 34th Illinois. Jacob Kllppel, Company I, 7th Illi nois. Michael Llghthlll, Company D, 53rd Wisconsin. James M. Mattlngly, Company D, 46th Illinois. 0 R. Lavalley. W. A. Bobertson. : Andrew Kushmei). " ' J. W. Redfield. C. K. Sltz. ! ' F. B. Spragne. ' Max Praeht, U. S. navy. Ttobort Lucas, Company A, 16th Iowaj. Paste This On Your Windshield. TTlnmntli Fnlla Oro Mntlno that . i u,, t. . manned by an efficient force of fifty the election for the establishment of, . . .... , .,in Mt.t o . secretaries, iney win nave a piace the association has assumed gigantic proportions. Whpn the drafted men reach Camp Lewis, at American iWhpn you com ncr088 a cr0SHng, Lake, Wash., they will find awaiting them six army Y. M. C. A. buildings Grove school house east of this city, carried by a vote of three-fifths of those voting has been fl ed with the county court here. Eleven farmers comprise the Pine Orc.M unit with a territory '.f sevenl thousand acres. These farmers recently organized and installed a pump'ng plant and have since been Irrigating from the main canal of the Klamath project. The water is taken from the cam' at a point near the HcenHee ranch. A badly fractured foot, the use of which he will probably lose for six months, was suffered by W. M. Cose boom here Friday when, a wheel rolled off from a heavily loaded wag- on on which he was driving. The wagon was filled with four-foot wood and he jumped from the top to save himself as the wagon lurched. His whole weight landed on one foot, whch was fractured In four places. Mr. Coseboom Is a well-known resi dent of Klamath Falls, where he has resided for many years. He operates an lrngatea rancn near me uzen brothers In the Klamath Basin. Klamath Herald. A transformation has been made at Grenada. Where' last fall was a vast stubble field cut through by the Pacific Highway and the Southern Pacific railway is now a prominent and prosperous hotel, the best ap pointed and the best conducted In northern California, a built-up block housing grocery, hardware and gen eral stores, barber shop and recrea tion rooms, nearly a dozen bunga- where they may write letters home. Free stationery Is provided and pens and Ink. They will find pleasant companionship, genial men to serve them. They will have magazines nnd books to read, games to play. In their leisure hourse they will have entertainment, motion picture shows. socials, muslcalcs, lectures and re ligious services. "Do you know what all this means to the man who Is away from home? Do you realize that the Y. M. C. A. building In, any cantonment will be the nearest thing to home that the enlisted men will find? And It will be with him all the time. Wherever he goesi, the red triangle of the Y. M. O. A. will follow. There is no dan ger too groat, no place too difficult of access that the association secre taries will not venture. "At Camp Keary, Linda Vista, and Camp Fremont, Palo Alto, six asso ciation buildings will he constructed at each cantonment, together with an administration building. The same service as at Camp Lewis will be ren dered at these camps. It Is expected that over 100,000 men will be assem bled In these three cantonments. Maintains Many Buildings. "In addition to these buildings, the army Y. M. C. A. on the Pacific coast is maintaining three buildings at San Diego, two buildings at the Presidio, San Francisco, two buildings at Van couver, Wash., two at Vallejo and Mare Ishland navy yard, and one building at each of the following lo cations: San Francisco, Arcadia, San Pedro-, Goat Island, Angel Island, here's a simple rule for you: Stop, nnd look and listen, and be sure that you can view The track from every angle and that nothing is In sight, Then start again your Journey, and you'll cross the crossing right. Southorn Pacific. Tbe Intelligent editors of the news papers of Germany will know whnt to say about Presldont Wilson's note) to Pope Benedict as soon as the kaiser can rend It. Phone news Items to the Tidings. Our boys will put some dandy In shoot curves on those bombs when they get to the trenches, and thera won't 'be any miserable umpire to call half of thera "halls" either. , One dollnr a dozen will be awfully high for eggs, hut some people may consider thera worth It to throw at good fat pacifists. I Don't ask for say Little sister is just as pleased with her Snow Flakes as she looks. Chil dren thrive on Snow Flakes because they are perfectly baked from the best materials. Sold in 3 oizi'sof Packages, and in bulk Pacific Coast Biscuit Co. Portland) Oratfon flora. m WE SELL 'EM White House Grocery H. P. Holmes Plaia Grocery - W. M. Flackut. Ashland Trading Co.- Loornts ft Nelso Nlma ft Saunderi , H. G, Enders ft bom , ..t., ,