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About Cloverdale courier. (Cloverdale, Tillamook County, Or.) 190?-19?? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1917)
The Nestucca Valley First, Last and all the Time. GOOD ROADS, GOOD HOMES, BEST CHEESE CLOVERDALE, TILLAMOOK COUNTY. OREGON. DECEMBER 13,1917 FOURTEEN MONTHS \ \ AT / / An A m e r ic a n tso y s Baptism of Fire By W ILLIAM J. ROBINSON Tha WILLIAM J. ROBINSON As we got nearer the city I seemed to have lest all feeling of fear, and in fact I didn't have any feeling at all. I tried to think about what was go ing to happen to us, for it worried mo that I didn’t seem to have a nerve in my body. I kept telling myself that I was going to my death and that in a few minutes I would be lying some- w’here in those smoking ruins. But it was no use. I didn't care one way or the other. Before one comes to the railway track just outside Vpres there is a road which branches off to the left and leads to the village of Elverdinghe. Before we came to where this road branches off the officer spoke. “I think it would be worth while try ing to get to the canal bank through Elverdinghe." he said, "and from there we would perhaps be able to leave the car. swim the canal and get through to Potijze on foot. It will take longer, of course, but the main thing for us to do is to get there safely, no m atter if it takes a great deal longer. Let us try that way. anyway.” 1 was willing to try anything, and so we turned off the road and headed for Elverdinghe. ft was only a few kilo metres. and we didn’t take lung getting there, but when we arrived we found that we had jumped out of the frying pan into the fire, for Elverdinghe was getting it hot and heavy from the Ger man field batteries. We rushed into the town, and as we swung into the village proper we came very near having one grand smashup. A field 'ambulance was moving out of the place, and the road was blocked by ambulances which were loading up with wounded. I jammed on the brakes and pulled over almost into the ditch, but the brakes stopped the car before we got clear in. A sentry informed us that the road through the village was closed and that we would have to turn around and go back, I ••'toil to back up. but my Copyright, Utile, Brown & Co. the m ost g rap h ic account of g r e a t w a r t h a t lia s y e t been w r i t t e n c o m e s f r o m t h e p e n of a tv v e n ty - tw o - y e a r - o l d B o s t o n boy, w h o h a s j u s t r e tu rn ed from F ia n c e , w here us dragoon g u a r d s m a n , d isp a tc h rider a n d m o to r c a r d riv er he served fo urteen m onths u n d e r t h e B r i t i s h flag. O u t of t h i r t y - one m oto rcy cle d isp a tc h rid ers of survivors. he wail one four two front wheels were stuck away down in the ditch, and she wouldn’t pull out under her own power. I appealed to the driver of an empty ambulance to help me. and he quickly got his towrope around my back axle, and we came out with the first heave. I noticed while we were taking the towrope off that the car was a big six- cylinder American make. i asked the driver how he liked a Yankee car. and from the way he re plied I knew th at lie was an American himself. 1 aske.l him where he came from, and you can imagine my surprise when he said "Boston.” I never say him again, and when I left him he was in o::e hot little corner of the map. I hojie he gets through all right. CHAPTER IX. The Fate of a Spy, E reached Elverdinghe as quick ly as we could and got out without a scratch, which is more im portant than anything else. We went back nior^g thp_cofid Jijitll we came to the turning which leads to the village of Boesinghe., This village is on the bank of the canal, but it is a mighty unhealthy place to visit, as it is in full view of part of the German lilies. Our plan was to go ns close to tlie village ns we dared and then leave the ear and try to get. through on foot, it was almost as dangerous as it would be to go through Vpres. but we figured that here we would at least hate a fighting chance. We left the car under some trees about half a mile from the village and set out oil foot. Wo hadn't been going ten minutes when a sentry stopped us again and informed us that the road was closed and we would Lave to go back. The officer explained tilings to him and told him that it was abso lutely imperative that we get through W II RE you ready for a business opportunity? Suppose that to- /•A morrow you 6ee a chance whereby tue investment of / $1,000 would atart you on the road to an independent fortune. Have you the thousand? Place your surplus cash in bank. Then when a choice investment öfters you are ready for it. There ia an old Baying that money makes money. It is particularly true today. Security, service and courtesy are our wateLwords. NESTUCCA VALLEY BANK Cloverdale, Oregon ------ 0 and that this was tin* only way it could ho done. . The sentry sn!'i_thnt ho was very sorry, but be had strict orders from the assistant provost m ar shal and ho dared not let us pass. There was nothing left for us to do hut to turn buck. We went straight to headquarters, and the offi er explained that it was impossible for us to get through. lie ordered me to report to him I tie next morning nud we would try again The next day they were homl aiding just as heavily, and the city was si ill burn ing. so all I had to do was to stand by and bold uryself in readln ss all day long. We saw a very exciting Incident that day. There was a hlg ammunition c o l umn near our headquarters, and it was w liiiug there, all ready loaded, until sent for. It had been there several weeks then, und the chaps who belong ed to it were having the softest time they ever had in their li'es. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon I was standing on a corner near this column when 1 saw one of the police go up and speak to a chop who was walking around it with a notebook in his hand. They talked for a few mo ments, and then a policeman sauntered down to whole I was standing and came up and sihj U o to me. “Go down to the g aid room." he said, "and have the corporal fall in two men and bring them up here as quick as God will let hill). That fellow there by tin* column is getting all kinds of infor mation and putting it in his hook Now. hurry, but take your time until you get out of sight of this place I II tool- after him until the guard comes." I was naturally all excited, but I did as he said, and it wasn’t many minutes before we were on our way back at the double. Our man was still there, hut the minute he saw us lie got started Qur policeman pulled his revolver and tired after him. He didn't stop for a second, hut he pulled a couple of guns himself and every few seconds Would send a shot back at us as he ran. Fellows were joining in tlie chase all the time, and it was getting interest ing. The end came very suddenly when two of uur chaps with rifles appeared in the rood ahead of the fugitive h : u 1 ordered him to halt He tired on them ror an answ-or so they tui-ed tbc:r ri fles and brought him down. Examination showed that lie was n German. lie had on German set vice dress under the Rrifish uniform tie was wearing. The littU* bo k our podee- uian referred to certainly was a gold mine of information He had the name, location and strength of every mil' in our vicinity and also the ¡matIon of a good many of our batteries. He w :.s a brave fellow, ni! right, and he played the game clear to the end. Tlie nest day I reported myself as usual for the trip to 1’otijze. and wo decided to make the try again. Even as we got near Vpres tin* tire seemed to slacken. <md we rushed straight thiough without mishap. If Vpres had been in bad condition before this i don't know how it would be described now! in ttie center of the town there was s arvely a building left standing All the towers but one had hern knocked off the famous Cloth hall, and the whole plaee had been gutted by tire. The cathedral was aii down excepi half of (lie tower, and the inside of that was still liiirnlng. Ttie streets were littered with bodies of every description, und broken wag ons, ambulances, water « arts. etc., lay everywhere. The roads were almost obliterated, and we were riding over broken bricks und mortar. The shells were still coining over, but they were no worse than wlnit we had run through before, so we did not mind tLem very much We found the road the other side of Vpres about as usual so we got up to I’otijze without any more excitement. Potij/e is a very tiny placeJ-whii-h has aesu so n i haul fighting from time to time. There was really very Mt le left of the phi* e It.-elf. hut our trenches ran just outside the villige and we hud du; ours all around there (?:> our ar- ilval mv officer toid me to turn tin* ear around and then to gel Into o*ie of the ducouts and wait for him. I did ns be told me. and for some reason or oth'*t I Jr ft the engine running. I -lint the throttle clear d<wn. so »he « # . J*i. t barely ticking over I looked around and round a dugoiit not twenty yards away and went in Tw o officers were there at the time, .hut they told me to sit down, and they * ent on with their work. I found some pacer and a pencil and etxrted to write a letter. After a few minutes one of tbes" officers got up and went out. I d*<u’t think it was more than ten minutes iater that ( beard a lot of running around and shouting over our heads, and I w^n (& (Boob (p ro tn b er fo r ff)e J^om e A widow in speaking of lur lute husband said: “ lie was always a good provider.’’ In the mind of this bereaved woman, this was a high tribute to her husband's ch.uaider. It is often true that the best husband is the one wlio saves h part of his income for the future. By ttiis plan lie is able to provide all necessities and many of the luxinic-; but constantly accumulate money nud property Hint will safeguard his family again t want when he is unable to work or after his death. 4 Per Cent Paid on Savings and Time Deposits. Best Banking Facil ities in Town. TILLAMOOK COUNTY BANK Tillamook Established in JP02 Oregon WHY? Because it lias a Six-Cylinder, overhead yalye motor niosr miles on gallon gas. Warner Two Unit Starting and Lighting System Uerny Special Ignition Stromherg Carbureter Slcwarl Vacuo) Feed Full Floating Rear Axle Extra Strong Steering Gear Toue Cantelever Springs One Man Top Extra Strong Frame Willard Storage Battery, and Firestone Demountable Rims that will give you mo miles than any other—no squeaking. Change tire in fi minutes. Got full information and see the car at YV. K UPPEN BEIN DER lla m o o k , - de’rod wliat It could be. Then I noticed that my throat and nose seeiiii d t<> be burning, and my \ves commenced to water. I couldn't Iraw n breath without sharp pain piercing my throat and lungs. It struck But All ths Tims I Had Min« I Nsvsr Saw Another Sign of Gas. me -uddenly that It was the c«». The officer who had left a few minutes tie fore |M)kc-tl him bead down and shout'd "Itim like li ; It's the gas!” By this tim e I could hardly see. and I was doing some tall old scrambling - O rego n to get out of Hint place. I would hold my breath as long as I could, und then I'd take another breath through my khaki handkerchief. When 1 got out side I found that everything wns cov ered with a greenish yellow lin/.e, nml I couldn't see throe feet in front of uie. I ran In the* direction of the place I hud left my <ur. and I struck It the first shot. Perhaps I wasn't thankful I had left the engine running! I Jump ed In mid started down that road for all I was worth, and before I had gone ion yards I was off the road and stuck III a plowed field. 1 was clear of the gas, though, aud that was nil t cared about. I waited there for f <• o po*ir< before any one appeared, and when n fatigue party finally rnme along the road 1 had them help me get the ear out. They got eight horses, and wo hitched them mi to the ha k. I raced my machine, and Hie horses pulled, and after ha'f an hour's w< rk the car was hack on the road again. Vo sooner had they gone then mv officer showed up safe and sound and we started back for rump. It w as a terrible experience, and we were absolutely hf Iple?*. as we hsd not I ren furnished with the respirators and gas helmets at that time. We se cured these things soon after, hut all the time I hn.i mine I never saw an other slsm of gas. I found out afterw ard that those two officers w ho had been In the «logout were both killed by the gas. The officer who was with me at the Continued ou last page.