North Carolina Newspapers

Devoted to the Interest of Mart'n County in General At V :i:asuton in Particular 'illume 19. Number 40 I Frt m Somewhere in America to Somewhere is France ilardly did we realize when v-J left home to answer our c entries call, that we would be S merwhere in France long be i re the beautiful snow would pve mother earth a coat of \ .ite, but we are here and i iking the best of it. Our ex- I nences have been many-- t me of them very trying--but \ o have withstood the test and ; -i as happy as a lark, trying to 1 -form the mission that was I :ced in our hands. As all "Over r iere" are interested in theweN t re of the boys "Over Here" i 1 their experiences, 1 will try t relate some of mine after I iv-tfig our camp and enroute t er the Atlantic Brook and Somewhere in France. If I * re to relate them in detail I t uld jvrite for a week so I will i most interesting ones i brief. So here it goes After several weeks of good I trd training at a southern camp i ie Regiment of which I am a I ember received the order to I ive the A. E. F. stamped on i leir Barrack bag 9 and pack up \eir "Duds" and get resdy to UKP the trip across the B iny c»ep or as you would say ' 'Over lore". We started on our long •urney one beautiful Saturday orning about 8 o'clock and we ire felt like millionaires, for we id very fine sleepers to travel i. The trip was full of interest ;nd many spectacular sights ere to be seen on our journey irough thirteen States. We /. opped at several places to avail urselves of that famous "Sev- nth Inning" stretch to loosen p the stiffened joints a trifle, y parading through the main joroughfares Wherever we 'ent we were applauded to the t most and every factory window nd those in the homes brought orth shouts of applause " that iade one soon realize that he as not in civil life anymore, it in the army To put the pro er finish to this, we of course elped them along, but it did tot take us long before we were hankful, that we were in posi lon to bring forth a whisper. The Red Cross performed heir part in a very admirable vay and at almost every station ve were served with hot Java, , ruit. etc., and cigarettes were landed out in such numbers, hat the supply Jasted until we rot to the next station and these ourtesies certainly proved to ne boys, that there was more to he Ked Cross Organization than • nerely the name and* began to valize where the money went uat was donated to this noble ause, before they were fitted iut in the uniform of the most lopular design approved by Sam's Fashion Center. Finally after several days of raveling through tunnels and /alleys, over hills and trestle jvork, we arrived at an eastern camp where we spent consider able time at all duties required of a soldier The life at this camp was very agreeaple in spite of some of the inconveniences, as it was not so terrible hot there as at the other camp. Again jame the order to move, and equipped with full field pack ( it -eemed to weigh a ton) we gall antly started for the gang plank «>f the boat that was to take us across the Atlantic Creek, It was a funny sensation to see the land lade away and the old Goddess of Liberty did not even smile. The ship on which we traveled was not a regular passenger liner, but a regular troop ship, and when it came to classes they never took the first, second and steerage into consideration and we were in about the 58th varie ty and had one on old Heinz of pickle fame, but it was the lar gest ship in our little caravar and when it came to speed it did not lack any. The captain of th ship looked just like all the resl of them heavy mustache, goate and kinda fat, but the small boyi THE ENTERPRISE. aboard certainly amused me, for their lingo seemed so peculiar to I me, but it did not. take us long to get wise to it. In spite of the congested conditions and poor i ventilation and ether conditions | we soon made up with them and ] before long we were again as happy as if we had our right i sense. Heavy beams on the ceil- ing of the boat with plenty of ( hooks furnished the place for the \ hammocks to be strung from and | it took regular acrobatic stunts , to get into them and then it ( meant lay quiet or down you go | hard on the hard floor. The first j night I was lucky enough to j draw a hammock, but the next , night luck was against me and I received a matress instead and made my bunk on the floor. Well it was real comfortable. but the next morning i» inv surprise a beautiful pair of about No 12 Hobnails were dangling in my face and it did not take me long to dodge the other hammock:! and hike for the place where the waves often play cross tag, for fear that the roge of the ham mock might break The next night the ' man above" had the heart to take off his hobnails and as he was ticklish under his "hoofs it did not take me long to let him know that the place for his feetwaa upstairs The boys held up very well throughout the trip and only a few of them got seasick, but those that did almost had to an chor their hobnails to the deck to prevent them from going over board One night while fast asleep and dreaming of days gone by, I was suddenly awakened bv a bump on the chin. At first I thught aflsh had "kicked" me, but when I looked around 1 found myself bleeding like a stuck hog and a beautiful steel helmet lying at my side, which had fallen from one of the racks above, while one of the boys was gettfng hit overcoat for a cover, well if this is all the bumps I get in this fray I will not complain, but I sure will remember that helmet. After a long journey over the deep we finally landed at a Euro pean port and it was raining like sixty Our Company Commander gave orders to put up a good front, as our "Rookie" days were over and we could show the peo ple that we were real soldiers and were not allowed to talk or yell at any of the spectators Well we did put up the front all right, but it sure was some job at that, for the heavy pack sure did make the face "leak" and the sweat just ran down our foreheads with poor chances of getting hold of our handkerchiefs as we were marching at "Atten tion". Some kindhearted old lady saw me in my predicament and offered me her handkerchief, but I did not make the effort to get it and she finally put it on my arm. I certainly appreciated her efforts and was only sorry ( that her address was not includ-1 ed, so that I might be able to repay her for her kind ness or at least send her a letter of thanks Arriving at the rail road station and a bunch of girls singing "The Yanks are Coming" in their peculiar lingo, we sure i did laugh, for when we saw those | dinky little engines and cars we j almost dropped, for they sure weje only a drop in the bucket against those at home, but when it came to speed, they just sizzed alonir. At the next camp the ' real circus began and when we i went to buy things, the old say ling of "two bita" lost its popu ! larity and it seemed funny to 'run around with a "Pound" of ! money in your pocket all in one ! piece—but it did not take us long 'to get wise to the coins of this 1 place. Even though we were "roped" a bit, we soon found our old standby, the Y. M C. A the best friend the boys have, where I we were given full value for our i money-Without a "Y" we are ; lost and they have just opened ; one here So if its ever a cause II which the "Y" is striving for, Williams ton, Martin County, N. C. October, 4, 1018 don't forget that they are our best friends. After a short stay at this camp we were again put aboard another ship and we were on the last lap of our journey "Over Here". The sights on this ship were amazing and after we had unslung our equipment and plac ed them in proper order it was almost lime to hit the "hay". I stayed on the deck as long as I possibly could and when 1 went down to our quarters a sight greeted me that I will never for get and the only way I can ex press it is b> saying: 'That one mass of humau flesh covered the equippments an%ti help it along I simply piled in with the rest and made the best of it- longings for that good old bed at home soon arose, but after one has been in the army for a while you get h i that you can sleep in u "Dog tent" on the ground as well as vou do in one of those beds over here that seem to have feathers about three feet deep in them. The next morning after a horrible night on rough sea (during which time many sajd Europe) we put our feet on solid ground again and then it was another long hike to another rest camp. After a day at this place we "mooched" on again and were put aboard another train which was to take us to our pre sent location. Every time we re ceived our rations for the trip I had the honor to carry the cann ed "Willie" (corn beef) for our squad and since carrying it so many times 1 seem to like it and even hardtack tastes good when you are hungry. The trip to this place was sure ly interesting and many sights were to be seen. The buildings here are verv odd, but beautiful in architecture and we saw sev eral of the oldest ones, that are crumbling with age. Well we ar rived all 0- K and are now sta tioned Somewhere in France, where we will complete our train ing, which will be an indefinite time We are all feeling good af ter our wearisome journey of over GOOO miles, which is some ground to cover, but every foot of it has been interesting in spite of some of the hardships, which we had to undergo. The places over here are very odd and anti que in every respect and I can not understand how they keep abreast with the times as com parison to the good old U. S. A It is a spectacular sight to see a two wheeled cart as one of the main means of transportation, where at home a Ford would be burning the edges off the curb stone to get there on time. The villiages are very typical and house and barn are of the com bination type aud a large manure pile generally heads the column of adornment. All houses are 1 built of atone or brick and are very substantial in con struction, electrict light and gas, hard and soft water facilities are not at ones disposal as in days gone by. Our nearest wash place is a creek about a block ■ from our quarters, but the wa ter is nice and clear and answers i the purpose as washbowl, gener al bath and laundry and cold enough to wake up a dead man ■ when we go for our morning i Bplash--it sure is the most essen ! tial cure for drowsiness and all ; other ailments I have ever seen and it is no wonder that quack- I doctors signs and patent medicine '■ advertisements do not adorn ! every other door or fencepost. ■ The method of washing clothes is another non-appealing one, 1 but very essential to -those who r are in need of ex rcise to ease ! up their muscles a trilie and [ work up an appetite to the high i est pitch. At the creek we lay our clothes on stones and then • its heavy on the scrub-brush and ! soap is not in abundance either. > At another place they have a ■ sort of a box filled partially with s straw to protect "the knees. 1 while another board is nailed to s j the top of this box which leads ,I to the creek and answers the purpose of a washboard, but the genius who devised this scheme, forgot the zinc corrugation to help take off the dirt. The horse power of the " 'Electric Wringer" depends solely the muscles you have in your hands, but when it comes to wringing the heavy shirts and trousers we generally form a company and make it a regular Merry-Go- Rournd stunt. Oh yes, we're in the army now. } The country ,and landscapes are very prettxand they have a very peculiar way of laying out their farms and fences are seldom to he seen, buf the method is very appealing and the greatest I ever saw. The method of culti vation is also very odd and mod ern machinery has not entered the first stages of popularity here yet The people are very kind and do all within their pow lertomake us eom for table and contented. Thef work hard and diligently and make the best of the conditions tn realization of bester days to oome In spite of the terrible stress which they have undergone (hey take thetr part well and efen though tears take the place! of Bmiles in a great many instances, they have not given Up hope and bear their lot bravely. Another fancy of theirs which struck me very funny was, that if a man and wo nan go to enter the same door, the lady opens the door and lets the man in first. But this need not be considered as odd, for what ds right "Over There" is left "Over here". Sty les also do not take up a promi nent role herf and the clothes they wear are very plain and when the girls aril at work they have beautiful big wooden Bhoes for footdress. At work the girls can do the manual of arms with a pitchfork about as well as we can with our rifltf- We can not understand .the but by maneuvers 'wftlv the Hands and feet and twitching of the face we manage to get along fairly well and they are learning fast (we also) and by the time this struggle is over with, things will be different in this country When I first got here I thought every kid I saw was a girl, as all seemed to have dresses on, but after a day or so 1 noticed that all children wear dressaprons sure some stunt to save on soap and water The value of American made goods is also recognized to a great extent here and the boys can not quite save these that an made here and the population in general is getting wise to the quality and are buying them at every opportunity. The orders and commands we receive at times seem very fool ish, but they are the proper tests of the discipline one possesses, which is the most essential thing jn the army and also later in civ il life again, for the old gag of wait a minute don't go here, but do it as quickly as possible and the best you can. Our officers are very efficient officers, in fact the best one could wish for and are real men from head to foot and treat us in a very admirable way and do all they can for the b iys and endure the hardships with the boys in a verv manly way There is not one of them who feels himself too proud to eat the same "Chow" the boy i 'cat, in spite of their rank, and this is one reason the tests are very trying at tirnes - but when you are training under such officers as we have, the task is much easier accomplished and one goes to it with vim and vigor and forgets the hard part. Everyone of the boys has a good word for them. The boys are holding up very well and we have not lost a man in outfit, all are doing their ut most and the progress is to be admired and the officers were highly complimented on the wurk their little army was doing by some of the highest officials. Aeroplanes are as common here as sparrows at home and we h&rdly take the time to look up to see them anymore Today a bunch of thempassed over here again- there were seven in a bunch and of course this caught our eye, for wc were wondering what had become of the eight one or the Corporal of the squad. Uncle Sam sure has a model way of caring for his boys over here and every available precau tion for their health and happi ness is used and we are not lack ing anything even the eats are good when the goods arrive on time, The only thing that lacks at times it that the people at home get tardy and forget to write and a letter from home is just as satisfying as a meal. The other day we received our first mail 9ince being here and the way the boys shouted was grati fying, hut it was unlucky for the cencor, as when they had read them, they had plenty of things to write about, and then the poor censor had his "Inning", Many other interesting things could be related, but this will take too much time to do so Well in spite of themanv experiences we are still here and as live a# live can be and the sooner we perform the mission we were sent here for, the sooner will we be able to return to the good old U.S. A- and that will be soon, for it is the grandest country on the globe and the trip over here proved it to UB within a short time. With love and best regards to all. I must now close and assur ing you that the boys with the "Cheesecutters" are coming back in their O. LVs. bigger, better, healtier and more experienced men who have learned to rely on themselves. 1 remain as ever. A Doughboy Somewhere In France. Written by Corporal, Herman F Gerdom. Co., F. 52nd In ft., a mm* mm** ■ — : To All County Agents Saturday I telegraph to the Director of Extention a denial of the press statement that Secre tary Houston had advised the President that 25 cents would be fair price for this year's cotton crop. I am so disturbed over this false and unfounded rumor that I have taken this opportunity of putting the language in your hands direct for fear the Direc tors may not he ahle to get it to you, As soon asSecretary Houston's attention was called to the fact that a false rumor was being cir culated in the South to the ef fect that he had expressed an opinion on a price for cotton, he immediately gave out the fol lowing statement: "A statement concerning cot ton price fixing appearing in a Washington paper on Saturday to the efTect that it was under stood that Secretary Houston had expressed the opinion 25 cents would be fair price for this year's cotton. This statement, and any other statement that may have been made purporting to represent the views of Secre- Houston as to the price for cot ton, if any is to be fixed, is ut terly without foundation. The Secretary has expessed no opin ion as to the p'ice of cotton." Yours Truly, Bradford Kuapp, Chief Announcement The Parent Teacher's Associa tion will me;t in the graded school building Tuesday Oct. Nth at i p. m., All parents are re quested to be present, so that the association may be perfect ed. Show your co-operation by attending. E. E. Bundv, Supt. i Ready for Ginning Carry your cotton to W, W. Roberson-and have it ginned, We ginn every Tuesday and Friday, We will ginn your cotton and grind your corn at the same time. W, W. Roberson. About National Highway Special to Thm £M«rprin Birmingham, Ala., Sept., Much interest is being aroused throughout the country over the tour of theßankhead Pathfinding Commission, which will inspect a number of prosposed routes from Memphis, Tenn., to El Pasco, Texas. There are two routes to inspect between Mem phis ann Little Rock; two routes between Little Rock and Fort Smith; one route between Little Rock via Hot Springs to Texar kana. Ark., two routes in Okla homa; two routes in New Mexico and three routes in Texas The official party will start from Memphis Tenn., October 15th and will be composed of Ex Congressman T. S. Plowman, President and J. A. Rountree, Sec'y of the Bankhead National Highway Assocition, and one United States Government En gineer, one Civil Engineer, three distinguished disinterested citi zens living East of the Mississippi River. There will be several newspaper representatives, pho tograhers, etc. The official party will be composed of ten and will travel in automobiles. The Path finding party will have the latest equipment for observations of the topography of the country roads. They will.have maps, data and all information about each they are to inspect, before they start BO they will know the route when they commence to travel over the same. The Path finding Commission, who pass on route is composed of five mem bers; they will make a report of, the most favorable route from Little Rock to El Paso and the Board of .Directors will receive the same. Secretary Rountree, who is arranging details of the Tour and who will have charge of the party, reports that, from the Letters and telegrams received, that the Patning Commlpdon will receive a moat cordial wel come in the States of Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas The people are anxious for the route to he settled and each wants it through his state and town, and especially since theßankhead Highway Route is definitely settled from Washing ton via Richmond, Raleih, Green ville, S C , Atlanta, Birming ham to Memphis, Tenn., passing directly through seventeen can toments and military post avia tion fields, making it a tyical military road and with the pro spects of the Government build the same. The Senate Committee on Mili tary Affairs, of which Senator Chamberlain is Chairman, has set December lilth f.»r the pur pose of hearing and showing why the Bankhead Highway shonld be taken over as a mili tary road and built by the Government. Farm to de Sold at Auction Atlantic Coast Realty Co. an nounce an auction sale of the farm known as the Jim Roebuck Farm which is located on the WilHainstoti anil (ireenville road four miles from Robersonville and three miles from Kverctts. This sale will take place on the grounds of the farm on Fri day next I October IP at 1(1:30 A. M. There are 50(1 acres to be sub divided into small farms and -.old to the.highest bidder. A brass band will and a free dinner served to all who attend. Teachers Eximinations Examinations for teachers for county and state certificates will be held at tlv 1 court houseoll Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday October Bth, ( Hh and l()tli. A. J. Manning, Superintecdsnt, WE will clean your old gold and silver ware cheap. No scratching. Bring it to, McGow an's store. t-f v. Adr.rtWr. will Iml Mf Column** Utak Kcjr to 1100 Martin County Hwnw. Established 1898 A . Williamaton Personal K. W. Cobb was in town We • neaday on business. Miss Helen Powell, of Parmel was a visitor in town Thursday Ashby Dunn of Scotland Nec was in town Wednesday. Nash D. Cox, of Rosemar was a visitor in town this wee l Mrs. Bettie Gurkins return* 1 Tuesday from a visit to Bla ; Mountains. Mrs Fred Gardner is visitir • her daughter in Everett th i week. Dr. Jospeh O'Hare, of PI: - mouth, was in town on busine this week. Joseph D. Biggs, of Washint • ton, was in town Wednesday t 1 business. Miss Jessie Hodges spent ti i week-end in Washington wit i relatives. Mrs J. G. Godard spent th i week-end in Greenville with h r mother. Miss Helen Maynard, of Rocl- / Mount is the guest of Miss Ire* e Smith this week. Miss Eva Peel, of Roberso - ville Bpent the week-end he e with her parents. W. C. Manning was inTarbo o Monday to a meeting of t 5 County Food Administrators. Miss Elizabeth Quinnerly, f the School faculty, spent t e week-end at her home in Gree i ville. Mrs. J. S. Rhodes and M i. Julian Freeman went to Ric i mond Wednesday for a few da: »• Mrs. Andrew L. Pendleton, f Roanoke, Va. is visiting her B J ter Mrs. C. H. Godwin on Mi n Street. Dr. R. P. Huffman who \ *.s charge of Hog Cholra Eradu i tion and Central, work in tie northeastern section of the Sto -e w%g in town this week. Children Day Exereiees will ie held at the Methodist Chui h Sunday night at 8:00 o'clo :. The public is cordially invited x> attend. See The Fourth Liberty Loan Tn n At Williamtton Arrived Oct. 15th at 7 p. m. Leave Williamston 8:30 a. i ~ Oct lfith. Arrive Everett 8:5(t a. i ... Oct, lfith. Leaves Everett lt:so a. J ~ Oct. lfith. Arrive Robersonville 11:0 La. m.. Oct. 10th. Leave Robersonville 1:30 p. n, Oct. lfith. The train will be tilled w h war trophies captured from i ie enemy and will be shown i id explained by a squad of our >!- diera, who will explain the r dinance and supplies used by • lr boys overseas. Speeches will 3e made by Mr. Granville Jones of Montana and Mr. John Bro cs Fletcher of Illinois. Dr. Huffman Coming l)r R. P. Huffman of the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture will be in the county about the mi( lie of Nov. for the purpose of as: Jt ing the County Agent in tej h ing men in each section of he county how to administer se im treatment to hogs to imm ne them against cholera. Those sections of the coi Tty where the people want to ins ire themselves against the rav; T3S of the disease will select t eir men and be readv for the w rk. This is a rare opportunity aid each community should avail it self of it. Yours for the Fourth Lib. rty Loan. J L. Holiday, County Ag nt. We are fast winning the \ ar, i the reign of oppression, plui Jsr and despotism is rapidly crui .1)1- ing. Don't stop the fight, iluy i Liberty Bonds.