Page 12
THE ECHO
In Glenview, 111.
UNCLE SAM
Who is UNCLE SAM? Where did
they get that name and that long-
legged bewhiskered old fellow you
see in the papers so often? Ever
think of that?
Well, here’s the lowdown on that
character, or as near as we can get
to it, anyway. This is what the rec
ords say: Uncle Sam originated dur
ing the War of 1812, And this is
how it happened.
There was a man by the name of
Samuel Wilson living in Troy, New
York, 25 miles from Hoosick Falls,
back in the early days of this country.
He was a friendly man. Everybody
liked him. One day his small son
wandered outside of the village and
became lost. A passerby found the
crying youngster and asked him who
he was and where he lived, to which
the boy replied: “I’m Uncle Sam’s
boy.” That tickled Sam Wilson.
Now, Sam slaughtered cattle for a
living and he had quite a business.
So, after the Uncle Sam incident he
decided to use the initials U. S. as
an abbreviation of Uncle Sam for
his trademark. Before long (‘very
body was calling him Uncle Sam.
During the War of 1812 Sam con
tracted with the American Govern
ment to supply the armies stationed
at Greenbush, a small settlejment not
far from Troy, with beef packed in
barrels. And he put his trademark
U, S. on the barrels. At first the
army officers thought U. S. stood for
United States but one day an in^ui-
stive guy asked about the U. S. and
he was told it was a trademark for
beef from Uncle Sam. Before long
the army contractors were referring
to .their meat provisions as Uncle
Sam’s beef. As phrases often catch
the public’s fancy, Uncle Sam soon
was the name used for the personal
ity representing the United States.
And Uncle Sam it has been ever
since.
But the tall, longlegged figure did
not appear until about 1880.
Up to the time of the Civil War
there were a number of cartoons pic
turing Uncle Sam in various guises
but about 1880 the longlegged be
whiskered gentleman that we know as
Uncle Sam began to appear. And it
IS the opininon of those who are sup
posed to know that the tall, gaunt
figure of Abraham Lincoln was the
inspiration. So that’s that. No mat
ter how or where he originated, he’s
a pretty popular old feUow,
LETTERS HOME:
December, 1942
BILL SILVER is an Aviation
Cadet, stationed at Naval Air Base,
Glenview, III. We understand that
Eddie Williams is stationed at
Glenview also, and that the two
boys take some of their classes to
gether. Before volunteering Jan
uary 1st, 1942, Bill was employ
ed as an Ecusta Asst. Quality Sup
ervisor, and was in the Naval Pre-
Flight School at the University of
North Carolina until mid-October.
We haven't had a letter from you,
Bill but understand that a member
of the fairer sex has been in touch
with you most of the time. How
about a letter for the Echo?
• j November 9, 1942
Hello Friend:
Ship ahoy! Sailor boy not sailing but still smiling and thinking
about you and the Ecusta Paper Corporation. The three Ecusta boys. Jack
Rhodes, Bill Hanie and I arrived here Saturday night around eleven o’clock.
We had most of the day off Sunday to go to church and to look around the
canp. Lt IS a large Naval Base up here, many boys that have been station
ed here for some time. The boys here seem to be very nice and it is a nice
place. Clean Barracks with lockers, good eats and good wash rooms with
plenty of hot and cold water.
have run into several Ecusta boys here. Dan Cooke was one and
he had plenty of questions to ask about Ecusta. He told me about other
Ecusta boys but I haven’t gotten in touch with them yet. We boys will miss
Ecusta. We think it is a swell place and think a lot of our employers and
friends there. We just hope Ecusta will keep going the way it is now. You
all just keep the machinery humming and we will try our best to keep the
navy sailing.
As ever,
LEWIS M. TOWNSEND
On Overseas Duty
Nov. 9, 1942
Dear Mr. Wells,
I received the paper and it sure was appreciated. The Echo seems
more like a letter from Ecusta than just an ordinary paper.
We sure are having a swell winter down here. We can go swimming
nearly every day and we sure do have some swell times at the beach.
As always,
HUBERT LEE HENSLEY
Nov. 10, 1942
Dear Mr. Wells,
This is to notify you of my new address.
Appreciate the issued of the Echo and its past copies.
Best wishes to Ecusta and all my friends there.
Sincerely yours,
BILL BALEY, Pvt.
^Ct. 28, 1942
Dear Mr. Wells,
I was glad to receive the Echo the other day. I am always looking
forward for that, especially when I am miles out to sea and no land in sight.
Well, I have thought up a little poem. Maybe you won’t like it but its
worth trying.
When you are far out at sea
Thinking out problems of your own
Just get a copy of the Echo out
And think about your distant home
Well, that is all I can think up right now but will try to have another
one for you soon.
Sincerely yours,
JAMES L. AVERY
PRIVATE HAROLD MOSS is in
the Quartermaster Gas supply Bat-
tallion and is now on overseas duty
out of New York. Before leaving
here in October Harold was em
ployed by Ecusta as an Electric
Trucker in the Refining Room.
We’ve had no letter from you»
Harold, so let us know if you r®'
ceive this copy of the Echo and tell
us how you are getting along.
Refining “D”
Dear Mr. Wells:
Pehn” ^ appreciated your letter and “The
Echo , but somehow I can t seem to find the right words.
, . 4.^^. must have your hands full these days, continuouslv
having -0 tram men to take over the jobs of old employees leaving for the
service. My hats off to you for you’re really taking it in the “Good O’le
Ecusta Stride”, which can’t be beat.
My ship has been in commission seven months now. We left the
states the early part of April and have had duty in the Carribean area ever
since. So far we’ve had quite a few thrilling experiences. I wish I could
tell you all about them, but I know you understand why I can’t at thp nres-
ent time. c
Say, how did the “World Series” treat you? Those “Yanks” sure let
me down but I was kinda glad to see the Cardinals win out. I lost seven
teen bucks on the series.
I see in the “Echo” where Ecusta really had the baseball team this
1 have a pretty fair softball team ourselves but every time we
schedule a game it either rains or we get orders, to pull out to sea again.
Guess I d better sign off for this time. Tell all the “gang” in the
Beater Room hello for me and that I hope to see them before long.
Sincerely yours,
J. E. ALLEN, Fireman 2nd Class.
Dear Mr. Wells: November 8, 1942
® ‘Jays before I left Texas and
waited til I got back to answer, so I could give you my new address.
, -11 i 7^ not received the October issue of the Echo, as yet, but hope
It will be forwarded to me from Ft. Sam Houston.
I hope to be able to get home soon but don’t know if I will be able to
ao It or not since our organization is going through several changes in it’s
set-up at the present time. I understand all furloughs have been canceled
for the present.
... , ^ several friends to write to and give them my new address so
with best regards to all at Ecusta I remain,
Sincerely yours,
HUBERT E. BATSON, Corporal
^ . October 2, 1942
Dear Bill:
I just wish to thank you for sending me the Echo which I received to-
day. Even though it was published over a week ago, it had been mailed to
Laurinburg, N. C. Air Base where they forwarded to me. If you will please
have it sent directly here to me I will get it earlier—and all news from the
home town and Ecusta is certainly welcome to me while I’m away.
I was sent here to take a surgical course at Johns Hopkins University
and it certainly is a good one and will be very helpful to me after this war
is over and I can return home. The Army is certainly good to me since
this is the second school they have sent me to since enlisting. I’m not sure
whether I’ll be sent back to the Army Air Base in Laurinburg or sent to
another station from here, but do know I’ll be better fitted for more modern
work when I get back home.
friend remember me to Mrs. Jordan and my many other Ecusta
Sincerely,
CHAS. L. NEWLAND
Christmas is here again—our sec;
ond Christmas since entering tb®
war. Here’s hoping that by this tiiH®
in 1943 we can say in reality, “Peac?
on earth, good will toward men.” .
We were saddened by the report tJiaJ
one of Mr. Glover Jackson’s boys
been killed in action. Our sympathy-
goes to the entire family in this, their
dark hour. Mr. Jackson who is ^
beaterman on our shift, has another
son in the armed forces and is hi*®'
self a veteran of the last war.
has been very ill for several day?':
Shift D. wishes him a speedy reco'^'
ery . . . Ray Owen from the refinio^
dept, has joined the armed forces-
He left for training camp on Dec.
. . . Fred Cauble, Steve Worley,
McCoy, and Loonie Banther ha'^®;
been transferred to our shift.
hearty welcome, boys! . , . Two of oUJ"
former Refining D boys visited us r®'
cently. They were Edgar Allen
the U. S. Navy and Glenn Simpso*' ,
who is now a part of Uncle Sain’®;
army. We are always happy to se®;
these familiar faces again . . , For^'
man Patton had a most disappoii^^'
ing vacation. He went away for J
bird hunt but the recent rains
swollen the streams so he couldfl’
travel and he was forced to retm^
empty-handed because the duck se^'
son hadn’t opened. Anyway, he ca^J
still find consolation in the fact tbf:
he killed the biggest buck during hjj
hunt in the National Forest, or was 1/
a bear he killed? ... Henry
day aged years the Thursday he
pinch-hitting for Foreman PattoO-^
Incidentally that was clean-up daY'^r
Leland Thomas is still wearing tha*
same sad expression which is ■
to the timely death of his faithf*^
old ’coon dog—Champion hunted’ '
William B. Wells, reported that
killed twenty-six rabbits one day
cently. Can you beat it? . . . Wp"
cigars were only passed once duri^^"
the past month which spoils
record for several months of
birth announcements per moo^^'
However, the proud father in this
stance thinks his 11% pound
should make up for the deiicit—^^^’
It’s a fine boy, William Holmes
Jr., born to Mr. and Mrs. Hol»Jf!
Price . . . Two of our members, ^
Staton and Henry Holliday had th ^
distinction of serving on the ■
jury during the December teriw
Superior Court. The rest of us
our fingers crossed lest we sho^^®
have our tshort-comings reported
these two fellow workers.
Merry Christmas, everybody!
—King