TRANSCRIBED FROM THE VAN BUREN COUNTY DEMOCRAT NOVEMBER 16, 1917 P. 1
Great Lakes, Ill., Nov. 5th, '17.
EDITOR DEMOCRAT,
Clinton, Ark.
DEAR SIR:
Herewith I submit a few lines for publication should you deem them worthy of space in the Democrat. I am located at Camp Ross, the last camp the boys are sent to before going to sea. We have a large station here-in fact the largest in the world. We have eight camps, each a good sized unit within itself, as follows: Paul Jones, Ross, Dewey, Farragat, Perry, Siberia and Detention. The last named is the most dreaded for here the boys are quarantined, vaccinated and allowed no liberty. In time of peace the boys are kept here for three weeks, but I was only held one day as so many were coming in the Detention camp just simply overflowed and we flooded the only other camp (Paul Jones) started at that time.
Great Lakes has grown from a very tiny station during past three or four months. When I landed here there were only nine streets in Paul Jones camp. While training I watched the camp grow until there were twenty-four streets. This was about June 1st, at which time I was sent to the hospital where I spent fifty-four days. When I emerged I beheld gigantic camps that had sprung up as if by magic to the north, west and south. Four thousand workmen had been pounding away at the work with all their might all summer. To have gone over the ground last spring and to view now the wonderful change that has taken place one would not have believed such a great cantonment could have been provided in such a short time.
Along with their drilling our boys played base ball thru the summer and now it is foot ball to be followed by basket ball. Think I shall get into the game. I see boys leaving here almost every day for the front. One day I saw three drafts go to sea--where, I do not know. We stand at attention while the band plays and the boys march away to the train. About all the boys who enlisted when I did are gone. Some of them were put aboard the interned German ships and some went aboard regular transports engaged in transporting men and food to France.
Well, I might tell more but the censor might blot it out, and besides you might throw the whole thing in the waste basket. With kindest personal regards and best wishes to all my Van Buren county friends, I am
Yours very respectfully,
S. S. BARNETT.
NOTES: S. S. Barnett was writing to the editor of the paper C. B. Oldham
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Great Lakes, Ill., Nov. 5th, '17.
EDITOR DEMOCRAT,
Clinton, Ark.
DEAR SIR:
Herewith I submit a few lines for publication should you deem them worthy of space in the Democrat. I am located at Camp Ross, the last camp the boys are sent to before going to sea. We have a large station here-in fact the largest in the world. We have eight camps, each a good sized unit within itself, as follows: Paul Jones, Ross, Dewey, Farragat, Perry, Siberia and Detention. The last named is the most dreaded for here the boys are quarantined, vaccinated and allowed no liberty. In time of peace the boys are kept here for three weeks, but I was only held one day as so many were coming in the Detention camp just simply overflowed and we flooded the only other camp (Paul Jones) started at that time.
Great Lakes has grown from a very tiny station during past three or four months. When I landed here there were only nine streets in Paul Jones camp. While training I watched the camp grow until there were twenty-four streets. This was about June 1st, at which time I was sent to the hospital where I spent fifty-four days. When I emerged I beheld gigantic camps that had sprung up as if by magic to the north, west and south. Four thousand workmen had been pounding away at the work with all their might all summer. To have gone over the ground last spring and to view now the wonderful change that has taken place one would not have believed such a great cantonment could have been provided in such a short time.
Along with their drilling our boys played base ball thru the summer and now it is foot ball to be followed by basket ball. Think I shall get into the game. I see boys leaving here almost every day for the front. One day I saw three drafts go to sea--where, I do not know. We stand at attention while the band plays and the boys march away to the train. About all the boys who enlisted when I did are gone. Some of them were put aboard the interned German ships and some went aboard regular transports engaged in transporting men and food to France.
Well, I might tell more but the censor might blot it out, and besides you might throw the whole thing in the waste basket. With kindest personal regards and best wishes to all my Van Buren county friends, I am
Yours very respectfully,
S. S. BARNETT.
NOTES: S. S. Barnett was writing to the editor of the paper C. B. Oldham
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD