TRANSCRIBED FROM THE PINE BLUFF GRAPHIC FEBRUARY 5, 1918 P. 6
Newport News, Va., Jan. 30.
Mr. E. B. Bloom, Sec’y,
Pine Bluff, Ark.
My Dear Mr. Bloom:
No doubt you will be surprised at getting a letter from me, but it has come to a point where I need some reinforcements. Mr. Carl Arnold and myself have been preaching “Arkansas” in all the army camps that we have been in since we left Pine Bluff, and, believe me, we have some very heated arguments with these Yankees. At times it looks as if we will have to give in, but up to present time have held our own remarkably well against big odds. They ask why we have the “Razorback” hogs, our excuse is that it is the only thing that can outrun those Yankees that move south. You know Opie Reid left a hard road for us Arkansans to travel.
I wish you would send me a small amount of data of the resources of dear old Arkansas. I just want enough to use in arguments. You might send two or three boys to help hold the bunch down, it is too much for two boys to handle in a bunch like this.
Hoping to hear from you at an early date.
Very respectfully,
PRIVATE WM. THOMPKINS,
Motor Truck Co., No. 410,
Camp Hill, Newport News, Va.
P.S. I was shipping clerk for Fox Brothers Hardware Company until December 9, I should have all this dope in my head, but don’t suppose there was room for it and hardware too.
NOTES: William Thompkins was writing to the Pine Bluff Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce. He was born on August 6, 1886 at Pine Bluff, Arkansas and died on December 10, 1958 at Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky. He is buried in the Fairview Cemetery at Bowling Green. He described as being tall and slender with blue eyes and light hair.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Newport News, Va., Jan. 30.
Mr. E. B. Bloom, Sec’y,
Pine Bluff, Ark.
My Dear Mr. Bloom:
No doubt you will be surprised at getting a letter from me, but it has come to a point where I need some reinforcements. Mr. Carl Arnold and myself have been preaching “Arkansas” in all the army camps that we have been in since we left Pine Bluff, and, believe me, we have some very heated arguments with these Yankees. At times it looks as if we will have to give in, but up to present time have held our own remarkably well against big odds. They ask why we have the “Razorback” hogs, our excuse is that it is the only thing that can outrun those Yankees that move south. You know Opie Reid left a hard road for us Arkansans to travel.
I wish you would send me a small amount of data of the resources of dear old Arkansas. I just want enough to use in arguments. You might send two or three boys to help hold the bunch down, it is too much for two boys to handle in a bunch like this.
Hoping to hear from you at an early date.
Very respectfully,
PRIVATE WM. THOMPKINS,
Motor Truck Co., No. 410,
Camp Hill, Newport News, Va.
P.S. I was shipping clerk for Fox Brothers Hardware Company until December 9, I should have all this dope in my head, but don’t suppose there was room for it and hardware too.
NOTES: William Thompkins was writing to the Pine Bluff Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce. He was born on August 6, 1886 at Pine Bluff, Arkansas and died on December 10, 1958 at Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky. He is buried in the Fairview Cemetery at Bowling Green. He described as being tall and slender with blue eyes and light hair.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT