Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 January 1918 — KEEPING STEP WITH SAM [ARTICLE]

KEEPING STEP WITH SAM

H—L'S A POPPING SAYS SAM DUVALL IN TELLING OF GERMAN RAIDS. Sam Duvall, writing to his pgrecrs. Mr. and Mrs. John Duvall, under date of December 13 has the foiioving to say in regard to the war activities in the section of France where he is located: Mr. and Mrs. John Duvall received another letter Thursday from their son. Sam, who is with the French forces in France. The letter is dated December 13, “At the Front,” and says: Dear Mother and Dad- - - i h:.\er’t anything io do this afternoon as I will spend part of my time writing. - It’s yery cold and lots of snaw but it doesn’t seem to check the war activities any here on the eastern front. Can you hear the cannons roaring that I do, while I write these lines? Ono of the largest and most beautiful cities in this part of France was raided again night before last by the Boche aviators. The bombs that they drop are cylinder shape and pointed at both ends, about four feet long and one foot in diameter. They drop them from an altitude of about 10,000 feet and as they come nearer to the ground it is one of the most ungodly sounds that could be imagined. The sound of them above cause women and children to fly here and there screaming; some become hysterical, others faint in the streets, etc.

It was midnight when we arrived on the scene, dark as pitch and bombs coming down in every part of the city. A single bomb will destroy a five-story building completely and break the windows out of others blocks away, so imagine this pleasant atmosphere ' we are obliged to face. The tale of that night would be too long to write in full so I will tell you of just one pitiful scene. Three of us entered a most beautiful home that was partly destroyed. In a room on the secon dfloor laid a beautiful mad-emoiselle-on her bed just like she was sleeping. She was cut right in half in the middle, and we put her on a sheet so we could carry ‘her out to the car. The poor thing didn’t know what killed her for she was in bed sleeping when the bomb hit. lam well and happy over here, guess it’s the excitement that pleases me so much. It’s strange but the more chances we have to take the more it pleases some of us in little old S. S. U. 9. We may go to the Italian front soon as our permissions have been postponed one month. If we go it will be great for hell is popping right down there. I received a letter from Ed. and Hortense and was sure glad to hear from them. Hortense tells me her brother Jerome is over here some place. lam going to find where his division is located and try to look him up next month when I’m on permission, for I won’t have much time afterwards, as I will go to the aviation field for three or four month’s hard training starting the latter part of January. Well, it won’t be long until spring now, and I’ll be glad for we are going to see some real action then, and I want to be right in the thick of it. I sent Hilliard & Hamill a German gas mask I picked up one day after an attack while on the western battle front with S. S. U. 42; let me know if he got it O. K. I’jn going to send him a German helmet, knives, guns, bayonets, belts, etc., as soon as I return to Paris from where I can send it by American express. I don’t see much of Davisson any more. I’m expecting to hear from you again as soon as its been some days since the last time. Well, write to me whenever you can and tell me the new?. I will leave you now so good-bye, with many kisses and loads of love for you both.

BUD.

The first instance of the drastic application of the Federal food control law came within the past week when Chris Baumback , an Indianapolis grocer, was cut off from his supply by licensed wholesalers, on orders from the Food Administrators Baumback is alleged to have sold canned goods that cost him Bc, for 15c. He was said to be guilty of profiteering as defined by the Food control law.