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Show II. F. PEARSON TELLS OF II OF HE : SIGNAL CORPS The flrat "inside Information" as to I tho activities of Ogden's. men in train- ing for service comes in two letters from A. F. Pearson, son of Mr. and 1 '-Mrs. S. E. Pearson, 2363 Kingford ave- I nue. The first letter relates an inci dent showing that the boys from here arc physical specimens that attract tho attention of the army surgeons, even among tho thousands they examine in the course of their duties. The second i ' letter tells of the signal corps, of . which young Pearson is a part. The first letter reads: "Camp Lewis, Oct. 29. Dearest mother and all: Received your letters let-ters and newspapers today and was mighty glad to get them. Also received receiv-ed mother's letter yesterday. I think I have received everything now. I'll have, to write company letters to you folks at home. "1 was up to Seattle Sunday. Had a dandy time and met some Salt Lake folks. They are going to try and get down here next Sunday. I mailed you a card or two from there. "We had our physical examination today and wore given quite a send-off. Im iiiciu whs luujiu nnu imu uutumi I diseased since enlisting last June. He m was given transportation back to Min- W neapolis, where he came from. He wa3 I away inside of two hours. They do I not fuss around much in the army. I Everything is done with a snap. I "The medical corps that "examined us is made up of army men. attached I ' to the national army cantonment, as I j are we. They certainly were fine to I ; us. Said they were glad to get some ) I J real fellows again. The old captain II army physician who examined me in , line was a prince; he must have sons V , . of his own. We had to strip and go ' I through physical exercises." I The second lotter from him. dated Oct. 24, tells considerable about the I " life in the camp and the routine work that is gone through every day. In part, it reads as follows: ' "Wo are surely busy here. School i all morning, drill all afternoon and ) , then study at night. A clay up here, ; means from 5:30 a m. till 11 p. m. j However, today is liberty bond day, and so we get a part holiday. Alma j Gluck is to sing here this afternoon. , ' Also we (the whole 91st division) are J I to have a field meet this afternoon. ' I "Am feeling just dandy better than ' f, I have for quite a time. The outside life agrees with me. You will not need to send my overcoat as-the mili- !' tary overcoats are a lot better than that one. i ' "Did you rend about the powder ex- j 1J Tilnsinn 5n thi tho riimrml nlnnt np.nr Ihere the other night? It shook our barracks. An automatic machine ex-I ex-I ploded. It happened at night when i there was no one around, so no one j was injured. ( "Well, 1 must cease and make my-J my-J 1 self presentable for excitement on the I. parade grounds. We have organized a ) glee club, which, by tho way, will help to entertain tonight at 7 o'clock, a dramatic club and nn athletic club. Have Leith send my baseball gloves and my baseball. "Our motor vehicles will be here next week, we think. There are 61 in all; 5 trucks, 4 pleasure cars and the rest motorcycle side cars. No one walks,' as' there are only 209 men in our battalion and Ave only carry side arms (revolvers). No toting muskets, thank goodness. You see, I am In the telegraph company, so am stationed ' very near to the army headquarters, seldom getting nearer than 10 to 20 miles to the firing line. "Each signal division is composed of 5 companies A, B, C, D and E. A. B and C are the field signal battalion. They are right on the firing line. Companies Com-panies D and E (ours) form the second sec-ond battalion an 'dare the headquarters headquar-ters division. We handle everything to and from headquarters. That Ib, we take care of and sometimes build, the temporary and permanent lines, so I am not in a very dangerous division. It takes a long time to train the men we have, so they will not be willing to lose them. "You can tell what the mixture is when I tell you we have men here from 26 states and two islands. One , telegrapher is on his way here from Honolulu now." nn |