Mount Pleasant journal (August 10, 1918)

              Utounf p^aattt Jfourtutl
MOUNT    PLEASANT,    WESTMORELAND    COUNTY,    PA..    SATURDAY,   AUGUST    10.   1918.
NO. 33.
IHAPLAIN SMITH
TAKES KINDLY
TO ARMY WORK
[n the Training Battalion at
Camp Gordon, Georgia.
LllE FORMER FIRST BAPTIST PASTOR
WRITES    ENTHUSIASTICALLY    OF    HIB
JOB    WITH    UNCLE    SAM.
lev. E, Paul Has Some Task, However, as this Command May Have
Two Hundred Men Today and Two
Thousand Tomorrow and it is His
Business to Get Acquainted With
Every Last Rookie and Relieve his
Troubles.
Rev. E. Paul Smith, pastor of the
|ocal First Baptist church who was recently commissioned an army chaplain and is now stationed at Camp
Gordon, Atlanta, Georgia, writes en
Ithusiastically of his new work with the
seventh Training and the Second Development battalions of the 157th De-
Jpot Brigade. In a letter to The JOUR-
|nal he says:
The Seventh is one of nine training
(battalions in the brigade and is where
Ithe new men are placed first; hence our
(battalion may have 200 in it today and
12,000 tomorrow. The stay there is not
lusually over six weeks and often much
I less time. Vaccinations and innocula-
|tions are given here.
From here they are sent to other units
I where they can best be taken care of and
Ido the work   for which  they are quali-
Ified.   The foreign speaking and illiterate
(are put in the development battalions of
1 the brigade of which the Second is one.
I They are  taught and cared for in what-
lever way they need.   Uncle Sam is cer-
Itainly doing wonderful things when, in
1 three weeks, he  can  make a man out of
a slouch   and   teach   men   who  could
neither  read  nor  write  until they are
able to write letters home.
The camp is some ten times the size of
Mount Pleasant and as yet I am just being  introduced,   saluting  5,000 times a
I day, learning what to do and when; getting my bearings and making friends.
But as I begin to grasp the magnitude
of my work here, it looms up before me
like the Saw-tooth mountain range in
Idaho and just about as impossible of
compression. But I know the work can't
be beaten. At any rate, I feel I am in the
[ right place.
I have from one day to six weeks to
get next to each one of these two thousand future fighters — big and little,
bronzed and pale, farmers and city breds
from all over the Middle West and South
—and impress them permanently. I find
them so far a fine bunch of boys with
hearts as warm as the country they represent. The task is like moulding iron
when it is yellow liquid. I am learning
the value of a smile.
The other day I saw a six foot four
mountaineer, a veritable image ot Abe
Lincoln, setting alone. I smiled and he
came all the way across the big Y. M. C.
A. room and told me his troubles (and
some of these chaps have Troubles.)
Before an hour had passed all sorts of
pleas were being put up to me by a
bunch of laddies in Khaki. As the fellows pour into the Y. M. C. A. building
it is rather sad to see the hungry-eyed
rookies, all togged, looking as though
they would give their shirts for a friend
ly word.
I bold services Sunday morning in the
Y. M. C. A. bnilding and in the afternoon visit the hospital and bold services
in the various wards of the base hospital
in which are some 1,500 patients. In the
evening there is another service in the
Y. M. C. A. At present I am walking
miles daily, but a saddle horse has been
ordered for me and when I am mounted
I can get around faster.
I am located conveniently about one
hundred yards from division headquarters, and am "comfortable"—no expensive drawing room, private bath, luxurious bed and the like, to be sure; but
there are nails enough to hang my clothes
on, desk room sufficient for a full sized
writing pad, a narrow cot and just about
enough space to swing my legs and arms
without hitting the wall or the door
across the hall.
One thing I know; it is too big a task
for one man alone, but with the prayers
of those who sent me forth with their
blessings, I hope to fill a place of large
usefulness here.
Bed Cross Unit at Knffsdale.
Mrs.  S. C. Stevenson  has organized a
Red Cross Unit at Ruflsdale with  Mrs.
C. F.  Leonard chairman and Mrs. Lena
Poole secretary.
GREAT BATTLE IS STILL ON
And it Finds the Allies Victorious and Still Holding the
all Important Initiative Over the Germans on the French Front.
THEY ARE NOW COUNTING COST
That Fell Heavily on at Least the Somerset and New Brighton Compa=
nies of the noth Infantry at the Opening
of the Terrible Conflict.
COnPANY E IN FIGHT BUT NO LATE NEWS OF BOYS
The great battle on the French front, that began at Chateau-Thierry, the point of the German wedge on the Marne
river, July 15 when the Teuton hordes attacked American regulars, marines and machine gun companies, is still on. It was
a great victory for the Allies who took the offensive three days later and carried the fight to the Hun night and day ever
since. He was shot or captured if he stopped and kicked good and hard when he turned tail. The German Crown Prince
was given reserves and doubtless did the best he could to hold the good jumping-off place from which he expected to launch
his grand march to Paris. He got started all right and crossed the Marne, but right there he was stopped by those pesky
Yankees throwing American monkeywrenches into his world-famed war machine that positively refused to go forward. The
poor thing would have been entirely ruined if allowed to remain in the storm of shot and shell. So all the anxious, fox-
faced oldest son of the Kaiser could do was to reverse her. He did that and she went and kept going, too, until now the
whole wedge is conspicuous by its absence.
But it would be a big mistake to believe that the Allies—a million or more French, Americans, British and Italians
—had an easy three-week task. It was a fight all the time and, with airplanes, gas and hand granades, it had far more
hell than even Sherman dreamed of being put in war. Foch's mighty warriors inflicted terrible punishment on the retreating enemy, killing and putting out of commission by death, wound and capture, possibly 200,000 or more. But they have
had to pay the cost in blood. Their bill from Mars is thought to be smaller and still, as the governments' casualty lists
continue to dribble in daily, there is plenty of silent proof that the American people were wise in steeling their hearts to
learn of loved ones who have fallen.
Letters, written as late as July 18 and received here during the past week, prove that the 110th Infantry was in front
line trenches when Germany began her last drive. The First Battalion, commanded by Major Joe Thompson and composed of Companies A, Monongahela City; B, New Brighton; C, Somerset, and D, Connellsville, was the first to get its baptism of blood, possibly the first or second day of the battle. It seems that the Somerset county lads were completely cut off
from the Allies for two days during which they suffered terrible losses in both officers and men. The other companies of
the battalion rushed to their relief and also met with heavy losses, particularly B. None of the letters referred to tell of the
other companies of the regiment being in action, although it is believed they were. They are: E, of Mount Pleasant; F.
and G., of Indiana and Blairsville; H, of Washington; I, of Greensburg; K, of Waynesburg; L, of Hollidaysburg, and M,
of Latrobe.
It is learned also from the same source that the HOth's Supply Company was under heavy shell fire in bringing up
provisions for the regiment. It had a lot of horses killed, but no mention was made of men lost. As Captain Gerard S.
Bryce had been transferred to division headquarters, it is likely that First Lieutenant Howard C. Braddock, another Mount
Pleasant boy, was in command. At all events, one letter predicted his early promotion and from that his friends feel assured that "Scat" did his duty.
In reading the casualty lists of the 110th Infantry as sent out by the government, readers of The Journal should
remember that each company is composed of 250 men, of whom only about. 150 were taken originally from the home towns.
The recruits of 100 for each company were secured from the old Third N. G. P. regiment of Philadelphia when that command was disbanded at Camp Hancock. It will also be news to many people in this section to learn that Lieutenant Henry
Coulter, of Greensburg, has been promoted from the 110th to Colonel of the 109th Infantry.
That Company E was in the fight by July 18 with F, G and H there is no doubt as letters tell of the Second battalion's excellent work under the command of Major Edward Martin, of Waynesburg. What losses they have since suffered,
if any, are not known, as the casulties reported up until last night carried no names of soldiers from here. It is well to remember that they have been fighting for almost three weeks since heard from.
The casualty list  sent to Somerset reports  the following men of Company C
as "Missing in Action" although the people over  there  look upon the majority
as  dead.     Still   it  is now known that
Captain Truxal was wounded and taken
to the hospital.   The list is:
CAPTAIN.
Curtis W. Truxal.
LIEUTENANTS.
Samuel S. Crouse.
Wilbur Schell
SERGEANTS.
Herbert Jones.
Hobart Kemp.
Martin Markle.
John Tressler.
Robert Floto.
CORPORALS.
Lloyd Gardner.
Charles Vannear.
Edgar Crouse.
Earl Wirick.
Samuel Salkeld.
Earl Leslie.
PRIVATES.
David Eicher.
Merle Glessner.
A. Ward Coftroth.
Charles Casebeer.
William Zimmerman.
Gilbert Blades.
Joseph Heath.
Palmer Cleaver.
Roy Huston.
Samuel Landis.
Cliff Saylor.
Ralph Walker.
Clyde Bittner.
Thomas Roberts.
Joe Endzel.
Meredith Ringler.
Wilson Mclntyre.
William Salkeld.
Robert Mclntyre.
Joseph Hartle.
Leo Clerk.
This list does not include the C men
from Philadelphia but may cover the
wounded as reported missing. If it does
not the company's total casualties have
been over fifty per cent. New Brighton
people take this view of their list of
men reported missing in action who
were about 50.
Four members of the regiment's medical  department,   Lloyd Shaw,   Walter
Bixler,   Freeman   Freeman    and	
Beatty, are also reported missing. They
are all from Fayette county.
PLANS BEING MADE
For a Bally Day of the Local 8. S. District
September 1.
The executive committee of the Mount
Pleasant-Donegal Sunday School District
met Sunday alternoon last at the home
of the secretary-treasurer, J. Wade Lem-
moo, since gone to army service, aud
laid plans for Rally Day, September 1.
Rev. A. P. Kelso was appointed advisory superintendent of a committee ol
three to advertise the rally and make all
preliminary arrangements with a house
to house canvass the last Sunday of August. All the district superintendents
are earnestly requested to secure volunteers from their school for the canvass
and assign to each volunteer the territory he or she shall cover,
Family Reunions.
The Foust - Kreinbrook - Neiderhiser
family reunion will be held on Saturday,
August 24, at the home of Mrs. Sarah
Drift, near Pleasant Unity. All the relatives and Irieuds of the above named
families are cordially invited to attend.
The seventh annual reunion of the descendants and friends of John W. Campbell will be held at the home of J. E.
Kurtz  at Donegal on Saturday, Aug. 17.
The annual Washabaugh family reunion will be held at McKinley Park, South
Side, Pittsburg, on Thursday, August IS.
There are many descendants of the family in this section who are cordially invited to attend.
The Tarr family reunion will be held
on Saturday, August 17, on the H. H.
Tarr farm, near Ruflsdale.
A Doable Deserter.
Arthur Lankey, of Acme, has deserted
again, according to word received by the
Connellsville local board No. 2. Lankey,
after once deserting from the service,
was caught here and sent to Camp Meade
under a guard. On July 22 he disappeared from that cantonment. There is
a $50 reward for information concerning
the man.
Juit Before the Battle.
Mech. F. P. Kattera, with Company E,
110th Infantry, in France, writing to his
sister, Gertie, here under date of June
28, said he was in the best of health. He
could hear the big guns at the front and
expected to be in the trenches before his
letter reached its destination.
Jewish Babbi to be Married.
Rev. Saul Baily, rabbi of the local Jewish congregation, and Miss Eleanor
Mintz will be married at 8:30 this evening by Rabbi Dr. B. Olsbawski at the
bride's New York City home. Young
Rev. and Mrs. Baily will arrive here
Tuesday and for the present make their
home with Mr. and Mrs. L. Glick, of
South Eagle street.
OS for Foreign Service.
Miss Elizabeth Donet, late the esteemed superintendent of the local hospital, who resigned when the government accepted her offer for foreign|hos-
pital service, left yesterday on orders to
report at New York today preparatory
to going overseas. Mrs. Herman Hamel
has resumed charge of the hospital,
NEW WATER PLANT
STILL APPEALS TO
THE TOWN COUNCIL
In   Fact Only One Member
Opposes the Measure.
S. C. STEVENSON IS THE OBJECTOR
AS BE HOLDS THAT THE UNDERTAKING
IS TOO BIO.
His Eight Fellow Local Lawmakers,
However, Don't Shy at Probable
Cost and Decide to Engage a Strong
Force of Counsel With a View to
Taking Over the Old System and
Securing a Supply from Artesian
Wells Already Guaranteed by
Leases on Property Out Toward
Laurelville.
Council continues to stand by its
new water plant guns, giving additional evidence of that fact in an executive session held at its regular August
meeting last Monday evening. In
fact, eight of the nine members voted
in favor of the project. S. C. Stevenson was the lone negator. Simon
Cameron opposed the idea as one that
was too big for the town to tackle.
What Council aims to do is this:
Leases have been taken on available
lands, between this and Laurelville, containing all water rights in case an artesian well system for supplying the town
should be adopted. Solicitor Warden
has been given power to engage any additional counsel he may feel the need of
in determining the town's rights and
privileges in the whole matter, whether
that be an entirely new plant, built,
owned and operated by the town or the
taking over of the old company's mains
and supply pipes within the borough
limits and using them in connection
with another new system. When sure
of its legal grounds, Conncil will leave
the final decision to a vote of the
people.
In the course of the regular business
Charles F. Rumbaugh appeared and asked that the West Penn Power Company
be given no new franchise until it agrees
to supply every citizen asking for connection.
The Patriotic League was granted an
order for $300 covering the cost of recent improvements on Frick Park.
It was decided to grade and stone the
first alley west of Eagle street.
Bnrgess Stevens was instructed to see
that orders for the laying of new pavements be enforced at once. The July receipts of his office were $211.
SURPRISING EXPERIENCE
Had by Captain Gerard Bryce on tbe French
Front Recently.
Captain Gerard S. Bryce, of this place,
late in command of the Snpply Company, 110th Infantry, and now transferred
to division headquarters, had a surprising experience during the late big drive.
He was being driven in his car near
the front and on passing a squad of German prisoners be overheard one of them
exclaim in English
"Why, there goes 'Jerry' Bryce!"
The captain lost no time in having the
machine stopped, getting out and looking the Hun bunch over, but he failed to
see a familiar face and they all were mute
as mice. It is probable that the fellow
who spoke had been a waiter at an American hotel where "Jerry" stopped while
traveling for his local glass company.
Hennion of Fighting Tenth.
The annual reunion of the Old Fighting Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment will
be held in Connellsville tomorrow. It
is intended to hold a business meeting
at 11 a. m. in one of the theaters, after
which the old Philippine veterans will
be motored to Graham's Grove on tbe
street car line, where they will camp for
the afternoon. Refreshments will be
served and amusements to enliven the
occasion will be in progress. Congressmen Thomas F. Crago and Bruce F. Sterling will make addresses.
Deaths of Well Known Women.
Mrs. Margaret Dorris Hood, wife ol
Robert Hood, died yesterday afternoon
at her West Washington street home,
aged 75 years. The interment will take
place from the honse at 2:30 p. m. Monday.
Mrs. Mary Whitfield, wife of John
Whitfield, died yesterday noon at her
Tarr home, aged 64 years. The interment will take place from the local
Church of God at 10:30 a. m, Monday.