Camp Cody French Heroes To Arlington

Bodies of Lt. Fernand Herbert and Jegon Jegou members of the French military mission at Camp Cody who drowned near Silver City last Friday night were shipped for burial in Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday after the most impressive services ever held at any funeral for a military man here Led by the band of the 133rd infantry, the bodies were escorted from the Mahoney undertaking parlor where they had been prepared for burial, to the Church of the Holy Family, where requiem mass was held by Father Martin, assisted by Father J. M. Carnet and Chaplain Halloran of the 126th M. G. battalion. Mrs. Helen Carney Roost acted as organist and Private Chauncey Parsons sang a solo. After the services at the church the cortege formed for march to the station, with a guard of honor of the mounted troop from headquarters in the lead and the members of the officer’s training school at Camp Cody.

The members of the French military mission here followed the caskets, and representatives from every organization in camp were in the procession. All of the officers of the division who were not on duty attended the funeral to show their respect to their dead French comrades and the British officers were also given a place of honor in the procession. J. A. Mahoney, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor R. F. Hamilton marched with the officers, At the station, brief addresses were delivered by Brig. Gen. John A. Johnston, commander at Camp Cody, and by Major Thenier, the ranking officer of the French military mission in the southern district, who came from San Antonio Fez., to attend the funeral! of his officers. Major Thenier thanked the people of Deming and the officers and men of the 34th division for their sympathy and assistance in the tragedy,

The caskets, which Were of metal. were covered with the Tricolor and the Stars and Stripes, and rested on hi army truck for their journey to train station, where they were placed near the car, El Jaramillo, which will carry the dead French heroes to their resting place in, the cemetery with the other honored American dead where they will lie until after the war in which they had fought so long and bravely has been won for civilization.

An escort of four commissioned officers and sixteen non-commissioned officers accompanied the remains to Arlington. These are: Capt. F. W. S. Raiter, 136th ambulance corps; Capt. J. W. Lauterbach, Co. 1, 136th infantry; Lieut. Olaf B. Damm, Co. C, 136th Infantry Lt. Theo. W. Metlong and bravely has been won for civilization.

An escort of four commissioned officers and sixteen non-commissioned officers accompanied the remains to Arlington. These are: Capt. F. W. S. Raiter, 136th ambulance corps; Capt J. W. Lauterbach, Co. I, 136th infantry; Lieut. Olaf B. Damm, Co. C, 136th infantry; Lieut. Theo. W. Metcalf, Co. P 134th infantry, and the following non-coms: 1st Sgts. Henry Helgeson, Wm. A. Pohlman. David W. Shook, Wm. A. Quast, Paul M. Barton. W. C. Stevens, N. H. Harstad, G. 11. Larson; Sgts. S. C. Williams, W. A. Ritter, C. J. Rierson, F. J. Ehresman. Wm. B. KuIp, 0. C. Williams, B. E. Cook, and Corporal Claude H. Lee. Sgt. Julian Guernier, a French non-commissioned officer, also accompanied the bodies east. – From Deming Headlight –  August 2, 1918

Fire Station At Camp Cody

Maj. Frederic P. Simonds, constructing’ quartermaster at Camp Cody, has received orders to build a new fire station. It is not known when the work will begin, The building, one story in height, located in a central point near the Liberty theater, will be 32 by 88 feet. Two pieces of motor-drawn apparatus will be kept there.

The plan includes quarters for the officers and a dormitory for fifteen firemen. The small station with a motor chemical engine situated in the rear of divisional headquarters will not be abandoned. – From Deming Headlight June 14, 1918

Jitney Drivers Want Camp Cody Road Mended

The jitney drivers of Deming who traffic between town and Camp Cody, to the number of over sixty, are assessing themselves a minimum of $1.50 to be used in repairing the stretch at road running east across the S. P. tracks into camp. There is about a mile of the read that is in shocking condition and many cars are breaking down on it every day. When two cars meet there they have difficulty in passing without colliding, and if they take to the sand they nearly always have difficulty in getting out. So bad was road in some places that a number of the drivers have refused to travel over it and some of them have given up their passes to camp, rather than ruin their cars.

They are taking the matter up with the city authorities to see if some steps cannot be taken to mend the road, and Attorney R. F. Hamiton, one of the trustees, made a trip over the stretch on road in question and will call the attention of his colleagues to it. The drivers who are contributing to the work that they seek to have done on the road are asking some of the business men of Deming who have a good trade with the soldiers to contribute to the funds they are raising to have the road mended. – From “Deming Headlight”  26 April 1918

Colors Received by 136th Infantry at Camp Cody

Purchased with funds raised by popular subscription in the towns and cities of Minnesota from which the majority of the members of the 136th infantry were drawn, a beautiful stand of colors was received late week with the compliments of the donors.

The colors will not be put in use immediately, but will be kept carefully until the return of the commanding office; Colonel W. T. Mollison, who now is attending a school. The ceremonial presentation then will take place.

There are two of the flags, both handsome silt ones. The one is the national emblem and the other a regimental flag. – From  “Deming Headlight” February 1918

Welfare Workers Organize at Camp Cody

The welfare workers of Deming and Camp Cody met at the armory last Thursday and formed an organization to be known as the Camp Community Workers’ Council. Every organization that is engaged at Camp Cody is represented on the council, and the camp pastors and chaplains are also connected with it. It is the Intention of the council to meet at least twice a month and to discuss matters of interest to the welfare workers, as well as, to systematize the work so that there shall be no overlapping. Myron A. Kesner was elected chairman and Ralph Beals, assistant librarian of the American Library Association, was chosen Secretary. – “Deming Headlight” date unknown

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RUSHING WORK ON CODY SEWER SYSTEM

Major Frederick P. Simonds, con­structing quartermaster at Camp Cody, states that he now has five ditching machines at work preparing for the installation of the new sewer system at Camp Cody, which will cost, when finished, close to $500,000. It is hoped to complete the system by August 15th, but this depends largely on the supply of labor and on the delivery of the materials that will be used on the contract. Major Simonds says that he is anxious to secure more Mexican labor and that the rate of pay is 25 cents an hour for an eight-hour day, or, if the men work ten hours, they will be paid time and a half for the extra two hours. – “Deming Headlight” Date unknown