October 26, 1942

C. P. S #23
Coshocton, Ohio
Oct 26, 1942

Dear family,

Here’s hoping that Charles is better and Eileen has conquered her case of Pembleitus.

I was sure glad to hear that the corn is going to be picked by hand and that you have two good pickers to do it. What kind of loads are they getting? Can they fill up our big boxes? It is nice that they are bringing their own dinners too.

I guess I havn’t told you about my new job, helping survey. Do you know what a “Watershed” is? Well it’s a piece of ground that drains down through one particular gully. There are 30 watersheds that are fixed up so that they can measure the amount of water that comes off them. The main thing the survey crew is doing now is taking the elevation on these watersheds. To do that we take a transit and measure off the ground into 20 ft. squares. Then we use a thing they call a level, which is simply a level with a telescope on it, and go from a known elevation that has been established some time ago, all over the watershed at each on of these 20ft marks we staked off. When we get done we know just how high every spot on that ground is and the draw a map of it. They tell us that next year the same thing will be done over again and they can see if any soil has been lost and where and thus know how better to stop it. These watersheds run from less than one acre to over six. The six acre on had a difference of over 100 feet in it and then we only went about half way to the deepest part of the gully, cause they didn’t farm that. They have a way of catching the dirt that washes off of some of the watersheds and some of the boys were telling me about one of them that was only about 4 acres and they got 9 tons of silt off in after one strom. I guess they got bussy and planted some sod in the little gullys that had started and got most of the erosion stoped. I like this job pretty well, the only thing is that it is pretty cold in the mornings. I wore two sweatshirts and my sheeplined coat today, I guess it was a little below freezing. I hope I get used to it before it really does get cold. I have been wearing my boots the last few days and they sure feel good.

We are going to have movies here in camp now if we can keep them paid for. It takes 50c a man from 100 men each month. If we want to keep it up the rent we pay for the machine will go in payment for it and after a certain time it will belong to the camp. We can get some of the better pictures that have been made in the last few years also some comodies and weaterns which are cheeper. They are figuring on one show a week. We have had a couple of Gov’t pictures put on by Soil Conservation. They were very good fro us. We learned about the importance of what we are doing.

I found out that 25% of the topsoil in now gone off the corn-belt now. Most of it is in the gulf of Mexico. The dam at Keokuck in now 30% covered up and it was only built in 1913. So guess soil conservation is pretty important after all. I guess we don’t realize what soil erosion is.

The candy got here Fri. evening in good shape. Some of it had to be cut again but it is sweet and that is the main thing. The fellows liked it. Some one gets something to eat almost every day. Today a fellow got some good chocolates., also some coffee, which he is going to give to the kitchen. We havn’t had much coffee for about a month now, they just couldn’t get it. That doesn’t bother me much tho. The camp got about 90 pullets the other day and we have had two eggs so far but hope for more. I wish somebody would give us some cows.

Did I tell you about the two fellows that had to leave camp and go to the army cause they had dependants to support and tho it didn’t cost them anything to come here they needed the income. I think it is a crime that there isn’t some arrangement made for cases like that.

I had a good time in Cleveland last Sun. I saw a crowd of about 400 at a morning evangelistic service. The preacher was pretty good tho he was the ‘hand shaking’ type. He didn’t agree with us on the war but otherwise he preached the Gospel.

Don’t you guys work too hard now. As far as I know now I hope to get home next spring to help put in the crop.

You must have some ratty neighbors. I hope they don’t do any more damage than that. People are sure silly aren’t they.

I finally heard from Evelyn, a very nice letter about all the romances at school. Quite interesting. I havn’t heard from Harry yet tho.

I got card from Miriam Byerly today saying that her folks were going close to Paton next Sun and Dorothy and her sister might stop, I imagine, to see a couple of Wilson boys.

The letters I get from home and from my friends help a lot to make my life worth while.

Yours,
Bernard

PS. My foot quit hurting so I don’t need the pads. I hope I get all that stuff I ordered.

Thanks for that green back. I find that stamps are quite an item so you’ll get some of it back stuck on letters.


Attached: a flyer for “Worship Service: Camp Coshocton” with note:
Thing (?) printed the ------on our printing press. The picture is made with a linoleum block carved out.