100 years ago in Spokane: ‘We are soon going to get the kaiser,’ and other letters from the frontlines of World War I

An entire page of The Spokesman-Review’s Sunday magazine section was devoted to letters written home by Spokane soldiers in Europe.

Here are some excerpts:

• “Tell the boys that we are soon going to get the kaiser. It is hard to sit and write with a gramophone playing on one side you and bunch of boys talking and laughing on the other.”
• “This hospital where I am was built in the 12th century and used to be an old seminary. I am feeling more like myself again, and this sure is some hospital, believe me. Mighty nice doctors and especially nice nurses. It is a great credit to Uncle Sam.”
• “Tell Mr. Finley I am going to bring him a Hun helmet to wear on his radiator cap.”
• “I am still whole at present and hope to stay that way during the great game of chance, but, nevertheless, one can never tell when the big time comes, but I am going to dodge as many earthquakes as possible.”
• “I had a touch of what I suppose is rheumatism last week and for a couple of days could hardly walk, so on Sunday I stayed in bed all day and rested and now am OK again. The old lady at the house treated me just fine and hovered around trying to find something to do for me, brought me a fine dinner and did for me just as my own grandmother would have done. She reminds me very much of grandma, too. These poor old French women have certainly undergone a lot of pain and grief in their lives, and it’s remarkable to us how bravely they stood up under this last awful trial.”