Melbourne, Australia

"Welcome the Big Stick"

Melbourne, Australia

August 30, 1908

Dear Papa,

We arrived at Melbourne yesterday about three o'clock amid a most hearty greeting and cordial welcome by those on the ships that came down the bay to greet us.  The entrance to the bay is some thirty miles down from the city, and it was there that the excursion steamers meet us.  One fellow in a naptha launch had a big painted sign on top of the launch reading “Welcome the Big Stick”.  There were thousands of people on the boats to meet us and they accompanied us to the bay which is a very wide one.

Frank's letter of August 30th

Am enclosing you a map of the city and surrounding territory in which you will see that the city proper is some seven miles from the water front.  We land at the railroad piers and take a train to the city.

Have not been ashore as yet but will write you of what I see after I come back from liberty.  Will also mail you the papers from here.

Was ashore once after I wrote you my last letter.  Went up to our friends at the piano store and he gave us the Fiji Island curios that he had promised us.  He gave me a hatchet made out of stone and wood,

and two war clubs that they used to beat each other over the head with.  These are genuine articles as he lived in the islands for four years.

The mail for the U.S.A. leaves for Vancouver B.C. tomorrow afternoon, so I suppose you will receive a big collection of mail at one time.

We are already receiving printed matter from Manila telling us of the good times awaiting us at the port.  There is a notice on the bulletin board telling us what China is going to do in the line if giving the men a big dinner when we arriver there.

The weather is very comfortable here at present do to the fact that we are anchored in a bay some thirty miles from the direct force of the ocean breezes.

Tell mother that at all the restaurants they serve out bread and butter dishes, but don’t have side dishes as we do, everything being put on the plate.  Which is generally some sort of meat and potatoes.

Love to Both,

Affectionately,

Frank

Melbourne, Aus

Sept. 4, 1908

Dear Papa,

We leave tomorrow morning at eight o’clock for Albany.  So will write you a few lines and use a Victoria postage stamp.  Each state has its own stamps and one cannot use a stamp to send a letter from Melbourne that he bought in Sydney.  Mailed post card to all my friends around the corner of King and Main Street.

Was ashore last Tuesday from ten a.m. to eight a.m. the next morning.  It was a rainy day and we were not able to get around very much.  Took in their Museum of History and Art and Geological Gardens which are very good exhibits.

The liberty party lands at Williamstown and from there the port takes you up to Melbourne free on these English RR Lines owned by the Government.

As you will see by the pictures the streets of Melbourne are very broad.  While those of Sydney are narrow.  Melbourne streets are laid out at right angles to one another while those of Sydney run in all directions.

Went ice skating in the evening at a skating rink.  It was the first time for four years that I have been on skates still I got along in good shape.