Letter sent from Pinedale Assembly Center

Pinedale Assembly Center

Pinedale, California

Dear Sir:

Left Fresno at 8:55 this morning and reached the assembly

center at about 9:10 a. m. We first stopped at the regis-

trar's office to be checked and registered. Our bags and

pockets were searched, to my surprise. For what? I don't

know. Luckily, we all passed. I mean nothing was taken

from us. Then our baggage was inspected from corner to cor-

ner. What a feeling I had when they went through our per-

sonal belongings.

We were finally assigned to our barracks. It. is quite. con-

venient because it is right near the hospital. 0x00B0 Speaking

about the hospital, it is the best part of the assembly cen-

ter. We walked through it, and I believe it accommodates

about thirty-five to forty patients in one unit of the hos-

`pital (there are three units in all).

When I first entered our room, I became sick to my stomach.

There were seven beds in the room and no furniture nor any

partitions to separate the males and the females of the fa~

mily.' I just sat on.the bed, staring at the bare wall. For

a while I couldn't speak nor smile. Well, after getting over

with my shock, I started to get the baggage ai.

While we were arguing how bad the place was, one o'clock

crept up, and it was time for us to go get our lunch. Our

special menu was pork and beans, stewed tomatoes, apple-

sauce, iced tea, bread with no butter but jam, and milk to

those who wanted it. Since there was nothing good on the

menu, I drank a glass of milk and let 1%) 20. 11 poundeel eo

sorry for granduncle and grandauntie. Since the food didn't

suit me, 1 could just imagine how they felt. When we came

back to ovr rooms, grandauntie told me to be sure to write

that: the food is terrible.

Then we wanted to know where our rest rooms were. This was

too much for me. There is no privacy. I just can't explain

how it'is, but it's worse than a country privy. After it's

been used a couple of times, there is a whole stack of flies.

Once you open the door the flies can be seen buzzing around 5

it is like a nest of bees. We just couldn't go in there, so

we excavated. The hospital being facilitated with flush toi-

lets, we sneaked in. Then we tried the showers, which are

not so bad except that there is no privacy. Well, that's

that for the day's happening.

As to what I think of camp life, I think it's hell. That's

the only word I could think of to describe it. 0 I forgot to

mentionthat there are seven persons in our room (one room).

Zomorrow 250 people fran Seattle are arriving. I only hope that they wontt be

as shocked as I was. Grandeauntie hasn't slept for two nights so Dr. gave her

some sleeping powder. I hope she will be able to pull thru because her face

shows that she hasn't slept for the. past three days.

aoe