CHRISTIAN MEZENEN - LOCAL BUSINESSMAN

 Bar Harbor Record

June 30, 1917

CHRISTIAN MEZENEN IN U.S. SERVICE

It will please  the many friends of Christian Mezenen, the popular local garage owner and tire distributor, to hear that word has just bee received from him advising of his safe arrival in London on the 12th of this month.

Upon the entry into this country into the war, he offered his services in several of the departments of the United States Army in which he thought himself best fitted.  When it was decided to send General Pershing to France on the expeditionary mission, Mr. Mezenen was immediately selected to be one of the chauffeurs for the staff, due to his wide experience in touring over the roads of France, together with his complete knowledge of the important languages of the nations at war.  This appointment gave him the position of Sergeant in the Quartermasters Corps.

The entire party left this country on May 27th and, while it was known long before this that Pershing and his staff  had reached the other side safely, still this letter brought glad tidings personally to Mrs. Mezenen and her three children who are living in the apartment over the store on Cottage street.

In the letter, Mr. Mezenen tells of having had a very quiet and uneventful journey across the water and how everyone was greatly, tho pleasantly, disappointed in not seeing even a glimpse of a periscope.

From the moment of the party's landing, they were treated royally, and the people of England tried to show in a real American fashion how delighted they were upon seeing this group of Americans which will, no doubt, be only a forerunner of the thousands upon thousands of others now ready and anxious to go there to do their bit in making the world safe for democracy.  In London each theatre tried to outdo the others in entertaining the party, so night after night the Americans did nothing but see the many shows, and having a good time in general.

Mr. Mezenen's business will continue just the same while he is in the country's service.  Mr. Michael Walpin, who managed the garage and auto supply store last season when Mr. Mezenen was chauffeur for Mrs. Joseph Pulitzer, will continue in the same capacity this year.