Month: April 1933

Apr 30, 1933-from Martha to James

Apr 30, 1933-from Martha to James

Posted on by ddadministrator

Dear James,

We received your other letter on Thursday. You didn’t say anything to me about whether you had made arrangements about the garden, so we walked over to Roods at noon Thursday and inquired about it. And yesterday morning Eddie Rood came and disked the end of the cornfield and we planted what few seeds we had. The ground worked up nice. It started raining early this morning and is still at it off and on so the seeds we planted ought to sprout soon. It didn’t freeze last night. The bushes and trees are beginning to get leaves. The hollyhocks didn’t live so I planted some more seed there.

John took the tar paper off the house yesterday and we folded it up and put it in the shed. There is going to be a shower at Mrs. Chester Vokes next Wednesday. He is the man who sawed our wood. I’ve been invited but have nothing to give. Will you send me 5 yds. of birdseye diaper cloth and a large spool of No.60 white thread? I need a pair of silk stockings too, size 9, and don’t get the real cheap ones. Get the new shade of tan and you’ll be sure to get the new goods.

If the Burpee Seed Catalogue is down there I wish you would send it and we all need cotton gloves. Our hands are chapped and I guess the Italian Balm is as cheap as any. Jergen’s Honey and Almond Lotion is good too.

I hope they can help your mother at the hospital. I must close now and get this mailed.

Love from us all. Martha

Apr 28, 1933-from James to Martha

Apr 28, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

Dear Martha and children,

Just a few lines to let you know I got your letter. I’m glad the package came thru OK. Will send a small one today. I am working on the car all my spare time. Was over to St Paul yesterday to see about the license. Today I have been working cleaning the wheels. I expect to have it ready to paint the first of the week. I will bring it to you as soon as its ready. Should I try and bring 10 or a dozen hens too?

We had a few drops of rain yesterday and it looks like rain today and its warmed up quite a bit but its awful cold nights for this time of year. Well there doesn’t seem to be any news so I will close.

Love to all from Daddy.

Apr 27, 1933-from Martha to James

Apr 27, 1933-from Martha to James

Posted on by ddadministrator

Dear James,

We received your package yesterday and letter on Tuesday. Am glad you got home all right. It has been cold every day but the weather has been fair. It is cloudy today.

The dog Mitzi sleeps in the garage. The cat sleeps in the chicken coop and Ruth, John and I each sleep in our own beds. We are all feeling very well.

The money was in the package all right.

I hope you’ll get the car fixed and get it up here as soon as possible as I need it very much. The children have been coming home to dinner so that I won’t be so much alone and it makes a lot of walking for them. They offered to do it. If you can’t get off we can take the bus down there and drive back. It is cruel to leave us up here without some means of getting out. And I want to do some of the buying myself, that is my job.

The mailman lifted the box back up on the road yesterday. I got 2 quarts of milk from Shaw’s but Ruth had to make three trips over there before they had it ready and they want 5 cents a qt. for it so I’ve checked that off.

The children will write to you on Sunday. You’d best send some dog food for Mitzi as we have no fresh meat for her and need it. That is all of the news.

Love from us all, Martha and the children.

Apr 26, 1933-from James to Martha

Apr 26, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

My dear Martha and children,

I just got your nice letter and was mighty glad to get it. I had just got back to the house from taking my suit to the cleaners. He said I could have it by tomorrow noon. I’ll get some new shirts the first time I am down town like you say.

I got in a good day yesterday. I was marked up for bonus and as I was nearly thru in the evening something went wrong with the power. It was off in both cities for about 15 minutes. That tied up the lines till I got in about 2 hours extry so I made $4.40 instead of $3.50,and today I am conning [being a conductor] a nice one piece night run on Minnehaha from 2:54 PM to 11:34 PM so I make $4.75 today.

I sent you a box of groceries yesterday and wrapped $5 in a wash cloth and sent it along. Say don’t be afraid to order things for I will gladly send them to you and try and keep a good supply on hand. Tell Ruth that I bought 2 more packages of wheaties and have a nice orange colored Skippy bowl for her. It was real cold here last night but the sun is shining nice today but still it doesn’t seem to warm up.

I am going to work on the car today but I won’t be able to paint here for the kids play in the garage and it’s too dusty anyway. I will get it ready and see if I can’t find a vacant garage that is tight so I can do a good job.

I was over to Reo’s [his sister] and saw Ma Sunday night. She sure looks old and is not a bit well. She had to write back home and get a letter from her own doctor before they would do anything for her at the University Hospital so she is waiting for that now. She says Dad is well and is seeding for Rob Abel.

(Later)

Well I have worked cleaning the wheels and fenders on the car. I sure got myself dirty. I think I will make a good job of painting while I am at it and paint the whole thing. What do you think?

I stopped work on the car just in time to clean up, shave and make dinner. I had biscuits, potatoes, a little piece of steak left over from yesterday, and coffee for dinner and jam on the biscuits. Its lonesome here without you folks and I do hope we can get ahead so we can live like decent folks again. Tell the kiddies I miss them a lot and have them both write. I’ll write each of them a letter soon.

Well I have to go to work so by by to all with lots of love from Daddy.

  Gross Pay         $37.50
  Savings Deduction     4.00
  Rent
Bank loan
Haircut
Candy
Groceries
Tablet
Lead
Envelopes
Stamps		   $6.00
8.50
.25
.15
2.90
.10
.10
.05
.37		   Stamped envelopes
Martha
Postage [parcels]
Eggs
Wheaties
Banana
Milk
Make-up Change

.50
5.00
.40
.16
23
.02
.04
2.50
  Total Expenses     24.77
  Cash on Hand     6.23
Apr 24, 1933-from Martha to James

Apr 24, 1933-from Martha to James

Posted on by ddadministrator

Dear James,

I haven’t time to look for the tablet so I’ll write on this Burpee order sheet. The children have gone to school early so as to have time to play.

Now my main idea in writing is to tell you I want you to take enough money from the bank to buy yourself some new clothes. I’m asking this as a favor and you owe it to yourself and the Company. Get your uniform cleaned and mended. Buy shirts. Go down town where they have new goods and don’t buy anything cheap. I’d like you to get 2 nice white broadcloth shirts with collars attached, and 3 or 4 work shirts. You can get some nice tan or different colored shirts with detached collars that would look ever so much better than the blue work shirts. Get a raincoat too. Trench coats are out of style now I am afraid, but if you like them get one anyway. Also get a new cap for Sunday. This sounds like a lot but they are all things you need. We are going to get new clothes too but you need them most.

And I wouldn’t hang around the station listening to other men’s troubles. If each one of you would talk things over with your wives more and shut your ears to gossip the world would be a lot better off. A man’s first duty is to protect and provide for his family. If you have any time left after that is done you can work for some good cause.

This is another wonderful day.

We all send love, Martha

Apr 24, 1933-from Ruth to James

Apr 24, 1933-from Ruth to James

Posted on by ddadministrator

Dear Daddy,

It is Sunday evening now and I have just tacon my bath and John is taking his now. This afternoon after you had left I began to rake the front lown. I went to put the rake down and it landed on the tip the very tip of Mittzi’s tail and she began to bark and she barked and I talked to her and she barked still and whenever I went near her again she always barked. and tonight when John was just getting into the tub she licked the soap and began to bark I guess she dident like it eather. well its getting too dark to see so signing off till the morning. It is This Morning now and Mother is feeling better. Well I have to go to school now.

Love from Ruth.

Apr 24, 1933-from James to Martha

Apr 24, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

Dear Martha. Ruth and John,

Well folks I got home all right and made it in 9 hours but the old Ford has got the shimmys again. It worked fine until I got to Mpls. and from there on every little while I would have to pull over to the curb and stop. It seems to be all right if you can drive fast but if you slow up on rough paving it shakes awful.

Every extra man is marked up now and some of the regulars are working pull-outs [extra runs during rush hour] with their runs.

Tomorrow is pay day and I will pack some groceries for you and send them so you ought to get them the next day. It looks like rain here and I hope we get a good shower as it is dry and dusty.

Say John, where do you have the puppy sleep? I guess you will have to have mama spell her name for me as I have forgotten it. And Ruth, if you make the pup a big doll don’t forget to tell me how she plays with it.

Well I haven’t heard any news but it seems strange at the barn with all the boys gone. One of the old-time motormen had a bad accident this morning which may mean his job. He ran into one of the Company buses at 47th Ave and Lake St. It smashed in the whole front end of the street car and I did not hear what it did to the bus, Walter Ball was Con[ductor] on the street car.

They have up the notice now about uniform inspection. Well I must close and get to work down on Kenwood line.

So love to all from Daddy

Oh say how are the sun-burned necks getting along? Should I send another bottle of Italian Balm?