Category: James

May 30, 1933-from James to Martha

May 30, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

My Dear Martha and Children

I am well but busy. It rained so yesterday during my time off that I did not get to the cemetery but I went there this morning. I put a nice plant on Jane’s grave and set a nice one in the cement vase for your Father and Mother. The plant for them is a double pink geranium, it has 2 big bunches of blossoms and one bunch of buds on.

I am working 2 runs today. I drove a Selby-Lake run from 12:36PM to 7:17 PM and now I am on a Snelling-Minnehaha run, went to work at 7:38PM and work till 1:57 AM. which will make us $6.75 for today. I am conductor on this run and am writing this on the run. I wish I could of been with you and the children today. Sundays and holidays are the worst to be alone. Well I will make this short so by-by with lots of love from Daddy

May 27, 1933-from James to Martha

May 27, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

My Dear Martha and Children

We are having a nice day here altho it looks like rain. We are thru with the trial but won’t hear how it comes out till next week, the lawyers will make their plea before the Judge on Wed. May 31st.

Say Martha, if I have any time off on Monday I will go to the cemetery and fix up what I can so the folks will be remembered. The store man by our place has given me a good price on flowers quite a lot less than other places. I think you and the children had better go to the school picnic and also take the car and get away for Memorial Day. Pack a nice lunch and go to some of the other lakes or maybe there will a celebration in Park Rapids but anyway get out and see something different on that day.

I will send the other things on the list as soon as I can. I am sending the account sheet with this. We must figure on my insurance for June 12th. Guess we can make it, but it will keep us on the jump. I have got in a few good days lately. Hope it keeps up.

Jack was home and brought back 2 lbs. of home-made butter. He marked it on the list at 20 cents a lb. Regular creamery butter is 26 cents.

I am writing this sitting on the bench out at Fort Snelling and its time to go to work. I must close love to all, Jim

May 25, 1933-from James to Martha

May 25, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

Dear Martha and Children

I have been in court all day and will be there again tomorrow. Its been a lovely day but I don’t like to sit in court.

I got the insurance paid up till the 26th of June. Our check today was $38.74 – $4.00 which left $34:74. I have the $8:50 at the bank to pay and I should pay Ted, the butcher some, we owe him something over $7:00 but I haven’t been over to his shop since you were here. And thats all the bills except to get the Ford license. I will send you some money in the package and I will try and get it mailed tomorrow. If the shirts you looked at in Park Rapids are well made and good material get me one15 1/2 size.

Its the same case Fred and I were on before when the 3 people and boy and dog were in the Ford Coupe. I may be in court the next few days. The package came today and everything was in fine shape. We had some of the biscuits and a piece of cake for supper and they sure tasted good, thanks a lot. The rhubarb we cooked with raisins for sauce.

Jack’s wife and little boy came down on the bus today noon and are staying at some of the neighbors so Jack is over there tonight. I am glad I fixed up the little house for the children so they have a nice place to play.

Say mamma I will send the things on the list as soon as I can but this court case may keep me tied up for a while and I have been going night and day for a week . We have been up before 4 o’clock every morning since Sun. I was going to take this down and mail it tonight but I am too tired so I’ll mail it in the morning.

I am glad that storm didn’t do any damage to our place. I was afraid for the plants you had in the boxes and the flowers and everything.

Oh say Swan Olsen rode with me yesterday and told me about a man by the name of Ole Anderson who used to work for Dad at Morris and he also had worked a lot for Grandpa too. He is in the General Hospital with a cancer. I want to go see him as Swan said he had asked about Pa and the rest of the boys. This Ole came right from Sweden to my Grandpa’s farm and there is where he made his home for several years. They even called him Ole Linsley.

Tell the children I have a whole flock of funnies I am going to send to them. You folks did just right by praising Mitzi for barking when folks go by but its best that she stay at the house or on the porch as she did. She is going to make you a fine watch dog and there won’t be much going on that she don’t know about.

Well folksies, I am going to bed as its most 10 o’clock and I’ll finish this tomorrow. I am expecting you to drive down but you had better wait until we have a little more money on hand.

Love, Jim

May 24, 1933-from James to Martha

May 24, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

(8:30 Wednesday night)

My dear little sweetheart and children,

I just got a letter from you that was worth its weight in gold for I had heard they had a bad storm in Park Rapids and I would of worried about you folks all day tomorrow if I had not got your letter tonight. I am sending the piece in the paper telling about the storm.

I have had quite a day today. I was marked up for a one piece run and a pull-out [extra run during rush hour] so I went to work this morning at 5:23 and at 11:10 AM the Boss came out and got me off the car and told me to go home and change to civilian clothes and be in the Claim Dept. at I o’clock so I went, and from there to court and about 3 PM in court one of the lady jurors fainted and they carried her into the next room and laid her out on the floor and called a Dr. She was unconscious quite a while so court was dismissed till tomorrow at 9:00AM. So I reported back to the station and Fred Sewell and I made a trip down town and got a load of the Forester soldiers and took them out to the Fort Snelling. Altogether I got in 10 hours and 23 minutes. Well guess this is all the news for now.

Lots of love to you all, Daddy Jim.

May 23, 1933-from James to Martha

May 23, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

Dear Martha and children,

Well this is one of those hot sultry days that makes a person feel uncomfortable, but I brought my clean clothes to the station with me and I have just had a nice shower bath so I feel better. I hope we can fix a shower in our house for they are sure nice. I had a 4 o’clock call this morning but just drew pull-outs [extra routes during rush hour] on it, but tomorrow I think I get a one piece run 5:23 to 1:40 and a pull-out with it so that will make up for the bonus day. It has been trying to rain here for the last 2 or 3 days but don’t seem to quite make it.

We sure had some shake-up in our outfit the last few days. They have taken off all the inspectors and have changed the office help all around. Vikenson, who was night clerk is back conning [being a conductor]. Berg who was night foreman is clerk. Jess Coombs, who was inspector, is night clerk. Bocken, who was Supervisor is around looking up business like chartered cars and such, and I don’t know who takes his place. Percy, who was Inspector, is down in the loop nights acting as starter. Inspector Stenby is driving. Inspector Pricket Is driving at Nicollet and I don’t know whether its true or not but they say Superintendant Bjork is to be foreman at East Side Station, and that Goodrich is the new Superintendant. So you see Old McGill is raising H with the whole works, and I guess Bolin is on the slip too but every one has to keep their mouth shut. I’m doing a lot of listening but don’t say a thing. They are also breaking in the rest of the conductors as motorman and as I have quite a lot more time in than they have I guess there’s no danger of getting laid off. Well this is enough shop-talk for this time.

I will get the things you sent for pay day, Its time to go to work again so by-by with love to you all. Daddy

May 22, 1933-from James to Martha

May 22, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

My Dear Martha

I just received the letter you wrote Sat, and was glad to hear from you. I have been getting in good time since I got back but right now I am so sleepy I can hardly see, so if this letter is kind of mixed up you will know the reason why. I got in late Sat. night and Sun. morning I got up quite early and helped Jack work on his car and we both went to work at noon. I drove a Selby-Lake run, then with only a half hour off I worked another run on Snelling-Minnehaha, got home at 1:00 and up again a little after 4:00 and worked Bloomington. Now, 3:16 PM I go back on Bloomington to finish the day. Sun. I made $5.75 My package came Sat. I was glad to get the clean clothes and the fresh bread. I haven’t cooked the rhubarb yet but have it on ice so will fix it soon. Thanks a lot.

I am glad the garden is doing so good. I believe that is good ground and it seems to work easy. Don’t work too hard on the yard. Where is the other iris you found? The lilacs are in bloom here, several people got on the car yesterday with bunches of them and they scented up the whole car.

Jack was telling me about whip-poor-wills up at their place. They are something like a Brown thrush. Do you suppose that is the bird you saw?

I thought I had found a new room at $8.00 a month but when I looked at it it was altogether too small so we will have to look some more.

I will write again tomorrow, By-by with lots of love. James.

May 19, 1933-from James to Martha

May 19, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

Dear Martha and Children,

Well Folks I expected a letter today but I guess it will sure be here tomorrow. I am well and hope you are the same, and don’t forget to tell me how Ruth’s hand is. I hope it does not leave a mark. Did John’s plant stand the digging up that Mitzi gave it?

We have had 2 nice rains since I got back and its been real warm and things look nice. I hope its the same up there. Jack had been up to his farm and got home here about 1 o’clock last night. He brought milk, eggs, cream, baggies [rutabagas] and potatoes with him.

Gee, mamma I wish I could be there with you and the children. Its so hot and dirty here, and I get so I just hate the sight of the crowds.

(Later)

As I was on my way to the store I received your letter, was glad to hear the Ford worked so nice but I am going to put a new set of gears in the rear of it and then I am sure it is good for 2 or 3 years yet. I think it will be better for you folks to drive down than for me to lose the time coming up till we get caught up on bills. I have the best of faith in you folks and I will earn all I can so we can be together for this way of living is Hell.

Well its now time to go to work so by-by

Love from Jim

May 17, 1933-from James to Martha

May 17, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

My Dear Martha and Children

Well I am at this end of the route again but not home for where you folks are is home. The bus made good time coming down and the same man drove it all the way. Two different times he had to turn out to keep from running over old rooster pheasants.

As soon as I got here I went to the Station to see if I could chisel [find extra work] anything but there was nothing doing so I came on out to the room. Jack must have left for home some time today for he is marked off tomorrow and the clock here was still running so he had not been gone long. As I got off the car at 27th and Lake I saw Mrs. Rood and some relation of hers in an auto. They were waiting for the men folks to get thru shopping.

Since I got here I have had supper of crackers and milk and a piece of bread and honey and have washed the floor. It was awfully dirty, and now I am going to take this down and mail it and go to bed for I am pretty sleepy and I have to get up at 4:45 tomorrow morning.

Say Martha I forgot to get the inner tube for the spare tire and fix it for you so the first time you go to Park Rapids you had better go to the Ford Garage and buy one and have them put it together for you.

It looks a lot like rain here tonight and the radio says showers. Did you get home all right? I hope the old Ford keeps on running as nice as it has so far. Well folks I wish I was there to give each of you a goodnight kiss and hug, but seeing I can’t be there I will pray that you all keep well and strong.

Its starting to thunder so I am going to skip and mail this and will write again soon. You folks write often.

Lots of love from Daddy.

Was Mitzi glad to see you come home?

May 12, 1933-from James to Martha

May 12, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

My Dear Martha and Children.

Well its Friday again and I have another box of groceries ready to send and now for a letter to go with it. I got a good 2 days work on the Ford and have only the wheels and back and under the fenders left to paint. I was out and looked at it this morning and it sure looked nice. I hope I can finish it tomorrow. I am going to see the boss today about time off, I hope I can come up the first of the week but can’t tell till I see him.

I got your letter with the lists in and I filled one of them and the seeds I will bring if I can come soon and then I can help plant them. How does the ground work? You said chickens on the list, does that mean hens? Say Martha your letter answered most of the things I asked about in the letter I just sent you. It seems that we both must have been thinking of the same things.

I am awful glad Rood has the crop in. Its early enough that it ought to be good. Gee ma, I will be glad to see you and the children the time seems to be so long here without you.

I made Jack and I a strawberry shortcake for dinner. Its the first one I ever made and it turned

out real good. Well I’ll be seeing you soon so by by

with love to all from Daddy.

May 10, 1933-from James to Martha

May 10, 1933-from James to Martha

Posted on by ddadministrator

My dear Martha and Children

Well its pay day again we got $40.71 after the insurance and EMBA [Employee Mutual Benefit Association] was taken out. I have paid the N.E. [New England Furniture Co.] $3.00 and am sending a box of groceries. I did not know what to send except the yeast which I forgot before. So I just guessed at what you could use. Send me 2 lists one for the things to send and one for the things to bring in your next letter.

I have some more news, l can get a gasoline motor on purpose for the Maytag for $15.00 so when we got ready for one that will work OK. And I can get 10 hens for 50 cents apiece. They are mostly white leghorns and are laying.

I am going to see Billy [Jane’s oldest son, Martha’s nephew] again and see if I can’t still get him for a while. I was in to see the truck man from Park Rapids today. The hotel clerk says he most always gets here about 9:30 PM and comes 2 or 3 times a week, so I am going to try to catch a ride back with him.

Its been so cold and wet that I have not touched the car since Sun. but the weather is some warmer today so I hope to finish it soon. I got 7 flour sacks for 37 cents so you will not need to send any dish towels for a while.

(After supper)

Well Jack is on a night run so I am here alone and tomorrow night it will be the other way around as I have the Fort Snelling dummy [a short streetcar line that just served the base] to work from 3:55PM till: 1:09AM tomorrow night. As I was coming home tonight I saw a whole trainload of the forester soldiers going north. They wear the kahki shirts and blue overall pants and the over-sea’s caps or hats and the regular army shoes and raincoats. They had all the windows open on the cars and they were waving their arms and yelling to beat all as they crossed 35th street.

Gee I hope tomorrow is a nice day and I can get a lot done on the Ford. Let me know in the next letter if you want the hens and also what to bring in the line of groceries for I will have to come soon as some of our boys are in the National Guard and they leave for camp soon. And how many days do you suppose I can afford to take off?

Tell the children that I sure like their letters and tell them it can be part of their lessons to write to Daddy. They are both improving in their writing lately. And now I must close and mail this so give them each and a big smacker and a hug for me.

Lots of love from Daddy