“Addendum
to Dollars and Sense”
The
Robert Louvain Story
“The United States is my home. There
are forty eight rooms in it. I was living in one room known as New
York State and before I kick the bucket I intend to roam over the
whole damn house”
(Please note that all
spellings and punctuations are original)
Wed. May 11, 1932
Left Rochester around 2:30 P.M. Got a
ride into Buffalo. Then got five rides into Erie Pa. Did not do any
walking. Got a room in a “Hotel” in back of 14th and
State Street for fifty cents (11P.M.).
Wilson Hotel West 14th and State 1910 Erie, PA
Thurs. May 12
Got up 9:30. Got a ride into Willowby
and another into Cleveland. Mowed a lawn for my dinner and mowed
another one and got my supper and fifty cents. Went to sleep in a
church in Parma, Ohio.
Fri. May 13
Got up about 6 A.M. got mostly all
short rides today. Mowed a lawn at Mansfield and got 30¢ for it. Got
in Columbus about 5:30 P.M. got a room in a hotel (Coronado Hotel) on
E. Spring St. for a dollar. Walked around High St. until 8:30 then
went to bed.
Sat May 14
Got up about 9 A.M. Walked to the
outskirts of the city. Got a ride into Dayton, got there at noon. Got
in Cincinnati at 3 P.M. Walked over to Covington Ky. got a ride into
Florence. Could not get a ride out so about 1:30 A.M. crawled onto a
shelf in a hot stand and went to sleep.
Sun. May 15
Got up 6 A.M. Got a couple rides into
Williamston Ky. Caught a freight car here and passed through
Lexington. Stopped at Dansville couple hours then rode on through.
Mon. May 16
Train stopped at Oakdale, Tenn. 2 A.M.
RR Bull stuck us up and chased us out of the yards. We built a fire
in the jungles and went to sleep for a couple of hours. We hung
around Oakdale until noon and then rode out and got in Chattanooga,
Tenn. about 7: P.M. Bummed a couple of houses and got a good supper,
got a room in a hotel for fifty cents. Went out and looked the town
over. It’s a pretty fair place. Went to bed 10 oclock.
Oakdale Tennessee
Chattanooga Tennessee
Chattanooga Tennessee
Tues May 17
Got up 9:30 walked around the town
getting something to eat. Went down to the jungles under the viaduct
on Central Ave. Stayed there until midnight then caught a freight
toward Memphis.
Wed May 18
Got put off at Gurley, Alabama at 3
A.M. oclock. Stayed there until eleven then walked five miles to
Painted Rock. This town was a complete wreck. A cyclone hit it a
couple of months ago. We caught a freight out at 1 P.M. and rode into
Sheffield Alab. Got some supper there. Left there 8:15 and got into
Memphis 3 A.M.
Gurley Alabama
Paint Rock Alabama right
before tornado hit the town
Thurs. May 19
Walked around Memphis this morning went
down to see the boats. Left 8:30 A.M and walked 5 miles down to the
junction. Stayed in the jungles there until 11 A.M. Caught a freight
and rode through to Jackson Miss. Got there 7:30 P.M. Bummed a lunch
and caught another freight. Fell asleep and when I woke up the train
was pulling out and I was sidetracked. 5 miles from Jackson. Found a
sawmill so I laid down and went to sleep. It has been raining and I’m
soaking wet.
Sawmill Jackson
Mississippi
Fri May 20
It’s still raining. Got a refer out
and only got as far as McComb Miss. Stayed there until 11:30 A.M.
then caught a local passenger and rode the blind through to New
Orleans. Got there 3:30 P.M. Walked around the town until 8: P.M.
Stayed at the S.A. at night on S. Rampert St.
Sat. May 21
Got up at 6:30. Had a bowl of shrimp,
black coffee, and dry bread for breakfast at S.A. Went down to the
docks and watched them unload the boats for a couple of hours. Walked
around the city the rest of the day. It’s the best city I’ve ever
seen. It has been raining on and off all day. Had a good supper at
the S.A. Took a walk afterwards through the streets back of the
Southern Depot. Went to bed 8:30 P.M.
Southern Depot New Orleans
Sun. May 22
Got up 6 A.M. had breakfast at S.A.
then took ferry across the Mississippi and walked up to Avondale then
got a ride back to Westwego. Got four sandwiches and a piece of cake
there. Walked back to Avondale, the mosquitos almost killed us. We
slept awhile in the depot there. Caught a passenger out at 11:30 P.M.
rode the blind.
Ferry across the
Mississippi to Avondale
Mon. May 23
Got in Lafayette about 2:30 A.M. Slept
on a table in the railroad yard until 6:00 A.M. Met a sailor and he
bought us a real good breakfast. Hung around the town until 4:oclock.
Sailor gave me 35¢. Bummed my dinner. Caught a freight out and rode
through Beaumont Texas.
Tues May 24
Got in Houston 3:30 A.M. walked into
the city. Had breakfast and walked down to a park and slept a couple
hours. Had a good dinner at the S.A. Went up to the “Star of Hope
Mission” and washed up and washed my clothes. Walked around the
city until 7: P.M. It’s a good size place and good looking. Went to
bed at 8:30 at the “Star of Hope” (good beds)
Star of Hope Mission
(1932)
Wed May 25
Got up 6: A.M. Had breakfast at the
S.A. then went down to the R.R. yards to catch a slow freight. Got
into Galveston about noon. Bummed a couple bakeshops for dinner. Went
down to the Seawall and went in swimming in the pool and the Gulf of
Mexico. The water was perfect. Walked back to the main drag and
bummed some supper, walked around the main section awhile then went
over to a small park. It’s a pretty place. It’s covered with
flowers and palm trees. The weather in this city is perfect as you
get a wonderful breeze from the gulf. Went up to the S.A. hotel about
ten P.M. and got a bed for 15¢. It was the worst bed I ever slept
in. “alive”
Railroad Road Yards
Galveston Texas
Bible Church was the
Salvation Army Building / Hotel in Galveston 1932
Thurs. May 26
Got up 6 A.M. We went down to the docks
and looked around awhile. Went down to the Seawall and went swimming.
Got back on the main drag about 2:30 P.M. Walked out to the freight
yards and walked around until 8 O’clock we got put out of the yards
by a bull. Walked out to the highway and caught a truck. Passed
through Houston 10 P.M. Rode all night.
Fri May 27
Got in Marlin Texas 6:30 A.M. Helped
unload truck then had breakfast. Caught a freight into Waco. Walked
out to the freight yards but there was nothing going out so we hit
the highway. We walked ten miles in the hot sun. It was terrible.
Every farmhouse we came to we got something to eat. About 6 P.M. we
got a ride with a woman. She drove into Dallas. (9:P.M.) We went to
sleep in a shed in back of a school. George got cold during the night
so we opened up a window and went inside the school and slept.
Freight Yard Marlin Texas
School - Dallas Texas
Sat May 28 (George W. Brady)
We got up at 6 A.M. and picked up a few
things for breakfast. We went up to George’s house and washed up
and had some more to eat. We went out to the viaduct and hung around
there until noon then walked out to the edge of Oakcliff and bummed a
couple rides. Got caught in a hard rainstorm. Got in Fort Worth about
3:30. Walked around the downtown section. Got a bed at the S.A. It
was lousy.
Sun. May 29
Got up at 6:00 Had breakfast at the
S.A. It was O.K. We walked out to North Fort Worth to catch a freight
out. We hung around there for three hours and George got homesick and
left for Dallas. I went into the town and hung around until I bummed
a ride. Got in Decater 5 P.M. Tried to get a ride out but couldn’t,
bummed my supper and then went up to the courthouse and stayed in the
basement all night.
Court House Decatur Texas
Mon. May 30
Got up 6 A.M. Cut down some weeds and
got a good breakfast for it. Stayed around the freight station until
noon then walked to the outskirts of the town and had dinner. Got a
couple of rides into Sunset, then a truck picked me up and took me as
far as Henrietta. Got a ride into Wichita Falls about 6:30 P.M.
Bummed a couple of bakeries for supper. Stayed at the “Boys Club”
520 ½ Ohio St. Walked around the city in evening.
Tues. May 31
Got up 5:30. Walked around the city.
Picked up a dime and had breakfast. Went down to the R.R. yards to
wait for a freight. There was none going out so I went out on the
highway. Got a couple rides into Iowa Park then caught a truck into
Vernon. Got a couple lumps then went down to the Freight station and
went to sleep.
Wed. June 1
Train pulled up to the station about
5:30 and woke me up. Jumped on and rode to Childress. Got a good
breakfast there. Left there about 10:30. This section to Amarillo is
entirely different than the parts of Texas I have gone through. There
are plenty of oil fields here and the houses are miles apart. We got
in Amarillo 3:15 P.M. I walked around the city and went down to the
Post Office to send a few cards. Had “supper” at the S.A. Soup,
butter milk and three slices of bread. I can do a lot better than
that by bumming. Walked around the city awhile then went up to the
library and read a few papers and magazines. Went for a walk over to
the tracks to the north side of the town. Came back and got a swell
meal in a cafe 11 P.M. Slept in a boxcar.
Oil Field Amarillo Texas
1932
Thurs. June 2
Got up about 7 A.M. Got a cake from a
bakery for breakfast. Stayed around the R.R. yards all morning. Got a
meal from a house at noon. Slept a couple of hours on a freight
platform. Got another lunch. Caught a freight out at 4:30 P.M. Was
chased first by “Denver Bob”. Rode north toward Pueblo Colo. The
scenery through here is swell. Rode all night.
Quotes regarding “The
Bulls” (Not Part of Original Text)
The Blue Wound
“Boys
caught in freight yards were summarily beaten by notorious railroad
bulls like Texas Slim, who ruled the yards at Longview, Texas.
Denver Bob was reputed to have shoved trespassers under the wheels of
moving trains. . .”
Riding
the Rails,
Errol Lincoln Uys
For
the old man life has always been hell. His eyes tell you where he has
been, his hands tell you what he has done and even now, though his
belly is full, when you look at him you think of lost men plucking
guitars on city steps or a kid's empty, mountaineer face caught
behind the flutter of a soiled window shade. Nobody knows the trouble
I've seen, his eyes always say.
Machines
failed, crops failed in the dust. Goodby to all that. He left East
Texas for the road, a road of night fires, of boxcars where people
killed other people, a road of sadistic railroad bulls. Keep away
from Denver Bob, he uses a whip—after he clubs you across the chin.
Don't run from Fort Worth Red. With gun or knife, Red never misses.
Originally
Posted: May
6, 1968
Fri June 3 (Malcolm Sherbet Dennison
Texas)
Got in Trinidad Colo. About 5:30 A.M.
Stayed here until 7:oclock and then rode on thru. The mountain tops
are covered in snow while down in the valley its real warm. Got in
Pueblo 11:30 We got some dinner from the Café’s. Am with a fellow
now by the name of Malcolm Sherbet. Met him in Childress Texas. We
hung around the main drags all afternoon and evening. Sawed some wood
for our supper over at the S.A. Slept on the floor of the S.A.
Church. 9: P.M.
Sat June 4
Got up 5:30 A.M. Had to saw wood for a
half hour for our breakfast. Went down to the R.R. yards and waited
for the freights. Left Pueblo around noon and got in Colorado Springs
about 2:30 P.M. Could not bum anything except bread in this town.
Went down to the S.A. and got a swell supper. All we could eat. (The
city pays for it) Mack and I walked around the town for three hours
(8 P.M.) then went down to the Police Station and got a flop for the
night. They had a special building fixed for “Tourist”. Slept
good. Washed my shirts and socks out.
Sun. June 5
Went down to the S.A. and had a good
breakfast. Caught a freight out at 9:30 A.M. and got in Denver 1:00
P.M. We walked around and bummed a few hotels. I got a good meal at a
hotel but had to run the grinder in the kitchen for a half hour. We
walked around the city until 8:30 the went down to the Police Station
and got a ticket for a bed at the Volunteers of America on 1651½
Larimer St. We weren’t tired so went around the city some more.
Came back in time for Church service. Went out afterwards and walked
around some more. The flop at the V’s of A was lousy so went down
to the freight yards 11:30 P.M. and got in a boxcar and went to
sleep. It was OK but rather cold.
VOA
Denver Colorado
Mon. June 6
Got woke up 4:30 A.M. by a R.R. Bull.
We went down to the “Rocky Mount News” and hung around until
7:A.M. We went out and sold newspapers until 10:30 then rode around
on the truck until noon helping the fellow gather the news stands.
Went down to the Post Office and got Grace’s letter then went up to
the YMCA and went swimming with the fellow I was helping. (gratis)
Went down to the Citizens Mission 1617 Larimer St. and had supper.
(OK) Mack and I went for a walk afterwards. We went to bed about
9:P.M. It was the best place and cleanest I’ve slept in yet.
GRACE MINWELL
"Minnie" 14
Kensington Street The lively lady. Tap Dancing 3, 4. Madison Business
From Senior Occident –
West High Class of 1931
Rocky Mountain News First
& Last Building
Tues. June 7
Got up 6:30 A.M. Had breakfast at the
Citizens Mission. Oatmeal (2 bowls), bread, coffee and a donut. We
walked down to the R.R. tracks until we came to the river and stayed
there about 11 hours. We found some pans and washed for gold awhile.
We found some but not enough to make (gold flakes) it pay. On some
parts of this river there are hundreds of them prospecting within the
city limits. From the center of the city here you can see mountains
covered with snow. This is a real nice city with a downtown section
twice as large as other cities its size. We went around to the stores
and got some eggs, bread, butter, sugar, postum, ham and pork we
cooked up our dinner and supper here. We caught a freight out about
9:15 P.M. and went to sleep in a boxcar.
Citizens Mission Denver
Colorado
Panning For Gold In Denver
During The Depression
Wed June 8
We got in Cheyenne Wyo. About 2:30 A.M.
but stayed in the boxcar and slept until 7:A.M. We then walked into
the city and got our breakfast at the S.A. We went down to the park
by the capitol bldg. and stayed for a couple of hours then went to a
house and got a couple sandwichs and a bottle of coffee. Went down
town and hit up the Mayflower Café. Had to wash and peal potatoes
for a couple hours. Then got a good supper for it. We went up to the
telephone bldg. and got a place to sleep. It was OK.
Thurs. June 9
Got up 6.A.M. Had breakfast then had to
mop the floor and do some work. We left Cheyenne about 10 A.M. And we
split up outside the town. I got a ride in an old car right into
Casper got there about 5 P.M. Got my supper at a house but had to cut
some weeds for it. Walked around the town until 9 P.M. Then went down
to the Police Station and slept at the Court House. Saw my first wild
Buffalo today they were south of Douglass. Saw about a hundred oil
wells 15 miles south of Casper. About 11oclock Mack came in slept in
the Court House under the judges desk.
Court House Casper Wyoming
1932
June 10
Got up about seven. I bummed a house
and got my breakfast. Walked around the down town section awhile.
Then we went around to the stores and bummed some apples, a bag of
tomatoes, a couple lbs. of meat, bread and a sack of potatoes. We
walked south out of Casper and got a ride about five miles into the
mountains. We found a empty cabin here in good condition except there
are no windows in it. It’s a swell shack. We went for a hike to the
top of “Windy Peak” and Garden Creek Falls. We had a swell time
up there. We came back and cooked up our supper. We were real hungry
and it tasted good. We sat around the fire after supper and a cowboy
from the next ranch came up to see us. He brought us up a gallon of
fresh milk. We went to bed about 9:30 P.M. We did not have any
blanket so we were cold most of the night.
Windy Peak Casper Wyoming
Garden Creek Falls Casper
Wyoming
Sat. June 11
We got up about 4 A.M. It was too cold
to sleep. We built a fire and got warm. We started walking into town
about 10 A.M. We bummed some things to eat there and then met one of
the fellows that we were with in Amarillo Texas. He walked back to
the shack with us. We just had bread and milk for supper. We went out
and got a big pile of wood for tonight. About 7 P.M we had the worst
hailstorm I ever saw. It lasted for 15 minutes then it rained for an
hour. The other two fellows went to bed but I stayed up nearly all
night and took care of the fire.
Sun. June 12
Cooked up some beans and potatoes for
breakfast. Went out onto the porch and went to sleep for about five
hours then walked back to town. I bummed a couple sandwichs to take
with me tomorrow then bummed a swell supper. We sat around awhile in
the park in back of the Post Office then went down to the Courthouse
and slept where we did before.
Mon. June 13
Got up 3:15 A.M. We walked down to the
freight yards and caught an empty. I went to sleep for a couple of
hours. We had a interesting ride through Wind River Canyon. It was
about 20 miles through it. We got in Greybull about 1 oclock. I cut a
few weeds for ten minutes and got a good dinner for it. We
missed the freight when it pulled out We hung around there
until 7 oclock. I cut some more at a house before we left and got a
good bag of sandwichs. We rode north all night.
Wind River Canyon Wyoming
Tues June 14
The train stopped at Laurel and the
R.R. bull put us all off. We went over to the road and stood around a
big fire the bums built (2:30 A.M.) We caught a freight out in a half
hour and got in Billings about 3:30 A.M. We found an empty boxcar by
Broadway and Montana Ave and went to sleep for 3 hours. Got up 6:30
A.M. and a sheepherder bought me my breakfast. Mack and I went in the
library at 9: A.M. and stayed till noon. Tried bumming the houses but
couldn’t get anything so I went up to the Hospital on 30 St and
12th Ave. I got all I could eat here. Went back to town to
find Mack. We went out 32nd St and each got a job mowing a
lawn. We got 50¢ apiece. Went up to the hospital but was to late for
supper. Came back to town and hit up a café. Not a good meal. We
hung around the main drag till 9:30 then went down to our boxcar and
went to sleep.
Wed June 15
We got up 6:45 A.M. I went back to the
Café where I had my supper. I got some wheatcakes, eggs and coffee
for breakfast. I had to work for three hours then scraping grease.
She gave me my dinner then. a big one to. We went out in the
afternoon mowing lawns. I made 60¢ and Mack made 75¢ and had a
suit, shoes and shirts given to him. I bought a swell pair of pants
today for $1.30. Had a good supper at the S.A. Hung around the main
drag until 7: P.M. then went back to the S.A. and went to bed after
reading awhile. It was a good clean bed. took a shower first.
Thurs June 16
Got up 7 A.M. Got my breakfast at the
S.A. Then went downtown to find Mack. We stayed around the Post
Office until 11: A.M. then went down to the library and read until
noon. We walked up to the hospital and got our dinner. We came back
to library after dinner. About 5 P.M. we went down to the S.A. and
got our supper. We stayed around the R.R. yards until 8 P.M. then
caught a coal car into Laurel. We sat around the fire here all night
and listened to the bums.
Fri. June 17
We caught a slow freight around 4:30
A.M. I slept until 7:30 A.M. We got in Livingston Mont. 9:30 A.M. We
worked a half hour in a bakery and got 2 big sacks of baked goods. We
bummed a milk wagon and got some milk and had breakfast. Went up to
the library 2 P.M. and read awhile. We had supper at the jail. Caught
a freight out at 6:30 We rode in a boxcar till 10 AM then got
caught cut off and had to ride a empty coal car. We got in
a empty refrigerator about midnight and went to sleep.
Sat June 18
We got in Butte Montana 7 A.M. We
walked down town and got our breakfast at the S.A. then bummed a bake
shop and got 2 bags of cupcakes. We went down to the jungles and
slept about four hours. I washed some clothes and then walked up to
the town and got some stuff for supper. We do not like Butte at all.
All there are here are copper mines. We caught a freight out at 7
P.M. It was going south instead of West but we wanted to leave so we
took it anyway. We went to sleep as soon as we got in.
Sun June 19
We got in Idaho Falls, Idaho. About
11:30 A.M. We were in a hurry to catch the train again so we bought a
lf of bread, qt of milk, a can of sardines and 4 musk melons for
.17¢. We ate them and then
missed the train. We walked around the town all afternoon then bummed
our supper. This is a nice clean city but its hard to eat here. We
went down to the police station about 8:30 P.M. and the locked us up
in the bull pen. There was one drunken nigger, two mexicans and half
a dozen white fellows there. It was a real good place with a shower
bath and everything.
Mon. June 20
They woke us up 5 A.M. and made us get
out. We bummed 2 loaves of bread and then went down to the dairy and
bummed a couple bottles of milk. We went down to the river by the
bridge and laid down in the grass and slept a couple hours. We caught
a freight out at noon and got in Pocattella about 2 P.M. We laid down
on the grass and slept till 4:00. We went down to the S.A. and got
our supper. We got back to the yards just in time to catch a fast
freight out. We had to ride on a tanker for while then we found a
boxcar and went to sleep.
Tues June 21
I woke up at 9 A.M. in Huntington
Oregon. We got some bread and meat and made some sandwichs. We stayed
here for three hours then went on to Baker we got off here and bummed
a couple lunchs and missed the train. We got a gallon of milk at the
creamery. We then went swimming in Powder River. It has been terrible
hot today. We stayed around the R.R. yards till 9:30 then went up to
the Police Station and went to sleep in the jail.
Powder River Oregon
Wed June 22
We got up 6:30. We had to sweep the
jail and courtroom out then they sent us over to the “Boer’s Den
Café” and bought us a good breakfast. (fried potatoes, meatloaf,
coffee and bread) We went down to the main drag and bummed 3
muskmelons, a box of apricots and a bag of doughnuts. We went down to
Powder River and shaved and cleaned up then went swimming again. We
got back to the R.R. yards 3 P.M. and slept till 5 oclock. I went to
the houses then and mowed some lawn and got two egg sandwiches. I got
back 6 oclock, just in time to catch the “Cherry Special”. We
rode the blind into LaGrande. Got here 7:30 P.M. We walked around the
town a couple of hrs. then went to the jail and stayed the night.
Thurs. June 23
Got 6 A.M. Mack bummed a bag full of
buns and fried cakes for our breakfast then we got a couple dozen
oranges. We walked around the town awhile looking it over. It’s a
real nice place and seems prosperous. We laid down on the grass in
front of a house and slept for a couple of hours. We then bummed
another bag of sugared fried cakes and a quart of milk and had then
for lunch. We stayed around a little park for awhile in the
afternoon. Six oclock I mowed a small lawn and got a steak dinner for
it. Got all I could eat. We went down to the R.R. yards 7:30 to wait
for a freight. We went to sleep. Woke up 11:30 P.M. and caught one.
We rode all night for 14 miles going over the Blue Mountains, then
the Bull put us off a dozen times and shot at me once.
Railroad Bulls
Friday June 24
We got ditched 1:30 A.M. and had to
walk 4 miles into Kamelia. We caught a freight a soon as we got there
and rode four miles past Pendleton Oregon. We slept here until 8:30.
Then we went over to the Umatilla River and washed up. We got a ride
on a truck into Pendleton. We bummed some fruit, baked goods and milk
for dinner. I swept out a bakery for a bag of buns and friedcakes. We
went to the park in the afternoon. Slept awhile. We bummed some
bread, meat, milk and bananas for supper. We walked around the town a
couple of hours. The manager of the Packard Hotel asked us if we
wanted anything to eat then gave us some steak sandwiches, four fried
fish and oranges and apples. The police picked us up 9:30 and brought
us up to the station. He tried to blame us for stealing a pair of
pants. They let us go 11: P.M. We went down to the freight depot, got
in a boxcar and went to sleep.
Hotel Packard, Pendleton
Oregon
Jailhouse Pendleton Oregon
Sat. June 25
We got up 6:30 A.M. I went down to the
bakery and worked for a half hour. Got a sack of bake goods then went
down to the creamery and we each got a qt of milk. We went down to
the Umatilla River and washed our shirts out and watched the fish. We
left there 1 P.M. and laid down by the depot till 4 P.M. then caught
the “Pacific Limited” and rode the blind as far as Reith where we
got kicked off. We went over to the river and built a fire stayed
there all night.
Pacific Limited
Sun June 26
We caught a freight at day break. We
rode till noon then stopped 45 minutes at “The Dalles” We got
some bananas and a qt. of milk here then caught the freight again. We
have been riding next to the Columbia River all day. On the other
side of the river is Washington. We reached the outskirts of Portland
about 2:30 P.M. We took our time walking into town. The streets are
all lined with cherry trees and we ate plenty. We bummed 2 doz.
Oranges. We crossed the Williamette River about 7 P.M. and saw the
battleship Oregon anchored by the Broadway Bridge. We walked around
the city and then went over to see the German Battleship the
“Karlsruhe” We went up to the Multnomah Hotel and got a swell
supper from soup to pie all we could eat. We then went to the park in
back of the R.K.O. Orpheum Theater and slept on a bench all night.
The Dalles, Oregon
Karlsruhe (Light
Cruiser, 1929-1940)
Multnomah Hotel
R.K.O. Orpheum Theater
Mond. June 27
We got up 7 A.M. and swept off the
sidewalk of a Café for our breakfast. We walked around the city most
of the day looking around. It’s a rather large place with a swell
downtown section and a fair size Chinatown. It has been real hot for
the past few days so we didn’t eat much dinner. We bummed a loaf of
bread, qt of milk, donuts and some fruit. I tried stemming but did
not get anything. My shoes were all wore out so I bummed another pair
from a shoemaker then got a shave and a haircut (some guy paid for
it). We slept in Landsdown Pk at night on the ground
Lansdowne Park Portland
Oregon
Tues. June 28
We got up about 8 A.M. some fellow gave
us fried cakes for breakfast. We walked over the bridge and went up
to the City hospital for dinner. We had soup, corned beef and
cabbage, potatoes, bread, creamed peas, tea and strawberries and
cream for dessert. We walked to the outskirts of town and then bummed
rides to Pioneer Washington about 20 miles from Portland. We went to
a farm here where we expected to get a job picking berries. They
didn’t want any pickers so we ate all the berries we could and they
gave us a qt. of canned strawberries. We went up to the school house
and cleaned up then went across the road and bummed some milk off the
farmer. After dark we went down the road and raided a cherry tree. We
found the school garage open so we slept in there.
City Hospital Portland
Oregon
Wed June 29
We got up about ten. We found a
strawberry patch and ate all we could hold. We are just taking our
time walking not even trying to get a ride. We bummed a lunch off
some highway workers at noon. We stopped to rest a couple hours so I
wrote a letter to Grace. I bummed a house 4 oclock and got a good
feed. Had to chop wood for 20 minutes for it. We found a good, clean
shack about 6 P.M. so we gathered some ferns and made a bed. We are
just one mile from where we started from this morning. I walked into
LaCenter to mail the letter while Mack went up to the Tavern to bum
something to eat. Got back at nine and went to bed.
Thurs. June 30
We got up at ten and caught a ride into
LaCenter. We bummed the Café there. Had to split wood but got a good
breakfast. We found another strawberry patch and gorged ourselves
again. We walked a short ways to the Lewis River and went swimming.
We got in Woodland about 6 P.M. I bummed a supper from a bachelor.
Had bacon, eggs potatoes, coffee and bread. Mack and I stayed there
at the house until after midnight. We bummed a café for coffee and
donuts. We sat around till 2 A.M. waiting for the Marshall.
Lewis River LaCenter
Washington
Fri. July 1 June 30
Found the Marshall and he took us to
some tourist cabins and let us have one. We slept till 3 oclock in
the afternoon then we got up and raided a cherry tree. We got a ride
into *Kam then I chopped some wood at a house and they gave us six
sandwichs, two pieces of cake and 2 ½ qts of milk. We got a short
ride then about 9:30 we found a good haymow so we buried ourselves in
hay and went to sleep.
*Kalama,
Washington
Sat. July 2
We got up 6 A.M. and got a ride into
Longview Washington. We bummed some breakfast. About 1 P.M. we went
over to the park to see the rolleo. We got over the fence easy. The
rolleo was real good. They had high climbing contests, log rolling
and tree sawing also a canoe sham battle. We went over to the
hospital at 6 oclock and got a complete supper. We went back to town
then and promoted a little money then at 9 P.M. we went back to the
Rolleo and saw a couple boxing matches. We stayed there until 12 P.M.
Sun July 3
We started to walk over to Kelso but
found a empty trailer with canvass over the back so we got in and
went to sleep. We slept till 10 A.M. then walked over to Kelso. We
bummed some baked goods and sandwichs then went up to some fellows
room and we cooked up some eggs and had some milk and bread. We went
back over to Longview about noon and had a lunch then stayed around
town a few hours before going to the Rolleo. It is a cold day and has
been raining half the time. We stayed at the Rolleo a couple of hours
but there wasn’t much going on, on account of the weather. We got a
good supper at the Monticello Hotel the best hotel in town. We stayed
around the main drag until dark then we went down to the trailer to
sleep there again tonight.
Monticello Hotel Longview
Washington
Mon July 4
We got up about 10 A.M. We bummed a
bakery and a café and got a lunch about 1 P.M. We went over to the
Rolleo. They had the same sports as Saturday only these were final.
There was a carnival there and we took in everything. They had 1
boxing and three wrestling matches at night and these were followed
by fireworks. After they were over we went over to the carnival and
saw some more wrestling. We left 12:30 and went downtown.
Tues July 5
We bummed a Café 1 A.M. We had to peel
some spuds but we got a good meal. We went down to our trailer and
slept until 8:30. We walked to the outskirts and hitch hiked to
Portland. We got there at noon. We had a lunch then went down to the
Post Office and I got three letters. We went over to the playground
and I wrote a couple of letters. We walked a mile out 6th
St. and got a ride into Oregon City. We got there 3 oclock so we went
down to a boxcar and slept till 9 then went down town for awhile. We
slept in the boxcar at night.
Oregon City 1932
Wed. July 6
We got up at 8 A.M. and caught a
passenger at 8:30. We got in Salem at 10 A.M. We worked in a bakery
for awhile and got some eats. We walked around the town awhile then
found a good place to go to sleep. We got up at 5 P.M. then went down
to the city hall and got a supper. We went down to the park by the
Capitol awhile and then went back to the city hall and stayed for the
night on army cots.
Oregon Capitol Building –
Salem Oregon
Thurs July 7
We had breakfast at 9 A.M. at the city
hall. Then at 10 oclock we blinded the passenger train out. We got in
Rosebury Ore. about 2:30 P.M.
