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(From Ordville, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)
Friend Charlie,
Thanks for card and was glad to hear from you. we are having winter weather now. come out and you can have all the skating you want. So you have literary(?) season out there now. Its the rainy season out there now is it not. Through picking corn hoping to hear from you soon.
From friend
Arno(?) Nelson(?)
(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)
I must now ans your card I recd some time ago I am busy husking corn &(?) I tell you it surly is as it all lays on the ground I am all alone home this winter so Ill have plenty to do well I suppose next year you will be going to the exposition or how? Ive been thinking about going there if I can get somebody to go with but I dont know yet if I will or not. Well every thing out here is dry as usal nothing doing at all well as there is a limit to my wind I must quit.
Write soon
Your friend
Ernest S.
[I remember how those old "I've fallen and I can't get up" Life Alert commercials used to crack me up because of this card. I wonder if the Life Alert ad people had this card too? -Karla]
More information: hobble skirts
(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)
Dear Friend Charlie,
I think it is about time for me to answer your letter. We have had fine weather now for a few days but last sunday we had fearce weather, Still I didn't need to suffer much, when I didn't need to do more than shorse(?). It was worse for those who had to go on your Grandmaws funeral. Father helped to carry so he and Julius went along to Funk, Elmer, Mother, and Duzenia(?) were over to Wallen's only. I stayed home by the stove. Muddy roads east and west but north & south they are fairly well, all snow just kept sliding over them, it blew so hard it couldn't stop. but it stopped in the stubble fields by all those Russians thats better. Some water in the ponds, but the ducks havent come yet so that does any good. Well nearly all to church this morn. Elmer & Grandmaw were home. Elmer has a pretty bad cold at present. This afternoon I have stamped 30 of Juliuses wedding invatations. that's all he had home so couldnt stamp more. He's going to be married next week on thursday, 12 oclock March 12th. So you see pretty soon it will be only Elmer and I to do the work. Next Spring, during summer I suppose Carl will be home to help. Bussy every day, very few days we are busy doing nothing. The wolf hunt held in the hills ended up with seven wolves, but I didnt get any, The man who made up the wolf hunt, layed in dry creek which went thro the pasture where the rounded up. (??) shot wolves with a big rifle, he said then he shot three but now they claim he shot six. We had with wind so we had the poorest chance. was over to your old place and got that kane(?) stack the other day was just two big loads. The only implements over there now are the disk and the plow. How do you like plowing in Cal. or havent you got started to plow, before the last rain. Have you had any storms where you live this winter, See in papers they had som had storms in Los Angeles and around there but probably not as far north as you any time. You dont want to box and wrestle too much out there. I believe when you weighed last you had money in your pocket you know all those silver dollars weigh quiet a bit. But I beat you in that. Have to quit now and eat supper. From your friend Emil.
Now it is monday morning. Duzenia(?) and I rode with J.E. Lind(?) up to church, was quiet cold last night, blew from the south. Last saturday the people northeast, out around Nelson's, should surprise Nels Nelson's. Clause(?) had bidden them to come over to his place for supper, and the surprise should be in the evening, but, Nelson said they knew of it, Clause knew nothing of the surprise when he bid them com over. One of Nelsons boys stayed home because they that shore(?) they would come. They are packing their cars today will leave tomorrow or wednesday.
Write soon about everything.
Emil
(From Richvale, California)
(To Camp Lewis, Washington)
Dearest Soldier Brother:
We received your letter, which are always so welcome, for every letter tells that you are making a good Soldier.
Rick and I are just getting ready to go to Chico rather I am ready and don't know what to do, and knew that I ought to write to you, so am.
Albin just got home from Sacramento from the fair he went last Wednesday evening and stayed with Mr. Erickson and then they went on the early morning train Thursday, Carl E. and Jantz(?) also went that A.M. and came home when Albin did.
Dad is not feeling good so we had to take him up to Richardson's Spring last Thursday, his back seemed to give out he couldn't do any kind of work and it also bother him at nights.
We sure would love to see you, and hope to see you at harvest if everything comes out all right, Albin and Mr. Erickson have been trying a little of everything and are sure by the time they get through you will have some show of getting off, The Rice Association Co are even helping us, so we have some show.
Rick has a camera now and took 3 different pictures of home & 3 of Oscar's place and has plenty of films here so I guess he will be taking pictures all the time.
You said you was going to Seattle Sunday, is Portland far from Camp Lewis, if not you ought to go and see Ericksons.
Monday A.M.
Was over to Fishes(?) last evening several other girls and boys were there we played Pig. They have several new music pieces on the player piano so as usual we thought we knew how to dance.
Some terrible dead bug(?), Rick wrote you a letter yesterday suppose he told you everything. Got a letter from Anna Norman yesterday and she said that they had found any traces of Clifford P. yet I suppose you heard of him running away.
I must close for my Brains give out. I forgot to tell you Albin isn't feeling very good. I guess he had to good a time in Sac(ramento) for his body seems to hurt him all over even the insides of his head, did not sleep any last night.
So Bye Bye.
With love to you
Esther
Ans Soon
(From Richvale, California)
(To Camp Lewis, Washington)
Dear Brother:
I rec'd your letter several days ago, and as we are pretty busy, I hope you will excuse me for not writing before, we also rec'd several other letters you wrote to the rest of the folks.
Well we are in the best of health, as you have heard, and hope you are making it fine and dandy, I suppose you do not have much pleasure since I see that you are under quaranteen, it must be pretty bad in that way, But I guess they all say I'll make it, if the rest can.
Rice harvest is nothing to speak about yet, the rice is dead ripe but it does not dry, we are having beautiful weather, but there is no wind at all and you know that it won't dry very well without some breeze.
I have just ate dinner now, so I can write like the Dickens now for a while Tomorrow Sun. we will get our horses we hired one team and Oscar got one team from the same party and Lofgrens too, I think we will probably help Lofgrens cut until ours is ready. Lofgrens will start Monday. I don't hardly think we will do much on ours next week that is the week ending the 19th. We have our binder allready and anxious to go to work, I don't know which place will be ready first, but I think, the 40 acre north of the place.
Dad is going to Chico this P.M. to get some barley for the stock, it is worth about $50.00 per ton but then we almost got to have it as our hay is not very good.
Sunday 10:00 A.M.
You say you rcv'd those pictures allright, I have still some more now ready, but don't think I will send any this time, as you might have gotten your furlough and on your way home, at least I hope so. We are awaiting an answer every day from the Board you must not have got Albin's letter yet when you wrote last because you didn't seem to know any thing about the furlough of which he wrote about in particular, I spose you have got it by this time. Oscar has Bob Risley to help him, he is ready to start cutting any time on his home place.
How is Walt? The old kid I hope he is getting along fine, tell him hello.
It seems as though I never get time to answer that McClogan's(?) letter spose he thinks I am mighty slow, which is no doubt, I guess I am, well when you see him greet him from me any way.
This is all for this time, it's not much a letter, but any way you might call it a greeting from the folks, ect.
From
Richard Peterson
A few milestones in automobile history, from Two-Lane Roads.com :
1900
First automobile ad - Saturday Evening Post
First steering wheel in place of tiller.
First drivers license issued - to Harold J. Birnie in New York City
1901
Oldsmobile includes a speedometer on their cars.
1902
American Automobile Association organized
1904
First school for automobile mechanics - Detroit
1905
First cars sold on installment plan.
First car reported stolen. (St. Louis)
1909
First rural mile of concrete - Wayne County, Michigan
1911
First electric starter - Cadillac
First Indianapolis 500
1913
First moving assembly line - Ford
Ford produces 1000 cars in one day
1914
First stop sign - Detroit
1921
Lincoln comes with standard turn signals
1924
One in seven Americans owns a car
1930
First cars wired for radio
1937
Gearshifts move from floor to steering columns
1942
Civilian car production halts for World War II
Gas rationing begins
1945
Passenger car production resumes - July
Gas rationing ends - August
1949
First car to start by turning the key only - Chrysler
1950
First tinted glass - Buick
1951
First automobile power steering - Chrysler
1953
First fiberglass body - Chevrolet Corvette
Auto air conditioning
1955
Record players - Chrysler
1957
Paper air cleaners replace oil bath
Retractable hardtops - Ford
Cruise control
(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)
Dear friend Charlie,
I'm going to try to answer your welcome letter of some time ago. It would sure be fine to see you in this part of the country again. We are having rainy weather now days, and we sure needed it, so it is welcome. The corn was nearly suffering for rain, some of the corn has got stunted but I think it will make at least 25 bls(?). Weve had around 3 in. of rain now, in several differnent showers this last few days, Today it rained so we couldnt go to church, so you better come out here and pick corn, We have plowed about 40 acres in a little better than two days. We plow with two gangs and the tractor, I suppose you will soon start harvesting rice out there. how are the prospects this year. I hope they are good.
The wheat turns out pretty good this year. From 16 to 38 hv(?) as much as I have heard. We shocked(?) threshed some which made 21 1/2, the wheat up in the hills made 23. All new wheat tests around 60 lbs. to the hv(?) or over so we get the top price for wheat, they dont even test is this year. We sold the wheat we raised in the hills for $1.18 a hv(?). Oscar Martinson has gotten the house almost ready now. The plasterers are there working, and the house is half painted on the outside. Oscar is going to run one of Bill Pearsons threshing outfitter, he has two you know. Father, Mother, Carl, and Duzenia(?) were in Sarmville(?) last tuesday and Wednesday, they rode automobile, had fine roads, they came home just in time for the rainy weather. Does Albin still hang on the the job of pumping cars(?).
I suppose you've heard that Durty(?) John(?), got his hand cut off in a corn shiller last winter. He has still got the grays he bought on your sale. Dolly or the one Bengstons bought has a colt this year. Last Sunday afternoon we took a trip over 2 miles north of Kearney to Andrew Wilsons(?) they used to live west of Funk, but now before they moved they lived out by Holaugh(?). They are bulding a new bridge across the platte(?) over by Kearney, It's going to be a concrete bridge and not much over 80 rods long. We were to the river to swim in Sunday afternoon but there was no deep water about three feet the deepest, The 29th of August my brother Rev. Oscar O. Gustafson of Elbow Locke(?), Minn. is going to get married to Miss Hilden Lindburg - Omaha, and we, as many as possible, will try to be there, Axel Erickson is here now fixing our porch. and building our machine shed. It seems like Im running short on news so I might as well quit. Hoping to hear from you soon.
Your freind
Emil G. (Gustafson)
Greet all the rest of 'em
(From Richvale, California)
(To Supply Co. 76 In., Camp Lewis, Washington)
Dearest Brother:
I will this morning write you just a few lines as I am sure you haven't heard anything from us for some time, as we are so busy with harvest, and Esther is sick but is getting quite a bit better today. the rest of us are feeling fine at present although we have had several touches of the flu. I know I have had a close touch of it 2 times last time was yesterday morning, I felt pretty punk but anyway I went to work jigging sacks on Bill's machine threshing on our 160 and today I feel fine I have jigged for 3 days, and to my notion it is a tough job, and I think it will cure the influenza at all times, the harder you can knock yourself around the better that's the way I got rid of it but I might get it yet.
Bill Evans died about a week ago from influenza, I saw in the Bee last night that Chico has lost 62 people from the Epidemic.
Well I suppose you are wondering how we are getting along with harvest. I must say it is pretty slow, the home 40, we have all done and in the Warehouse, the 160 we are now threshing on and have about 1/3 of it threshed, and about 35 acres left to cut, we have quit cutting about 2 weeks ago on account of Landis(?) having such a late crop he just drained his a few days ago and leaves ours pretty tough what is next to him but if it don't rain we will have all except what isn't cut in the Warehouse this week, and then we will cut the rest have Landis thresh the rest.
The reason why I am not working to day is because have got to fill out my questionnaire it is a week ago tomorrow since I rcv'd it but I haven't had time to do anything with it but had to take time today or probably get put in the cooler for a while they only give a week to fill them in. I am not going to claim for any exemption.
It is raining a little now so I don't think they can thresh any more to day, if it starts to rain now we will be in the soup.
Rcv'd that picture and several letters from you couldn't hardly find you on that picture.
P.S. Well if you should go across before I write again I hope you will reach France safe and wish you good luck on your trip. don't forget to bring a soveneir of the Kaiser home.
from Rick & us all.
