My Grandfather's 1923 Journal

Journal 1923 Notes

S.S. Spokane in Alaska

Monday, January 1, 1923

From Seattle, the ship makes the following ports: Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, Skagway, and Sitka, with a few other small places making the round trip in from nine to twelve.

I have bought a few souvenirs and sent them home. 

Up near Sitka, I saw a flock of deer, and this place is really picturesque, with its snowy peaks and green valleys, which look wonderful.

The first Authentic Picture of Mt McKinley, Alaska, 20,300 

I made a quick trip this time, arriving in port at midnight on Thursday and cleaning up the pantry on Friday.

The head pantry man was fired for stealing silver; I never thought he would do it, so I was surprised.

Saturday, January 6, 1923

On January 6, I was laid off, so I will no longer be working at S.S. Spokane.

Wednesday, January 10, 1923

On January 10, I will get to work on the S. S. Alameda, so I will still go to Alaska.

Sailing in the sky in Alaska

This is a different route, so we will see some new vessels that went as far as Juneau and then Cordova. 

When the shiploads of copper ore were used as ballast and went seaward for their twenty-four hours. 

Kenneth Walker was here but did not know till afterward.

On our way back, they put on fourteen hundred tons of copper, took it back to Seattle, and over to Tacoma, Washington, to the smelting plant, where unloading went back to Seattle.

I didn't sign on again, so I had to quit at first. On the boat, I was a dishwasher, and then they put me in the sailors' mess room.

I couldn't find a job, so I have been out of work, and my money is running out, so I will have to work soon.

C.P.R. Station, Vancouver, B.C.

Saturday, February 17, 1923.

Well, this is April 17, 1923, Tuesday.

I have been working at various jobs, but most recently as a pipe fitter for Alaska Steam Ship Company for a month and a half. Now I am going to work on the Agnes Dollar, which is lying in Vancouver, so I will see the place one more time.

Second Beach Park, Vancouver BC

The boat leaves from Sitka at 11 P.M. for Vancouver, arriving at 7:30 A.M. The next day, it goes up to the Robert Dollar office, then to the council and signs on.

Had one hell of a time coming to an agreement, first 30 cents for breakfast, then 50 cents for dinner.

Then they took us over to their timber mill, where the ship was, and found out the boat had only left the day before.

It was not fit to live in, so we made them fix it up before we would go to work. They scrubbed it and painted it. Meanwhile, we boarded up to the mill's lumber camp, and on the 20th, we started for San Pedro's at 1:30 P.M., Friday, April 20, 1923.

Lumber Yard and Mill, San Pedro, California

Thursday, April 26, 1923 

On April 26, I arrived in San Pedro after quite a trip from Vancouver.

I was awfully seasick one day, but got over it and felt fine afterward.

I did the work of a fireman, and in port, there is not much to do.

So it's Saturday, April 2. I cleaned out the boilers in the a.m. And it sure was a dirty job. It was so hot inside, and it was sure dirty when I got out, so were the other fellows.  

Well, in the p.m. I came up here to Los Angeles.

It sure is summer here with lots of flowers and green fields.

I came to Graham Hotel, 128 East Fourth Street, in room 28, and cleaned up, and then went out to see the town, but it was late p.m., so I did not see much.

Standard Oil Plant at San, California 

Sunday, April 29, 1923,

Spent the day in Los Angeles taking in the sights. Sure is a pretty city. Coming back on the EEETsar, you can see the oil wells on Signal Hill.

The corn is already knee-high, and everything feels like the middle of summer.

When I got here to San Pedro's, I took in the midway carnival, which is just like the county fair in Caro.

Thursday, May 3, 1923

Well, I am now in Los Angeles. I quit the ship on May 1, stayed around San Pedro for one day, then came up here, looked around, and took in some shops. Have not looked for any work yet, but will tomorrow.

Summit of Rubidoux Mountain, Riverside, California, on the Road of a Thousand Wonders.

Friday, May 11, 1923

Well, today is my birthday, and I received a lot of mail today. I am low on money, only $5.00. I will work for a while. 

On your birthday
May this day be bright and Happy, filled with joys and memories sweet
May this little word of
greetings
Speak for me -until we meet.

I have been taking in the city's views and have been out to the movie studio, over to Lincoln Park, through the Selig Zoo, and to numerous places.

I am staying at the Bellman Hotel, 134 E. 4th St.

Park and Public Library at San Pedro, Cal

Thursday, May 17, 1923

I am working on board the S.S. Halco as a fireman, having been hired in Los Angeles.

Sunday, while I was reading in the clubroom, they brought me over to San Pedro's in the machine and went to work at 3:00 P.M.

Sunday, May 20, 1923

Worked longshore all day, which is overtime, so that will help out. I handle lumber.

Came up to Port Astoria, Oregon, and saw where the business section was all burnt out, and they are starting to rebuild it.

There is a lot of scenery, and the fishermen are out at work catching fish. There is a fleet of boats out in the water.

Wednesday, May 23, 1923

I left Kalama yesterday at 3 P.M. for the return. Twice, it was up to the village, and I went to a show and bought some writing paper. It is a nice little place.

After we left, on the way down, I saw quite a bit of scenery, which was sure wonderful.

The boat stopped at Astoria and took on oil and water. Here, I mailed a letter to (AB) and boarded the return trip to San Pedro's.

Friday, June 1, 1923,

Did not go back on the S.SArmylco, so I went to Los Angeles, where I only had Army 10.00, and then enlisted in the Army.

Tuesday, June 19, 1923 

Well, I have been in the Army for a while, enlisted in Los Angeles, and dwelt at Fort McDowell for a week.

I had a good time playing pool, reading, and enjoying other amusements, and then on the 17th, we left the Fort.

We were taken to Washington, where we took the boat, Ruth Alexander.

I was in stateroom 433 in the upper berth.

There were some lovely people in the operating room, and we had a good time. The girls came and were also laughing; we had a good time dancing and talking.

On Monday, we arrived in San Francisco, and they took us in a truck to the Military boat about 2 miles from the dock, since the ship was small. It brought us to Fort McDonnell, which is on the island out in the bay. Then received some more clothes, and today we have done the usual work of unloading stones from the boat and supper at 5 P.M.

Last night we went to a free show called "The Face on the Bar Room Floor," which was good. Pictures.

Tuesday, June 26, 1923 

Well, I am on my way to New York on the U.S.S. Grant.

We left Fort McDonnell Saturday, June 23, 1923, in the a.m. and took a boat over to the army transport dock 170 in the bunch.

The Grant left at 12 P.M. A band came down and played while we were going. 

We passed the Golden Gate Bridge at 12:30 P.M. 

We have all lain down about 40 times a day during the inspection.

I am now on kitchen police dishing out the chuc. Well, today we saw a couple of boats and a school of porpoises.

Wednesday, July 4, 1923

The boat U.S.S. Grant arrived in Balboa on Tuesday, July 3, at 3 P.M.

We sighted the place about noon, after seeing the island and a boat coming out of the Panama Canal. This is surely someplace.

I went uptown today, and you have to watch out for the MP police and sailors' police. This is the dirtiest place I've ever been.

Everything is nice and green, thanks to all the rain, and morale is very low, so you have to watch out for yourself.

People think this is a trip, but a person is better off not doing so much traveling.

My foot is sore the army shoes are too tight I am going to need another pair of shoes.

I had an Oxford suit, 6 pairs of socks, my OD shirt, 3 handkerchiefs, and a pair of garters stolen from me while I was ashore.

So did not profit by going ashore; the low-down petty thief. Anyway, if caught, it will go hard with them all for today.

Saturday, July 7, 1923

On Thursday, July 5, I stood guard all day at the entrance to the storage companionway.

Several dunks came in and were brought in.

I did not leave the ship on Friday, July 6. In the morning, we started through the canal. The first object was a lot of machinery that had been left (turn to page 14) 

in the water.

Then tame the sailors' barracks; some are along the canal.

Then we came to the first set of locks, which are around the Pacific locks.

There are two in this set, then we go on to another set called Pedro Miguel locks.

Then we pass through the Culebra, which sure looks funny for ships to be going through, and you can see where the big slides are a little farther on;n there were three big slides already working.

Then we passed long ways through what had once been a swamp.

There came the Gatun Dam and locks; there are three in this set, each of which houses or lowers thirty feet.

Then we passed through Colon when they picked out some stowaways, and at about 4 P.M. 

We passed through the big breakwater wall built by a ship through the Panama Canal into the Atlantic Ocean.

Saturday, the 7th day of July 1923, on the Atlantic Ocean, which is a bit rough, so some do not eat, but I am all right yet.

Friday, July 20, 1923 

Arrived in New York and went to Fort Hamilton, which was a darn sight better than the Grant.

We slept in tents for the first three nights, then in the barracks. The mosquitoes were fierce; they bit some, making them look as though they had measles, and finall,y they gave us mosquito netting for protection.

Pleasant Memories

We only did a couple of drills, the rest is back on page 12---

At the time,  I was either fatigued or loafing around, made four trips up to Brooklyn, saw the sights, and went to the---- 

A Pledge to our Flag!!!!

For a change, today they took us from Fort Hamilton to Mitchell Field.

There were three truckloads of fifty-three men in all, and we got here in time for dinner.

I was assigned to the fifth squadron as a truck driver and have now settled in for a while.

Thursday, August 9, 1923 

I have been here at Mitchell Field for 3 weeks.
End of writing in a journal

Wilbur in a military suit