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 along and sent them home. 

Up near Sitka seen a flock of dear and this place is really picturesque with its snowy peaks and green valleys, which show up wonderfully.

The first Authentic Picture of Mt McKinley Alaska 20,300 

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

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

Saturday, January 6, 1923

On the 6th of January was laid off so I will not work at S.S. Spokane anymore.

Wednesday, January 10, 1923

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

Sailing on 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 as ballast and went on seaward 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 unloading went back to Seattle here.

I have not signed on again so had to quit at first, on the boat, I was a dishwasher and then they put me in the sailor’s mess room.

I found no job so I have been out of employment and my money is fading away so 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 last as a pipe fitter for Alaska Steam Ship Company for a month and a half and now going to work on the Agnes Dollar she is laying in Vancouver so I will see the place once more.

Second Beach Park, Vancouver BC

The boat goes out from Sitka at 11 p.m. for Vancouver in the morning at 7:30 a.m. and went up to the Robert Dollar office and from there 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 ships 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, arrived in San Pedro after quite a trip from Vancouver.

I was awful 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 28, I cleaned out the boilers in the a.m. and it sure was a dirty job it was so hot inside and sure was dirty when I got out so were the other fellows.  

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

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 Pedro California 

Sunday, April 29, 1923,

Spent the day in Los Angeles taking in the sights it sure is a pretty place, coming back on the streets car you can see the oil wells on Signal Hill.

The corn is knee-high all ready everything is just like the middle of summer.

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

Thursday, May 3, 1923

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

Summit of Rubidoux Mountian 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, am low on money only $5.00 so 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 views of the city and have been out to the movie studio over to Lincoln Park through the Selig Zoo and 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 was 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 o'clock p.m.

Sunday, May 20, 1923

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

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

There is a lot of scenery and the fisherman 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 was up to the village and went to a show and bought some writing paper, it is a nice little place.

After we left coming down I have seen 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 came on board for the return trip to San Pedro’s.

Friday, June 1, 1923,

Did not go back on the S.S. Halco so, went to Los Angeles, while I only had $10.00 then enlisted in the Army.

Tuesday, June 19, 1923 

Well, I am in the army now for a while enlisted in Los Angeles, and dwelt to Fort McDowell, where I stayed for a week.

I had a good time playing pool, reading, and all other sorts of 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 nice people in the operating room and we had a good time, the girls came, were also laughing we had a good time dancing and talking.

Monday we arrived in San Francisco and they took us in a truck to the Military boat about 2 miles from the dock, as the boat was a small one that took us to Fort McDonnell, which is on the island out in the bay. Then received some more clothes and today, we have done 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 leaving. 

We passed the Golden Gate Bridge at 12:30 p.m. 

We have all lain about forty times a day along with the inspection.

I am now on kitchen police dishing out the chuck 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 when we have seen the island and a boat come off the Panama Canal this is sure someplace.

I went uptown today and you have to watch out for the MP police and sailor’s police, this is the dirtiest place I was ever thought of.

Everything is nice and green being a load of rainfall to make it so, the morale is very low so you have to watch out for yourself.

People think that this would be some trip but a person would be better off not doing so much traveling around.

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 garter 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 on the entrant to the storage companionway.

Several dunks came in and were brought it.

I did not leave the ship Friday, July 6th 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 there came the sailor's barracks, there are some all along the canal.

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

They are two in this set then we go further than 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 were a little farther on 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 one of these locks houses or lowers thirty feet.

Then we passed down to Colon when they picked out some stowaways and at about 4 p.m. 

We passed out onto the Atlantic Ocean through the big breakwaters wall that was built in a ship via the Panama Canal.

Saturday, 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 the first three nights and then in the barracks, the misquotes is something fierce, they bit some so it made them look as though they had measles and finally they gave us mosquito barrio for protection.

Pleasant Memories

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

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

A Pledge to our Flag!!!!

For a change and 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 dower and now settled for a while.

Thursday, August 9, 1923 

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

Wilbur in a military suit