EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

A couple of days ago I wrote about the debate over Social Security. Today Leland Meitzler has an article on his blog about Ida Mae Fuller the person that got the first Social Security Check here

January 30, 1935
Predicts Defeat of Grange Bill,  Senator Ed Peirce of Spokane the Senate Pro Temp predicted  the Grange Blanket Primary law will be defeated in the upper chamber despite the fact  that it won in the house 86-11.
If Defeated it automatically is referred to voters in the 1936 general election.

Interesting how a review of police is different than from today.

Still working on Grand Coulee Dam

February 1, 1935
City Merchants Want Sales Tax Levied on Buyer.  Spokane Retail Merchants voiced their opposition to any sales tax that is not passed to the consumer.

Brilliant Sunrise Dazzles Spokane. Spokane residents who arose early got to see one of the most brilliant sunrise spectacles seen here in many years.
Precipitation totals of 2.06 inches for January was a 0.10 of an inch short of normal.

Working on the Bay Bridge in San Francisco

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 29, 1935
Battle Against Time is on at Coulee Dam.  Construction of a cofferdam which must be completed before snow waters from the Canadian Rockies comes roaring down the river. Not alarmed yet but behind schedule on the cofferdam.

Alaskan Highway Project is Urged.  Representative Donald McDonald introduced a memorial in the state house requesting congress to cooperate with Canada on building a highway to Fairbanks Alaska.

The big snows of winter are creating a lot of damage as it melts.

January 30, 1935

Blanket Primary Bill is Approved by State House.  By a vote of 86 to 11 the House approved the Blanket Primary initiative. Goes to Senate and if the Senate refuses to pass it, then it automatically goes to the ballot.

Having Census problems?

"Freedom Webinar Series" from Legacy Family Tree

Legacy Family Tree "Freedom Webinar Series"

by Patricia Bayonne-Johnson

(Vice-President of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society)

To celebrate the 150 anniversary of the end of slavery, Legacy Family Tree has announced a series of four FREE webinars:

·         Researching Ancestors in the Era of Freedom by Angela Walton-Raji, Friday, February 20, 2015

·     United States Colored Troops Civil War Widows' Pension Applications: Tell the Story by Bernice  Alexander Bennett, Friday, April 24, 2015

·       Mending Broken Ties: Reconstructing Family Trees Sawed by Slavery by Melvin J. Collier, Friday, July 31, 2015

·         Maps Tell Some of the Story for African Ancestored Genealogist by Angela Walton-Raji, September 25, 2015

FREE access is available through the end of January for three webinars from 2014:

·         When Freedom Came - Documenting the Family's Freedom Story by Angela Walton-Raji

·         Your Civil War Ancestors: Beginning Your Research by Michael Hait

·         Best Internet Resources for African American Genealogy by Angela Walton-Raji

For registration and details, copy and paste the link into your browser:

http://news.legacyfamilytree.com/legacy_news/2015/01/freedom-webinar-series-familytreewebinarscom-celebrates-150-years-since-the-beginning-of-freedom-for.html 

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 28, 1935
Cost of Heating is Made Public:  Mason City the worlds first all electric city revealed the cost of heating a 3 or 4 bedroom house with electricity. Average for last month was $8 so for a year $54-$55.

Want State to Widen Heavily Traveled Roads, but how to pay for the work?
1. Keep the 5 cent gas tax  (Washington is 37.5 cents a gallon now)
2. Keep the $3 registration fee for all vehicles.
3. Put a 11 cent tax fuel tax on diesel fuel (up to now exempt from fuel tax)

The Dionne Quints are 8 months old today. They grew 6.5 inches in the last 30 days and gained 6 pounds 13 ounces. They get one half an egg yolk each day, and on alternate days either vegetable pulp or fruit pulp. They still get milk and cod liver oil each day and cereal in the evenings.

Cheney Savages Go on the Warpath. Cheney Normal Basketeers left Sunday for the coast. Playing four teams while gone. First the stars from Wenatachee  at Cashmere. Then the University of Washington Yearlings, Tuesday; Bellingham Normal, Thursday; and Ellensburg Normal, Saturday.

Great Northern Crews Gathering Ice for next Summer

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 26, 1935
Dam Power Use Causes Debates.  Which comes first? Power use by industry or families using land irrigated by the water. Primary attention to the power use and potential markets for the power. On the other hand Pacific northwest must use the soil to create a use for the power.

Dionne Quints doing well at 8 months.

King George to be honored  at Silver Jubilee.

Still working on Grand Coulee Dam.

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 25, 1935
Prediction is that Washington is "headed straight" for a general sales tax was made by  County Assessor H.L. Kingsland following his return from the state assessors convention in Tacoma.
Money to run the state is no where in sight. A new 40 mill bill shuts down real estate taxes and they have to turn to something else. Other suggestions  Requiring auto owners to pay personal tax when renewing their licenses (the excise tax). Abolishing the township form of government.

Melting snow and ice a problem

Another sale at the Crescent.

The Olympic skating team is forming for the 1936 Winter Olympics.

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 23, 1935
Mayor Alarmed at Condition of City Pavements.  The mayor declared some of Spokane's paved streets are in worse shape for traffic than a plowed field. The mayor wants the legislature to give the cities a portion of the fuel tax. The cities have been getting a small portion of the fuel tax but it expires early this year. Cities are sponsoring a bill to get 25% of the fuel tax.

Nice looking Studebaker  Ambulance with doors on both sides for quick loading.

GAR Women Leaders Leave.  Mrs. Ruth Purdue, President of the Department of Washington and Alaska Ladies of the GAR, and Mrs. Maude McCoy past Department President have been in Spokane installing officers and visiting the Gettysburg and Appomattox Circles left for their homes in Seattle

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 22, 1935
Cost of Pension a Billion and a Half. The Senate Finance Committee was told that Social Security would cost $1.68 billion a year to care for the nations aged at $40 a month. The bill actually provides for $30 a month pension.

The Crescent was having a 69 cent sale, 5760 items at 69 cents.

Snow was causing Traffic problems.

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 21, 1935
The Supreme Court to Rule on the NRA, one of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal Programs. Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of the NRA, Case against William E. Belcher an Alabama timber producer to test the authority over labors hours and wages. The government contended he permitted employees to work more hours per week or for less than the minimum hourly wage.
The NRA Board says that the NRA or something like it should be made permanent.

Jimmy Doolittle sets a new transcontinental mark for transport planes. Los Angeles to New York in one minute short of 12 hours.

City to use its new snow loading machine. The city bought it five years ago but used it only once since then. Crew of 140 men with shovels were clearing the snow during the daytime. Pipes frozen in the 18 degrees below zero temperature.

John and Bill are popular names for baby boys; Joan, Jo Ann, Mary Lou and Janice are popular names for girls.

Rolly Johnson the WSC Center Guard from Spokane is getting ready for his last two games as a cougar.

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 19, 1935 
Mercury Still Hovers Around Old Man Zero It was 2 degrees at 8 am this morning. The wind that has been piling the 10 inch snowfall into drifts has waned. Spokanes foot of snow dwarfed by the report from Rossland, B.C.  which has 120 inches this season and 38 inches so far  for January.

The Dionne Quints are big news in 1935

Fashion News for 1935 Winter Sports.

Negro Basketeers Play Fast Game. The New York Harlemites meet Gonzaga freshmen at 8 p.m. Sunday night. Southern Oregon Normal and Whitman College are the only teams to win over the Harlemites this season.

Gonzaga Grid Chief Studies Contract. Mike Pecarovich the Gonzaga football coach, is looking over the new contract as his old contract expires March 1, 1935.

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 17, 1935
Moscow, Idaho  Snow is piling up a few inches each day. Now nine inches on the ground and some drifting.
Palouse, Washington  Snow covered newly cleaned sidewalks with 4 inches of snow in less than an hour yesterday morning.
The Tekoa- Latah road is blocked by snow.
Latah, Washington Horses and sleds are used by the farmers to get around.

January 18, 1935

A drawing of the January 19, 1883 Spokane Fire.

Click on the pictures to make them bigger.

Work on the Grand Coulee Dam continues. Not sure I would like riding on the sling on the end of the cable from the crane.

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 14, 1935

Photo from the annual East West Shrine football game with future president Gerald Ford.

Beach wear?

Houses cost a lot less in 1935. This is a $7000 house.

EWGS ....... And Easy Way To Help EWGS Raise Money

This will be so much fun and so easy and so productive, we promise!  Get an empty jar (jelly, Mason, mayonnaise) and set it in your kitchen where you will see it every day. Then follow this schedule:

Day 1       Put in 5 cents for every room in your house.
Day 2       Put in 5 cents if it is sunny or rainy.
Day 3       Put in 1 cent for the combined age of your children.
Day 4       Put in 2 cents for each bathroom in your house.
Day 5       Put in 5 cents for each of your grandchildren.
Day 6       Put in 10 cents for every TV in your house.
Day 7       Put in 2 cents for every plant you have in your house.
Day 8       Put in 5 cents for every clock in your house.
Day 9       Put in 10 cents if you used an electric razor today.
Day 10     Put in 25 cents if you forgot to give somebody a hug today.
Day 11     Put in 5 cents if you read the paper today.
Day 12     Put in 1 cent for each serving of fruit you eat today.
Day 13     Put in 10 cents for each hour of TV you watched today.
Day 14     Put in 10 cents for each store you visited today.
Day 15     Put in 1 cent for each T-shirt you own.
Day 16     Put in 25 cents if you went to the movies today.
Day 17     Put in 2 cents for each pair of shoes in your closet.
Day 18     Put in 25 cents for each computer in your house.
Day 19     Put in 2 cents for every telemarketer call you received this month!
Day 20     Put in 5 cents for each time you brushed your teeth today.
Day 21     Put in 5 cents for each cookie you ate today.
Day 22     Put in 10 cents for each unkind thought you had today.
Day 23     Put in 50 cents if you went shopping today; make it 75 cents if it was Walmart.
Day 24     Put in 10 cents for every door on every vehicle you own.
Day 25     Put in 50 cents if you went through a red light this month.
Day 26     Put in 5 cents for every letter you received today.
Day 27     Put in 5 cents for every letter you mailed today.
Day 28     Put in 2 cents for every time you used the microwave today.
Day 29     Put in 5 cents for each chair in your house.
Day 30     Put in 25 cents if you washed dishes today.
Day 31     Put in 50 cents if you really put something into the jar every day!

Figure out how much you "owe" to EWGS and bring it to the next meeting and give it to our treasurer, Oweta. She'll even take the whole jar!

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 12, 1935
  Amelia Earhart was flying over Santa Cruz, California on her flight from Hawaii to Oakland, California. A crowd of 500 gathered at the Oakland airport. 

Admiral Joseph Mason Reeves says Americans are Better Fighters. He says American planes and materials are equal to any country and our men are superior in tactical skill and valor.

COULEE DAM  Trying to find marks on rocks and cuts on trees made 50 years ago so as to establish corners needed for the land to be flooded by the dam. Section corners established 1880-1890 in Lincoln, Stevens and Grant counties, and 1906-1907 in Okanogan and Ferry counties.

Basketball fans will see the battle of towering centers when Cheney Normal and Gonzaga meet here tonight. The Bulldogs have a 6 foot 5 Harold (Ox) Bradway, while the visiting Savages depend on 6 foot 6. Eustace.

EWGS & Change & A Book Review

When I asked Google for images illustrating the word "change," I was given the choice of hundreds! Of course there would be hundreds of images to illustrate this huge and multi-faceted concept. This simple one did the trick for what I'm thinking today.

James Tanner, in his Genealogy's Star Blog, back on July 4th, 2014, posted that "The Only Constant Is Change." In this post, Tanner talked about all the changes he's seen in genealogical methods over his lifetime. "We started out with paper forms. In my case (I had) thousands of family group records, pedigree charts, and boxes and boxes of photographs, letters, diaries, journals, certificates, business records, and so on and on and on."

"As time passed, it became evident to me that the shear volume of information generated by (my) genealogical research had to have a solution. I saw that solution, in part, in computerizing all of my records. This meant changing in a big way."

Tanner went on explaining how really better it is to embrace change, to use change to make your work and your life easier. And why not?  "All I can say is if you don't like change, you are going to live a hard life," quipped Tanner.

Is EWGS changing? And is it changing for the better? For the better in your opinion? As president, I see EWGS striving to hang on to our original goals (which is good) while moving to change the ways we do that "hanging on." We help people find their ancestors in vastly different ways than we did 20 years ago you must agree. And isn't that a change for good??  I'm welcome to your thoughts and comments.

******************************************

Book Review: The Lost Ancestor: A Genealogical Crime Mystery

by Donna Potter Phillips,  October 2014

Morton Farrier, who terms himself a forensic genealogist, loves to solve genealogical mysteries. When a dying client, Ray Mercer, approaches him and requests that Morton find out what happened to his great aunt. “I want to know what happened to her before I die,” Ray tells Morton.  Thus begins the story of how Morton learns the story of Mary Mercer, born in 1893 in the town of Winchelsea, Sussex, who disappeared from the family in 1911 and died and then ………… well, you’re going to have to read the story for yourself.

This is Nathan Dylan Goodwin’s second novel and is just as gripping as was his first, Hiding the Past. Through the character of Morton Farrier, he takes us to local research repositories and orders records from the Public Record Office. He freely uses Ancestry.UK. All of this is good teaching to us the readers and we scarcely know we’re being taught because we are so caught up in the story.

How does Morton piece together these puzzle pieces:  red hair, Scotland, The Keep, duties of a maid, twins, Nova Scotia and a lily pond? You’ll just have to read The Lost Ancestor and find out for yourself.

This book may be ordered from Amazon as a Kindle edition for $6.89. Look for (and Like) Nathan Dylan Goodwin’s page on Facebook. It is a really good read.

EWGS January 2015 Meeting A Big Success!

Besides having both breakfast and lunch (if we wanted to) for the price on one admission to the Timber Creek Buffet, the January 2015 meeting of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society was well attended and enjoyed by all.

Kimberly Morgan and her husband Chris, drove over from Hayden Lake, Idaho, to share a presentation with us titled, "Tall Tales, Ghost Stories & Wacky Family History."  I thought she was going to tell us stories from her family but instead she introduced us to the idea of writing the stories of our own wacky ancestors.

Kim explained that there are several writing styles that could be used to compose your own story and none are "right" and none are "wrong." What method you choose depends on which one fits your personality style.

"Memoring" is writing down memories triggered by emotion and seldom is chronological.

"Imagination" is presenting the truth...... or the truth as you know it.

"Compassion" is knowing how to include unpleasantness in your story.

Everybody seemed to tune in to her explanation of the bubble concept. "Let your memories rise as a big bubble in water, look at it, remember it before it pops and is gone. Some memory bubbles you may want to revisit more than once and some never again. So it is with stories of your family."

Visit Kim's website:  www.findingancestors.net.  You'll see there that she is offering a free workshop on 24 January 2015 at the Hayden Public Library. Well worth the short drive over.


The next meeting of the EWGS will be on Saturday, February 7th, at the downtown Spokane Library. Sherrie DeWitt, Director of the Northside Family History Center, will come teach us about all the new developments in FamilySearch.  Don't miss this!

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 10, 1935
In an article on selections of 10 best, they came up with a new 10 best list. The worst dressed actors and actresses, and who tops the list? Spokane's own Bing Crosby. Bing liked casual clothes, and had no qualms about wearing casual clothes when he was not working.

City traffic slowed by Half Foot of snow; snow shovels which had been unused for several weeks are being used now as 6.2 inches of snow fell . The city had 15 trucks and a crew of 87 men clearing streets and crosswalks.

January 11, 1935
Kellogg   Rotary snowplows were keeping Lookout summit open. Banks of snow 15 feet high beside the road.

I remember Burgan's as a furniture store, but in 1935 they had a string of 13 grocery stores all over eastern Washington. Here are some of the prices of groceries:

Note from the last post The Dessert Hotel had an independent basketball team in 1935, and they played the college teams of the area. They were called the Desserts.

New Year's Day Dinner, 1892, At Our Davenport Hotel

Two full pages in Tony and Suzanne Bamonte's book, Spokane's Legendary Davenport Hotel, to list the dinner menu for New Year's Day in 1892. (The Davenport Hotel did not open until 1914 but previously Louis Davenport had a very classy restaurant. This menu most likely came from that dining room.) A figure or amount was listed by each entree which I took to be the cost:

COLD

Fresh Crabs, 25

Veal, 20

Turkey, 40

Mutton, 20

Corned Beef, 20

Beef, 20

Pork, 20

Sugar Cured Ham, 20

Fresh Lobsters, 50

Goose, 35

Boned Turkey with Aspect Jelly, 40

BOILED

Capon with Oyster Sauce, 35

Turkey with Egg Sauce, 40

Ox Tongue with Cream Sauce, 20

Leg of Mutton with Caper Sauce, 20

Brisket of Been with Horse Radish, 20

Sugar Cured Ham, 20

Pickled Pigs Head with Sauerkraut, 20

Corned Beef and Cabbage, 20

ROAST

Stuffed Turkey with Cranberry Sauce, 40

Saddle of Mutton, 20

Domestic Goose and Apple Sauce, 40

 Loin of Pork, 20

Prime Roast of Beef, Brown Gravy, 25

Stuffed Chicken, 35

Duck with Currant Jelly, 40

Lamb with Mint Sauce, 20

Suckling Pig with Apple Sauce, 35

Saddle of Venison, 25

Shoulder of Veal with Dressing, 20

My first thought as I typed this was how on earth could one kitchen properly fix all these different things. Did you catch the most expensive thing on the menu? 

Next week I'll finish up this menu with the entrees and desserts! They are equally stunning!

The Christmas Pickle

Do you hang a green pickle on your Christmas tree? And why do you do this?

One story I came upon is the Medieval tale of two Spanish boys traveling home from boarding school for the holidays. Weary from travel, they stop at an inn for the night. The inn keeper, a mean and evil man, steals the boys' possessions and stuffs them into a pickle barrel. That evening, St. Nicholas stops in for a rest at the inn and becomes aware of the boys' plight. He taps the pickle barrel with his staff, and the boys are magically restored. The boys tank St. Nicholas and continue happily home for Christmas.

The tradition of trying to find the little ornament shaped like a pickle began many years ago in Laschau, Germany. Pickle ornaments were considered a special decoration by many families in Germany where the fir tree was decorated on Christmas Eve. It was always the last ornament to be hung on the Christmas tree with the parents hiding it deep among the green boughs.

When the children were allowed to view the tree, they would begin searching for the pickle ornament. The children knew that whoever first found that special ornament would receive an extra little gift left by St. Nicholas for the most observant child. If the family could not afford such extras, the picket finder was rewarded by being the first to open presents.

Production of the blown glass Christmas pickle ornament started in the 1890s.

I'd be sure that there are dozens of other Christmas Pickle Ornament stories.......... care to share yours???