Letters to Lillian

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

I have bad news. Last week was the last letter. Jim died in the hospital, and Lillian never married. She worked as a paralegal, lived at home with her father, and died in 1957 of cancer.

The legend in the family was that Lillian had had a sweetheart who had died in South America. Fresno doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it?

My parents have been trying to track down an official obituary, but haven't been able to find one. So you are welcome to think, if you wish, that Jim was sent home from the mine and reunited with Lillian and they lived happily ever after. Maybe they did.

Letter to Lillian, July 31, 1922

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

[letter written in pencil]

Sampson Mine

Llanada Cal

July 31, 1922

Dear Lillian - I am sorry to inform you that the reason for the pencil is that I am flat on my back in bed. I have been in bed almost continuously since Saturday morning. Friday I was in fair shape as shown by the fact that I ran down to the road twice in the Ford. Today is the day I am supposed to go, but I couldn't get to the Ford let alone run it.

     Tomorrow morning the boss intends to take me to the hospital, either in Hollister or Fresno.

     The trouble is due to intestinal obstruction where my appendix was. There is a large red swelling divided down the center by the operation scar so the cause is easily seen.

     It is interesting to see the amount of life about as I lie here in bed. Flies of course are to be classed as only a pest, although I get a great many with my trusty swatter, said swatter being purchased in Woolworth's on Fifth and Market at about 12:20 PM July 24. I bought one for the lab. and one for the tent.

     As regards other life a bird tried to get in the tent, and one or two of these little flycatcher lizards sought to penetrate the screen

     I do not wish to annoy you with further details of my illness so I will close. I will give you further information as soon as possible.

          So save some of your love
               for      Jim.

[Insert]

The Burnett Sanitarium Company

J.L. Maupin, M.D., President

D.H.Trowbridge, M.D., Secretary

[caption under illustration]
Modern Fireproof Hospital

Fresno, California,

Tues. August 1-1922

P.S.
     Mr. Campbell had his operation this morning,- is awake now and doing nicely. He will probably be here for several days--perhaps longer so a letter addressed to him at the "Burnett Sanitarium-Fresno-California #116- will reach him.

JB Campbell

By - AM.O.

Letter to Lillian,July 25, 1922

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

Mendota Cal

July 25, 1922

Warfield Building, SF, 1922

Dear Lillian-Although we did not meet in San Francisco I suppose that I will have to call it alright. I was about ten minutes late myself so I guess that it was my own fault. I did not leave the company's office until a quarter of twelve and I had to go to the bank after that. But even so I would have been all right had it not been for the fact that I went into a store to buy this paper and ink to write you with. I have enough paper and ink to last several months now and plenty of envelopes.

     When I reached Oakland I put in a three month's subscription to the Tribune and also bought a couple of wireless instruments. I had to eat my dinner on the boat.

     We arrived in Mendota last night about on schedule. The truck that broke down when I was on it was not in yet. The part arrived only yesterday and he took it up yesterday afternoon, returning last night. This morning he tore down his engine and does not expect to go up until Friday. The other truck went up yesterday afternoon and came back this morning. We will go up with him this afternoon, soon I hope, as it is 3 o'clock now. The train will be in before we go. That same train left Oakland this morning. I say we will go up, as there are three of us. I have a cook and a mine foreman with me, besides plenty of baggage.

     How did the girls at the office treat you when they noticed your decoration. Personally I feel very proud of you. I have some sweetheart I'll say.

     Well I guess that I will have to cut this letter short as we will probably start soon. Well, the main reason of this letter is to start you writing so start right off if you have not already done so

     With the best of love
            Your Jim

Letter to Lillian, July 13, 1922

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

Sampson Mine

Llanada Calif.

July 13th 1922

Dear Lillian - Although I wrote only last night, much has occurred since. I had just finished your letter and was writing to my aunt to tell her when to expect me, when I thought of my watermelon. I called the gang and we had melon. About 9 P.M. I was down at the bunk house sitting around just having finished eating when I heard a vehicle approaching. The road forks just as it enters camp and the truck stopped. Consequently we knew that it was a stranger. We called and directed them to come over on our side of the creek. He did so and we found that it was a carry all with eleven men including the cook. The driver said that he wanted to go back that night. I called the cook and the gang ate. I fixed them up with beds and then filled the truck and the carry all went back to San Francisco empty.

     About 11:30 AM today I was working in the laboratory and I heard a vehicle approaching. This time it was a Ford with the truckman driving and five new men including the cook. The first cook went to the upper camp which had been doing without a cook. The boss then fired the cook here and replaced her with the other one. I showed him around and then went back to the laboratory. The boss said that he would take the cook who was leaving to Idria, about two or three miles from here in a straight line or about 10 miles by auto. He had not figured on her trunk so I dug out the flivver and took the trunk. I eventually got there. One little pitch required three attempts to climb and another was so steep that I had to monkey with the engine to make it run on four cylinders instead of the customary 2 1/2 or 3. Coming back it saw that there was no further need of four cylinders, so only three ran. I stopped on the way back to put some water in the radiator and it was scarcely boiling.It is quite unusual to run any vehicle, including shank's mare, in this country without the engine getting hot.

     Judging by the influx of men I will leave here Friday noon, getting to town Friday night late or Saturday morning early. If I can convince the boss that there should be another person to look after the store I would have more time to myself, although lately I have not been very busy from a theoretical standpoint. I have certain ideas along that line but I guess that they will be discarded as impractical.

Mining tramway in Oregon

     My store has been doing a rushing business today. I sent a couple of thousand pounds of provisions, or at least it seemed that much, to the upper camp. It took three men the best part of an hour to carry the stuff to the tramway. Some of the material is still at the upper end of the tramway, not having been taken to the cookhouse yet. In addition I have to send more tomorrow, as I did not send some things. Now my job of getting supplies will be exciting as I will have from thirty to forty to feed. One fine thing though is that I have two good cooks, both men. Take that any way you like, but not personally. The one in the lower camp is well experienced in ordering, so he will know just what he wants.

     Tomorrow is mail day again and I have to flivver down. I wish that the flivver would run uphill as well as it does down.

     Well I must cease as I am quite tired tonight for a change. So write to

          Your Jim. B.

About 8 more days.

Letter to Lillian, July 11, 1922

Sampson Mine

Llanada Calif.

July 11, 1922

Dear Lillian--I failed to recieve [sic] a letter from you in the last mail. Don't let that occur too often or I will think that you do not care to correspond with yours truly. "We'll excuse you this time but don't let it happen again," to use the words of Blackie.

     The kilns have stopped operations. They shut down Sunday morning as I remember, or maybe it was earlier. Sunday I did my last analysis. Yesterday I took stock in the store and this morning calculated the inventory to July 1. This afternoon I visited the Quarry and later planted flowers and washed clothes. I don't expect the flowers to grow as the seeds are three or four years old.

     I took my wireless aerial down this afternoon. I intend to put it on a nearby hill to get the tuning and then I may try it in the canyon again. I took my camera to the Quarry today but I did not take any pictures.

     Last Monday I did not go for the mail. The boss had to do some telephoning so he went in place of me. He went to Hollister this morning, taking Mrs. Blackie and the kids home. He expects to get some men, which is the main lack in the camp at present.

     I have been figuring about coming down next week. Only ten days. I will leave here Friday noon on the truck hauling magnesite, that is if truck is running by then. The truck is here now, the truck driver staying with me tonight, so he wants to see the boss when he returns. I will get to Mendota about 4:30, taking a stage to Tracy about 6. I will get to Oakland about midnight or later. My schedule is not checked yet and may not work. I have to get more information about that stage. The regular stage to Tres Pinos goes up on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

     I do not think that I had better leave as early as Thursday morning, and Saturday morning would not get me in until about 6 Saturday night. But if the kilns are not running, I may come Thursday. I would like to have the extra time in the city, particularly Friday Evening with you. I get quite lonesome for you lately--

     I recieved a letter from home yesterday, telling me that my kid brother had left for San Francisco. I want to see him when I am down.

Next night same week, same place.

     Well I took another flivver trip and am safely back. My gas held out all right today but I went off the road twice. Today I went further than usual going to another ranch for eggs. Coming back, one of the cylinders was missing and the old hack would not pull good anyway. I came to a little gully in the road and took a run down into it so as to get up the other side. The dust was about six or eight inches deep in the bottom and when I hit it, the hind end of the flivver went off the road. It went back on again but nearly turned over in so doing. A great cloud of dust went up and came down on me. I piled out and cranked up. I could not get up the hill so I had to back up and try it again. When I came to Tom Ashurst's place I cleaned a spark plug, which caused the engine to hit on all four. I think that the mixture is too rich as the engine would not pull well even then. I started up the road and about a third of the way up I met a four horse team. I got off the road, having considerable difficultly in so doing. The road is entirely single track from the mine to the main road five miles down.

      While I was coming back from the ranch where I went for eggs, a woman approached me and asked my aid in loading a freezerful of ice cream into her automobile, the reward being a dish of it. I readily consented to help. I eat ice cream up here when I can get it, which has been twice to date.

     Yesterday the boss went to Hollister. I had him bring me back a watermelon and we intend to eat it after a bit.

      I recieved two letters from you today. Fine work, keep it up. That was quite a good joke on Violet [Lillian's sister] in my opinion. I was surprized to hear of Ellsworth Wiley jumping off.

      I was sorry to hear of Mr. Wittner dying. I have news in the same class. One of my uncles, whome you had not met, died recently, and I just heard of it in the last mail. The strange part of it was that I had a feeling that all was not well for a couple of days before I heard.

     Carmen, the cook's daughter, is leaving tomorrow morning for San Francisco. The oldest girl in camp will then be about 6 years. Well, there will be less to remind me of you, so I won't get so lonesome.

     Carmen just came around to get some cookies to eat on her trip so I had to quit for a while.

     I have spoken to the boss about coming down and it seems that I can come down Thursday all right. I will see you Thursday evening if I do, as I expect to get in about 6 PM. I will leave here about 5:30 AM, afoot for five miles and then more or less rapid conveyances the rest of the way.

      Well if I don't close pretty quick you will not read this letter through. So, so long for 8 days, or by the time you get this letter about 5 days.

                Your Jim.

Letters to Lillian, July 4, 1922

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

Sampson Mine,

Llanada, Calif,

July 4, 1922

Dear Lillian--The grand and glorious Fourth has arrived. That is, I suppose it is grand and glorious. I know that it is hot. It was 104 today. That is not unusual, as we have had hotter days lately. I do not mind the heat now as I prepare for it. The afternoon is of course hotter than the morning, but in spite of that I run my furnace afternoons. The hard part is that I do my grinding at noon. I have a fairly well established schedule now.

     I get up about 5:30 or 6. Lately I have been working on my store books, so I work on them before breakfast. This morning I also took a shower before breakfast. I don't intend to make a practice of that however. The water is heated by the sun only and the sun don't get very hot before breakfast. We eat at 7:30. Then I put up my store orders for the kitchen and upper camp. From 8 to 11 I have for miscellaneous duties, lately working on my store books. I did not hire out for a bookkeeper and I make a punk one. I have my June books nearly done now and I intend to try and get them ready to send in tomorrow. I wish we had a stenographer here to type my work. I am referring to one certain San Francisco stenographer, not the one in the Sampson Magnesite office either.

     Well, to get back to my program, I had gotten to 11 A.M. About that time Geo. Agers comes in from Mendota. I meet him and get any supplies that he might bring. He always brings fuel oil, which does not concern me. I go to the loading bin and wait for him. As he fills his truck I fill my sample can. I take about 30 pounds of sample. Then I proceed back to the lab. I start to grind the sample and generally have to quit for lunch.

     I come right back and finish it if I do not get done, taking about 25 minutes to eat. In case I get the sample ground before lunch, I weigh out my lab. sample. Immediately after dinner I start my analysis. I aim to finish about 5. That gives me a half hour to clean up the lab. before supper. We eat at 5:30. Tonight I did not get done until 6, as George was late this morning, arriving about 11:30. In addition I spent 20 minutes making a sieve.

     About 4 o'clock or a little earlier I precipitate the lime. It has to stand 30 minutes, so while it is standing I take a shower bath. I have to let the water run a little as it is too hot at first. It is connected to the same branch as my lab water and generally runs a little hotter. It gets about 140 degrees on a hot afternoon. I like it about 90 so I have to let it run.

     When I am analyzing I take off my shoes and socks and put on slippers. I keep the floor good and wet and both windows open. Today I made some temperature tests. I took the lab. temp. at 1 P.M. It was 104 degrees. I wet the floor thoroughly and in about 15 or 20 minutes took the temp. again. It was 101. Then I started the furnace. It went back to 104 and stayed there. The doors and windows were open all the time.

     Last night I obtained a newspaper and proceeded to read it. I see about one paper in two weeks, so I get very little news. Haycraft was telling me last time he was up that there was quite a fire at the University. Just my luck not to see it. I haven't seen a good fire for years.

     Blackie was quite cheerful this morning. He recieved [sic] word that his wife would be up to spend a few days. I would like to have my wife up too, that is if I had a wife.

     Well it is 17 more days, but I have to get some sleep now, so I must close. It is after 9 P.M. already. So write to

          Your Jim

Letter to Lillian, July 2, 1922

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

Sampson Mine

Llanada Calif.

July 2, 1922.

Dear Lillian--Your brief epistle was brought in by the boss in the last mail, causing an interruption in my pipefitting. I am referring to the shower bath I mentioned in my last letter. It is now complete and in good running order.

     Well, the time is passing and in less than three weeks I will see you again. That is, if I don't get fired and see you sooner. Cooper, one of the men in the quarry, was fired today. This letter is being written in the laboratory, with one eye on the furnace and the other on the hotplate.

     I have come to the conclusion that my wireless won't work. I think that the trouble is with the aerial, so I am going to tear it down tonight and put a couple of insulators in it.

     I sent my last letter down with Mr. Haycraft. He noticed the name and asked if it was the Knowles in the real estate business. He said that he is acquainted with your dad.

Next day--same week--same place.

     About that time the boss came in and my evaporation was finished.

     Last night I took my aerial down and put it up again. It was about 8:15 when I finished so I did not get a chance to try it out. It was grounded on both ends so I am not surprized that it failed to work.

     Lately I have been sleeping away from home. I have been sleeping at the place Dennis left. The boss wanted someone to stay there a few nights.

     I brought my blankets back this morning. There is a spring near there. I brought a sample of the water with me this morning to test as to its fitness for drinking. The water here contains too much magnesia for me. I remove most of it by boiling the water, but boiled water is none too good.

     Well, the mail is going out so I must close
             Yours
                    Jim

Letter to Lillian, posted June 30, 1922

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

Sampson Mine

Llanada Calif.

June 29, 1922

Dear Lillian--Your most welcome letter came last night, at least I suppose that it was from you. Your address was on it but not your name. But considering who it is we will excuse you this time. To quote Blackie "But don't let it happen again."

     This letter is being written in the laboratory. The bosses from San Francisco are down today and I hope to get enough written between analytical procedures to send with them.

    You asked if there are any pine trees or creeks around. Larios creek runs through camp and pine trees abound. One pine tree leans over the laboratory. My wireless aerial stretches between two pines. Oak and juniper abound too. There is considerable sagebrush and mewquite on the hills around here.

Same day--later. Evening has arrived and I take my pen in hand again. It is practically useless to try to use a fountain pen on account of the heat and dry air. The heat makes it leak and the ink then evaporates resulting in the pen being empty most of the time.

    I finished the analysis and obtained pretty good results. I just now noticed that my neck was warm so I looked at my lamp. It had taken its customary jump. The soot is now settling.

    This evening I did some pipefitting. Blackie, Pete the Wop, and I are putting in a shower bath. I am doing the piping, Blackie is carpenter and Pete does the standing around.

    The cook and the storekeeper had a row today. About the fourth time that supplies were called for, the chemist said nothing doing. Later the cook came around to climb my neck. Haycraft and Moore, the bosses from Frisco, took it all in. I intend to avoid future arguments as a new cook is expected soon.

    I asked Haycraft when he was going to bring his daughter down again. He said that he expected to bring them next time he came. Sara, my friend, is quite anxious to come down.

    But to get down to facts, it is only 3 weeks and 2 days until we will meet again.

    This morning I had a couple of adventures with fire. I set my hand afire the first time and nearly set the lab. afire the second. Both were gasoline fires. The first time I struck a match with my hand covered with gasoline. I put it out rather promptly and soon forgot it. A little later I was starting the furnace and went outside to see Blackie about that time. The gasoline was burning quite strongly when I went back. But the lab is still OK and so am I.

    This morning I slept late. I did not get up until 6. Tomorrow I have to get up at 5 to work in the lab. Tomorrow is the 30th too. I have to make up my store books. One thing that I have to do is to write a new set of prices. The old ones need revision.

    Well it is after 9 o'clock so I must close.

          Your         Jim x

Photos to Lillian

enclosed in the letter of June 25. Text below each photo is what is written on the back.

JB Campbell

chemist

storekeeper

commissary man

reception committee

tramway operator

furnace builder

amateur mechanic

radio operator?

note the dignified expression

J.J. Blackie in front of our tent.

JBCampbell

storekeeper

Laboratory.

Note the furnace

[which I think is the white edifice left center, but I'm not sure.]

I'm sorry for the quality of these photos!  They are much better in person. 

Letters to Lillian, June 25, 1922

Sampson Mine

Llanada Calif.

June 25, 1922

Dear Lillian.--I suppose that you are feeling greatly refreshed after your vacation. My vacation is progressing fine.

      My radio outfit has arrived. I went to the post office for it Wednesday. The post office is 26 miles one way and a little further coming back. There was a drum of gasoline belonging to the company in the vicinity of the post office so I asked permission to take the company flivver and Dutch Larios and go after it. While we were down, I straightened out some orders, getting my meat and eggs right. This commissary job keeps me guessing. Last week we were out of meat and eggs. This week we are out of flour and lard. The week before last we were out of potatoes. My main trouble has been the length of time necessary to get supplies. My first grocery orders came in today.

     I spoke of the radio. I thought that I was ready to recieve, but I find that I will have to finish my tuner first. I worked on it some today and will get it in running order tomorrow.

     Today was hot. Just after breakfast it was 86, at 10AM 95, at noon 104. I went swimming about 3 P.M. and about that time some clouds obscured the sun. The water was just right for comfort. At 7 PM it was 91. I was up early enough this morning. I rolled out at 5.30. I generally get up around 5:30 to six AM. This morning I was working on my radio and getting along fine when a truck driver came in with a 5 ton truckload of supplies, including the road camp. We have daily mail now via Mendota but I recommend sending my mail via Llanada as at present.

     I am sending some pictures as you will notice. [I'll post these soon.] The method of locating points is original.

     Yesterday I went up to the tramway terminal to see it work. Blackie was operating the lower end. I told him that I would as soon as not do it. So he let me. After about an hour and a quarter of successful operation I lost a bucket. After dinner I went to look for it. Blackie found it today. The bucket is about 2 1/2 X 3 X 4 feet and has a large hanger on it. The entire affair weighs about 1000 pounds. Blackie did not carry it in. In addition to losing the bucket we mixed things up generally. I say we, because there is a man on each end, the tramway being about a mile long. It operates by gravity, the loaded buckets going down pulling the empties up.

     Last night I received my second pay check. It pays for my radio and glasses with 22.10 to spare. In addition it is $7.50 short. In other words the increase that I was to get for my store work did not appear. I will get that straightened out when I see Mr. Haycraft again. Apparently I will have no difficulty in getting off to come down. My friend Miss Haycraft said that she would talk her dad into taking me one way. She is some girl. I hope to see her again soon.

     I am sending my negatives in for some reprints, The Camera Shop in Berkeley doing my work. My studio portraits have not arrived but when they do I will send some.

     I have to write another letter so I will have to close. I hope that you have located and returned that Library book or I will have the Berkeley cops on my neck.

Three fellows have quit and one was fired.

Dennis was fired, Gus Dennis quit, Dutch Larios quit and Adolph Holmes quit.

     Well as I said before I must quit. So write soon to your
                                    Jim

Letter to Lillian, posted June 22, 1922

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

Sampson Mine

Llanada Calif.

June 21, 1922.

Dear Lillian—Although by rights you are not entitled to a letter, I am writing anyway.

     I have not been very busy with laboratory work, but I have not been idle. As I mentioned before, Mr. Haycraft came down Sunday. The girls were in the laboratory for a while on Monday and again yesterday. This morning they were also around. They left about 10 AM today so I can have a little more time. Last night I went over to the house and they made candy. I came home very late, 10:30 being the hour. That is the latest I have been up for some time, in fact since I left Berkeley.

     Monday I recieved a notice from the Post Office that my radio had arrived. Blackie and Dennis went to Hollister Monday, so I asked Dennis to get it for me. [Link takes you to a map showing the route from Llanada to Hollister.] He will be back today and I expect to have the outfit working tonight as I have everything ready to connect up the instruments and tune in.

     I have to stop now to make a filtration but will return.

Same day—later, I finished my analytical work and reported some good magnesite. Then I did some pick and shovel work at the boss’s house and by that time I had some customers at the store. Then chow, and now.

     The boss is going down with the mail soon so I will not be able to write long.

     Blackie and Dennis have not returned yet so I have not the radio.

     This morning I found a mouse’s nest in the laboratory furnace. I chased the mouse out, the Haycraft girls assisting, before I fired up. The girls, by the way, are from Berkeley. I showed them my pictures to see if they knew anyone I knew. They were acquainted with Bessie Bailar, having met her at school. They both attend the Willard School. They know a college fellow that I know too.

     Well, the boss appears to be ready to go so I must close.

     Your      Jim.

[Card enclosed]

BERKELEY PUBLIC LIBRARY

We would remind you that the book noted below, taken on your card, is overdue.

BERKELEY PUBLIC LIBRARY

Per     FW

630     Un35     U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.  Farmers' Bulletins.

[handwritten] This is the book I left at your place.  JBC

Second Notice.

[Enclosed with letter; text below]

June 16, 1922

Mr. James B. Campbell

2312 College Ave.,

Berkeley, California.

Dear Sir:

          According to the records of the Library, the book listed below is charged to you and is long overdue. Two postal notices have already been sent to you from the Loan Desk, to which we have had no reply. I assume that there is some misunderstanding of the matter on your part, but must ask that you give it your prompt attention on receipt of this letter.

Very truly yours,

C.B. Joeckel

Librarian.

630 Un35 Nos. 401-425

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Farmers’ Bulletin

Letters to Lillian, posted June 17, 1922 (part 3)

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

Part 1 and Part 2

Sampson Mine

Llanada

June 16, 1922

Dear Lillian--Your most welcome letter arrived this afternoon. It is always pleasing to hear from you, so keep the pen in motion.

     I also recieved [sic] a letter from my sister. She is in Oakland now. She intends going to summer school at Corvallis. She sent her picture too. It is certainly a good likeness of her. She mentioned us too. She said the general idea was all right but said that we should wait a year or two until my position was well established, and I had a little capital. I believe that she has the right idea, but I don't like to wait. I also recieved a second notice about a certain overdue book.

     I am sending some pictures to the Camera Shop in Berkeley, but I am having them mailed back to me so as not to trouble you with them. I will send you copies of them, telling you what they are about, that is if they are good.

     In this camp we use boxes a good deal for furniture. The one I was sitting on just let me down. But I can still find room enough to sit.

     Well if I don't close I will get left again. So

          Good bye for this time.

               Your Jim

Letters to Lillian, posted June 17, 1922 (pt. 2)

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

Part 1

Next day—same week.

I might as well drop a line to fill up another page.

     This morning I took stock in the store. I am scheduled to take stock in the warehouse this afternoon. Just before dinner it was 93 on the porch, and just after dinner 99 in the tent. The laboratory water supply was 104 degrees before dinner so I put some clothes to soak.

     I wound a while on the coil for my wireless this morning. The first coil is nearly wound, the second requires about two hours work to wind and the third is not started. Two coils will do for the present.

     The food question still has me guessing, but I have most of the supplies figured out. When I get a big crowd here, I will have to figure pretty closely to keep enough supplies on hand. One of the cook’s hens has the right idea. I broke an egg the other day, so the little hen came into the supply house and laid another. Today it laid still another. If she keeps up I will be ahead on my account.

     Well it’s 1.30 so I must get to work.

Your      Jim B.

Best. Obituary. Ever.

Seriously. It's beautiful. Have Kleenex handy.

h/t Obit Mag

Letters to Lillian, posted June 17, 1922 (pt. 1)

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

Sampson Mine

Llanada Calif.

June 15, 1922.

Dear Lillian--The mail is due to go out tomorrow, so I take my pen in hand etc.

     Last night and tonight I gathered the gang together and we put up the aerial. I put it where I first intended, running it to the store. Counting the lead in, it is about 600 feet long. It runs from a tree in front of my tent to a tree across the canyon. It is over 40 ft from the ground at the lowest point and over 100 ft at the highest, or I might say the lowest is the highest, as the upper end of the aerial is nearest the ground. I will try and get a picture to send you.

     Tomorrow I will take a vacation from lab. work and do store work. I have to take stock. Besides I have run out of lab. samples. I have been running two analyses every day lately, in addition to grinding my samples.

     Tonight Dennis brought his wife and kids up to camp. Betty, the older of the two, 20 months old, is a very good looking little girl.

     Today was hotter than it has been lately, being 87 on the porch at the laboratory door. Hot weather makes my lab. rather uncomfortable as the furnace runs intermittently all day long. The boss showed me how to operate the burner properly, which I had not been doing, and now my furnace is much quieter and somewhat hotter.

     My still got me into trouble today. I picked up a bottle to put at the recieving [sic] end and as I lifted it I hit a shelf with it and dropped it among my dirty apparatus. I broke three beakers and a flask. Total damage about $1.50, but the company pays for it. The worst of it was that the boss was in the next room and heard it.

     My doctor job is picking up. Dennis was around today, with a bum finger. Tonight I recieved quite a thrill. One of the Esteban girls met me as I came from supper and asked me if I could do anything for a rattlesnake bite. It was not as serioius as I thought at first however, as the dog had been bitten. I knew what to do, but we could not catch the dog to do it. The dog was bitten in the lower jaw and when I saw it, the jaw was greatly swollen.

     Today the pay roll closed, making it necessary to make up my store bills. Pay day comes twice a month here, the one going in now being in about 10 days.

     I expect my radio set tomorrow and my coils are not done. I could be working on them now, but I would sooner write to you. I have fixed up the battery and expect that it will work, although I have no way to test it until I connect it up. In my opinion the outfit will work, but as to that I had better not speak too soon. Today Blackie asked me if I would be able to help with the office work. I told him that I probably could if I had a wife here to help me. But as he suggested, maybe that would not appeal to you. But to get right down to details, although I can't say that time drags, I get pretty lonesome for you. The reason that time don't drag is that I am always busy, but not with reading my mail. The road to Mendota will soon be done and then we will have daily mail. But that will not likely help any, as you would not write any oftener. From the look of things the flood of mail from this end will not soon cease. I have about 200 envelopes, 75 writing pads and plenty of stamps in the office store. The supply of ink is limited, but I can make a few gallons with the materials on hand.

Well I will close for this time, possibly adding some tomorrow.

Letters to Lillian, posted June 16, 1922

Introduction to Letters to Lillian

Sampson Mine

Llanada

Calif. June 11

Dear Lillian—Another mail has passed and no letter from you.

Considerable has happened since I last wrote. I will start by telling the most foolish one first. Or perhaps I might precede it by telling you that one of the kilns has been started and is in operation as I write. One of the kiln men, an Italian we call Pete, was working last night and the oil line became stopped. He looked in the end of the pipe and started poking with a wire. About that time the oil started fine. Pete saw oil. In fact he had a pretty good oil bath.

The next unusual thing also happened yesterday. One of the fellows had the official flivver on the way down the line. He had my distilled water barrel aboard full of drinking water too. At any rate he left the flivver to open a gate. Then the flivver left him. It landed upside down in a hole alongside the road, landing on my barrel. The flivver is not together yet and the barrel never will be. The brakes on the flivver were in good shape because they are in the office and have been for a long time.

Another unusual thing yesterday was that I went on a horseback ride. We had the board of directors down for an inspection trip. They wanted to see the quarry so some horses were rented to take them. Joe and Dutch Larios and I returned them. It was about 4 miles down. Ben Dehn came after us with a flivver, but not the one that went in the ditch.

We have a new superintendent foreman. He knows about as much about magnesite as I do, but not the same things. Between us we know just a little. Furthermore we have to turn out the best magnesite ever turned out here. The foreman who was here, has left to take charge of the selling. The new man’s name is Lawrance Lawrence

Next day, same week—I did not get much written before I had to quit last night.

I have another job added to my list. I have to light the fire for the cook in the morning and turn it out at night. Hayden was doing it, but since he has left I have the job. I am a full fledged mess sergeant now. The best thing about it is that while I am mess sergeant I get $15 per month additional.

Yesterday I sent for my radio set. If I don’t hurry up it will get here before my coils are wound and my aerial up.

Yesterday I worked most of the day. I put a hot plate on top of the furnace and did some analytical work. Today I rebuilt my still.

I have been agitating to have the one segregated into two kinds before it is burned. I failed to consider that twice the analytical work will be required. According to my calculations I will be busy about 27 or 28 hours per day. But why worry. I will get that doped out in due time.

This commissary job involves watching supplies pretty close. Just at present we are out of most everything. Some supplies have been ordered since the first and are not here yet.

This weather is unusual. The sun is shining brightly and the rain is coming down. The sun has been shining nearly all day and we have had rain off and on since noon.

Today I had another hospital case. One of the Spaniards mashed his finger. I cleaned it with iodine and bandaged it up and sent him back to work.

I investigated about fishing. There is good fishing about three hours horseback ride from here and I can get about five or six horses. It does not matter if you come when the fishing season is closed, because the game warden has not been around since someone shot the horn from his saddle. The place we would go to is near the diamond mine.

Blackie is putting up a new lamp. I used it last night and it is some lamp. It is a large hanging lamp.

Well it is about chowtime so I will have to quit for the present.

Tuesday 13th—evening.—I am getting worse every day. This letter should have gone in yesterday’s mail but it didn’t.

I received your letter O.K. but it was about three hours before I could read it. Supplies came at the same time as the mail and chow was being held for the men in the flivver. The company flivver is still on the blink, but will soon be in order.

I found out one thing anyway. I wondered why Carmel, the cook’s kid looked so familiar. She looks almost exactly like the leading girl in the Hawaian (ow, I can’t spell it) act I was so interested in just before I left. I see Carmel quite often as the cook’s tent is next to mine and I go to the kitchen several times a day. She occasionally looks into the laboratory too.

But coming down to earth. If I have as much work to do as I expect I will have I will have to bring you down as assistant chemist. I could teach you to run the lab. alone in about a week. But you would probably want to be nearer town than we are here.

This is the west you read about but don’t often see. Just like the story books.

I am sending for my photos in this mail. I was pleased to receive your picture. Where was it taken?

In regard to your letter when Ben saw the pink envelope he wanted to know how long his girl had been writing to me. I called Carmel’s attention to the fact that I had a letter. She asked if it was from my sweetheart. I told her that it certainly was.

Well, ‘tis ten bells so I must close.

Your Jim.

Letters to Lillian, June 7, 1922 (part 2)

Part 1 is here.

Next night, same week.

Well I got my sleep out and got up early. That is, I arose at the hour of 10 minutes to six. I amused myself an hour cleaning up the battery, and as far as that is concerned, I spent a half hour tonight. I will have five or six complete cells, together with parts of two or three more.

Blackie must think that I work too easy. He brought down the sample from the quarry and I started to break it up this morning at 8. I broke the breaker, and eventually crushed the sample. I quartered it and I have yet to powder it. I ran two samples today in the lab. which means that I was quite busy. In fact I worked nearly an hour after supper. I have only one on hand now and no more in sight, so I anticipate a little rest. I have not finished with my wireless coils, so I need a little time.

Blackie is quite some fellow. He is a man about 35 or 40, and a native of Edinborough, Scotland, so I guess we will get along all right. He intends moving the floor of our new tent tomorrow, but we will not move for at least a week. I expect a payday soon, as the big boss will be up Saturday. I hope I get my lab. supplies soon. The box will probably bring some. I lose considerable time, and waste considerable gasoline on account of not having enough apparatus. My lime determinations are of only approximate accuracy as I have no Sodium Oxalate to standardize my Permanganate with.

So far the kilns have not started. From the way things look, it will be a few days yet until things get going. The main trouble is lack of distillate for the engines. Besides there don’t seem to be any crew. The boss, Blackie, Dehn, Esteban, Dennis, and I make up the crowd in camp. This of course does not include three women and 8 kids.

You ought to see me make a dive for the table at meal time. Sometimes I am five or ten minutes late, due to having an analysis at a bad point, but I go on the run when I get to a quitting place. The cook we have now suits me fine. Take a breakfast for instance. Mush, bacon and eggs, hotcakes and coffee make the meal. I omit the coffee but eat all the rest. Up here I can get away with things that I can’t use when in town.

By the way, what is the idea of letting the chickens track up the end of your letter. What’s it all about anyway. I don’t dare ask anyone here, because if the[y] knew it wouldn’t do any good. So use English or German or something like that.

[scribbled]Guten Abend

Lieben JimB

Letters to Lillian, June 7, 1922 (pt. 1)

Sampson Mine

Llanada Calif

June 7, 1922

Dear Lillian—I was somewhat surprised today when the mail came. I saw a pink letter and made a grab for it and found that it belonged to Ben Dehn. But I was soon cheered up by finding that the yellow one was from you. My last one had not gone yet but it is gone now. Tonight after chow, the boss, Dehn, and myself went to Ashurst’s, as the boss wanted to telephone. I went along to see the country. Central had gone out to eat, so the phone call did not go in. The mail is left near Ashurst’s, about five miles from here. Today I saw the first good looking white woman since I came up. She was at Ashurst’s. I suppose that she is married, as I saw a little child with her.

It seems that I will keep the store for a while after all. This morning I was quite busy and the Esteban kids came in with a big order for groceries. But I finished early at that as I only did one analysis. I will not have to climb the hill after all, as Blackie will collect my samples for me. He took three this morning, including the one from the quarry bunker. He prepared one and I prepared one. Preparing a sample is no ladies’ job, as it involves crushing it by hand. The crude stuff, which is all that I have been working with so far, is quite hard. It takes about an hour to grind up, quarter and sift a sample of crude. The calcined takes about 10 minutes. After the kilns start, most of my work will be with calcined, with an occasional crude sample.

My laboratory nearly suits me now. I intend to build and addition to my furnace as soon as I get time, and give the furnace and one of my workbenches a coat of magnesite, and whitewash the walls. So far I have been lucky. I have made four analyses in duplicate, making eight in all, and have not spoiled any. We had a similar analysis in school and I ran four to get two good ones. Which shows some improvement anyway.

Blackie did not move in today. His blankets did not come and he is doubling up with Dehn until they do. He brought his mattress in tonight.

I started work on the battery tonight. It was pretty dirty so I busied myself with some gasoline. Dehn helped me, but we did not work long as it was near dark. We cleaned up five cells, not including the jars, and Dehn put one together and I assembled two more. I intend putting the other two together before breakfast, that is, if I quit writing on this letter soon enough. I have two six volt electric lights to try them out with, but I can’t fill them (the batteries) until I get some acid. I intend to refill the fire extinguishers soon, and I will get my acid from them. Efficiency is my motto. The only difference in the acid is that it will be a little diluted, and I have to dilute it a lot more anyway.

Don’t let the gang kid you too much. We will hope that it will not be long anyway. Yesterday or maybe the day before, I saw the boss using the hunt system of typing, and I told him that if I came back next year I would bring an expert stenographer with me. This is a fine place to be if you have something to do, but no place to spend a summer with nothing to do. But I am doubtful about coming back next year, so don’t get worried. In a way I do not like to see time pass and my vacation up here, which is really what it amounts to, go by, but I do want to see you again. I’ll admit it, I’m getting lonesome. I guess I had better figure the days to July 22, which is when I expect to see you next. June 23 more days, July 21, making 44 in all. Well, tomorrow it will be 43, and at that I may get fired or something and see you sooner. Well I just yawned, so I will obey that impulse.

***
Introduction to Letters to Lillian

Letters to Lillian, June 6, 1922

Sampson Mine.

Llanada Calif.

June 6 1922

Dear Lillian- Your most welcome letter arrived yesterday, but since the mail here is tri-weekly I did not write until tonight. By tri-weekly it seems to mean one way one week and try to go the other way next week. But in a week or so we will have daily mail at another post-office.

     My first mail was my grades. I did not do quite as well as I expected in first aid, but all my other grades were what I expected. Monday I received quite an assortment of mail. Two circular postcards, or to be more precise, one of them was to tell me that my pictures were ready, the other was a circular. Then I had an invitation to Harry Brown’s wedding, a letter from my kid brother and one from you. Pretty good for one mail. Do your part and see if we can keep it up.

     You will observe that I use both sides of the paper. I do not want to pay freight, and I may write for some time, so I must keep down the bulk.

     By the way I am something more than chemist now. I am storekeeper too. The fellow who kept store left Saturday and I inherited his job. But I do not expect to keep it as another fellow is here to take it. Said fellow, a Mr. Black is going to move in with me tomorrow. I have a large tent to myself, which I do not need. When we get time we intend
2
to move across the creek onto the knoll, where it will be cooler in the evening and where my wireless will be better.

     I have been rather busy today. I ran an analysis this morning and another this afternoon. Each is done in duplicate. I cannot run two at once on account of lack of apparatus. In fact I had to leave out one determination this afternoon because I did not have enough crucibles. But I can do it at the start of my next analysis. Tomorrow morning I have to collect a sample and analyze it. The next morning I have to go to the upper camp for another sample, and then analyze it. We expect to start operations any day now, the present delay being for engine supplies.

     Running a store has its disadvantages. No matter if I am busy and someone wants to buy something, I have to find time to sell it. I handle everything salable. Shoes, clothes, groceries, tobacco, guns, meat, and vegetables about comprise the list. This writing paper came from my store.

     I have not gathered my radio together yet as I am waiting for payday. It is about due now so I expect to get set up soon.
3
     You ought to see me now. The 49’ers had nothing on me. I have not touched a razor to my face since I saw you. I want to see what it feels like to have long whiskers. I will get picture for you before I cut them so you can see too.

     Your suggestion in regard to having your dad come on a fishing trip is taken under advisement. Fish are nix here. About 10 miles away there is good fishing but no road to it. The hunting here is excellent. Last Sunday we nearly ran over some doves, quail call quite often, rabbits are numerous, and deer are plentiful.

     The scenery up here is quite unusual. The Panoche valley, near here, on the road in, is quite pretty. I have already mentioned the wildflowers.

     You say that Maynard [Lillian’s brother] is afraid that you will be untrue to me. Tell him that if he worries about it as little as I do he will not be annoyed. Not that I don’t care, but my opinions are different.

     I spoke to the boss about coming down for July 22. I told him why I wanted to come and he only kidded me along. You see this place runs day and night seven days a week when it once starts. But I think that I will be
4
able to get away for the occasion. I would like to see Violet [Lillian’s sister] take the big jump and I want to see you too.

     In all probability time drags more for you than for me because here I am busy all of the time at work that I like. The result is that I do not get much time to think. But I have even been figuring what nearby mountains I could climb to see Berkeley and San Francisco and see that your town is all right anyway. I get some consolation out of looking at the moon, knowing that you can see it the same as I, but the satisfaction don’t compare to seeing you.

     Everyone around here seems to be part or all Spanish. Dennis the carpenter has an Irish enough name but he has a Spanish wife. The cook is Spanish as are all of the kids in camp. I saw two today that I had not seen before. Small girls. They came to buy some stuff at my store.

     One thing that I nearly forgot to mention is that my kid brother signed up for the Citizens Training camp at the Presidio, July 6 to August 4. Which is all the more reason why I should come up the latter part of July. I think that I will be able
5
to get away all right.

     I was prospecting about the other day, and I came across some wet cells which will be very useful to me. They will save me about $12 [in today's dollars: ~$150] on my wireless if I can make them work. I claim to know something about such things so I expect to have them in running order about an hour after I tackle the job. But whether I can use them or not is what bothers me. I can undoubtedly get electricity from them but it may be noisy.

     Now that it is night I have to wear a hat. I have my straw Kelly on for an eyeshade. Generally I go about with no hat, no coat, sleeves rolled up and my shirt open at the neck. That’s the kind of place this is.

     Well the paper won’t last for many more letters if I don’t quit soon. So.
     Goodby for this time.
     Your
          Jim.

Letters to Lillian, June 1 1922

Sampson Mine

Llanada, Calif.

June 1, 1922.

Dear Lillian.—I suppose you have written but I have not received any mail yet. That applies to all my mail. I can’t exactly say that I am pining away with lonesomeness, but I may begin to pine or redwood or something like that soon if I don’t begin to get some mail. Maybe the postman can’t find Llanada. If that is the trouble I will have to hunt up a new postoffice. The one I have is too far away anyway. Which reminds me of a difficulty. When I ordered my pictures I told them to send them to me. The girl suggested C.O.D., to which I agreed. It looks like I will have difficulty getting a C.O.D. package, when the postoffice is 16 miles and the mail is left for us 5 miles away. Oh well I will probably get them sometime.

My work has not officially started yet, in that my analytical work has not gotten under way. I did some analyses today but did not get any finished results. Most of my work so far has been remodeling the laboratory and getting started. After we built the furnace I built a still. Then I had the carpenter put me in a window. I moved the sink myself. When I get time I will whitewash the place. I figure that a nice bright laboratory is conducive to more accurate work.

Well I guess that I will have to move tomorrow. I have been staying in the manager’s house and he is due tomorrow night. I have a tent all picked out but not swept out. I have not decided whether to use a broom or a shovel. It is right next to the laboratory which has its advantages. When I get my radio installed and working properly, or maybe I should say if, I get it working properly I can run an extension to the laboratory and have music with my work. It appears that instead of getting numerous holidays I will have to work most of the Sundays. But I will be able to come down before winter. Last year the chemist was here until the middle of November. This company seems to have a bad name in some ways, one of which is the analytical work. I intend to make an improvement there. I have done more at fixing up the lab. in a week that the fellow last year did in six months.

I told you before that we were near the Monterey National Forest. As a matter of fact we are in it. The nearest place on the map is Idria 1 ½ or 2 miles east of here. The elevation of the lower camp is about 2500, the upper camp being 3500. The climb up is nearly as bad as the climb up Grizzly peak in Berkeley. I have been up twice, Sunday to look at the place, and Tuesday to get samples.

The kerosene lamps here are a nuisance. I gave the boss a line, showing him the advantages of installing electric power and he may do it. At any rate I will have to get some source of electricity for my radio. I have been working on the coils lately, having made considerable progress. I may have to set up a tent and move into it in order to get my radio working. I have the site all picked to put a tent, but I have no tent. One of the fellows says that the road gang has a tent that I can get. If so I may move a second time.

The cook’s kids are some kids. When I am in the lab. they look in once in a while, and when I am in the house they show up a little oftener. The girl is quite according to my ideas. The only trouble is that they are leaving Saturday. The main difficulty seems to be a case of indigestion. But for a cook to quit on account of indigestion seems unreasonable.

Lately I have been having a quiet environment. All the other men have been working on the road. At noon the dinner bell rings and I go down to dinner all alone. Generally five or six places are set to make it seem less lonesome but I certainly have individual service. At noon there was a whole pie on the table. I did not even cut it. No, I did not eat it all either. I did not eat any. Speaking of food, last night we had some meat so tough that the boss said that he could not stick his fork in the gravy. I[t] was pretty tough at that. Generally speaking the food is pretty good, but if I was in Berkeley and eating it I would last about two days. The indigestible methods of cooking are all represented, particularly frying. Speaking of frying, have you learned to pan broil a steak yet?

I guess that I had better quit pretty soon as it is nearly 9 o’clock. But first I should mention the wild flowers. The Spanish dagger is the most conspicuous. It is similar to the century plants having a flowering stalk about five feet high. Two very pretty thistles are represented, one having a red shaving brush for a flower, the other having a varicolored flower shaped like a poppy. The Mariposa lilies abound. They are in various colors, white with lavender spots being the most common. Mistletoe, although not a flower, might be mentioned. It is very plentiful here. In fact I wish you were here to enjoy it all. Many flowers other than the ones I have mentioned are common.

Since I do not wish to tire out the postman I will quit now. You see if I get him all tired out he may not bring me a letter from you which would be a calamity. So start a letter soon to
Jim


Sampson Mine
Llanada Calif.

***
Introduction to "Letters to Lillian" here.