Historic Hood River
Cruiser Charleston in Portland Harbor
7-10-2014
Notes
I’m more interested in the message on the reverse of this postcard which gives us a snapshot into the life of a farmer in 1908. The card is postmarked from Hood River on July 16 1908, though the message is dated June 21. It is addressed to Miss Mae MCooper, of Clifton Arizona.
Hood River June 21, 08. I have been down getting pickers. We will commence picking tommorow. I rec’d your welcome letter Sun. Will try and write oftener but will be quite busy from now on. Will write in day or so. Was over to the house Sunday had a nice time. Remember my request. Yours as ever Chester
I wonder what his request was!
l.e.
A Chester Walton married a Marion Mae Cooper. Perhaps his request was her hand in marriage?
They married in November of 1908 and lived for many years in the Parkdale area.
charlott
I bet that was it……………………..about their marriage. I knew Chester and Mae both. Mae was of the Cooper’s for which Cooper Spur is named for. He was an orchardist and rock hound and that is how I got to know him, as my Dad and him were friends. I can thank Mae (Cooper) Walton for getting me to quit biting my finger nails.
longshot
How did they arrange for pickers and other laborers from Portland? Were these people essentially forced into working the farms and forest? I know that was pretty much the standard policy used in the southern states, you just told the sheriff you needed so many worker and they went out and arrested that many people and poor souls were sentenced to work for you for "X" days, weeks, or even years.
charlott
It could have been through some missions, or just word of mouth and they picked them up at a designated place. It wasn’t a forced issue I am sure.
Buzz
Never heard of that practice in the South before Longshot. But I spent a little time down there in the Army in the 60’s, and it was a revelation for this young country boy from the Northwest. I can believe your story.
Arlen Sheldrake
any ideas on what bridge that is on the left?? not sure but it might be the original Steel Bridge built in 1888 and replaced in 1912.
an interesting collection of support boats and for that matter an interesting war ship.
longshot
Slavery by Another Name, by Douglas A. Blackmon, is a good read. It mainly talks about reinslavement of blacks in the south but dept slavery was a tool used against poor white Americans and immigrants as well. This happened to my great uncle around 1910 in the coal mines of West Virginia, having a dept to the coal company for a train ticket that is written in dollars but being paid in company scrip and thus having no way to pay off the dept.
longshot
Think I need to learn how to spell debt.
Kenn
There is still evidence of the original steel bridge in the background of this photo. On the east side street car tracks are visible on Holiday street heading for the bridge, on the west side a pier is visible on the river bank and one is exposed in the water except at high water levels. This original was just downstream or north of the present steel bridge, both two level with trains below.
Jill
Men used to gather at the corner of Burnside and ? before you went over the Burnside Bridge on the west side – these were day laborers looking for work. I believe the Harbor Light Mission was (and still is) right there. I think that was were my grandfather went to get pickers in the 30’s and 40’s but after the war. As we drove through Portland in the 40’s and 50’s on our way to Hood River, we went right by these throngs of men and it used to scare me.Now I realize the desperation and hardship. I love the message to Miss Cooper and his signing "Yours as ever". How did she get you to stop biting your nails Charlott? Iodine?
Charlott
She used the brightest red nail polish she could find. She said every time a finger would head for my mouth it would act like a red stop sign. I think of her every time I do my nails.
Jill Stanford
Charlott, that is the best trick or tip to stop nail biters I have ever heard! Thanks for telling me.