Sharing our Links to the Past
by Wally and Frances Gray

#M3g LUNDQUIST, Milton

Born:
Died:

Father: Eric Benjamin Lundquist
Mother: Eugenia Harris

Married:

Autobiography by Milton Lundquist

Graduated from the eighth grade with above average grades. The next year as a freshman at North Cache High School in Richmond, Utah was doing fairly well and got through that first year. Then, for some reason I became one of the original "drop outs" - My father said no school - learn a trade and began my apprenticeship at 15 cents an hour, board and room. As I gained experience also gained a thorough knowledge of materials, their ingredients [and] estimating. I had a good teacher and one who expected the best from his men and the customer was assured a first class job with the best materials available.

As my production continued upward, my pay was increased to 25 cents per hour. Also by that time, Charles and Eugene began helping during school vacations and eventually all six of us were working - including Rodney. He went everywhere with us.

We had an early model Ford truck. No windshield. Racks on the side for extension ladders. We would leave in the morning and be delivered to different jobs. Up to that time, dad and I were together.

The bulk of our work in the spring was wallpaper. He could apply the paper to the wall as fast as I could paste and trim. I used to figure how [I] could cut down on the number of motions or movement to paste and trim and got to be very good at it. When [we] came to a window it would slow down and take a little time for the pieces, fitting and all the time am working furiously to get several sheets ahead - and had to wait on him - then when window was finished he would hang strips to corner one after the other without finishing any of them. Then he would unfold the bottoms down to the base board, run his smoothing brush in long sweeps and in one motion, cut the bottoms of strip fit to the base board and it was done. Then he would laugh and say, "Shall we try the next wall?" The champ.

We used to come home for lunch all six of us and dad - piled on sides of truck. Would jump off truck and march single file into the house. A neighbor woman said, "That poor sister Lundquist has to face that bunch every day three times and in-between meals and before bedtime."

Sometimes we may be miles from home and dad did not care too much for cold lunches. Would be in a farm home and about 10:30 in the morning he would tell me to concentrate on the lady in the house and to think of being invited to stay for lunch. Very seldom we had to go to a cafe.

In 1926 Dad, Mother, Eddie, Ebert, Rodney and a neighbor girl went on a month’s trip through Southern Utah, Grand Canyon, Mexico and California. Work had been slow coming in and they just took advantage of the situation. While they were away we were suddenly swamped with work in the school and a home. We, Charlie, Eugene and myself completed the work before their return and he [Dad] was pleasantly surprised to know he had several hundred dollars waiting to be picked up. We all received a nice bonus besides our wages at that time 50 Cents per hour.

Back a little to 1924 or 1925, dad and I went to Sugar City, Idaho to help Uncle Alma (Mother’s brother) who was a [painting contractor - learned his trade from Dad. Oh, you will want to hear this. Years earlier Uncle Alma bought a new buggy with a special paint job. Wheel spokes striped in red and gold over deep blue black color. Also panels in buggy were striped. Dad had a paint store well stocked. A neighbor boy and I opened a can of blue pain and was painting something and somehow managed to get some on Uncle Alma’s new buggy. He was the picture of frustration when they returned from work. He and Dad worked hours cleaning the buggy good as new. I was very uncomfortable when I sad down for a couple of days.

Now we’re back in Sugar City (1924) painting houses inside and outside twelve hours a day for several days. At this time. Dad owned a 1922 model Chandler touring car. [We learned] that my brother Eugene was seriously ill - if memory serves me correctly with typhoid fever. We left immediately and Uncle Alma was no in good shape to handle the rest of the work he had.

We arrived home early in the afternoon. The doctor was there and we were inoculated on the spot. He prescribed medicine that wasn’t available in Smithfield so Charles and Eddie took off in the Ford truck. On the way they had a freak accident after going over a bump. The wish bone on the old Model T’s were attached to steering the car. The truck [illegible] tipped over. Eddie one broken leg, Charles broken ribs. All in one day. For me things turned our fine [Illegible, assume it to read: For the work we did in Sugar City, the pay that] came to 66 cents per hour for my share was the most money I had ever had at one time. They were very generous in allowing me that much [but] both [Dad and Uncle Alma] agreed however that I had earned it.

Am still at home in Smithfield so let’s go back several years. The contractor is building our new home and the old one is torn down. Earlier I described where we lived on a large plot of ground. One section in the rear of the house was a small park like area with trees and grass. It was arranged to have the house built in the summer and we all lived outside. Mother and Dad had a large tent house and we had a shelter made of canvas. [The tent house] had all the luxuries of home. We had a tree house in an old apple tree. We really had fun that summer. One day a tall lean man came [around?] selling glass writing pens. We all agreed he looked like Hawkshaw the Detective. We all called him Hawkshaw. The pens were guaranteed for life but for the life of me you just couldn’t make them write. He had various other items of questionable value -- solid gold pen points among other things. He had a few free samples to hand out for some advertising purposes -- at the price he was offering the solid gold pen points, we though making a killing until we accidentally scratched some of the paint off. However, he was such a character, Mother allowed him to hang around for kicks. We even had the piano under the shelter and had something going on and someone coming all the time. Our Cousins Elsie and Ruby Lundquist from Salt Lake City spent two week with us and they never forgot the wonderful experience.

Am not too certain about the date or year - It seems like say 1917 we moved into the new home. Had furnace heat and later, electric stove - hot water and bathroom. The little house in rear of chicken coop was soon deserted for all time except for a sentimental visit and a drink of cold water out of the hydrant near by. My brothers would have a few chuckles over this and previous stories.

Back to about 1912. My father took on a quarter section of land under the homestead act and the following years cleared much of the land at great expense. There was a spring on the property and as proven since was productive land for dry farming. It was located between Snowville, Utah and Stravelles, Utah, a desolate stretch of land we have traveled several times. We had a team of work horses besides old "Bill" and another one for the buggy. Later sold to the army for Infantry duty. A sad day in our lives. We had a large stack of hay. One day one side of it was a solid blaze of fire. Some of my brothers were giving heroic efforts to put out the fire with a tea kettle and a bucket of water. [The fire] was eventually extinguished and the damage not too serious.

Later Charles was over at the neighbors playing while they were putting up hay in the barn. A large fork was used to carry the hay from the wagon into the barn. Had a horse hooked up to a cable to pull the hay into the barn. When the hay was released, the cable would come back through a pulley above the ground. Somehow Charles had a hold of cable and didn’t let go in time and his fingers were pulled into the pulley. He screamed and Father happened to be in the yard at the time. His fingers were mangled something terrible. And believe it or not I tried to jump from the hay loft of our barn with an umbrella. It turned inside out. Learned much about the law of gravity. Too much Da Vinci.

Another time Dad came home for lunch, tied the horse and wagon up in the lane (a small roadway from the street to the sheds on our lot, between Dad’s shop and our northern property line}. He had lunch and started up the lane - Mother rushed out to remind him to call a customer about some work. Charles had been playing with the rope in rear of the wagon and had it around his neck. There were weeds and bushed so Dad didn’t see him. As he took off. Mother rushed out and saw Charlie being dragged with the rope around his neck. She screamed and called Dad to stop - in the nick of time.

One Saturday Dad promised to take us on a fishing trip. The next day we dug enough worms to catch all the fish in the river. Mother baked cake and a roast for sandwiches. Boy, what a day. Early Sunday morning preparations were about completed and all was going well until I was out in front dressed in overalls. Bishop Miles came by and asked; "Son, why are you dressed in overalls on Sunday?" I said "We’re going fishing Bishop." He said, "You go right in the house and tell your Dad I want to see you all in Sunday School. We still had our picnic in the back yard after church. We buried the worms for a future day but not on Sunday.

Later again, Dad had returned from Park Valley where he had the homestead. He was called to serve on a six month’s mission and accepted. Mother was quite surprised he accepted but agreed it was the right thing to do. He left Salt Lake City January 24, 1913 for his mission. We boys were still quite young. What with the expense and lost time in the painting business our finances weren’t in too good shape. A few people still owed money and the job of collecting fell to me. Collected quite a bit but discovered some real hard luck stories - almost mad me cry. We got along some way. Mother could probably explain it better. The mission was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and surrounding area. My father always told what a great experience it was. He did not have much money either and he and his companions through their faith and prayers never had to want for anything. The membership at that time was very small. On our visit with you in 1968 Charles, Carolyn, Julie, Natalie, Stacey and John - when you managed to get me to church, I couldn’t help but think my father and your grandfather laid a few well placed stones in the foundation of the church. Judging by the beautiful chapel recreation rooms - and the church filled to overflow.

The mission over and successful things shaped up again very quickly and soon would be time to leave for Park Valley. This time I could go and [there] was going to be a pony to ride. Again, everything was in readiness, the wagon packed, when he received a letter saying his claim had been jumped. He had lost it all. Court proceedings took place but he was defeated at every turn. I remember little why or how. It seems the company claimed he had not lived on the land or worked enough clearing the land. This as a terrible blow to father and he just marked it off as a poor investment. He sold the work horse and equipment and return to the business he had established.

Right here discovered a mistake of several years. Dad returned from mission in June or July, 1913 and these dates may be incorrect.

My mind seems to be getting me in trouble again as I keep wandering. So now it is 1918 or 1919. Dad purchased our first car, a Buick. The salesman instructed him how to operate the car and a little actual experience and he started home. We were waiting anxiously to see the new car. Finally he arrived. He drove down the lane quite fast, made a sharp turn into the buggy shed, shouting, "Woah, woah!", crashed through end. The shed was remodeled and made six feet longer. Later in the summer, we went to Yellowstone Park.

In those days the condition of roads could be unbelievably rough with ruts, holes and sometimes a quagmire. In Idaho Falls, Idaho, a tire blew out and the spare had been punctured beyond repair. So he purchased two Kelly-Springfield tires for $110 and the garage man said those tires are guaranteed for 2,000 miles. We went on and almost at West entrance the oil pan was knocked off. The ruts were so deep it was almost impossible to steer the car out of them to pass. Was a combination of deep ruts and jagged rocks sticking up. We had to stay at Mack [?[ Inn for two days for parts to come from Salt Lake. It was a memorable trip which we all enjoyed and was quite an adventure.

Had I known I’d be writing a life story would have written all the events down at the time, date and place. When a person has lived 64 plus years, multiply that by 365 days and you’ve done quite a bit of living. Now my mind goes back a few years - just remember it. In the horse and wagon days of travel the George Lamb family of Hyde Park, our family and one of Mother’s girl friends packed provisions in two covered wagons for a week’s stay in the mountains. I don’t remember how long it took to get to the camp site selected. Again the roads, just wagon trails up steep grades, around hair pin curves and down some steep hills - anyway after almost being frightened out of our wits we arrived at Red Bank in Logan Canyon, a part of nature untouched, rugged and beautiful. Pure cold water in the river and pan size brown trout and whoppers- one I know 24 inches long - a beautiful wild blue grouse. The first morning the men were up early and by 7:30 had a dish pan full of trout. That evening for supper, Grouse - Man what living. What cooks. There is nothing like the smell of the great box. Had a huge fire at night, sing and everyone would be on the program. In three days we didn’t see anyone but those in our camp. Dad cut a long limb, fastened a line with hook and worm. Went up the road until I found a fishing hole and it turned out to be the right place. After about two hours more or less [I] was almost yanked off the rock. My limb was almost touching the water. With one mighty heave straight over my head I ran down with this my first fish ever dangling on the end of the line. Everyone thought a bear must have been chasing me the way I came into camp. It must have weighed one pound and one-half. I presented it to Dad for his dinner. Days when you wish you could live forever.

Now we move up a few years. I am maybe 18 years old. Have an urge to see the world so four of us, all boyhood friends, decide to try it on our own. Since Smith (Blossom) Gyllenskog had a brother-in-law in Twin Falls we selected that place for our new adventure. His cousin, (Pole) Gyllenskog (my life-long friend), Edwin Pitcher and Hyrum (Barney) Bingham, (me Swede) we caught rides - rode a freight train, (bumming our way to save money! We arrived in a rain storm. A neighbor had a large farm, mostly sugar beets and we made a deal with them. In three days we only thinned two acres [of sugar beets] on account of rain. Blossom’s brother-in-law liked us all very much but hoped our stay would be short and prayed for sunshine. By the fourth day we’d had enough and like homing pigeons we ended up in Smithfield. It was dark when I turned the walk toward home. Mother was calling, "Milton, Milton, where are you tonight? And I answered, "Here I am Mother." I was afraid she would faint. It was a wonderful feeling to be home again. The world could wait to be discovered.

Christmas was always one of excitement and joy never to be forgotten. The tree mother trimmed with tinsel, pop corn, cranberries strung on a string (which we brothers were willing helpers.} and the 1 inch chain link made from the last year’s most colorful wall paper in sample books. In those earlier years electric tree lights may or may not have been available. We used small, colored candles in a holder snapped on tree branched. When completed dad would light the candles. What an exciting moment. Had to be extremely careful of tree catching fire and the candles were extinguished after a few too short minutes. The heat next to the branches filled the room with the scent of fir branches. A crackling fire in the fire-place and the hour we were waiting for in the morning - for Santa’s visit. Soon we would be in bed and seemed hours before sleep came - probably minutes - then it happened, we either woke up or were awakened beside our presents. The best Christmas I remember as a child was so convincing there was little doubt Santa had come down the chimney. A glass of milk and a few cookies left for Santa were a welcome treat and a note in shaky writing because his hands were cold thanked us and said he was proud of us for being such good boys. There were a few ashes on the tile in front of the fire place - a little smudge of soot on the napkin. Charles and I went outside and could see sleigh tracks on the south side of roofs and other tracks must have been the reindeer. Was still a believer. We always received nice gifts and this Christmas along with socks, mittens and item of clothing we were in need of. Then we each received a toy instrument - trombone, trumpet and a French horn. They were of such good quality one could actually play them. In later years and electric train set up on a panel which dad must have worked on for days. The train ran through mountains, tunnels, river bridge into the small town with railroad station and water tank. It was a masterpiece. Just one of many Christmas’s at home as I remembered them.

Other important days were birthdays. (4th of July - we always slept out doors so we would be able to hear the sunrise salute by local sportsmen firing their shotguns in front of the Smithfield Library -- and join in by using up our supply of fire crackers much too soon.} Mothers birthday for years, November 4th, all of mothers girl friends from childhood and may other friends came to our house for her birthday celebration. It was always quite an event. Never knew of another lady so honored. Thanksgiving and Sunday dinners. The evening Dad and Mother dressed for their first Kiwanis Club dinner. Dad in his new tuxedo and mother in a beautiful gown, a delicate shade of lavender, with darker shades of tiny beads and some lace trimming. We were real proud and so happy to see them off so elegantly dressed. Later dad E. B. L. was Secretary of Kiwanis.

Some how have forgotten to mention Maggie Watson. She was ten or so years old. Her mother had a mental condition and could not care for her properly. Mother and father took her and she lived with us until she married. She was almost like a sister and was treated as one of the family. She was older than we brothers and did much baby sitting and could write a story about the trials and tribulations she had as a baby sitter, among her other duties.

We had a neighbor quite well to do. I ran around with one of their sons named La Von Rice. At the time he [his father?] owned land and a herd of fine cows and the Union Hall, a three story building, pool room in the basement, theater, cafe and confectionery on the ground floor and dance hall. [We sang] "Three Blind Mice" and "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."

My first year in school was a two class room frame building very old. Had a large round stove (coal, to hear the room.) I would attend through the third grad. Recall some severe winters when snow would be two feet deep. Mr. Fischer had a triangle wooden scraper pulled by a horse. He stood on the scraper and cleared a path on the side walks early in the morning. We hardly ever used the side walk but made our way through the deepest drifts. Result would be we would be soaking wet from the waist down. Our teacher, Miss Barnett would scold us and as punishment we would have to carry buckets of coal in from the coal shed. Work had begun on a new school but wouldn’t be completed for another year or so. I started the 4th grad in the upstairs over Abe Smith’s Dry Goods Store. It was one large room and some of the kids were 5th, 6th and 7th graders. Two teachers, one Marriner Roskelley, the other Lucille Noble. Was mostly confusion, much hooky and hiding from the truant officer. (Me twice} The new school was finally completed and was quite wonderful. The new building still had the smell of paint. It just smelled new.

For the first time when we held up two fingers we didn’t have to go outside the building -- the first indoor plumbing.

I went through the eighth grade and for ninth and final year before attending high school finished and graduated from the ninth grade. It was an old red brick two story building and had four class rooms. Our teachers were excellent with one or two exceptions. Clarence Hurren, Miss Smirtwaite and Everett Hancey were the teachers we learned to respect and made the lessons interesting. About this time there were many drop outs so the school board started a winter class for them. They could come if and when they wanted to take part or just sit and listen in any class they chose. Usually they created more confusion. Some were old enough to be seniors in high school. One time an argument got out of hand and Mr. Hurren and a husky kid settled their argument in front of the class. Mr. Hurren gave him and the class a lesson in discipline and in no uncertain terms he was ready to take on the whole bunch. There were no takers. We were graduated and held the graduation exercises in the 2nd Ward Tabernacle.

(Illegible) Pilkington and I sang "Whispering Hope" during the program. I was fitted out with a blue tailor made suit with light pin stripes. We made quite a hit and had many requests to sing at church socials, etc. Before that we sang together at war bond rallies.

I started high school in Richmond, about six miles from Smithfield. It was a new building called North Cash High School. We rode the electric train to and from. I again had two great teachers, Mr. Van Orden and James W. Kirkbride who later became Principal and the county school superintendent. I didn’t fare too well in some of the classes and Mr. K. spent much time trying to keep up my interest but by Spring I felt like it was a waste of time (regrettably). When Dad found out I had decided to quit school he told me to be ready to start work the next day. That was what I really wanted, I guess, and the pay, 15 cents an hour board and whatever clothes I needed.

To go back a bit, Charles, Eugene, myself and later brother Eddie delivered the morning Salt Lake Tribune and the evening Deseret News to all subscribers in Smithfield and on Sunday morning I could catch the train to Hyde Park and sell Tribunes from house to house and would average 100 papers at 2-I/2 cents profit. This time was during World War I.

Also I worked one summer on a big farm in what they called Trenton. There were five hired hands including me. We were up at 5:30, breakfast at 6:00 and usually through at 6:00 P. M. My wages were $3.00 per week. Every meal was a gourmet’s delight and was always amazed at the amount of food the four hay pitchers stowed away. I felt sorry for Mrs. Noble. Her husband George lived across the street from our old home before marriage. They were food people and in a way were fun. My job was tromping and spreading the hay on the wagon and riding the derrick horse and guiding the horse when the hay was stored in the barn.

That Spring and Fall Dad worked out a deal for the four of us to thin, weed and top 10 acres of sugar beets. Dad supervised at times and sometimes did more work than all of us. We ended up digging the beet out of the snow. We were paid in November. My share was $90. The beet crop averaged 15 tons per acre after mud was taken off. I forget what Dad’s share was but it was more for the boss.

Back farther - In 9th Grade I worked after school for Joe Gutke who owned the butcher shop. I would grind up meat for sausage, baloney and other lunch meats. Split wood for the smoke house and delivered meat to customers. He made the greatest sausage and baloney one ever tasted. His daughter was the one you (Carolyn) met at church in New York Conference.

I also used to collect 25 Cents for delivering telephone messages to people who didn’t have telephones. Ran errands for Mrs. Hinds, a widow and in return for services rendered may receive a bunch or carrots or a dill pickle or cookies, etc., but never money. I was about eight years or older and mother insisted that I was doing a good deed.

Now back to time I quit school. I had started work in earnest now and soon was able to do many jobs and one was how to cut and paste wall paper which was a great help to Dad and in the second year he raised my wages to 25 Cents per hour and many days we worked 10 and 12 hours a day. I was by now pretty good with a paint brush, and soon our work covered most of Cache County painting churches, schools, business and residential. I tried to learn sign writing and Dad was an artist but I didn’t seem to have the knack so stuck to painting. Gradually all the brothers got on the payroll and we could really turn out the work. The youngest brother, Rodney, went with us and it was quite a sight to see all of us on the old Ford Truck. The winters were always times of unemployment with nothing to do. When I was a little older, I tried to get a job at the sugar [refining] factory. I was there at the beginning of every shift for 16 days and finally the Superintendent said he’d have to give me a job to get me out of the way. I started at 6:00 P. M. on the night shift and worked until 6:00 A. M. in the morning. My job was operating the measuring tanks and soon discovered why it wasn’t sought after. It consisted of two huge tanks receiving beet juice (raw) one was filling up while the other one was emptying. Each tank had to be recorded in the time to fill and empty, the temperature and weight. I finally got so efficient I had thirty seconds out of every two minutes to relax. The pay 32-1/2 cents per hour. The second year was promoted to the carbonators at 35 cents per hour and third year 37-1/2 cents per hour and ran an operation called Daneks where the juice was forced through the last press all impurities, etc. had been removed and was ready to be boiled and eventually made into sugar. Was making it big. I now had a helper.

In between working at the sugar factory in the winter and working with Dad in the summer was doing quite well. By 1926 my pay was 50 cents per hour and board and a bonus on some jobs for cutting down the estimated time for doing a job.

After the 1926 sugar run, four of us went to Los Angeles. We all worked at various jobs, I included bus boy, waiter and dish washer in small cafe - warehouse - four hours - quite couldn’t take it.

Got a job painting, 75 Cents per hour. Helped paint a home owned by George Sunday, brother of the (in)famous Billy Sunday, evangelist. George was in the real estate business and was reportedly a millionaire. They had a chauffeur, two maids and a cook, three big limos and the home was beautiful. One Packard was the 20’s version of a sport car. I worked several weeks and when the job was completed the contractor did not have work for us but had bids on other homes in Hollywood. He called me later but I had found another job. By the way George Sunday ended up broke. An older man, friend and former Smithfield, home town boy ran into me by accident. He was private chauffeur for the President of Los Angeles Gas & Electric Co. His partner was an ex army flight instructor and chauffeur for the Vice President of the same company. They had pooled their resources and were building a monoplane. It was ready to paint and varnish. They got me into it for %50.00 and many hours free labor to paint it white and maroon. All it lacked was a French engine and they ran out of money. A man by the name of Kinner (later builder and owner of famous Eagle Rock plane) had enough interest in the project and had supplied much of the material and know how. He hadn’t been paid so he took it. I tried to get something out of it but to no avail. I never did see Cliff Corbett or his partner after that. I learned Cliff was Airport Manager at Kansas City.

I finally got a job at Pico and Hill Street Drug Store as porter and part time soda jerk. The pay wasn’t too good but there was a prospect of a job opportunity in the drug business. they owned in Chicago. Part of my job was to fill 12 oz. bottles with 100 proof alcohol - $2.50 per bottle. Mr. Osherenko told me not to worry, he had protection. With this experience I was able to get a job through an employment agency, cost me $5.00. The job was at Carroll’s Malted Milk & Sandwich Shop, 619-1/2 So. Spring Street. I started out for $16.00 per week and after three months, my pay had increased to $32.00 per week. In 1927, that seemed like quite a bit of money. The owner was an ex-vaudeville star - piano player, comedy and step dancer. He was in San Francisco at the time of the earthquake in 1906 - lost everything but found a bicycle and headed out of town. He spent some time in the gold fields in California and Nevada. He was a personal friend of Flo Ziegfield, many stars in movies and sports. His scrap-book was filled with famous people and autographs, "To my good friend, Carroll (Robinson). Fight promoter, Tex Rickard and Jack Dempsey were friends of his.

Well I worked at this job for over a year. In the meantime the four of us were still together. We had a home-like apartment on Valencia Street including some free loaders from Smithfield - kids that should never have left home. They always managed to find us but never a job.

We finally got itchy feet, quit our jobs, bought tickets on the Steamship, S. S. Rose City to Portland, Oregon. We left San Pedro and landed in Portland 72 hours later. It was quite and experience. We had a lot of fun and wouldn’t have missed it for anything.

We hitch-hiked to Vancouver, B. C. and back to Seattle. We rode freight trains from Seattle to Butte, Montana to Cache Junction, Utah, ten miles west of Smithfield. I called Dad and he came after us and seemed pleased I had returned home. He didn’t waste any time putting me to work. It was good to be home again in the year, 1928.

It was a good year, the final months of 1928. We had lots of work. Charles and I worked together much of the time. He was something [else?] We were sent to a farm house out north of town to calcimine and steeple (the woman called it) a living room. [In the trade, "steeple" was really "stipple"] We calcimined all the rooms except the wall behind the piano. Charles said it wasn’t in the contract. He planned it that way. I’ll never forget the expression on that lady’s face. I don’t know what would have happened if we hadn’t broke out laughing. Just one of many incidents, I could write a book. By now Eugene was working in the local bank. Eddie was in college at Utah State. Eugene, Eddie and myself played for a few dances, me on drums. Eddie joined a dance band and it was seldom that we got together after that.

1929 was the beginning of long times between jobs. It was good through the summer and fall. By spring of 1930 things were really tough. Dad was having jobs taken away by other painters under-bidding and was beginning to show strain from worry. He managed to keep the family busy. In 1931 we got a job in Rupert, Idaho. It as a large colonial home that cost $18,000 to build. We started in October doing the outside but after some bad weather and delays Dad wasn’t feeling too well and late one night he had a heart attack. From his instructions, I rubbed his back and arm with some shave lotion and eventually the pain stopped. He didn’t want a doctor. In the morning he left for home and sent Eddie back to help me. I completed the job and went back to Jerome, Idaho. It was a bad winter. In February, the manager of the North Side Inn where I lived I became ill. Mr. Latham ("Snowball" everyone called him) gave me the job of managing the hotel. I ran it for several weeks and also had the title, Agent for Union Pacific Stage Lines. Snowball never bothered to come around. I had o order supplies and a carload of coal. Many traveling salesmen stayed there and by going through the register, I found out about when they made their rounds, what rooms they preferred and had only one or two incidents that caused some shuffling. It was quite gratifying when the manager returned and Snowball took me to dinner and gave me an extra month’s rent. In Jerome I painted several new homes and the usual spring cleaning - calcimining and papering. Stayed in Idaho until 1932. Father died. I came home and decided to stay.

I have to back track again to 1925. I had almost forgotten. I was riding around one day as there wasn’t much work going on. I saw some railroad painters and found the boss in his bunk car. He hired me as a 2nd class painter at 62-1/2 cent per hour. I reported for work the next day and began painting the railroad station in Cache Junction, Utah. Union Pacific. We painted everything including a trestle in Bear River Canyon, water tanks and any property along the right-of-way that belonged to Union Pacific. We lived in bunk cars on a siding - one car had a woman who cooked for the gang - six painters, the boss and her young son. The food was good considering conditions. We could request a pass every week end but couldn’t go very far and get back for work on Monday. Twice I caught a train to Salt Lake, wait 45 minutes and catch a train back to Cache Junction, Numbers 29 and 30. The Conductor told me No. 30, Salt Lake to Butte ran 70 miles per hour at times. It was a beautiful locomotive with plenty of power. Once I almost had it fixed to ride in the cab of the engine from Brigham to Cache Junction, but didn’t quite pull it off. Two weekends the boss let me take a motor car to go home. Going was no problem but on Monday morning had specific instructions to leave Smithfield at least one and one-half hours early to be sure and be for enough ahead of the morning train. I started early as he had suggested but couldn’t get the thing going. I pushed and ran behind it back and forth and still I wouldn’t start. I was frantic by this time, was about to lift it off the track and wait for section crew that came on about 7:30 A. M. I leaned on the back and it moved away so I pushed again and it started. The train went through Logan, Wellsville and Mendon, but there was a cut-off between Logan and Cache Junction. When I got the thing on the cutoff track and started, I was only a coupe of yards on my way when the passenger train went by. Finally I arrived in time for work. After working seven weeks the boss made me 1st Class and raised my pay to 65 cents per hour. Oh yea, I had to pay $1.00 per day for board and room. When it got too cold to work I was laid off. The boss wanted me to go to work in the Salt Lake station but I didn’t have enough seniority.

I am not sure of the year, could have been 1928, two of us, Smith Gyllenskog (Blossom), named after his fathers work horse; a cousin to "Pole" Read, my old friend - (at that time everyone had a nickname - mine was "Lucky" or "Swede", and sometimes "Bennie." Well, we signed up as "Gandy dancers" a term used to refer to men who work on maintenance crews, laying new rails, replacing ties, keeping rails and switches in good order. We were sent to Hanna, Wyoming. We had to have our own bedroll, two pairs of overalls, shirts and change of underwear we threw in for Sundays.

There were 95 men in the gang. We were laying heavier steel between Hanna and Rock Springs. We lived in Bunk Cars. Most of the gang were Mexicans. How I picked up a few words in Mexican? The boss looked me over and said, "You will be the Bull Cook, definition: Janitor. My job was to clean bunk cars, keep them supplied with coal and wood to start fires. I was broke and hungry so I swallowed my pride and went at it. It turned out I got efficient and in talking to the boss, told him I had a lot of know how about painting. Two days later some paint and a two inch brush was dropped off the train and my orders were to paint the interior of the boss’s bunk car. It was outside paint but I told him how long it would take to dry inside. He said, "Go to it anyway." I finally finished the job and the paint applied the first day wasn’t dry yet but he didn’t complain.

Then one morning he said to go out on the track and check on all the men. "You’re the time keeper now." Each man had a number and 2/3rds were Mexicans. Luckily two could speak English and they taught me how to count and say different words - half of them had Jesus (Heyzue) in their names, first, last or in the middle. I got along fine with them. Meanwhile, Blossom had blisters over his original blisters out in the heat and his back breaking a little at a time. We stood it out for two months and decided we had had enough. We arrived in Ogden, rented a room, bought a new change of clothes, threw the old ones away, had a good long hot bath, got a hair cut and shampoo and headed for home the next day.

I am back home in Smithfield, the year 1932. The depression has this part of the country in fact everywhere you go it is about the same. Dad died in July 1932. It was a great shock to Mother and all of us. She was left in pretty good financial condition, except $5,000 was virtually wiped out as the savings and loan company went broke. Fortunately the insurance companies paid and after probate and other affairs were settled, began to work things out. For myself, the situation got worse. Jobs were scarce and most of all the people didn’t have money for painting or remodeling. There were government projects for men with families, hand outs of all sorts and some people were really living it up. Every week a large truck stopped down by Mrs. Tidwell’s house and handed out beef roasts, pork and hams. We used to joke about it but most of the recipients (should use word I can spell)would have been willing to work for it. Charles and I went to Logan to the welfare agency ran by the county. We understood we would be able to get work. We would have had to swear a pauper’s oath and about the next thing to begging. We said good bye and so long. One day, Bishop Nelson informed me I would be eligible for work because Mother was a widow. I went to work for the county schools and the pay was 75 Cents per hour, $10.00 in script, to be used only for food, fuel and clothing and only spend $10.00, the balance in cash - a total of $27.00 a week, 44 hours. We painted and decorated the North Cache High School auditorium, cafeteria, offices and hallways. Six men were in the crew but actually only three painters including the boss, a German trained decorator and artist, Alfred Lippold. He later painted chapels and did much work in temples all over the U. S. and some foreign countries. The job lasted eight weeks and I ended up with script I hadn’t used and you had to use it up every week. I made a deal at a clothing store for a $35.00 suit. They said they could figure out a way to get rid of it. Gradually a job popped up here and there. A man in Newton asked me to paper their living room. It was eight miles from home. He agreed to pay $7.50 for labor and all went well. I was through at 4 o’clock and carrying my tools out. I had a ten foot plank which I was carrying out. He was holding the door open but for some reason let go. One more step and I’d be home free but, alas, the door closed and the plank went through the glass in the door. He was really upset - no new glass - no pay. I went to Smithfield, purchased a new pane and much better quality, replaced new one and arrived home late and $5.00 for a long day’s work.

On another job, Charles and I traded labor for a pig dressed out and a sack of potatoes. Them was the good old daze.

1934, things were picking up. I joined the Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department as driver and maintenance of fire engine. it was a new Ford, real fancy but apparently no one ever tried it out on hills and sure enough we were called to a fire at the top of Hinds’ Hill. (Were we went sledding in the winter.) I had to shift in to low gear and if I hadn’t a good start on the level we wouldn’t have gone as far as we did which was beyond reach (the fire) of fire hose. Anyway, the neighbors had it out before we got there. We had to drop everything when we heard the siren on top of the fire station and received $2.50 per call. We had responded to two calls at the same hours in one day. The first time we extinguished the fire, Mrs. Coleman went into a rage for what we thought was a very efficient and record breaking time. She set fire to it again. Some men came and took her away -- quite a way.

The last time I lived in Smithfield until 1936. I did work in Logan. Two new homes, one for Attorney Nelson near the Logan Temple and a new home for Norman Parsons, Heavy Construction, road builder. Might add I probably worked in two-thirds of the homes and businesses in Smithfield, also two churches, public library, church buildings throughout the county and schools.

Previous to 1936 I joined the union in Logan. Thought that would be a great idea. The pay scale was $.90 per hour, but it didn’t work out so good. When you applied for a job, you were never sure how to answer questions. Do you belong to the union? If the prospective employer was non-union and you answered yes, he walked away. Non-union contractors could hire painters for $.65 per hour. Members of unions were looked upon as trouble makers and had no right to decide how much their wages should be. I Worked on only one union job painting F. W. Woolworth’s. The union soon went out of business.

In 1936 we moved to Twin Falls, Idaho. It was a growing town and many new homes being built. I painted several new homes - did work for the Idaho Department Store nights 7 - 11 and Sundays. Did much work for Sid Graves who owned the Royal Bakery. Painted inside and out of his Cape Cod style home. Hung imported French and Chinese wall coverings in three of the bedrooms. Painted his bakery in and out. The outside was painted red (Chinese) and white lacquer automobile finish. Painted new office building and new home for Dr. Affleck, surgeon who operated on me. Remodeled office building for Drs. Fuendling, husband and wife (Valdie) team. (mother’s doctor when John was born. Cabins, home and house we lived in for Mr. Batley, home for Venice and Alfred Lippold. Down town beauty parlor and third home and beauty parlor combo. Venice Hillyard lived next door to our old home in Smithfield before marriage to Lippold.

I had a man named Bob Lake, a true to life carbon copy of Archie Bunker - his wife the opposite of Archie’s, being fat. She finally left him. Mother, Carolyn and John went home for a visit. Ada Lake offered board at their home for $.25 a meal. She was a good cook but Bob always complaining and said she should eat somewhere else to find out what good food tasted like. I offered to help do the dishes and Bob said to shut up, no man has any right to be in the kitchen. He weighed 240 pounds and while complaining about the food he was shoveling his stomach full. On Saturday he would buy one gallon of beer and a fifth of whiskey, one or two magazines, lock himself up, pull down the shades and not emerge until Monday morning. He was a good painter, though, and hard worker. He eventually lost his mind completely.

I was talked into joining the union again. We had nine members to start with. I was elected Secretary Treasurer and Business Agent. We lined up jobs with J. C. Penney, Montgomery Ward, grocery stores and business houses. When the government ordered all foreign citizens of Japanese ancestry to camps, one, to accommodate 25,000 was built a few miles from Twin Falls. Our union had jurisdiction and was called on to furnish 90 painters. I mailed letters to unions in Utah, Montana and Idaho. I approached people in the street that had never held a paint brush, signed them up. We eventually signed up 42 and enriched the treasury by $2,700. I collected $40 a month for my work. Three months. The union had a dinner on my birthday at the Park Hotel. Presented me with non-union sport [?] and a pen. Ever so often a member would make a motion we appropriate money for refreshments and the rest would vote unanimous. It would cost up to $75 before the night was over. After we moved to Ogden, I learned they had spent all of it.

The war came along. I was classed after women and children, being 36 years old, the draft board thought I was too old, but I was advised to get into something useful in the war effort. I worked at a farm labor camp and housing project, the latter for a contracting firm from Helena, Montana. O.H. Graham was the painting contractor. When the job was completed he took two of us to Ogden to work on an army camp at third street depot.

Too fast here. Before going with Graham, the contractor from Portland, Oregon had the painting job at the Farm Labor Camp in Twin Galls. He also had the nurses and officers quarters housing at the Army Hospital in Brigham City. I guess I got home-sick and quit after a few weeks. Came home then went to work for Graham. I left Twin Falls in December and went to Ogden. I looked for an apartment but they were hard to come by. We stayed at the Broom Hotel on 25th Street near Washington. We ate at Ross & Jack’s and a small place off 25th Street a block west of Washington. We could get a steak or roast beef once or twice a week.

Mother, [Mildred], Carolyn and John came later. Mother had a job offer at the Depot and since her job seemed more important than mine she was listed as a war worker and soon had an apartment. When the army camp job was completed Graham said he wouldn’t have any more work for two or three weeks. The job was in Tooele [Utah] tooillie or something. So looked for a temporary job and soon went to work for Hyrum Sander. He had 10 to 15 men but farmed me out in the Ben Lomand hotel. While at Ben Lomand I refinished 52 rooms of furniture, two grand pianos, one painted white and striped. Sander had high class customers and he sent me alone on several occasions in some nice homes - bankers, savings and loan president, doctors, two attorneys and the Utah ex-governor.

The old church on Washington, Lewis School, Sperry Mills, large dairy (name escapes me). The last year Sander sent three of us to Blackfoot, Idaho to paint interior of Eccles Hotel. We were there five weeks.

Back again. Almost forgot. In 1943, I worked with Graham’s foreman. He went to Great Falls, Montana to paint a water tank at Gore Hill Field. He sent wire for me to come. $15.00 for eight hours. I took off. I was set up in a hotel - allowed meal expense. The tank was 90 feet tall from bottom of tank and thousands of feet upright supports, lacing an braces 40 ft. square. Had a cat walk and when we painted the tank one man had to keep a rope secure so the other wouldn’t be blown off. Had to paint squares on the tank in orange and white. We got time and one-half over 40 feet. The job called for two coats. We worked below 40 feet after we had put in 40 hours and above 40 feet for regular 40 hour week. So we were getting time and one half every hour we worked. The boss soon got the message, Malhereck (Jack), foreman. By the way we were working for Art Nelson of Great Falls. Jack said it was time and material and he (Art) figured he’d juggle the books so he would make a little extra. Before I was allowed on the base [I] was given the third degree (FBI) and sworn to secrecy as it was the receiving base for new airplanes being fitted with weapons, painted and the hammer and sickle of Russia stenciled on the sides. They were flown by American pilots to Alaska and taken over by Russian flyers with everything on [them] ready for combat. Every one in Great Falls must have known what was going on but no one ever talked about it. After the war I read where Senator ? said it was the best kept secret during the war. Stayed several weeks and arrived home on Memorial Day/

Our stay in Ogden had lasted four years plus. Charles and Benin were in Portland and had an idea we brothers could start up and appliance and hardware store also paint. We all agreed, filed articles of incorporation in Oregon as Lundquist Brothers Inc. We all got together in Portland and in October 1946 went to see banker at U. S. National. He was quite impressed to see five of us and our plan for getting started. We received favorable reaction every where we went. Fuller’s paint company, Woodbury Hardware and appliance dealers. The catch was the building we had leased. When I arrived it was only half finished. Weeks went by and could see no progress being made. I finally had to get making some money. So my first job in Oregon was in Beaverton for United Builders. They were building homes all over the Portland area. We had four homes completed enough to start working. After a week the painter boss left me in charge and [I] worked for him for six months and quit. The corporation deal looked more hopeless than ever - the building was standing idle - we gave up the idea. I still had an idea would like to open a paint store on Lombard. Fullers would have let me have a representative stock to start out - and there was a good location available. We were too uncertain and decided against it. Two years later a painter opened a paint store on the order we had talked about. In 1949 he grossed $60,000. Pete’s Paint Store. He is now retired and owns the new buildings, one occupied by two dentists, the other by Ann Palmer Bakery. It’s all "if only" but one wonders. I still have my stock certificate - 50 shares. I try to think of it as a good investment.

Early in September started work for Pat Lugger, definition sloppy dishonest type. Worked for one month until he sent me to a nice home in Sylvan and some jerk who was working in the kitchen. The lady on the house asked me to inspect his work - and what a mess if I hadn’t took over the paint would have run down on the floor and out the back door. After work the lady asked me to come back and finish the job and she would pay me. I had called the boss and told him I’d put up with enough. I got my pay and then finished work on my own. The lady was very pleased with my work.

On October 10, 1947, I was walking on Fifth Avenue between Yamhill and Morrison - looked up at Meier and Frank’s department store. I said to myself a place that large must need a painter. I took the elevator to the personnel office and made out application, was told to go to the carpenter shop on 14M and talk to the boss carpenter, Mr. Cross. He asked me a few questions and told me to report for work the following Monday, October 13th. I went back to the office to get a time card and while there met the store Superintendent of Maintenance. He explained store family policy and if I could please Cross I could work as long as I was able to show up for work.

The Monday I started I met Henry for the first time. He seemed a little uncertain or something about me. He mixed up a batch of pink enamel and took me to the Infant’s Department on the second floor to paint six light green show cases, and left and said he’d be back at 9:45 P.M. for lunch. When he came for me the cases were painted and completed. He didn’t say good, bad or indifferent. He told me a long time after he thought I’d botch them up and not be able to do a good job with pink over green. We got along fine from then on. Henry was in charge and had four other painters besides me. At one time thirteen getting ready for Christmas. In the twenty-two plus years I worked in every part of the building - painted almost anything one can imagine. After Henry retired I became the finisher, refinishing all the desks, furniture and the beautiful imported mahogany trim, doors and wainscot in the executive offices. Mr. Frank’s office wall were two-foot square panels in limed oak. Desk and furniture to match. It had a bath and shower, dressing room, heat lamp and telephone. Next to the indoor pluming a huge vase was filled with fresh flowers of the season. His word was law and every one snapped to attention when he gave the order. He always told you when the job was satisfactory. The last twelve years most of my work was done in the shop with spray equipment - show cases, all the walnut paneling in men’s clothing. Now they are taking it out and remodeling. I also was responsible for the street floor fixtures which have since been replaced due to remodeling. I did all the props used by the Display Department.

There was some trying times with a couple of co-workers but I outlasted them. Mostly it was interesting and the management was always fair and concerned about the welfare of their employees.

Would have to write a book - a book? - on all my experiences over the years. You & John were here most of the time and about all you heard was M & F. There will still be a corner, a fixture something some place in the store where I left a brush mark on the accumulation of over spray from the gun in the paint shop.

As one of the original dropouts and 53 years as a working stiff it could have been worse.

Other miscellaneous jobs etc.:

Putting up ice in Carlin, Nevada after Christmas 1925. Three weeks, one day 26 Degrees below. Came home with $50.00. I was Bell-Boy at the Eccles Hotel in Logan, Utah. I worked in the Pea Factory in Smithfield. Sold Saturday Evening Post in Smithfield earlier. I picked olives near Riverside, California for 1-3/4 cents per pound. I ended up owing the owner 50 cents board. I packed oranges in Riverside, California.

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