1935 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY OF ONE MAN'S DESPERATE DEPRESSION ERA JOB AT ONE OF THE MOST REMOTE PLACES IN AMERICA

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On offer is an interesting, original 1935 manuscript diary handwritten by a hard working, single young man named George R. Wilson, we believe, who lived somewhere near Saginaw or F lint Michigan but whose diary reveals an utterly unique experience of working at one of the most remote jobs on the planet. Rather sparsely written with about one third of the diary having entries George wrote of his attempts to find work in 1935 at the height of the Depression Era, and the temporary jobs he managed to get. He worked for the Michigan Unemployment Census, the Emerging Relief Administration, the Durant Hotel as a house detective, the Federal Housing Administration and had other odd jobs. He carefully noted in the diary the number of hours he worked and the salary he earned. But it is George's good fortune to receive a job offer July 4th when he received a letter from Ketchikan asking if he would accept a position as 2nd assistant at the Scotch Gap Lighthouse in Alaska at a salary of $1560. per annum. [The Cape Sarichef Light was the most western in the Northern hemisphere, as well as the most isolated. The station closed from Dec 1st to March 1st because the Bering Sea was frozen. Because of the isolation, civilians who worked there were given a full year vacation after 3 years of duty and the Coast Guard members were rotated after one year. In 1933 it was said that one of the keepers had a breakdown because of the isolation. Only a few trappers could get through to the station in the harsh winter months.] On July 17, the author notes 'July 17 Rec'd letter from Ketchikan stating I had been nominated for 2nd ass't at Cape Sarichef, also finger print form....' On July 28, the author left Flint MI for Bellingham Washington, where he boarded the SS "North King" for Cape Sarichef on August 1. He made many stops along the way, and noted these and the route in his diary. He occasionally worked loading canned salmon on the ship. On Aug 6th, he was given the oath of office by the Captain of the tender "Hemlock". While anchored off Kodiak, the author made the following entry: 'Aug 14.....Anchored off Kodiak at 6:00 AM. Tied up at cannery about 1:00 PM. Visited Russian Orthodox Church. Kodiak was settled about 1774. Talked with Charles Madsen, noted hunter, game warden and guide. A Kodiac bear was killed 5 miles from Kodiak which was 13 1/2 ft long and weighed 2255 lb. A bear killed by Madsen was 5 ft around the neck. The way we came to Kodiak is about 1700 miles from Bellingham....' After a trip of three weeks, the author arrived at Cape Sarichef on August 21st: Left Scotch Gap at 11:30 AM and reached Cape Sarichef about 1:30 PM. A.I. Sutherland, keeper, George C Francis, 1st Asst. We are in Lat 54 35' 50" and long. 164 56' 02". This light was built in 1903. It is a 3rd order light, gas mantle, and is 185 ft above high tide. Lee Harpole was keeper, leaving today. Sutherland gets $1800 and Francis $1620. After his arrival at Cape Sarichef, the author made occasional short entries. He wrote of: the arrival of the mail boat "Star" on various days; receiving a mackinaw and other clothing he had ordered; visits from two trappers in the area, Fred Webber and Exel Samuelson; seeing caribou, once seeing 62 at one time; trapping foxes; closing the station at midnight on Nov 30th, not to reopen until Mar 1; picking up mail at Scotch Gap; a few daily activities - getting hair cut, washing, taking pictures, eating lbs of flaxseed; On Dec 29, the author made the following entry: Began misty rain about 3 PM. Sent following night let. to May: "Everything fine. No mail out since September. Your mail received". Cost - $2.21.' Overall G+.; Manuscript; 32mo - over 4" - 5" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, GEORGE R. WILSON, CAPE SARICHEF, ALASKA, BERING SEA, KETCHIKAN, THE CAPE SARICHEF LIGHT, COAST GUARD, AMERICANA, LIGHTHOUSE, DEPRESSION ERA, LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, AUTOGRAPHED, AUTHORS, AMERICANA, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, KEEPSAKE, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, PERSONAL HISTORY, ARCHIVE, DIARY, DIARIES, antiquité, contrat, vélin, document, manuscrit, papier Antike, Brief, Pergament, Dokument, Manuskript, Papier oggetto d'antiquariato, atto, velina, documento, manoscritto, carta antigüedad, hecho, vitela, documento, manuscrito, Papel, Show more