Anchorage Alaska July 7, 1940

Anchorage Alaska
July 7, 1940
Dear Bro and Mable:

I wrote you a letter along in April and have been waiting to hear from you. Just keep wondering if everything is O.K.

Well over half of the canneries are not operating in Bristol Bay this year so of course I didn't go ver, have been working on the Big Air Base that is going up here at Anchorage.

They pay 90 (cent sign) an hour for laborers - they slash bush and burnbursh and help around on the various jobs. I started in as rough carpenter and worked a while at 1.15 an hour then they raised me to 1.0 an hour as 1. class carpenter and will have work for 2 or three years. there are around 5 or 6 hundred working at the Base and lots more will be put on later, there will be all kinds of work for carpenters families Truck drivers, Mechanicss, Bull dozer men and various other kinds of work.

We had to take a physical examination for heart, lungs, Hernia ey sight etc. I was O.K. one of the main supertendents told me that I'd have work right through the winter and we'll be working 7 days a week.

We were going back down on the Kenai Pen this winter but, we cant afford to ss up this chance to get a stake, Mildred is making 5 or 6 dollars every day in a restaurent so with my wages we are going to save all we can.

All the houses are rented here in town, the rents are from $15 a mo and up mostly up, food costs are much higher than in the states. I have a fricassee chicken for dinner and it cost 1.65 ham 55 to 60 (cent sign) a lb Bacon only 40 (cent sign) lb butter 40 to 45 (cent sign) lb eggs 40 (cent sign) doz but with these wages on can still save.

There are 800 soldiers that arrived here some from Ft. Missoula Ne and some from Ft. Lewis, Wash. when we get the temporary quarters up around Oct 1. there will be 2 air squadrans of Bombers here along with lots more soldiers. This will be one of the largest Air Bases in the whole USA that's what ne of the Officers said with around 15, 000 soldiers and around 500 officers, so if one can make these wages for 2 or 3 years he should save up a real good stake and when it is though, beat it because this sure will be a hot spot if war comes and it sure looks like old Hitler will try and conquer the world.

If you are all O.K. physically Archie I know I can get you on as Mechanic and later as plumber. you could stay here with us we'd make out some way. We have 2 large rooms, were only about 6 blocks from the main part of town. We take busses out to the air base, it costs us $6.00 a month for transportation.

I guess well have to pass up our hunting for this fall only later if I get a little time off I can go out 3 or 4 miles from town and maby get us a moose, but outside of that we can't afford to take time off to hunt.

I got a new high standard 22 long rifle automatic pistol t sure is a little dandy.

Well we have a nice 270. Wincheter and my 30.03 winchesr a 22 automatic rifle a little later we want a shot gun then we'll have enuf guns for quite a while.

We got a new radio last fall and plenty of heavy clothing & snow shoe that we never had out of the box so we wait have to spend very much this fall.

One don't need very much clothing only work clothing, here, I'm not getting any ting only work shirts, etc.

We have a Sears order office here and all the extra it costs us is the freight.

These stores here are lot higher than Sears so we shop at Sears and Dave.

Now write me and let me know if you will be interested in coming up. Mable and Shirley could come later. We may buy a lot and bills it would help us save rent then later sell the place at a profit.

Your loving bro & Millie

LaGrande Ore March 1st - Minnie True Matheson Reeder

LaGrande Oreg
March 1st

Dear Mable & Archie

guess I better write & tell you I am home again. & OK. I came home wensday got here at 1035 A.M. came in on no.11. this time. the only way I had getting out of Salt Lake unless I stayed all night. I lest Grand Juncion at 1,20 A.M. arrived in Salt Lake at 830 A.M. left Salt Lake at 6.45 PM. all day in Satl Lake. I tried walking down town, must of walked half way,, & got so tired took a cab the rest of the way, had some nice stores there, & lovely things, if one had the money to buy them. it would of been nice to tools the bus & look aroun, but chat costs quite a bit to so I just went back to the depo & stayed there, & rested. lots of water in Idaho, but didn't bother the train any, we came right along left Pocottella at 12.15 A.M. got in La Grande at 1035 AM. not to bad, it wasent crowded, so I could lay down & rest, Azel was feeling fine, walked around out side & went church to. Hi went for a check up monday. his heart bea still 36. they say it should be 72. He takes oxygen when He lays now sure helps. He has been peacing a pillow top out of old neck ties, gives Him something to do. its hard to be quite, the Dr told Lois to let Him do anything He wanted to do, not argue with Him for that would up set Him more than, trying to work, He likes to ride in the car. I wrote off what He had in the Bible. & I think its the same as I have only I believe I have more than Hi does. yesterday was Jays Birthday, the neighbors came in with cake & jello. then in the evening we went over to Juniors for cake & ice cream, so He really had cake. we still have some cake & ice cream Margie called in the evening, to wish Him Happy Birthday, & is still going to send a cake. 7 present & got Him 3 pair of sock. & some screen drivers in a little container, Juniour & Della, gave Him a hat, so its not so back, Juniour & Della are going to Portland Sunday, they are taking Janice to a clinic, as she has a crooked foot, & see what they say, they have had Her shoe built up & still dosent correct, they want me to go with them, so guess I will, I wish we would t our checks tomorrow, ide love to call you there, but don't know if I can or not, if our check dosent come, unless I call collect to you, then send you the money when I get home, ill try to get those reckords written off, if I ever stay home long enough. the weather here is ovely now, sure hope it stays so for a while. zOh yes, we got our xmas gift, from Harolds, both room scales, we dident have any, so sure will come in very nice, mabey I can watch my weight, Ha. I am going to sed the paper on to you z& copied out of the bible, & I have another, record here I don't believe I sent to you.. so ill send it & you can see, then send it back, when ever you can. by now, Oh yes thanks very much for sending Juniours the $10.00 to pay on the TV hook up, its sure swell of you both, by now love & God bless you both

Mother

Bloomington Kans 1953 Jun 22 - Jr. Reeder

Bloomington Kans
1953 Jun 22

Albert W. Hackerott Jr.
Bloomington, KS

Sunday June 21, 1953

Dear Shirley, Archie & Mable –

I guess it has been quite a while since I last wrote. The time goes by faster than you think but we have been busy and lots to do now. Harvest is started all around us but will be a few days before ours will be ripe enough to cut. We plan to start cutting our 2^nd cutting of Alfalfa in the morning. It is very dry and hot. 111 high one day & lots of 105-108 The wheat won’t amount to much this year. Dry last fall very little snow during the winter and I guess about the driest spring we ever had. Our ponds are all dry and of course lost all our fish. The week is just running and that is all. Early spring I had good fishing at the river but no good now just a thin sheet of water going over the dam at Alton. I am sending a picture taken of the kids last fall don’t know if I sent you one like this or not. Don’t have any new ones should take more pictures. I sure would love to have been out there for your graduation & see you folks but it seems that we don’t have any slack time any more. Cattle make a lot of extra work all winter & it is go all the time during the summer. If we had known a year ago what we know now we could have sold all the cattle & feed and gone on a vacation & been way ahead.  We were at the sale last Wed. & they sold a good little red cow for %52. Just about the same price a baby calf brought this early spring. We knew this would happen have been expecting it for a long time but the thing that hurts we won’t ha feed for next winter unless it rains right away.

I have thought of it several times but never got around to get you a graduation gift. I believe you can do a better job of buying what you want than I can so will enclose a little present.

Uncle Art is very low just a matter of days now. He hasn’t taken any food or water for several days.

Aunt Laura was out to Lucille’s & we were down for dinner today. All our folk are fine. Lucille is expecting again so maybe they will tae some new pictures. The boys have gone fishing with me several times this spring & Bill caught a 17 in blue cat so he thinks he is quite a fisherman Well it is after 11 so will close for now but if I was there I could think of a lot to talk about. Hope this finds you all well.

Love Jr.

(Half a piece of paper added to the letter)

We got word this morning Uncle Art passed away during the night lasts night.

I almost forgot to thank you for the very nice picture I received. You sure wouldn’t ha to look twice to tell it is Shirley I thought it was a very good picture of you. When you get that “feller” hooked you can come to Kansas & see us> we will put him to work & see if he is any good.