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