To share or not so share...

Since her subject is "To share or not to share..." so I thought it would be a good idea to do just that!   It's always good to share when you run across good advice. This blog is from Barbara Schmidt...

To share or not so share....

Coming up late today from Old Bones Genealogy, more of "Lest We Forget" from my grandfather's 1913 diary.  He continues to write about his experiences working on the construction of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway which eventually became the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Also, I may have a few more tips and tricks for improving your genealogical search results.

Please "share" this and other Old Bones blog posts.  Comments and suggestions are welcome!

 

More Grand Trunk Pacific Photos -- 1913

I'd really like to be able to give you a description of the exact location of these photos or even better, who's in them... But it's all a mystery! All I know is that they came from my grandfather's album of his days working with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in Western Canada in 1913. I never heard of any stories from any family members, so I'm pretty lucky to at least have the album and the diary!

Lest We Forget April 29 and 30, 1913

These days must have been tough on Clem and the other Grand Truck guys. I can just imagine what it must have been like for him; 2,000 miles from home, no work, no income... At least it was getting warmer! He's given us enough weather reports, that's for sure.

Let's see what's going on in the last 2 days of April:

Lest We Forget

Tuesday, April 29, 1913

Weather fine and warm this evening was a little colder with a little wind.
I went over to the Edmont Hotel to see if I could get this man but he was not there
K & J did not work this afternoon
Donald came to town this morning
He stayed with me

Wednesday, April 30, 1913

Weather was very cold no sun all day a little rain fall and snow
Had word from A. E. and there was nothing doing I had a letter from Gertrude Purcell

[caption id="attachment_974" align="alignleft" width="231"] Quiet days in Edmonton![/caption]

Lest We Forget---Wednesday, April 9, 1913

Who's Henry? This is the first mention of anyone named "Henry". Not much going on this Wednesday...

Henry and I left this morning for Leaman at 8 Oclock 18 miles

We had dinner at Frankins [?] Left at One Oclock for Leaman arrived at 5 Oclock

Weather washier and warm all day

[caption id="attachment_890" align="aligncenter" width="225"] 18 mile walk to Leaman 8 AM to 5 PM[/caption]

Lest We Forget---Tuesday, April 8, 1913

Another day off!

We did not work today as Cullerne sent wire for us to stay here today as the outfit was to come up this after noon and stake put a siding here it took about an hour weather fine and warm.

Lest We Forget March 19th and 20th, 1913

Long time away form blogging! Lots to catch up with...

Here's the page from Wednesday March 19, 1913 Thursday, March 20, 1913. The entry for the 19th is short and the end of the entry for the 20th is at the bottom so I combined them on this page.

Weather clear but cold 28 below. To cold to work. I stayed all day in stony Plain. A strong cold west wind blowing. I did nothing but lazed around the hotel all day.

Weather was fine much warmer than yesterday fine for running a spreader Left Stony plain at 8 o’clock for the north yards. I had the wind in my back all the way down arrived at N. G. [?] at 12 o’clock had dinner at the Hotel and finish all the work CBB at 2 o’clock Then I went in to Edmonton and met Jim Dickson had a fun game of pool with him.

[This portion is continued from the next page of the 20th. Clem ran out of room!!]
Mch 20
I had supper with him and about 11 o’clock he went over to strachoma [?]

Jim Dickson was one of Clem's brothers. He was about 6 years older having been born in 1882. He was married to Anna Louisa Ashton, but I have no further information about his family.

I've never said, "...a little warmer about 15 below..." !!!

Below is the diary entry for January 14, 1913. There are a few words on this page that I can't figure out, but I've come as close as I can. For example, I don't know what a "clavor" is or an "elavor" for that matter. If anyone out there knows, post a reply! For now, it's the best I can make out from the handwriting. Maybe a "clavor" is a railroad term or maybe it's hard to read because his hands wouldn't stop shaking from the cold! Good grief....15 below!!!

If you're at all interested in the Grand Trunk Pacific, there's an article at this link at Wikipedia.

Here's the transcription of what he wrote 100 years ago today:

Weather a little warmer about 15 below. We stayed in the car all morning. Cullerne went west on the mixed he had some work on the line. In the afternoon Steve and I went out and staked out the clavors/ elavors at Stony Plain worked about 2 hours. After supper Steve and I had 2 games of Pool. Then went home to bed. 9.30 good hours.