Tag Archives: grasshopper

April 9, 1939

Stationery from the Hotel Graver, Fargo, ND.

Easter Sunday*

Dear Daddy and Mother Lewis,

Dr. Wakeland (Mr. Roberts’ boss) and I arrived here by auto about 4 o’clock. We have conferences tonight and with our supervisors tomorrow at the college. Yesterday we met with the extension folks at the South Dakota College at Brookings. We drove to Watertown, spent the night and arrived here this PM.

April 9, 1939

April 9, 1939

Small grain (oats, wheat, barley and flax) is coming up and during the past 3 days we have had some general rains. If it rains about 3 weeks we will not have so many hoppers to poison. The diseases develop during rainy seasons.

We are shipping bait materials in most of the states now, and after Mr. Dorward and I go into the Northwestern states we will ship up there. Dorward arrived Sat. and will meet me here tonight. I expect to go with him to Salt Lake City about the latter part of the week.

The birthday gift was appreciated very much and I want to thank you for sending it. It happened that I needed just what you and Ina sent and I’ll wear them soon.

With love,
Walter.

* To determine the date of Easter for any year, you can use the Easter date finder at Ancestor Search. It’s handy when transcribing correspondence from people who weren’t very good about dating their letters.

February 28, 1939

Stationery from the Hotel Bozeman, in Bozeman, MT.

Tuesday PM.

Dear Sweetheart,

Dr. Wakeland left a few minutes ago by bus for Bozeman and Dorward and I are staying here until tomorrow. We meet Wakeland there tomorrow PM. R.A. has been here and he seems to be very active in getting his work organized. In fact they are about through and we are just beginning. I am not going to Amarillo on the 7th but will return to Mpls from Denver and I expect to leave there the night of the 6th.

February 28, 1939

February 28, 1939

So far I have not seen Fred B but Dorward says that he saw him. Parker is cordial and we have had some good discussions on ‘hoppers, but no mention of Fred. Both the cricket project and mine proposed to change state supervisors for Montana. I made mine stick and I am using Westlake who served with us as a district man last year. The cricket project is keeping their state supervisor but under protest. So far I have gotten everything I asked Dr. Mills for, including Brumkow[?] to be in charge of the migratory area in the eastern part of the state.

The meeting at Bismark with Dr. Eversael and the College folks was satisfactory. We had dinner with the legislators and this did not get either of us anything except to become acquainted.

I am getting fed up on conferences so it was a relief for Gaddis to tell Wakeland that I was needed in Mpls badly and should return there from Denver. Wakeland has a careful approach and the ability to talk in a low voice for a long time. If endurance in conferences means anything he will come out OK.

With love to all of you,
Walter.

February 14, 1939

Walter is still working on grasshopper control, with the government-funded effort now gearing up for a new season of spreading arsenic-laced baits across the heartland. Notes on the back of this sheet suggest that the project needed more spreaders, and also some photos for publicity. I trust that publishing the old addresses and phone numbers of people who are most likely long dead won’t offend anyone, but if you can articulate a legitimate gripe about this please contact me.

February 14, 1939

February 14, 1939

June 5, 1938

707 Thorpe Bldg Sunday AM.

My dear Ina & Boys,

Enclosed herewith are two checks endorsed to you and I presume you will have no difficulty in getting them cashed at Uvalde. I am also sending a blank check on the Marquette National Bank which can be used if you need it. The two forms are to be completed and returned in the enclosed envelope. You should have about $100 in cash with you when you start out with the car and your group. If you wish to leave a balance at San Antonio National until you arrive here, I think it would be OK. Believe you would want to get everything from the safety deposit box and bring in the car with you. If I did not give you my key to the box, it is in my room and it will be mailed to them later.

June 5, 1938

June 5, 1938

The furniture left San Antonio Thursday night and may be here today or tomorrow. They were using a new truck and driving will not be fast.

I rented a place 1928 S. Fremont Ave. and you will want to give Mother Lewis the office phone number Bridgeport 7769. House phone can be given later when it is installed. When I say an apartment it will not sound good, but wait a minute. 3 bedrooms, & others 1st floor with two baths, an extra room in attic floor for Madie where there is another bath room. Basement with laundry & drying room. Price $75 covers janitor service and heating. Located 1 block from a real good grade school, & 3 blocks from two car lines. Is in walking distance from downtown when weather is nice. Garage is also brick with concrete drive. The yard is very small but there are parks close by where Madie could walk with LD & WW. The lake is 6 blocks from here. Mrs. Hastings saw most of the places with me and she thinks that you would choose this apt if you knew what we saw. We must keep in mind the deep snow next winter. I hope you will like it.

I had a letter from the Southland Mortgage Dallas & I am sending two payments. Will check with you when you get here.

I cannot be sure that I can get away from Mpls to meet you but will try to. Things are pretty hot in 24 big states and I am on the go here day & night & Sundays. If you could make Omaha Airport by Saturday 6 PM I could meet you there and drive to Mpls on Sunday. Wire me Saturday morn if you expect to be there. US 77 or 81 seem to be OK. Would like a wire every day after you start. Send collect.

With love,
Walter

May 26, 1938

Paper with an illustration of Melanoplus bivittatus, the two-striped grasshopper, adult male.

707 Thorpe Bldg.
Minneapolis, Minn.
May 26, 1938

My dear Ina & Boys,

This sheet was not intended as a letter head but is a proof from Mr. Hills’s sketch on a duplicating machine. He is a young man with lots of courage in illustrating. He wants to illustrate the nymphs of different species of grasshoppers and the taxonomists are not sure of many of the species. I’d like to have Claudelle here but it looks like there isn’t much of a chance now. Mrs. H and Miss A. mention her quite often. Expect to get Mr. Hill to work with Prof. Severin at Brookings on some life cycle charts on grasshoppers and their parasites and predators.

May 26, 1938

May 26, 1938

Bids went out for the moving about a week ago & I presume you have had some callers to look at your furniture. As yet I have not arranged for a house. Mr. Butcher, my assistant has been looking for one of the same size as the one we will need and I thought he might be able to find two of them. He left last night for Amarillo then N. Mex. & Col., so I may try to find one next Sunday. Tell Reitha that Mr. & Mrs. Butcher have a daughter 15, Jr. in HS next year, who likes swimming, music & reads a great deal. Her name is Phyllis. They are to move here from Bozeman Mont. about June 15th.

I am holding a salary check also Mr. Chamberlains & I think we should start an account at a bank here. As yet I have not opened one but there is a bank in this building which would be convenient.

Will try to take a plane or a train part way & meet you. It is 1000 miles from Dallas here. Maybe I can meet you at Dallas or Kansas City. As soon as the bid is accepted I’ll wire you & you can turn the key over to the proper transfer Co.

With love,
Walter.

May 15, 1938

Sunday PM. May 15th

My Dear Ina & Boys,

Your letters were appreciated very much. I think Lewis Dunbar and Walter White are improving in their letter writing. I am enclosing a sticker for Lew’s automobile (Northwest Airlines). A statement on insurance in Charleston is also enclosed for Mother. It is due June 1.

May 15, 1938

May 15, 1938

These are rush days and nights. Today I listed some expense accounts & I hope to get them in some time this week if the sec’y is not rushed too much with other things. Hoppers are hatching and bait materials are being shipped. The next six or 8 weeks will tell the story of control or no control. Naturally everyone is doing all he can to get them poisoned while they are young and before they leave the hatching beds along the roadsides and edges of the fields.

I am glad that you sent the gifts to Mother Lewis & Mother Dove, also that the boys had one for my wife.

I feel sorry for Gilbert but perhaps it is best after all.

I am enclosing a receipt on the New England payment of $100. I think we can afford to pay another $100 on it now, if you will send it. Seems better to do this than try to reduce Kenmore house now.

Our work is pretty trying but we seem to be ahead of the game this year by shipping some materials early. Also some were shipped in excess last year which helped a great deal. Gaddis was here when I got back but left two days later after the conference with Annand & Packard here.

Tomorrow I am to talk an hour to the University of Minn. students in Entomology on screw worm control. This makes the 3rd time I’ve been called on to do this in universities up here. Iowa, Missouri & Minn. I packed some graphs and haven’t used them yet but plan to take them to Minn. U. tomorrow.

Strong is to receive his doctorate at LSU on May 31 and you and I were invited by Anderson to attend the banquet. I wrote to him of the affair & expressed regret that we could not be present. No doubt Strong and Rohner will come out before long. I look for them when Congress closes its session. It looks as though our G hop funds might be replenished with another million or more before the closing of the session*.

With lots of love to all three of you.

Your
Walter.

A million-dollar appropriation in 1938 would equal about $16 million in today’s money.

May 8, 1938

Mpls.
Sunday morning.

My dear Ina,

Friday night I returned here and yesterday was an all day conference. Mr. Gaddis, Dr. Annand, & Packard (in charge, Cereal & Forage Insect Investigations) & Fred Butcher my assistant. Had it not been for this conference I would have gone to San Antonio for this week end. It looked as though I would make it from Amarillo for about 1 day & would return from S. Antonio to Mpls. by night plane Friday night. But there was no direct schedule north. The time required by plane was as long as that by plane [sic]. I left Amarillo Thursday at 5 PM & arrived here Friday night 9:45 PM.

May 8, 1938

May 8, 1938

The western trip was a good one and I believe I left the State people in each state in a friendly and cooperative mood. Dorward made a good impression and I believe he will work hard.

While I was away Mr. Gaddis ran the office here for a week. He was very helpful & I am glad that he was here. He secured approval from Wash. on 65% of the allotments & had a new girl on tabulations of bait material by counties on that basis. With the approach of the wet season over the g hop area and with initial shipments already made, we feel that we are in splendid shape. Last week was

More later.

With love
Walter

Yes, that’s how the letter ends. I guess Walter was called away suddenly.

May 1, 1938

Stationery from the Pony Express/Union Pacific Railroad.

Sunday Night May 1

My dear Ina & Boys,

Am en route to Denver from the Northwest and from there I expect to return to Mpls. I left Mr. Dorward at Elks Nevada this noon. We called on committees in 5 northwestern states and I believe Mr. Dorward is on a good start. The preliminary arrangements seem to be going ahead.

May 1, 1938

May 1, 1938

Hope things are going OK at Mpls. I’ve talked to Kenneth a time or two and things seem to be moving along very well. Saw RA & Mr. Townsend but did not get to visit a great deal with them. Mr. Spencer went with Dorward & me from Mpls. No doubt Mr. Gaddis will be out soon, then Rohner & later Mr. Strong. He is in Europe now and is expected back about the 1st of June.

This PM the train crossed the Great Salt Lake. It contains 23% salt & there are no fish in it. I saw one seagull & it was near the shore.

Last Tuesday night Dorward & I drove from Logan to Salt Lake City & took a plane to Helena Mont. then Spokane that night. We crossed the Divide four times on that flight. We saved about 2 days traveling by making that flight & Dorward seemed to enjoy it. It was his first trip by air. RA seems to enjoy plane travel too. I take trains unless there is some distinct advantage to be gained in saving time.

Tomorrow I meet Mr. Phil McCampbell the State Ent. of Colorado. Last year he had to call out the National Guard to fight grasshoppers.

With love to all of you,
Walter

P.S. I wired Reitha to come to Mpls with you.

April 17, 1938

Stationery from the Hotel Graver, “Homelike appointments with good eats at our coffee shop,” Fargo, ND.

Sunday 4:00 PM

My dear Sweetheart,

Dr. Wakeland came to Mpls Friday morning and Saturday we drove to Brookings for a conference with the committee on cricket and G hop control. Last night we came as far as Watertown where we spent the night and today we drove here. He has a conference with Prof. Munro this evening and I expect to sit in it with him. Tomorrow Mr. Shotwell and Dorward will attend a meeting of our G hop men with me. Dorward arrived at Mpls Sat. AM after Wakeland and I left there. Plan to have him spend a few days in ND to get familiar with G hop control and later in the week I’ll accompany him to Salt Lake City for a visit to the different states out in the N. West. He will have about 8 men in 5 states. We should have been there before now but the other areas were more pressing. We have been shipping bait materials during the past two weeks and by the end of next week we will have delivered the first allotments in all except the N.W. There are now about 60 men working in the field and we expect about 100. Most of the others have been selected and recommended to Wash.

April 17, 1938

April 17, 1938

Since Thursday rains have fallen rather generally over the Dakotas and Minnesota and I believe in the more southern states. About 3 weeks of rainy weather would favor development of G hop diseases and would reduce our job considerably.

The sox, handkerchiefs, ties and the card from the boys were received on the morning of the 14th. I also received ties and sox from Mr. & Mrs. Lewis. I appreciate all of them very much and wish to thank you for selecting them. I am writing a note to Mother Lewis but would appreciate it if you would tell them so too.

This job has kept me in one grand rush ever since it started and I guess it will be that way until the season closes and perhaps for reports then. Nights and Sundays are the same as any other time. Regardless of where I travel, the phone calls and the telegrams reach me. I am sure that you can reach me at most any time through the Mpls office, even if I am not so far from San Antonio.

Wakeland says that he cannot understand Mr. Roberts, and that RA wrote him a memo asking for specific instructions one time. He thinks R.A. should assist him and take responsibility in the work. I told him that R.A. was peculiar at times and that I probably knew him as well as anyone. His judgement is good and when placed in a position where he has to make a decision, he usually does it well. I hope that they get along OK.

Most of the Committees are quiet now and I hope to be aggressive enough so that I am not put on the defensive in this program. I am trying to keep a few steps ahead of them. Many of them are wondering just how far they can go as a state program. They are inclined to take all of the credit just as they have during the past 4 years. My instructions to the supervisors place them under our own office for reports with copies to state leaders. The state leaders have some weak spots which they wish to keep covered and they do not like this. Later, I think they will say that it was all for the best & that they like it.

I received your letter about my visit to Aberdeen and wonder what the letter was like which you did not mail.

I hope that you do not misunderstand about the visit there. I had already written to Mrs. H and told of it when I was at home. I went to Aberdeen because it was Saturday. I wanted to see Mr. Allen of the Dakota Farmer and because I needed to get away from the office strain a while. I was surprised that Evalyn was there and they did not know that I was coming. They were surprised too. I think that you should not feel badly about it at all. The visit was friendly and I think I’ve told you all. At least there isn’t anything to keep from you. I made a friendly visit and that will do until you get here. If you wish to call on them with me, I’ll be glad to take you and the sons. Please forget it.

With lots of love to all of you

Your
Walter.

Separate page

Easter Sunday

Dear Walter White,

Daddy wishes to thank you for the nice big card from you and Lewis on his birthday. He does not feel older and it didn’t hurt a bit when he got to be 44 years old.

All of the snow melted sometime ago and pretty soon the grasshoppers will be hatching. We have about 7500 cars of poison bait and about 100 men to supervise the work in 24 states. It is a big job and Daddy’s telephone rings a great deal.

Will come home as soon as I can conveniently arrange to do so but cannot tell yet.

Love
Daddy.