Stationery from the Amarillo Hotel, Amarillo, TX, “The Panhandle’s Meeting Place Since 1889.”

Sunday Night Feb 4, 1940.

My dear Sweetheart & Boys,

My train got here a few minutes ago and I have just arrived at the hotel, about ten-thirty PM. It is too late to phone any of the office folks though I am sure that Duck or Landrum would come down. I’ll see them tomorrow morning and will spend the day with them, arriving at El Paso Tuesday morning. Will see AK for a few hours & go to Yuma Tuesday night. From there I’ll go to San Francisco to see Frank, then drive or take a bus to Clear Lake to see Lindquist. Will be Clear Lake about a day then north to Portland about one day. Should you write me, the best address would be care Frank Prince, US Public Health Laboratory, San Francisco, or better still in care of his residence. I intend to go into Lundquist’s lab & to Portland without any notice.

February 4, 1940

Things are breaking much better in Texas than I had anticipated. After I talked with you I called upon Mr. Parman & gave him the news about moving to Menard. He questioned the wisdom of moving there or of consolidation of the stations and said that he guessed he would quit the Bureau even though he would like to get the program going in that area. I took him to lunch at the Kincaid & then he suggested that we should call on the Chamber of Commerce as a courtesy. The Secy was much concerned about it & thought we should find out how much Uvalde could do. He took us to the airport, Bureau of Fisheries & a new livestock pavilion west on US 90. The city C of C had donated land to all of these & he felt certain that he could give us 49 acres in one tract (which they have leased for 50 years) and that they could buy 6 acres with a 6 room house adjoining the livestock grounds and deed it to us for a building site. They have a good well 300 gals. per min. which will be used by us without charge, electricity available & we could also use the pavillion grounds when not in use by them. Land across the road & adjoining our tract can be rented & he is quite sure at 75¢ per acre. We pay 1.25 at Menard. It looks mighty fine & I think I have some good arguments for the chief. I have a feeling that Uvalde will be the place though I talked the advantages of Menard at Dallas. All of them except Mr. Parish at Menard seem to welcome the idea of Uvalde, even Dr. Laake. Strange to say Laake hopes that I’ll be in charge & that I’ll not be there just to organize but to direct the work. The notice (press) by Strong had prepared all of them for my visit & I received a most cordial reception everywhere. Different ones told me that they were glad & wanted to work with me. Mr. Parman did not say so, but seemed enthusiastic about the C of C offer. I am not worried about his cooperation.

I’ve tried to interest myself in the details of work of different men & how the move would affect them, though it does seem rather tame compared to ‘hopper work.

One thing I want to do here regards the use of an auto giro for tests at Uvalde. Parman & Barnett think we can find strong goats & sheep from the air & were enthusiastic about tests. It is worth trying soon.

Lots of love & hoping to see you before very long.

Your
Walter

Miss Autrey (Mrs. Baker) thinks she would like to go to Uvalde. My guess is that she will find a place at Dallas in a new govt. agency. WED.