Martha Bell’s Diary Fri. April 10 1914
This certainly is being the grandest vacation ever. Father came Tuesday morning and it was simply grand to see him., He came out here for lunch and in the afternoon we went out to the park. It is so beautiful there. All the girls were gone. Jean home and Pearl and Mid to Seattle, so he stayed out here all night. We went to the Heath’s for dinner that night. We got up awfully early Wednesday morning went down town and had breakfast and took the seven o’clock boat for Seattle. We left Seattle at nine on the “Whatcom” for Bellingham and were on the boat till four that afternoon. It was the most dee-lightful trip and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. We found a very nice hotel in Bellingham and stayed there till ten the next morning. We went around a little and went to an entertainment at the Y.M.C.A. The trip back to Seattle was even lovelier than going up. It was a perfect day. The sun and the blue, blue white capped ocean was perfectly wonderful, and thru winding in and out thru the many islands with the beautiful snowy Mt. Baker and others standing out it was simply glorious. We got to Seattle at five, took a car ride out to Lake Washington and had our dinner. It was bright moonlight and the ride over here was so beautiful. I just hated to have it come to an end. I am going down now to have lunch with father. He leaves tonight and we are all going out to the McKay’s camp till tomorrow night. My, but I hate to say goodby [sic] to father. He is the grandest man and I’ve enjoyed his being here so much.
Gus Williams Letter
April 10, 1914 – Writing from Tacoma Washington –
My Dear Mother,
Rec’d your note two days ago with the same mail which brought to me your kind Easter remembrance. I was awfully glad to get them they came in handy indeed. Thanks a whole lot of time.
Yesterday Mary’s letter of the 5th reached me and it too was welcome for it had been quite a long time since I had heard from her.
I was surprised when you mentioned Tim’s wedding. I guess that I must have missed it in the paper. I am always glad to get them but it is obviously impossible for me to read everything so I just glace over them and read whatever interests me and of course it is impossible for me to not miss something in that fashion. Whom did he marry? They are living now in the old home I suppose.
Our spring vacation began Fri last (one week ago this afternoon) and continues until Tues. morning. Friday afternoon Murdoch, Thompson and I went over to Fox Island where we stayed until Monday morning. I would have enjoyed staying longer but work here at school made it absolutely necessary for me to return. It rained all day Saturday but our shack was dry and we enjoyed talking to one Jacob Jacobson a near by neighbor who is a sailor in summer months and a rancher in the stormy winter.
Sunday shone fair and warm so we put up a lunch and started out for another island about 4 miles off. We finally wound up at Pres. McKay’s camp where we took possession and cooked our dinner. It does a fellow a lot of good to get off in these great primeval forests of Washington where he can look to one side and see the gigantic firs and cedars centuries old standing as a challenge to mans strength and ingenuity. Then one may look to the other side and see the blue of Puget waters lapping ever lapping on the sandy shores where she washes relentlessly on heedless of man and is artificial life. And again we might look over the water, the forests, over hills and valleys, farms and cities to the great Cascade range to the East and the Olympics to the West. We got away from the artificial life that we lead in the heart of nature and it did us good.
As in the rest I have been busy enough reading and writing, making outlines etc. One of the girls, a Miss Pierson from Spokane was operated on for appendicitis in S. a few days ago. I never knew her very well but I wrote her a short note yesterday any way.
I wonder if you saw in Indianapolis papers of our primary held here Fri. A.V. Fawcett a civil war veteran twice mayor of Tacoma and recalled in 1911 lead the ticket and a ex minister named Stoever was second consequently these two men will fight it out in the mayorship. This election will be held one week from next Tues. I believe that Fawcett will be reelected. His good qualities are determinative refusal to sell out to any corporation and a willingness to fight. If he is reelected it will be an exact parallel to Seattle where his gill was reelected a few weeks ago after being recalled in ’11. Gill moreover is giving Seattle a splendid administration as far as contrasted to a corrupt one before. He has appointed as his chief of police his strongest opponent in the primaries and the man endorsed by Dr. Matthews and the ministerial alliance for the mayorship. You probably do not remember that Wappenstien his former chief at one time a resident of Cincinnati, is yet in the penitentiary on charges sustained against him while chief of Seattle’s police. So much for that peace of uninteresting news.
What do people think about the Canal tolls question? I hope that Pres Wilson loses this fight. I think that it is here and in such affairs as the Mexican business that we miss T.R. on a man of his caliber although I am frank to say that I don’t believe that T.R. could have formulated as admirable a currency bill or served letter tariff legislation as Wilson has done.
That canal was dug by the U.S. through her own territory. Why should she not control it? But it may be said it is a violation of that treaty. It is not because (1) when that treat was made the possibility of the U.S. digging the canal was not thought of here in spirit the treaty does not apply and (2) it (the treaty) says that our nation shall be discriminated against. To change Americas vessels tolls is discriminating against the U.S. for by our own laws no foreign ship of any ship built in a foreign yard though she is now owned and manned by American seamen can clear from any hurt of the U.S. for any other fort of the U.S. Now when we remember that it costs a great deal more to operate American ships than it does foreign our position is readily seen.
I wonder how the ships work in coming along. If I could be in two places at once on part of me would be right there helping as fast I could, I hope that you are all well and that the Work of the season won’t be so hard. I know I wish I could be at the service that I should like to be.
My love to all, Your son, Gus.
P.S. I cannot but say again how much I enjoyed the smoked sausage. Congratulate Leon for me.
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