Tuesday May 28, 1918

Tues. Pleasant weather.

Sun eve Grace Gurney & Abbie Quackenbush called. Mon. eve Miss Goodrich & Donald came after school. I called on Mrs. Storm, Mrs. Young & Mrs. Smith. Heard from Mabelle tonight father helped me put out my plants. Had a card from Robert & finished his letter to send tomorrow.

Notes: See previous diary entry for scan of this page.

Letter: Josie Bumpus

My dear Friend,
First I must beg your pardon for not replying sooner to your good letters. I have thought of you so many times & have heard from you often through Maybelle.

These are such beautiful days. I am out a good deal looking over God's wonderful landscape. I do not like to stay indoors more than I can help. Our son has been down for a little visit. He left last night for Detroit. My heart ? home ? very very often. It is Natural of course. Mr. Bumpus is my comfort sake and I expect to make a trip to Ruttenville very soon. Have been here three months to day. You will not know the sanitarium when you come again. Dr. Strand and Maybelle have transformed it into a very different place with all new decorations & paint, varnish & c&c oil - looks fine and Maybelle graces the place as Matron beautifully. She lacks a good deal of being well but she is better. How thankful all her friends must be to have her in Dr. Strand's care as he possibly loved her as a daughter and she is a great help to him. She is real happy - she probably writes you of all her doings. Mr. Bumpus enjoys seeing the improvements going on - I think they expect some new patients soon - Mrs. Strand retired from Utica last January - been up ? you know. Faith cures I believe. Draw your own conclusions of the ? This is such a lovely morning wish you were here and we would walk the town over. I got a great deal of pleasure walking around this old town. Was down to Cooperstown a few days ago. I think it one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen. The lakes. The hills & the old pine trees have a great charm for me. I suppose these are all busy days with you - teaching the young ? how to shoot. I went to teacher school once upon a time, years ago - I did not like it a little bit.

Maybelle's husband has been here quite a little of late, his work is somewhere in this locality. She hears good news from her kiddies. Do you I think Maybelle a fine character. She is always full of sunshine and never burdens anyone with all her suffering. I am so glad she has found such a friend in Dr. Strand and if anyone in all the world can cure her he certainly will.

Mr. Bumpus & ? Grille play dominoes as normal & must take a lot of comfort for they keep at the game at the old pace.

They will soon let up then laffe and walk out & sit in the shade of the old apple tree I suppose.

I hope your father & mother are all over neuritis. The name warm weather will do much for them I am sure.

When are you coming up again. I look forward to seeing you again &having a longer visit. "Daddy" often speaks of you - surely you have a warm place in all our hearts.

Do write me soon again and I won't wait so long again before replying. Shall report to Maybelle that I have written.

Hoping you are real well. ? these May days.

With love, I am sincerely yours,
Josie P Bumpus

Richfield Springs N.J.
May 17th, 1918

Notes: Sorry I am not able to completely transcribe this one. This woman had some... interesting... handwriting. If anyone can make out something I missed please let me know. (Or if you disagree with any of my transcriptions.)

Sunday May 26, 1918 (Part 4, Final)

After leaving the depot at 1 I went to Assembly Hall to untrim & staid til 3. Ruth Burnside came & came home with me & we visited til after 5. Then I thot I'd change my dress before supper & before I had my skirt on Molly came over & asked me if I wanted to go and see the fire, by that time flames were high above the trees. We hurried & by the time we reached Gilbert Street corner, the flames were so hot & high, we walked out that street & were very excited as we saw one after another house roof catch on fire. We saw 8 right along. I went to Anna Smith's & Molly came home. Helped Anna pack as every one around thot that whole section would have to go - but Oneanta arrived soon - & helped. As it neared night ot rained. The fire was awful & every one was helping to do everything possible. I went over to Aunt Almena's. They were ready to leave - but the wind veered towards the tract & took Bloxham's Feed & coal business instead. Bainbridge, Unadilla, Walton, Oneanta & Norwhich Fire Departments came. Anna & I walked over about 10 (we had supper at 9) & it was very spectacular to see the huge piles of lumber & coal on fire. Household good were piled or thrown everywhere & Mr. Sherwood's lawn resembled a a picture of Belgian Refugees paused for a rest. Every one between the tracks & the river & Novelty Work & Main Sts expected to be burned out. Many places caught from burning shingles.

Went to church today but there was none. Every one helping fire sufferers or working for Red Cross. Bessie & I walked over around devestated region; then I sat for a while on her porch watching the committee stopping autos for fees. Came home, had dinner & am sitting down to write for the first time in 10 days. Have had letters from Ida, Mrs. Bumpus, Helen Sprague, & "Pat" Lapp. May write some later. (Wrote to Louise P.) Sent special fire copies of Record to Don, Lottie, Mae, Berta & R.J.

Notes: According to the Oneanta Daily Star the fire mentioned here occurred on Saturday May 25, 1918, so Calla's entire entry that I have been transcribing for days now was all written on the Sunday following the fire.

According to the paper the fire started at the chimney of the Novelty Works, a plant making bathroom fixtures, and spread to another inductrial building close by which stored large quantities of lumber. It then spread to Bloxham's Feed Store where he had just received 3 train cars worth of coal. In all 35 buildings suffered some damage, 15 houses were totally consumed, 18 families were displaced, The storm that Calla mentions also caused damage as a lot of families had removed furniture to their lawns in an effort to save it and it was then drenched by the rain.

The paper estimates that the fire caused $300,000 dollars in total damages. The article makes a detailed account of whose houses were damaged, and how much they lost, as well as how much they expected to recover from insurance.

Ephemera: Library Conference

Back to the epic Diary post tomorrow, but I thought this note from Elizabeth Blackall should be posted here since Calla mentioned it in the section I transcribed yesterday.