TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NEVADA COUNTY PICAYUNE MAY 30, 1918 P. 10
Portland Ore.,
May 19, 1918
To the Readers of the Dear Old Picayune, and my friends in Nevada County:
Perhaps some of you would like to know of my work in the ship yard. The work is fine, not hard work—or what we Arkansas boys call hard work at all. It is regular tho.
Uncle Sam keeps his work going all the time. We have no time to sit down and rest, until our eight hours are gone, and then we have sixteen hours to do just as we like, and we certainly do appreciate that.
Probably some of you would like to know what I am doing that I like so well. I am doing what they call passing rivets, and believe me they have to be caught when they are almost in a melting form, they are so hot. I pass them to the riveter, he drives them. Sometimes I have to catch them on the fly, at the distance of about fifty or sixty feet, and of course I miss one now and then. But when I miss one it always hits me, so you see then I stop them every time they come toward me. It happened last week that I stopped one just below my short ribs, and you know I am branded on the side next to the fence.
Well, so much for the work. It is fine work and I like it. Our wages are fairly good. We get a raise this week, from $3.57 to $3.96 per day.
We certainly had a fine trip out here, and enjoyed it very much. We traveled through 5 different states, saw some beautiful scenery. There were several changes in the climate. While crossing the Rockies, it seemed that the snow would block the train, and of course this was noticeable to a Nevada County lad, especially in the spring of the year.
We have seen some beautiful scenery since we arrived in Portland. It is needless for me to try to tell of all the scenery. But one thing I will mention in my trip to Council Crest. This place is about four miles from the city. It is what I would call a peak. It has a car line wound around it to the top. Is 1200 feet above the city of Portland, and from the summit of this place you can see a birdseye view of the city. They have a tower on top of this place, and tourists come from all over the world to go up in this and take a view of the surroundings. You can see for miles away. It is said to be one of the worlds greatest observatories. On top of this place is what you might call a park. Have all kinds of amusements. Hundreds go there every Sunday to spend the day in fresh air and sunshine.
As to our ships, Uncle Sam is certainly putting out some dandy ships, and I think it will take some rough treatment to send one beneath the waves. It is certainly some sight to see one of those large steel ships launched, but it is no trick for one to be launched. They slide them into the river on greased logs. These boats are about 250x90x100 feet. I do not know the weight of them, but you can imagine the weight when there’s no wood about them. They are made of the very best steel. They are something grand, something that will serve our county, even after the war is over.
Now to my friend, (or pretended to be) who I learned since I came and joined Uncle Sam in the ship building service, criticised me and said tha t I was coming to shun U.S. war service, and was light under the hat for doing so.
I want, you my friend to know, (if you have ever attained knowledge enough to read and happen to read this piece) that I came here for no other purpose except to join the U.S. war service, and I am strictly in the hands of the government. Whatever they see fit to do with me I am ready and willing. If it is to build ships I’m ready, if it is to go across the deep, I’m willing. For I realize it has to be done and the sooner the better with me. I think a man who can’t see that this ship building is war service is a little bit light under the hat.
Now my friend, instead of criticising other people’s patriotism, you might show some of yours. The Army or Navy will accept men of your age any day. And the Third Liberty Loan campaign has just closed. How much bond have you bought? You are a man of plenty and I am just one of Arkansas poor farmer boys. I will put my bond against yours.
My good friend, I want to make one request of you. When you get so full of that junk you tell, that you can’t stand it, please step off down the creek bottom, alone, and let ‘er fly. For it doesn’t sound good to anyone, and I am sure you will feel better by not saying such things.
I have learned by personal experience that it is always better to keep silent when one doesn’t know what they are talking about.
Probably yon would feel better if you would subscribe five or ten dollars to the Red Cross now and then.
If the Editor will allow me space, I will give you a few words from the vice-president of the U.S. shipping board emergency fleet corporation. He says, “We who are trying to build the vast tonnage of shipping, for which the civilized world is pleading today, are facing a big task indeed, that only men of stout hearts and unshakable confidence, can face and not lose hope. I believe that the American workmen can do the job, do it swiftly and do it right. The man in the ship yard is the country’s greatest single hope. Behind him stands a united nation. He must not falter, he must keep on, and make the sound of the rivet echo throughout the length of our great coast line. When he has completed his task the war will have been won, and the world saved from the menace of Autocracy.”
This doesn’t sound like a man in the ship building service would be same as a slacker, and we are sure not treated that way. We wear a silver badge with the inscription “U.S. war service,” on them. This badge is honored the same way as the U.S. uniform is. If I were treated as a slacker here, I would leave at once for the recruiting office, and enlist as a private, for I am no slacker, and want to help win this war, and am going to do it, if God gives me the strength and rational mind.
Good wishes to the people ___ Nevada County, I am.
Your friend,
Ralph S. Bailey,
272 Sixth St.,
Portland, Oregon
NOTES: Sidney Ralph Bailey was born in Rosston, Arkansas on November 11, 1898 and died in Hope, Arkansas. He is buried in the Memory Garden Cemetery in Hope. He was working in the ship building industry in Portland, Oregon when this letter was written.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON
Portland Ore.,
May 19, 1918
To the Readers of the Dear Old Picayune, and my friends in Nevada County:
Perhaps some of you would like to know of my work in the ship yard. The work is fine, not hard work—or what we Arkansas boys call hard work at all. It is regular tho.
Uncle Sam keeps his work going all the time. We have no time to sit down and rest, until our eight hours are gone, and then we have sixteen hours to do just as we like, and we certainly do appreciate that.
Probably some of you would like to know what I am doing that I like so well. I am doing what they call passing rivets, and believe me they have to be caught when they are almost in a melting form, they are so hot. I pass them to the riveter, he drives them. Sometimes I have to catch them on the fly, at the distance of about fifty or sixty feet, and of course I miss one now and then. But when I miss one it always hits me, so you see then I stop them every time they come toward me. It happened last week that I stopped one just below my short ribs, and you know I am branded on the side next to the fence.
Well, so much for the work. It is fine work and I like it. Our wages are fairly good. We get a raise this week, from $3.57 to $3.96 per day.
We certainly had a fine trip out here, and enjoyed it very much. We traveled through 5 different states, saw some beautiful scenery. There were several changes in the climate. While crossing the Rockies, it seemed that the snow would block the train, and of course this was noticeable to a Nevada County lad, especially in the spring of the year.
We have seen some beautiful scenery since we arrived in Portland. It is needless for me to try to tell of all the scenery. But one thing I will mention in my trip to Council Crest. This place is about four miles from the city. It is what I would call a peak. It has a car line wound around it to the top. Is 1200 feet above the city of Portland, and from the summit of this place you can see a birdseye view of the city. They have a tower on top of this place, and tourists come from all over the world to go up in this and take a view of the surroundings. You can see for miles away. It is said to be one of the worlds greatest observatories. On top of this place is what you might call a park. Have all kinds of amusements. Hundreds go there every Sunday to spend the day in fresh air and sunshine.
As to our ships, Uncle Sam is certainly putting out some dandy ships, and I think it will take some rough treatment to send one beneath the waves. It is certainly some sight to see one of those large steel ships launched, but it is no trick for one to be launched. They slide them into the river on greased logs. These boats are about 250x90x100 feet. I do not know the weight of them, but you can imagine the weight when there’s no wood about them. They are made of the very best steel. They are something grand, something that will serve our county, even after the war is over.
Now to my friend, (or pretended to be) who I learned since I came and joined Uncle Sam in the ship building service, criticised me and said tha t I was coming to shun U.S. war service, and was light under the hat for doing so.
I want, you my friend to know, (if you have ever attained knowledge enough to read and happen to read this piece) that I came here for no other purpose except to join the U.S. war service, and I am strictly in the hands of the government. Whatever they see fit to do with me I am ready and willing. If it is to build ships I’m ready, if it is to go across the deep, I’m willing. For I realize it has to be done and the sooner the better with me. I think a man who can’t see that this ship building is war service is a little bit light under the hat.
Now my friend, instead of criticising other people’s patriotism, you might show some of yours. The Army or Navy will accept men of your age any day. And the Third Liberty Loan campaign has just closed. How much bond have you bought? You are a man of plenty and I am just one of Arkansas poor farmer boys. I will put my bond against yours.
My good friend, I want to make one request of you. When you get so full of that junk you tell, that you can’t stand it, please step off down the creek bottom, alone, and let ‘er fly. For it doesn’t sound good to anyone, and I am sure you will feel better by not saying such things.
I have learned by personal experience that it is always better to keep silent when one doesn’t know what they are talking about.
Probably yon would feel better if you would subscribe five or ten dollars to the Red Cross now and then.
If the Editor will allow me space, I will give you a few words from the vice-president of the U.S. shipping board emergency fleet corporation. He says, “We who are trying to build the vast tonnage of shipping, for which the civilized world is pleading today, are facing a big task indeed, that only men of stout hearts and unshakable confidence, can face and not lose hope. I believe that the American workmen can do the job, do it swiftly and do it right. The man in the ship yard is the country’s greatest single hope. Behind him stands a united nation. He must not falter, he must keep on, and make the sound of the rivet echo throughout the length of our great coast line. When he has completed his task the war will have been won, and the world saved from the menace of Autocracy.”
This doesn’t sound like a man in the ship building service would be same as a slacker, and we are sure not treated that way. We wear a silver badge with the inscription “U.S. war service,” on them. This badge is honored the same way as the U.S. uniform is. If I were treated as a slacker here, I would leave at once for the recruiting office, and enlist as a private, for I am no slacker, and want to help win this war, and am going to do it, if God gives me the strength and rational mind.
Good wishes to the people ___ Nevada County, I am.
Your friend,
Ralph S. Bailey,
272 Sixth St.,
Portland, Oregon
NOTES: Sidney Ralph Bailey was born in Rosston, Arkansas on November 11, 1898 and died in Hope, Arkansas. He is buried in the Memory Garden Cemetery in Hope. He was working in the ship building industry in Portland, Oregon when this letter was written.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON