Saw Mill

For several years I helped Grandpa Norton (Harvey) saw logs brought in by local farmers.  They were Elm, Beech, Maple, Ash, Cherry, Apple, Pear, Walnut, Hickory Nut etc.  They ranged in size from 24" diameter to 6 feet.  When they weren't straight, we had quite a problem starting.  Length was from 6 to 22 feet.  We started cutting about 2 inches off one side, then rotated 90 degrees and then cut another 2 inches, etc.  If most of the bark was removed, we sawed off different thickness of lumber: usually 1, 2, 3 or 4 inches so we ended up with 1x2, 1x4, 1x6 etc., depending on what the farmer wanted.  Sometimes we made 2x? and 4by?  The bark pieces or slabs, Uncle Al and I threw over the drive belt (hopefully) where the pile we made was later cut into 12” long pieces that were used for heating or cooking.  Grandpa sold it by the cord.  Some of the lumber was quarter sawed; taken from 1/4 of the log diameter.  It was cut that way in hopes it would remain straighter.

The saw mill was at the bottom of an incline.  Most logs were brought in during the winter, on a bobsled; very few by truck.  Logs were dumped at the top of the incline and often rolled toward the bottom, up against other logs.  With a curved hook attached to a pole handle, we'd 'encourage' them to roll where we wanted them - down the hill and in line with the saw mill carriage.  We tried to move them as little as possible.

Boyhood in Bethany NY area

Most farmers paid 20 cents per hour.  Grandpa paid 25 cents and I usually got a good breakfast, dinner and supper at Grandma's.  They always used white sugar on cereal until I arrived.  They then bought brown sugar, which we always used at home.

Grandpa always had chickens.  I very often cleaned chicken houses and gathered eggs.  During winter, we had to pick (pickaxe) the manure since it was frozen.  Same problem when I cleaned chicken houses for Uncle Bill Embt’s.  Usually, Howard Ford and I cleaned Embt’s.  I got lice in my hair one time.  Aunt Edith poured kerosene on my head to kill the lice.

During the summer, George Norton and I fed oats & wheat into Grandpa's threshing machine, usually 1/2 hour at a time.  The bundles had to go in head first.  In an old International pickup truck hooked to the rear of the threshing machine, I supplied the brakes going down hill.  The tractor brakes, an old Hart-Par made by Oliver, were not sufficient.  It was my job to oil the machine, check belt wear etc.  Some barn doors were so low we had to remove the wheels on the machine and push it into barn on skids.  One time my job was to quickly turn a hand wheel that turned the stacker (straw) pipe from its normal resting place, to its position hanging out away from the rear of the thresher.  Since the driveway had some grass and was wet, Grandpa made several attempts to push the machine up an incline - no luck.  Then, he got a good start and into the barn went the machine.  Only problem was, I didn't turn the stacker quick enough!  Crunch went the pipe and the turning mechanism!  Sometime after dinner, the fellows throwing the grain up on the feeding platform had too many beers.  They would practically cover me!  Grandpa told me to shove the grain on the floor.  They weren't too happy about having to pitch the bundles back up, but they soon learned.

One place we threshed, the lady would kill a chicken about ½ hour before dinner.  Rubber chicken wasn't very appealing!  Most places we threshed at served lots & lots to eat and I often ate three full meals!!!

When the rain or snow came, I helped repair the threshing machine and also built hay racks that were put on wagon frames during hay season.  We built many "stone boats" by sawing the lumber with an upturned end - ONE PIECE!  There were dragged around the field and loaded with undesirable stones.  They were about 6 feet wide and 12 to 14 feet long and very heavy when loaded.

Grandpa always had a large assortment of bolts, nuts and washers.  He worked for CLIMAX CO. (a manufacturing company in Batavia) which built threshing machines.  He had a large drill press and lots of wrenches.  Everything he did had to be just right.  I helped him build a "two-holer" out house, a modern one for the times, just behind the house in Bethany Center.

Owning a fairly new car, Grandpa went 160 miles to Ohio in high gear all the way - not commonly done then!

For Bill Embt, several local women and I picked cucumbers and were paid 25 cents per hour - good wages then, but hard work.  I often went to Buffalo with him to sell chickens and eggs at the market.  He got a good price because his chickens were well fed and the eggs were "candled" for blood spots.  We'd leave at 4:30 AM!!

One time, some people left some trash from a picnic in a field at Embt’s.  Uncle William found an envelope with an address.  When in Buffalo one time, he unloaded the chickens, drove to the address, pulled his truck up on the lawn and spread his dinner.  Of course, they called the cops.  Once they learned of the dumping situation at Embt’s place, they told Uncle William to continue eating.  The truck left some very deep grooves in the lawn.  He never heard from the people again and had no more dumping on his property!  Bill always kept his fields free from junk etc.

I sorted and packed apples that were shipped to New York City.  I worked in cold storage in East Bethany at PIXLEY'S.  I also pitched hay for "Stinky Hill" - brought it from the field to the barn with very small upper door.

Built a trailer to haul lawn mower behind my bike.  I mowed lawns in the area with a hand pushed mower.

Clarence and I hauled maple sap from trees just East of Black Creek, upon the hill.  We used several milk cans on a hand drawn wagon.  The sap was boiled on oil stoves at Uncle Scott’s and Daddy's.  About 40 gallons of sap made one gallon of maple syrup.

One Halloween, we put a horseshoe nail under a clapboard to form a tick-tack at Bill Walker’s house.  Ran a string from the nail to me - up in a tree!!  Bill came out of his house with a shotgun, hunting for the culprit who did it!!  Being at night, he couldn't locate me!!  Daddy was hiding across the road!!  He helped me!!!!

An old fellow at Grange drove a model T-Ford.  We jacked his rear wheel just off the ground so he couldn't drive it away.  Also strung a milk strainer across the road on a very fine wire that he could not see.  He got out of his car to look, got back in the car and drove around a tree to avoid the bobbing white milk strainer - a 6 inch piece of cloth!!

End of Story!!!!

You Haven't Heard Anything Yet!!!!

William Walker was a near neighbor who had at least 3 kids.  The youngest was Bill, not too smart and we always teased him.  The Mother was too big and saved piles of newspapers, so many piled high along the front hall, one could hardly enter.  Old Bill was sort of a grouch, always in rags!

We always put "tic-tacks" on many houses, Daddy always helped.  Most residents ignored them or came out to chat, not old Bill!!  He got upset!!  I don't remember his source of income.  The family & house always had an odor; BO !!!!

Daddy brought home very large truck tire tubes.  Clarence and I "spiral" cut them about 1 1/2 wide, about 4 feet long.  We tied them to a "Y" mounted on the roof over what were gas pump islands next to the garage, facing toward Uncle Scott’s.  We would put a rock about 1" in the sling shot and sit on the roof, keep sliding away from the "Y" until we couldn't pull it any tighter.  With arms around the waist, we both slid back and pulled.  It's amazing the rock never did damage!

Clarence had a water hose near top of Page Hill.  After we were thru sledding for the day, he would spray the hill so we could go faster, faster the next day.  Also, we made a jump with an open space.  The sled runners would dig in as one entered the elevation, so it was necessary to repair the grooves each night so the ice was ready for next time.  The gap was about 2 to 3 feet.  Don't remember anyone dropping into it.  If you didn't have enough speed to jump the gap, it was possible to bypass the jump. 

Clarence fastened lights to the safety cables along the cloverleaf roadway leading downward to Route 20.  On a sled, we had to go under the lowest steel cable.  One trip down Page Hill on sleet on top of snow, I went down very fast until my sled hit a soft spot under which water ran.  The sled stopped and I didn't!!  My chin was badly cut, Uncle Scott came after me, stomping thru the ice crust with every step.  At home, I nearly passed out from loss of blood; have scars yet!!

Route 20 was new and lightly traveled.  I started sledding at the church (later the school house) down the curved cloverleaf to Route 20.  A big semi truck was chugging up the hill and I was headed toward it.  I had two choices: stay on the sled or roll off and let the sled go under the trailer.  I was going too fast to steer away from the truck.  I've always wished I had stayed on the sled which passed under the trailer just ahead of the rear wheels!!

About 1 mile west of Bethany Center Road on Route 20, I laid on my short sled and put my feet up against the bumper of the 1928 Whippet car.  Daddy backed off at 40 mph and, of course, couldn't see me while pushing.  The road was very slippery, I crossed Black Creek in a hurry, eyes watering!  Stupid!!!

I flew a large kite south from the house.  The kite couldn't hold the weight of the string I had played out, so it fell on Route 20!!  A truck was going slowly uphill.  The driver stopped when he saw my problem.  It took him a long time to start and regain speed up the 6% grade!

Daddy gave Clarence & I a Ford magneto coil; very thin wire.  We'd stretch it across the road just above hood height, stick our finger in the coil and wait for a car to come along.  Not sure whether Ford or Chevy, but one of them would give us a good electrical shock as the wire went up over the windshield!!  Probably in the late 30's.

I rode my bike on the railing over Route 20.  Biggest challenge was to get started and I am sure I had help!!

My bike always had a very loud siren but I couldn't use it in Batavia.  On a night trip home from Batavia, a car sideswiped me, throwing me to the ground.  A cut hand and a bent pedal, Mrs. W.P.K. White came from a nearby house, bandaged my hand and I rode  the 7 miles home.  "Don't call Mother", I said.  Mother probably knew before I got home!!

Bike always had a speedometer and odometer, rode bike 60 MPH along side of car several times!

On an Easter Sunday morning, we had to remove about 4 feet of ice and snow the plow had pushed in the snow tunnel which was our driveway.  The tunnel was 8 feet deep and the car rubbed on both sides as it was driven thru.  Several hundred feet north of the house, a snow fence held snow from a building up on Bethany Center Road - well partly.  Several times a power shovel had to remove snow on the road.  Sometimes, Daddy drove up and over the 6 foot, hard packed drifts.  High power line poles near the road were actually buried in the snow.  I've walked over them many times.  I always dug out a snow house and usually strung an extension cord for power; no ground wire of course!

Wild, fresh horseradish grew near a small stream fed by a spring 60 feet from the house.  I'd mount a food grinder on my wagon and we'd have fresh horseradish.

Halloween

A buggy was disassembled and reassembled on top of Grandpa Norton's barn roof.  Probably more problem getting it down then putting it up.  Several teenagers always tipped over outhouses in the neighborhood.  Uncle William caught some as they tipped one over at school.  He was a Board member.  The young men had to pay to place the outhouse back on it's foundation, clean the tank and paint the structure.  Soaping windows was standard procedure on Halloween. Sometimes paraffin wax was used; quite a job to remove!!  Steps to a porch were often pulled aside.  Don't recall anyone falling; residents were sort of expecting it!!

Uncle Floyd told us that at Hamilton, N.Y., when he was studying for the Ministry there was a double circular stairway leading to the second floor.  Students with pitch forks went upstairs and on the stair landing and challenged those on the first floor to come up!!  Also, when one student left for Spring Break, a model T Ford was taken apart, put in his room, then reassembled.  Another time steel angles and channels were welded together in a student's room.

Several times, Uncle Floyd took a car full of us cousins to Rochester Red Wing Baseball -a really BIG deal!!  One game went 27 innings!!

When Daddy worked for Genesse County, I often rode with him in his 1938 pickup with a gas tank on it.  Rode across the creek on "I" beams.  Down into Pavillion at 80 mph - out of gear.  He gassed up road equipment in gravel pits, bridge sites and along road construction.  I also rode #6 Brockway with Bill Doren, the only driver Daddy would let me ride with.

Clarence & I hoisted a truck wheel and tube to the top of the County garage and hand over hand, traveled the full length of the long garage - until the noise became too much and down we came, then we crawled the box beams in the railroad bridge over Tondawanda Creek.  That was before diesel engines; we were black from head to foot!

At Grandpa Dart's, I walked the silo rim and rode the hay fork up and into the loft, then dropped 20 feet on the hay.  At Uncle Scott’s, Clarence and I would swing on ropes 90 degrees apart, from side to side, end to end of the hay loft, braiding the ropes, then dropping 20 feet near the center.  Near Uncle Scott's, the church was used to store bales of hay.  We moved most of them to form tunnels.  In the dark we crawled on several levels.  Mother must have spent hours patching overall knees!

Uncle Scott had a Farmall tractor.  He held our hands as Clarence, on top of one tire and me on the other, as he drove.  Aunt Minnie made butter.  I turned the churn, probably a gallon of milk.

On the edge of a gully, Clarence built a shanty.  I spent many hours helping him.  He had electricity.  We spent much more time building than just enjoying it.  A 50 foot long roadway on the edge of the ravine led to the shanty.  I guess Clarence did the bulk of the "rough" work while I was the "finisher".  We moved a lot of dirt and lumber.

In the Bethany Center house, one room had no windows, I developed and printed film in it.  Problem was, no heat, so couldn't use it in the winter.

We went to New York City in 1934 with Grandma and Grandpa Dart.  Rode the subway and elevated rails, Holland tunnel.  The top 12 floors of the RCA Building didn't have elevator.  From the roof; looked straight down on 5th Avenue; Daddy held my hand.  Went through Museum of Natural History, In New Jersey, Asbury Park, Lakehurst to see Los Angeles & Akron Air ships; too long for hangar.

Daddy drove 1928 Whippet to Albany and down Storm King Highway to Elizabeth, NJ, through New York Capitol and Newburgh, and several historical sites.  It WAS a BIG DEAL, since I knew of no one who had traveled so far!!

Batavia High School

Sang in Glee Club & Choresters, Business Manager for Basketball, wrote and typed for school publication.  Always in National Honor Society, forced into "A" level during Senior year; had only 3 subjects, so spent lots of time in Electric Shop, took Industrial Arts course in High School, should have gone to Alexander, but Freshman in Batavia, so folks wanted me to finish in Batavia High.  Marion Hill rode to High school.  Rode to Vocational School with Daddy.  First thru the snow, Bethany Center Road.  Accelerated Course at Vocational School so students could be drafted.

Military

Inducted in April, 1943, I had several choices, chose Air Force, Ground Duty.  First non electric train ride to Fort Niagara.  Arrived about 1630 hours, issued uniform, ate, then took written test until midnight: highest score ever attained at Fort Niagara.  I was classified as Clerk 4 Truck Driver, wanted Mobil Machine Shop.  Went to Atlantic City for basic training.  We were at the Hotel Sherbourne 6th floor, 93,000 Air Force in Atlantic City.  Never went out in rain.  Instruction was in the hotel lobby.  "How many of you have a college education?"  "Grab a mop and pail, the rest of you are free!"

Drill field on the city dump was 2 miles from the hotel.  Returning one day as we marched on the street, a fire truck came.  Our Drill Master didn't want us to leave the street.  Many of us split.  For penalty, the Drill Master close-drilled us on the street next to the hotel.  Joe & Dave Orr and several others disobeyed marching instructions causing Drill Master to dismiss us.  He NEVER bothered us again.  We wouldn't sing while marching following the fire engine episode.

Except for a cap gun, never shot a gun.  Qualified as Marksman and 10 day Leave!!  Too bad I didn't have rear sight up!  First accused of missing the target.  Then Range Master determined I scalloped the holes at 300 yards in the fog.

Had booster Tetanus shot at 1000 hours, then walked a mile to my hotel.  Laid down and awoke the next morning.  Five roommates tried to wake me.

We had running Fresh and Salt water and I swam in the ocean most every evening.  I observed a German sub and reported it to Fort Dix.  After it sank, oil on the beach prevented swimming for several weeks.  In July, I was sent to Harding Field, Baton Rouge, LA., assigned to 2050 Engineering Fire Fighting.  On the field, hundreds of us were asked who could run a typewriter.  I being the only one, was assigned to headquarters.  I also volunteered to conduct exercise and marching.

I ate 2 meals three times daily.  I complained in Basic Training about not getting enough food.  Mess Sergeant said, "If I fill your plate, will you eat it"?  Bring it on!!  One plate with mashed potatoes, a plate of roast beef, veggies, roll, and a pitcher of milk.  When I finished in 2½ hours, I accepted Mince pie!!  To my hotel room and the next thing I knew it was breakfast!!  As long as I held the food tray still it was always filled.  Many service men wasted food.

From Harding Field, went to Lake Ponchartrain, just north of New Orleans - hot and humid.  Coming back from leave, I made the mistake of sitting on a train toilet seat and got an infection itch, which spread.  A group of 250 firemen were put on overseas alert.  They shipped out while I was on sick call.  One man survived trying to land at Anzio Beachead, Italy.

In November, I slept under mattress and blankets; fully dressed.  Damp 45 degrees.  Dampness and I didn't get along.  Transfer to cooler, drier climate didn't go thru, so I was discharged November 29^th