Letter from J.O. Wasden

James Orvil Wasden

(double click on images to enlarge)

Aug 30, 1932

Garland, August 29

Dear Dad & Mother,

It sounds as though you are pretty busy with church work, harvesting and entertaining relatives.

We've been pretty busy too. Russ has been a carpenter and a farmer. I've been shocking and stacking oats for over a week now. Minnie is canning and drying apples.

They have created some road work in this state for the unemployed and the out-of -work men in each county are to make application. The money was let on Aug. 23. Board will be no more than 75(cents) a day. Skilled labor will draw 60 (cents) per hour and unskilled labor 40 (cents). They're using as little machinery as possible to give jobs to single hands and horses. Russ and I applied about a week ago. of course we're both skilled laborers. Russell at cooking and I at fresnoing. I told the secretary I'd done done everything on the road. I'd really rather be a flunkey than fresno hand because it's not so monotonous and a flunkey works every day, rain or shine. I'll take what I can get tho.

We went down to Conference yesterday. You should have seen the crowd that was turned away. Apostle Ballard, Sisters Hogan and Hart were here, besides some people from Denver. I expect the old skinflints who refused to donate on the stake tabernacle were joyous to see people turned and a lot of them held down the softest seats in the hall. Last nite was the Mutual session. The Gleaner chorus sang and did a real job of it. Golden Welch was conducting.

Hattie or Charlie manage everything around here but the dances. Old Man alcohol sometimes manages them. "The Way to Perfection" is used here.

The Penrose Branch Relief Society exhibit was highly complimented after Russ had made most of the things. It was an ideal reading center.

Take care of yourselves and maybe Santa Claus will come son. Good luck,
Orvil