Mary Kauer: Jan. 9, 1931 Dousman, Wis.

Dear Friends,
Well it's the end of yet another week. This weekend will be Harvest Days. Your trick or treating. On Sunday there will be a Halloween parade. Not sure right now if I will go. It's suppose to be on the cold side. I think I might stay where it is warm.
Anyway, here is the next letter from Mary Kauer:

As always, for those of you that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

              Dousman Wis.
             Thurs. Eve.
Dear Friend Howard:-
  It's been quite a while
since I had your letter
but you'll have to excuse
me. we were awfully busy
then. we had a gang of
men here and I was home
for a while after that;
and you know how it
is around Xmas time.
I was breaking my neck
trying to get some Xmas
shopping done.
I tho't I'd see Anna R.
while I was home. Rose
said she was working at
Bogumills. Margaret is
working in town so I

called her up and told
her. She went up to the store
to see her but then Anna
was gone already. I saw
by the Harold  that she
was sick and that you
and Anna Hannah took her home.
Gee, I'm sorry to hear
that your mother is dead.
My grandmother died a
year ago last August. She
was real helpless all that
summer. It must be hard
for Roseens not to have
Nels, but I guess there is
nothing anyone can do.
I s'pose the Lord knows
what's best for us. Give
them my sympathy. And
also best wishes for a Happy
New year even if it is

rather late. And the same
to you.
You wanted to know
when I'm getting married
Well, I don't know yet
but not for awhile. It's
not so easy now that work
is so scarce. You wanted
to know what he looks
like. Well, he's just as tall
as I. k quite fat, has black
hair and a mustache once
in a while.
   So long and I guess
I better not write any
oftener but wish me
luck anyway and I hope
you'll be happy too
              As ever your friend
                    Mary
My writing hasn't
improved any.

It sounds like Mary was still coming around from time to time. At least that year.
I wonder how long it was before she got married.
I think she said he was fat. It must have been love.
And yes, her handwriting has not improved at all. Still a little hard to read from time to time.

Here is a picture from the scrap book:

'Sorry, Bossie, but Chicago Wants Its Milk an Hour Earlier'

I'm thinking this might have been around the Spring time change.

Here are few pages from the joke book, "Bedtime Laughs":

Enjoy.

Finally, here is a random picture:

This might be a picture of Mary and I might have shown you it before.

Well, I did start writing this post yesterday when all was fine. But today, all is not so good, for the husband. He was hurt at work last night. He some how got his foot a little smashed between two carts at work. They say it is a contusion. He thinks it might be broke. I guess we might have to wait till the swelling goes down. I'll try to keep you posted.
I hope you will come back soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Mary Kauer: Oct. 7, 1930 Dousman, Wis.

Dear Friends,
Well, it's Tuesday. I hope everyone had a good weekend. Ours was a half and half one. Rained all day Saturday. Was sunny and warm, Sunday. But now it's feeling more like Fall, finally. I'm still not ready for what's coming. You know cold and snow. Maybe lots of it? We'll see.
Anyway, here is a letter from Mary Kauer:

As always, for those that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

           Dousman, Wis.
           Oct 7, 1930
Dear friend Howard:-
I s'pose you think I
didn't get your letter,
it's so long ago.
But whoever told
you I was home didn't
know what they were
talking about. I s'pose
you know that Joe &
Mary Schneider got married.
Well, they're staying at
home this summer and
I s'pose that's who they
meant. They have a
little boy now, he was
born last month the 7th.
No, I'm not mad
about that stuff you

told me, I had forgotten
all about it.
  But I was awfully
surprises to hear from
you as someone had
told me you were getting
married. I s'pose they
were just handing me some
bunk. And then Mary
sent me a clipping out
of the paper saying that
there had been a big
paty party in your
honor.
How is your mother &
Thomas? Is Anna Roseen
and Hannah still home?
As ever your friend
                Mary
or won't you be my friend any
more if I tell you that I'm engaged?

Well it's been awhile since there was a letter from Mary. I wonder why Grandpa was trying to get back in touch with her now. Well, I really don't have to guess, I kind of know he was still looking for a wife. I guess he thought maybe he would see if there could have been a connection between them yet. But I think, that what ever went down before was something that was hard to get past. At least for her. I wonder if I'll ever find out what he said to here that ticked her off. I think with this it's best to just let it go.
I looked up where Dousman is. It's in Waukesha County. Which is in the southeast of Wisconsin.
Today the population is about 2,317. In 1930 it was 256.It sounds like a nice small town.
At one time it was referred to as "Bullfrog Station" because of the numerous bullfrogs in the area.
Their baseball team is known as the Dousman Frogs. They also have an annual frog jumping competition during Dousman's Derby Days. I wonder when this happens. It would be interesting to check out sometime.

Here is a picture from the scrap book: 1936

 (Under 1st picture)
The Archie Tegtmeyer is shown Tuesday afternoon smashing
through 33-inch ice to its dock near the Becher st. bridge after
the fist day's fishing the fleet here has had in three weeks. The
tugs were again idle Wednesday due to the east wind.

(under 2nd picture)
The fishing fleet found nets pretty well torn. Capt. Joe Adrian
of the Anna examines his net after returning Tuesday after-
noon. Only about half the nets could be raised.

I wonder what kind of fish they were fishing for at that time.

And here are a few pages from the joke book, "Bedtime Laughs":1956

The ups and downs of married life. Enjoy.

Finally, a random picture:

One of these girls could be Mary, maybe.

Well, that's all I have to share with you today.
I hope you have a good week.
Don't forget to drop by again real soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Mary Kauer: Feb. 7, 1928 Wausau, Wis.

Hello Friends,
How was your weekend? It was toooo cold here for me. Just when I thought I could put my warmer jackets away it gets cold again. This week is once again suppose to get warmer as the week go on. One thing my husband did this weekend was by four more little calves. We now have a total of 9. Maybe some time I'll take a picture of all of them and show them to you.
Anyway, here is the next letter from Mary:

As always, for those of you that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

                          Wausau, Wis.
                          Feb. 6, 1928
Hello Howard:-
  I just wanted to ask you
how many proposals you've
had already. I happened to think
of leap year as I was writing
the date. You needn't try to
dodge when they propose
because you'll be caught one
way or the other. If you
say no, you've got to buy a
silk dress, and if you say yes
you've got to keep on buying
them the rest of your life.
So I think you are up against
it right.
I s'pose by this time your
hand is all healed up unless
someone threw another
rolling pin at you. And that
would be a shame because I
think one rolling pin a year

is enough, don't you?
  How is your cook? You said
last time that she had just
came that day.
And you are you still looking
for a job as a cook? You said
you had to eat your own cook-
ing for two weeks and are
still alive. That's pretty fair
your almost as good at
cooking as I am. I don't get
sick either when I eat my
own cooking, but everyone else
that eats it, does. That's why
I gave it up as a bad job.
Say, I told you that Alex
Messal & Florence Vlach were
married, didn't I? That was
before Xmas already so I guess
you would know it by this
time.
They are staying at Messal's.

You know Alex's cousin works
here, too, and she was so
darned surprised she couldn't
get over it. She said he's been
looking for a girl so long. Her
name (Alex cousin) was Wanda Schacht before
she was married, you got an
introduction to her once at a
party at Schacht's. She asked you
whether you knew Beulah Anderson.
Are you still having as many
party's as you had all winter?
Or are you going to be good
and not have any during Lent?
Gee, I'm glad you're having such
a good time, now maybe you
won't think I was crazy be-
cause I liked to go to parties
so well.
Say Howard, I wish you could
have seen my roommate. She
isn't with me now as she is
doing light house keeping.

She was good to get along
with and I liked her real well
after I got acquainted with
her. But gosh is she ever bash-
ful and scared stiff of men.
I don't know whether I should
laugh at her or get sore some-
times.
I'm back at my old job again.
I had a wimpies with the house-
keeper because I wasn't strict
enough with the girls so I told
her to get another inspectress.
But oh gosh it was hard the first
few days, I was always so tired
I just ached all over. I t'hot I
was going to die pretty soon.
Say Howard gosh darn you if
you don't tell me who told
you all that junk last
summer I'm going to do some-
thing awful to you. I don't know
just what but you'll be sorry you
didn't tell me. So long          Me


At least she explained how Grandpa hurt his hand. I suppose she is the one who throw it. I wonder what they fought about all the time. I also wonder what kind things someone told Grandpa about her that got her so steamed. Did he ever tell her who it was?
It sounds like Grandpa was having someone come in and cook. But it sounds like Grandpa could kind of cook too. I'm trying to remember if I ever saw him do any cooking when I was growing up. Right now I  don't think so. I wonder if his mother was not up to cooking at that time.
It sounds like Grandpa was a party animal at that time. I wonder what kind of parties he had?
I guess Mary was not a leader kind of person since she gave up the insprectress job. Some people  are just not good at being a leader and some are.


Here are the last two viewer cards for the Earthquake of 1906.

 24. Refugees' camp in Jefferson Square.

25. Ferry landing from Oakland.

I wonder how long people had to stay in the camps.
This is what it looks like today.



Looking on the internet I think I found a picture of the Ferry terminal of San Francisco today.

 


Here is a random picture for you to look at:

Not sure exactly who this is but I have an idea.

Well, that's about all I have to say except that I learned that my husbands younger brother is in the hospital with meningitis. Not sure how he got it or how he is doing. He can not have visitors for a few days. I hope he will get better soon.
I hope you will come back again soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Mary Kauer: Jan. 18, 1928 Wausau, Wis.

Hello Friends,
Another week done and the weekend ahead. It's suppose to be on the cool side here. Depending on where you live you might see a few snow flurries. I hope it does not happen here.
Anyway, here is the next letter from Mary.

As always for those that find it hard to read here is what it says:

                           Wausau, Wis.
                            Jan. 18, 1928
Hello Howard:-
 I s'pose you think I'm a dandy
to wait so long before answering
but I haven'y improved any as
far as writing goes. I hate it as
much as ever. I just read
over one of the New Years
cards you sent me, and in the
verse that's on it, it says, "May
all the months roll swiftly
by." Now thats a heck of a
wish to have for me when you
know I'm an old maid already.
And if the time goes so fast I'll
soon have gray hair. I'd be a
sweet looking sight then, wouldn't
I?
Rose isn't here any more, she
stayed home Xmas. I was home
too, I got home Xmas morning
about nine o'clock. We certainly
had one heck of a good time at the
wedding. Most of the company
stayed till three, but Mr. Lamberty
& Pete L., Anton Kauer & Joe, Mrs., and

Rose Kauer stayed until daylight.
Teacher was there & she stayed up
too & went to Medford right away
the next morning with Pete L. She
likes him as much as ever but
she keeps right on saying she
doesn't. Isn't that bull headedness?
But then I forgot, she's a Dutchman
too and what else can you expect.
Mary & Jos. got quite a few presents
and some real nice ones at that.
They both went back to work but
I guess they are going to leave
next spring. They were at our place
till after New Years and Mart said
she was glad when they left. She
and Mary don't agree very well.
But neither do I when she's around
me very much. It's a good thing
that she get's along better with Jos.
than she does with us or they'd soon
want a separation.
Well, I s'pose I shouldn't be
telling you all this junk. Ma
always says if she and Joseph
get along that's all that's necessary

because we don't have to live
with her. I guess you better
burn up this letter, it sounds
just like some gossiping old
hen, doesn't it?
  You said I should call you
up when I was home, but gee
Howard, I was scared to. And
what would your ma have
said?
You said you had a sore hand
for about a month? How is it
now, any better? I hope so be-
cause I don't s'pose you like to
go around with one arm in a
bandage, especially if it's the
right one. How about it? Just
give an account of yourself. I
s'pose you had it around some-
body so long that it almost
froze and now you got rheumatism
in it. I really shouldn't feel
sorry for you at all, but I think
I will anyhow.
You remember that picture you
sent last time. It's out of a paper.
The woman is reading and the

man is washing the dishes. The name
of it is," Mary had a little lamb."
Now do you mean to tell me
that I look as big and moose-like
as she does? But gee, wouldn't
it be nice to have a man that
would do all the housework for
you? That's the kind I'm going
to be on the lookout for from
today on. So in case you know
of any you tell me and I'll put
in an application for him. But
I haven't much hope. The big
men aren't much good but the
little ones are no good at all.
The most of them are so crabby.
Well, so long, this is enough
dumheit for one day.
This letter is scribbler than
most, but maybe you can make
out some of it.
   So long and be good
to you.         Dutchee.

Well for someone who does not like to write much, boy can she write. Every time she says how much she hates writing she write a longer letter.
I wonder what was going on between the two of them. It almost sounds like a love hate relationship. If he had a sore arm I wonder if had anything to do with her or if she was being jealous for some reason.
She sure does like to put labels on people for what the were. The teacher must have been Dutch. But then again she is calling herself Dutchee.
It sounds like the wedding between Mary and Joseph finally happened and that everyone had a very good time. But she makes it sound like the other Mary is very hard to get along with.

Oh well, here is a random picture for you to look at.

Not sure what is going on here. The girl in the middle might be Mary.

Here are two more viewer cards from the Earthquake of 1906.

 22. City Hall from McAllister St., looking northeast-- Souvenir hunters in foreground.

23. Ruins of St. Ignatio's Catholic Church.

I wonder what kind of souvenirs they were able to find and how long they kept them.

Well, I guess that's about all I have to show you today. I hope you have a good weekend.
Don't forget to stop by again soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your Friend,
Sandy

Mary Kauer & Rose: Dec. 19, 1927 Wausau, Wis.

Dear Friends,
I hope you had a good weekend. Mine was good. On Saturday my husband and I spent the day with our girls over in Wausau. We had dinner together for Mother's Day and our youngest one's birthday, which was on May 5th. She is 28. After that the husband , me and our oldest went and saw the Movie, Captain America, Civil War. It was O.K. After that we shopped a little and went home. Sunday for Mother's Day my husband took me out to eat and then we bought a few plants to plant outside. The rest of the day was just a chill out.
Anyway, here are two letters, one from Mary and one from Rose. They were in the same envelope.

I decided to show you Rose first. As always for those that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

                 Wausau Wis.
                 Dec. 18, 1927
Dear Howard:-
 I suppose you'll
be surprised to get
a letter from me
but as Mary is
writing and as I haven't
got any thing else

to do. I thought I'd write
you a few lines.
We are all O.K., hope the
same of you.
We like Wausau awfully
well but we're going back
to good old Rib Lake for
Xmas any way I am
I'm not saying for sure if
Mary is or not cause she
don't know whether she's getting
off or not well Howard guess
I better be quitting cause
I'm writing so scrawly you
won't be able to read it.

Anyway I wish you
a Very Merry Christmas
& a bright & happy New
Year.
as ever
        Rose.

And now here is Mary's letter:

                         Wausau Wis.
                        Sunday Eve.
Dear Hart:-
Well, first off I'm going
to wish you a merry Xmas
and a happy New Year. I
don't know whether I'll be
home or not this year but
I hope so. It wouldn't seem
much like Xmas if I'd have
to stay here, although I
must say I like my job,
my boarding place and
Wausau in general, real
well.
Anton is coming home,
I think he's home today already
but John isn't coming this
year. That's heck, because I'd

miss him if I do go home and
he isn't there.
You asked me what I'm doing
Well, inspectress. I have to
look over the rooms and
see that they are all right and
such stuff. I work from 9 to 12
and then from 1:30 to six. I must
say that I like it awfully well.
We went on a sleigh ride last
Sat. eve and there we about
40 of us and the sleigh tipped
over. You should have
seen us. I guess we were an
awful looking sight with
our heads buried in the
snow. One girl sprained her neck
and the other one hurt her
ankle but it wasn't bad.
Well, so long and good luck
and Best Wishes from
                             Mary.

I wonder if either one of them made it back home that year?
At least it sounds like they both enjoyed their jobs.
I like her job title, "Inspectress" It sounds like it was someone who checked rooms before a guest moved in to it.
The sleigh ride sounded like it was fun until it tipped over. It must have been a big sleigh if it held 40 people. But I'm sure there was more then one sleigh for all those people. I wonder if there was any law suits. I know if that happened today there would be some big law suits.
This was the last letter from 1927.
So the next time you drop by it will be a new year.

Here are two more cards from the viewer cards of the Earthquake of 1906.

 20. City Hall--Photographer in foreground--Tall brick chimneys left standing.

21. View from Moulder School distributing station showing tons of flour on sidewalk.

I wonder how long all that flour lasted.

Here is a random picture for you to look at.

I didn't have another sleigh picture but here is a wagon and horses. I have a correction. This is a manure spreader.

Well that's about all I have to share with you today.
I hope you find yourself coming back again for more Fading History.
Till next time.
Your friend,
Sandy

Mary Kauer: Nov. 19, 1927 Wausau, Wis.

Hello Friends,
How was your weekend? Mine was not to bad but, for some reason I had a hard time sleeping at night. I want to blame having some caffeine a little to late on Saturday night. Sunday I guess might be blamed on having one alcoholic drink after supper. For me it's not a good thing. I just hope this week will be better.
I must keep my mind clearer at bed time so I can relax.
Enough of my whining, here is the next letter from Mary:

 As always, for those that have a hard time reading this, here is what it says:

                     Wausau Wis.
                      Friday 4.30 P.M.
Hello Howard:-
  I got your letter yesterday and
was kind of surprised to get it.
I'm sorry I didn't answer sooner
but gee, I write home so darned
often that it seems that's all
I do. I didn't even write to Anton
yet.
Rose said that the next time
you come to Merrill you should
come a little father and see us
too.
We are getting a long O.K. Rose's
doing house work. She's about two
blocks from here, but I'm still at the
hotel. I like it real well. The only thing
I don't like about it's that I have

to work on Sundays too. But gee, the
time just flies.
Say, Howard, won't you tell me who
told you all that stuff that you
told me that Sunday that you
were over? Gee, I've almost got gray
hair worrying about it. And if I
have to have my hair dyed yet
too I'll never save any money.
I had to buy me a new hat be-
cause I was out in the rain with
mine and it shrunk so I couldn't
wear it any more.
Well, I guess I'll have to quit as
I have to be to work at six o'clock
tonite and I have to take a letter
over to Rose yet, that has been
sent to this place.
  Good bye and good luck
                       as ever
                          M.K.

Not a whole lot here. I wonder if Grandpa visited her when he had gone to Merrill.
I wonder what kind of stuff he told her that made her almost turn gray. It must have been some really juicy things.
I wonder what kind of hat she had that it shrunk in the rain and what kind she got to replace it.

Here are two more viewer cards from the Earthquake of 1906.

 16. Looking west from the Jewish Synagogue.

 17. Bank safes being guarded.

I wonder how long they had to stand guard over those safes? I'm sure not to long. Did people try to find ways to get their money from the safes?


Here is a random picture for you to look at:

I'm not sure who this is or even when it was taken.

I have one more picture I would like to show you. It is a new picture but it's something rare to see.

I know what's so rare about three calves? They are triplets. This is something that does not happen very often. They belong to my brother-in-law. Two are heifers and one bull. All healthy. My husband took this picture and he said it was almost impossible to get them to stand still long enough for a good picture.

Well that's about all I have to share with you today.
I hope you will come back soon for more Fading History.
Till then,
Your friend,
Sandy

Mary Kauer: Oct ? 1927 Wausau, Wis.

Hello Friends,
I hope this post finds you all well. We had a very rainy weekend here and it has not stopped. it's suppose to be a wet week. So not to much can be done outside right now.
Anyway, here is what I think is the next letter from Mary. The post mark of the month and day was hard to make out. It was either Oct or Dec. Not sure.

Here is what it says for those that find it hard to read:

                 Wausau, Wis
                 Wed. 7.30 A.M.
Hello Howard:-
   You see I'm an early
bird. I get up before eight
o'clock in the morning. I
don't have to be to work
before nine so I t'hot I'd
write while I had time. I've
got the job that Beulah A.
had, she's gone to Milwaukee.
Now I have to work from
nine till six with an hour
and a half for dinner. I like
it real well. But I hope I
have off for Xmas because
I want to go home, else I'm
going to quit. Rose got a

letter from her sister from
Philadelphia and she wants
us to come there and stay
with her. Rose wants to go
but I don't know. I'd like
to go alright but its too
far away. I think I'd spend
half of my time crying and
wishing I was home again.
Well, I don't know much
else to write except that
its colder than heck outside.
it drifted all nite so I imagine
it will be hard walking. Oh
yes, I cried last nite, I dreamed
that Joseph got married and
didn't ask any of us to the
wedding. Well so long and
god bless you             M.K.

Can you imagine having an hour and half for dinner? I only get 15 minutes for my dinner. I don't know what I would do with that much time except maybe read a book.
I wonder if Rose ever goes to Philadelphia?
Not a whole lot here, just a normal everyday kind of letter.

Here are two more viewer card from the Earthquake of 1906.

 12. Refugees' camp at ball grounds in Golden Gate park.

13. Looking north up Mason st. from Eddy__ Ruins of the Fairmont $4,000,000 hotel.

The Fairmont was newly built and yet open. it survived the earthquake but not the fires. The owners, Herbert and Hartland Law chose a female architect by the name of Julia Morgan. It had a grand opening a year after the earthquake. I wonder how much it cost to rebuild it back then and how much it would be today.
Here is what it looks like today.


A lot of history in this place. The stories it could tell if it could talk.

Here is a random picture for you to look at.

I thought that since she mentioned drifts I would show one from the past. I know it's something you don't want to think about any more. You want summer. Me too. So look at this as a cold blast from the past.

Well that's all I have to share with you today. I hope you will come back again soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy