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Food, sports, and canoodling in the water
Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 76-79 In a bit of a switch, the two cards from Fred in today’s post have lengths in reverse to what one might expect: the card from 1907 has the longer inscription and the 1908 the shorter. First the older card (comparatively speaking). A lovely image, and very nice coloration (even though someone wrote 27 upside down in the lake). Fred was evidently in a sentimental mood, based on the inscriptions on both sides of the card. The reverse has a longer meditation on the evening. Dearest: Had a dance + chicken Frye here last night After I got back from Lake Geneva in Auto…
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Lots to be seen but, I can’t see it
Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 66-70 As shown above, the title for today’s post comes from one of Fred’s postcards. I’m not sure what Fred meant when he wrote it, but I know what I mean by including here. This post will raise questions–most/all of which will never be answered. In short, we’ll know that there are things to be seen, but be unable to see them. You have been warned! Up to now, the bulk of postcards have been from Fred to Katheryn during the period in 1908 when they were engaged (presumably) but before their marriage. By-and-large, he’s written lengthy notes on the cards and on multiple occasions…
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Calling on the Drug Trade Book + Department Stores
Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 57-59 In which we get more information about what Fred Newton does for a living! As supposed, he’s a salesman. What he sells may vary. He could work for more than one company at any given time, for all we know. However, thanks to the first card shown here we know what he sold, where, and for whom on at least one instance. The Mr. Sears Fred referred to in other cards is evidently “L. Sears Paper Co.” They produce tablets and stationery, which Fred is selling around Washington–this particular day he went to Ballard and called on a variety of stores. It’s not an…
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This is no place for me–alone
Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 54-56 We’re basically skipping #54. It’s another card from Europe to an unspecified “Miss McMahon” at the State Street address. Probably from Billy, and offering a different view of Llangolen. Last time I mentioned the issue of the postcard order in the book, and the possibility the cards were arranged by theme. It’s hard to tell for certain, since the album was picked over. Who knows what is missing? That said, I have come to the conclusion that at a minimum a goodly chunk of the cards at some point were arranged in topical order. While you won’t see that in today’s cards necessarily, keep…
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One of the most aristocratic little resorts
Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 50-53 First up, two more cards from Europe. I’m only sharing the fronts here. Based on the handwriting on the back, I’m guessing these also came from Billy (who’s so far been responsible for most/all of the foreign cards–and no I still don’t know his last name). As is quite typical of Billy, there’s no message. That said, these differ from several of the most recent cards in that, as with a few earlier ones, they’re directed to “Miss McMahon” at Shields Ave rather than State St, and thus were likely intended for Katheryn rather than Anna. With respect to the images themselves, note that…
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Not setting the world on fire with orders
Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 44-45 Fred Newton was in sales, although we still don’t know what business. The first card for today provides a little more information about his operations, although it doesn’t change the “don’t know” side of the equation very much. The card itself is a view of one of Seattle’s parks. In fact, both of today’s cards are of Seattle parks–originating with the same firm, Paul C. Koeber out of New York and Kirchheim, Germany. Fred might have purchased them at the same time but, given the amount of time separating the postmarks (over two weeks), it’s just as likely he acquired them separately. The lines…
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Make short work of the “tall + uncut”
Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 40-43 I originally intended to focus on one card at a time. That didn’t last long! It proved much easier to spend extensive time on the initial cards I presented, both because I was starting to figure out what to do with this blog and because each was selected for one or more iconic qualities which rewarded in-depth examination. With this album, the attractions for me include seeing how the cards fit together–how Fred (and others, especially when we move on to add other albums) uses the cards. What information he includes, where he’s open versus coy and allusive. TLDR: I’ll share however many cards…
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Old Haunts and Burros Revisited
Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 35-39 On the 26th of February 1908, Fred sent Katheryn another card where the image was the inspiration for the communication. In this case, he even specified where he got the card: in a drug store in Portland, Oregon. Drug stores were a mainstay of the postcard market–and this particular card presented a local view, and was one of the United States images produced by the publisher, W.G. MacFarlane. Once again, Fred inscribed suggestive initials on the image, but in this case he did so not to invite Katheryn to imagine herself in Portland so much as to encourage her to think back to a…
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Billy in Berlin and Fred in Salt Lake and Seattle
Katheryn McMahon Newton Album, cards 32-34 First up, explicit reference as to how Fred expects Katheryn’s correspondence to reach him. Alas, this inspires in me an even greater desire to see her side. I recognize this desire is unlikely to be fulfilled. Her cards and letters most likely were destroyed at some point, whether deliberate or accidental; if they do survive, they may be scattered and even if they aren’t it would be a herculean task to try and locate them. “Dear Kit: Just arrived in the MormonTown – Train 1 hour + 50 m late. Passed through a fierce blizzard + snow storm after leaving Glenwood Springs. Am writing…
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From the Governor’s Private Secretary to Writing Everyday
Katheryn McMahon Newton Album, cards 30-31 Evidently, Fred decided to call on the Governor of Colorado, Henry Augustus Buchtel, while passing through Denver. I still don’t know enough about him to find him in the Census–and I’m not (yet) going to start other research to find him in Seattle and/or Chicago records and related materials. The population of Colorado at the time was numbered in the high hundred-thousands; that of Denver in the low hundred-thousands. Fred’s evident comfort level in making the call suggests he came from higher up the class ranks–even though he settled for “a very few minutes” with the Governor’s private secretary. To continue the discussion of…
