• Business,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Social,  Travel

    “The more ridiculous and absurd it impresses me”

    Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 105 and 106 Only two cards today, but each with fairly lengthy messages that should fill up a fair amount of space. First up, a card that does not appeal to me at all image-wise. Back in the day, people likely looked at the factories belching smoke and thought “progress” but I, from my 1st Q 21st century viewpoint think “pollution.” Based on the inscription on the reverse, this was supposed to show Seattle’s tidal lands. (And that’s tidal, not tribal although the whole thing belonged the Duwamish peoples.) Perhaps, but I mostly see smoke. The tinting doesn’t help either as most of the buildings,…

  • Business,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Logistics,  Social

    In the best of health but working like a beaver

    Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 64-65 More ships, albeit not naval cruisers. Both of today’s cards, as usual, went from Fred to Katheryn. First up, a rather pretty view from northern Oregon versus northern Washington. Fred posted it in Seattle, so either Oregon views were for sale up in Seattle or (equally likely) he picked it up while down in Portland (or Astoria, for that matter). In this case, he’s tossing a bunch of different topics into the message–writing a postcard instead of sending her a letter because he’s tired. Seattle Apr. 3rd 1908 Dearie: Just in from Green Lake a small town about 18 miles from here. Made a…

  • Business,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Logistics,  Social,  Travel,  Weather

    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…

  • Business,  Collecting,  Holidays & Birthdays,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Social

    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…

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