We went out to Uncle Freds for dinner & supper. Mrs. Authur [sic – Arthur] Roscow came along from church up here, she went to see Mrs. Stauenfbiel; they came here awhile after we got home. Henry came up & got our truck to haul hogs to the market tomorrow. Miss Josie Keller & Miss Kuhn where here this evening for supper. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came to; had watermelon lunch, they left about 9:30, then the alarm ring came of Ald. Rittmeyer’s house was on fire, went over to Wagner’s, papa & George went out; everything was ablase [sic], summer kitchen & house, burned to the ground, & all that was in it, they where up at Belleville, so all they have left is what is on there backs 1 car, Smithon [sic] fire department came but no good, no water no where’s. Mr & Mrs. H. M. Hill observed there golden Wedding Anniversary today, which will be Aug. 30 Wed; all the children, grandchildren where present, lot of musci [sic] furnished.
Saturday, July 1, 1933
Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where up took the rest of there onions out in there garden; we helped, they sold them to Braun’s got 94¢ for 51½ lbs. New Athens have home coming today. There was a fire at Kaltwasser’s today, Spalts are threshing at Wacthel & Armstutz set there & spark flew out & started the weeds to burn, they got it out with shovels & water, Joe Wacthel got his hand burned a little. It is so awful hot again. John Reagean & family moved in John Hepps house here in town.
Monday, April 17, 1933
Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where here for lunch & dinner. Uncle Fred & Papa went to Waterloo on business. eggs 9¢. Mr. Hill came brought us a new telephone directory & took the old one back; there is a few changes in the new book, Clarence Hepp printed them, he has that business for himself now, does all kind of printing. Mr. Rennecker was here to show Rosalia how to vote, brought a sample ballot along. Papa went to Hecker this evening. There was a fire out at the bridge last nite about 7:30, did about $60 damage. Karl Boll was supposed to tend to everything there, now he is laid off. Hy. Emery has a steady job for a mo. to be wathman [sic – watchman] at night of the tools & things pertaining to the road; & grease the tools all for $30.00 mo.
Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1932
The groundhog didn’t see his shadow today so we have spring weather. We went to Red Bud to Hellmers funeral this morn. George Wagner came over when we came home & told us Leona was ringing for us. Steve was over this afternoon awhile. Henry brought a load of corn up & took his oats along home. The Ellis Grove Bank was turned over to Chester last Sat. Steve was here again this eve. we played pinochle. Leslie Siebert the Eddleman Bread driver this morn. tried to fire the furnace at his home with gasoline & he caught on fire, his hands, & clothing where burned severely.
Tuesday, July 21, 1931
This morning our cistern is full again. Papa went up town this morn. We dug a bucket full of straw potatoes, & planted some more pickle seed, & turnip seed. Papa & Rosalia fixed fenced this afternoon. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where up again this afternoon. We all had lunch there. We helped her scrubb [sic] the porch & rooms. I seen in the paper today that Clarence Rittinhouse 26 & Arthur Meuth had a serious accident last Sat. night at 10 o clock. On the Belleville bridge right south edge of town, he met a car & the lights blinded him & he side swiped a third car coming, & his machine ran of the pavement & down the bankment of, the down in there, the machine caught fire & Rettinghouse was burnt arms & legs, he still in the hospital & the ambulance was called to take Mueth to the hospital, but he was discharged after treatment. Rettinghouse & Zollmer the car which was damaged they will settle it between themselves.
Monday, July 13, 1931
Today is wash, iron & patch day. Papa went out to Henry’s to get the posts for a shed, Henry brought them up on the wagon. This afternoon Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came, they where here for lunch, & supper. He helped papa with the straw shed. The Karr Range Co wind [? – unclear] through this afternoon & played the radio, it was nice. George Wagner & the kids where here this evening. Bertille got a recipe book from Mrs. Rennecker this afternoon. Alfred Stahl had awful bad luck the other day. Some thing caught fire & it came up to the seperator [sic] & started burning the fire stuff there & he tried to fight it, & got his hand all scorched & burned & also his arm, he hooked the engine too it & broke 4 links, so there it was, so the water wagon came then & it got it out, then he was on the engine & fell off & broke the same arm.
Thursday, July 9, 1931
It is raining this morning. We got our beets in from the garden here & the truck patch, we got 5 quts & 1/2. Mrs. Katie Klotz was here this morning to see if she could get a can of cistern water at Uncle Fred’s place, because they are getting the thrashers this evening, & they wanted the water to wash the dishes. Papa went up to Eichenseers, & went along out with Vic & Odillo, to fix Henry pump, they put 5 ft. pipings on it, there is 30 ft. of water in it yet. Papa called up for Rosalia to come out & bring some wrenches along from the store. Mrs. Klotz was telling me about a fire at Albert Gregson’s on Tues. night, the road men had a fire burning the grass on piles, & they left without putting the fire out, & during the night the fire creeped & burned all the way through the woods, nearly too the house, they just got it out in time. George Lorberg was called with a tank of water on his truck & also Joe Shilling’s, Louis Armstutz’s & a fire apartment, I don’t know if it was Smithon’s [sic] or Red Buds, fire out later, it happened around 12 o’clock in the night that is when George Lorberg left. This evening we went out & lawend [sic] at the cemetery, & looked at Frank’s pigs, sheep. Eggs are 12¢ now.
Monday, July 6, 1931
Today is wash, iron, patching day. It is awful warm again this afternoon. About 4 o’clock this afternoon there was an awful smoke east from here, it was Ruhils place, the smoke-house & pasture, Mrs. Ruhl had fire out side & it got away & burned the smoke-house nearly all down, that is the place from Joe Gregson’s South. As far as we know the house wasn’t damaged.
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