Alaska “...Having the Best Time I Ever Had”: The Alaska Journals of Gy Sgt. Robert Rudolph (Bob) Huttle U.S.M.C.R©

ALASKA

…having the best time I ever had

The ALASKAN JOURNALS of

Gy Sgt. Robert Rudolph (Bob) Huttle U.S.M.C.R.

by

LARRY S. MIKELSEN

AuthorHouse™

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Phone: 1-800-839-8640

© 2012 by Larry S. Mikelsen. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

The Anchorage Police Department has not approved, endorsed, or authorized this book.

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Published by AuthorHouse 11/06/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4685-7635-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4685-7634-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012906603

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Acknowledgements

This project has been a labor of love. Much time has been spent trying to accurately put Bob Huttle’s thoughts and experiences down on paper for all to enjoy. As in any such project, this has been a task of not one, but a number of people who shared the vision, and the following is to acknowledge their unique contribution to the whole.

Robert R. (Bob) Huttle for coming to the United States, living a good life serving his new country, and having the forethought to keep journals and photos of his American adventure. Bob was a man who was willing to spend a little bit of his time with a young boy and teach him a thing or two of responsibility. It is my sincere hope to give Bob a bit of immortality by putting his experiences out there in his own words and sight. This is a story of a life that should not be blown to the four corners by the dust of time.

Arthur M. Mikelsen, my father, who was a close friend of Bob’s and introduced him to our family. Who taught me that doing something was worth doing it right. Thanks Dad.

David Humphreys for having the interest to read Bob’s journals, and the contribution of originally finding information on Bob, and the filling in of historical gaps illuminating Bob’s time prior to coming to Alaska.

Catherine Cassidy and Eric Heubsch for their knowledge and guidance in the compilation of these journals, and the inspiration for this work by Catherine’s book coauthored with Gary Titus Alaska’s No. 1 Guide.

Gary Titus for his indispensible insight to the goings on on the ground in the Tustumena Lake area retracing the steps of Bob from his journals, and his coauthoring of the above mentioned book Alaska’s No. 1 Guide.

Cindy Mikelsen, my wife, for her hours of proofreading, reality checking me, and the endless understanding as I spent those uncountable hours compiling this information.

Arthur L. Mikelsen, my brother, for his hours of proofreading, encouragement, again reality checking me, and just being a good big brother.

The archives and collections at:

R.R. Huttle Collection, Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council; Hewitt’s Photo Shop; The Alaska Prospector; www.alaskabushpilot.org, the McLane Collection; Alaska Digital Archives; www.alaskahistory.org; Kasilof Historical Society; Kasilof Regional Historical Association; Catherine Diehl-Robbins; www.alaskaair.com; Gary Titus photo; Anchorage Museum of History and Art; Wikipedia.

Foreword

As a boy, I was lucky enough to be introduced an elderly gentleman by the name of Robert R. (Bob) Huttle (Mr. Huttle to me). I remember Mr. Huttle as a man of many interesting stories, and experiences. Mr. Huttle was a good friend of my father, and for quite a number of years was sort of an informal member of our family, being in attendance for Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, and any other family gatherings. His little home, along with its menagerie of exotic fowl in a little community called Annapolis, Washington was always a most fun place to visit. Throughout his life, Bob was an avid photographer with a genuine interest in people, who religiously recorded all that, was going on around him in his more than interesting life. The walls of his home were covered with pictures and memorabilia of that lifetime. There were times when Bob would take out his old picture albums and show my brother and me pictures of his times up in the State of Alaska. I always remember that these times seemed to be events he treasured, and each picture came with a story that would flow off his lips with obvious pleasure.

Bob Huttle was very kind to me. He took me under his wing of sorts and introduced me to the raising of Roller Pigeons. After setting me up (not 100% with the prior knowledge of my parents I believe) with the pigeons, pigeon house and all the associated equipment; he taught me the how and responsibility of raising and caring for these birds. It is a life’s experience I always look back on fondly. I grew positively a bit from that relationship and responsibility. Bob, in his younger days, was an avid sportsman and hunter, and bought my brother and me our first shotguns. He felt all young boys should have a shotgun. A shotgun, by the way, was what he had as a young man. As a self-proclaimed poacher in his homeland of Hungary, so he knew its versatility. My brother and I still have those shotguns, and believe neither of us will ever part with them in this life.

When listening to Bob, I remember always being mesmerized by what I perceived as his total control of the current situation. He was a master organizer with implacable morals and compassion. The details of everything were most important to him. Humorously, I remember how when he was telling you something, he would so often end it with a see it? in the same way you hear people add you know at the end of each sentence. Bob was an unbridled social creature. If Bob was in your area, he would seek you out and talk (and I suppose check you out). He always had a genuine interest in who you were, what you were doing, and what you thought. When he spoke with you, you instantly realized he had a genuine interest in what you thought, and what you had to say. Perhaps this was a spin-off of his military and public law enforcement days. He always made you feel welcome.

As I said earlier, I remember Bob Huttle as a very kind man, a patient man but one who knew what he wanted, and a man who was willing to work to make it happen. He always projected a natural air of authority, but never arrogance or meanness. He was a simple man. Though a naturalized citizen, Bob Huttle in my observation was a great American … a Patriot. There can never be any doubt that this man loved this country, and every principle it stood for. His decision to come to America was not any sort of knee-jerk decision, but a well researched quest for a better

place with freedom and dignity, or as he referred to it in his journal the Land of my Boyhood Dreams.

To my knowledge, Bob never married. Having said the above, from Bob’s journals and pictures he appeared to have been quite the snappy dresser and a wee bit of a ladies man in his younger days. Bob was also into the Arts, and apparently enjoyed dancing. He was a 32nd degree Mason.

Hüttl Rexso was born in St. George, Pozsony CO. Hungry June 19, 1891. Bob’s journals speaks to his mother and uncles, but only once of a father, and by name only. My research has been unable to find any information to shed light on that issue, and Bob must have wanted it that way since he was a very deliberate man, and there is no detailed reference to his father in any of his journals.

Bob immigrated to the United States in 1909 when he was 19 years of age. After learning English (his sixth language), he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1910. Bob served an exemplary 23 year career in the United States Marine Corps, retiring as a Gunnery Sergeant. During this military career, he served in Mexico in 1914 (Vera Cruz during the Mexican Campaign), Cuba, Haiti, Guam, Panama; served Battleship Sea Duty on the USS Minnesota in 1914; served in France during WW I; served as Fire Chief (Marine Corps Detachment) of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in 1919-1927; served in Tientsin, Shanghai, and Peking China from 1927-1930. During his deployment in China, Bob was in the military police and served as Provost Sergeant of the Marine Police Detachment in Shanghai, and finally served as Assistant Warden at the Mare Island Naval Prison in California until 1932. During Bob’s life his name went through a number of changes. Some changes were made by the Marine Corp, while others were made by Bob himself. During Bob’s lifetime his name evolved from Hüttl Rexso, to Rudolf Huttl, to Rudolf Huttle, to Rudolf Robert Huttle, and finally to Robert Rudolf (Bob) Huttle. This name metamorphism was documented by Bob throughout his journals and U.S. Marine Corp. documents.

Bob Huttle was an educated man who spoke and wrote German, Hungarian, Slovakian, Latin, French, and finally English. As a boy he was an avid and apparently passionate Rugby player, and enjoyed the outdoors and hunting. Reading between the lines of his journals you find a boy with a bit of the devil sprinkled into each day. During his youth, and in his country, hunting was a pastime reserved only for the very privileged. Bob and his mother were of less privilege, so Bob hunted basically as (in his words) a poacher on those restricted lands. As a boy in Hungary, he owned his own shotgun when it was not legal to do so, and had to hide it in a tree stump out in the forest between his hunting trips. He told stories of being shot at while hunting by the local Game Warden who was in employ of the rich land owner.

After coming to America, serving in the U.S. Marine Corp., Bob spent 1933-1934 living his dream on the Alaskan Kenai Peninsula near what was then called Birchwood Creek (now Bear Creek) on Tustumena Lake, as a hunter and an amateur trapper (as he referred to himself) with the likes of local legends such as Andrew Berg and Tom Odale while rubbing elbows with the hunting elite of the day such as Colman Jonas, Roscoe K. (Captain Billy) Fawcett, and Van Campen Heiler. After leaving Tustumena Lake in 1934 Bob lived in and explored the Anchorage area with his faithful dog Pal.

In January of 1937, Bob was hired as a patrolman with the Anchorage Police Department and 21 days later he had to give up his beat to come indoors as the Acting Police Chief, replacing the then seriously ill Chief of Police Ernie Amundsen. That was quite a responsibility because the police force at that time consisted of a total of two people, he and Amundsen, and with the Chief sick it left the force at 50% strength (i.e. one person). Bob approached that situation with his usual optimism, vigor, and work ethic by working 12-hour shifts to cover the needed work. Bob was appointed the Chief of Police in 1938 and held that position until he was reactivated by

the Marine Corp. in 1942 for WW II, and was in the Marine Corp. another 3 years until the end of the war. During his tenure as Chief of Police Chief Huttle raised the department from two to eight patrolmen, two automobiles (the cities first), several guards, and other employees under its jurisdiction. Bob instituted a system of fingerprinting, raised the number of fines collected in the Magistrate’s Court from a couple of hundred dollars a year to almost fourteen thousand dollars a year. Bob is also known for instituting a valuable program of cooperation between the city and military police during those times of continual strain and problems. Robert R. (Bob) Huttle was more than a Chief of Police for Anchorage. During his few years in office, they say, he became an institution in himself. He was known for wearing his U.S. Marine Corp. campaign hat with his police uniform, and I am told he acquired the nickname of Track’em when it snows Huttle for his tenacity

After Bob’s years in Alaska he moved to the Seattle Washington, and then on to the small community of Annapolis, Washington (across the water from Bremerton, Washington) where he spent his final days raising his pigeons, exotic fowl and championing Veterans Affairs. He designed, supervised the construction of, and donated a Veterans Memorial at Sunset Lane Cemetery in Port Orchard, Washington until his death February 15, 1967. Bob was buried with full military honors in his All Service Row near the Veteran’s Monument he designed and donated to his community of Port Orchard, Washington.

To read about Bob’s life up to and through his U.S. Marine Corp. career read the book AMERICA … LAND OF MY BOYHOOD DREAMS as a companion to this book. To print 2013.

On Bob’s tombstone are his final words:

FOUND MY ADOPTED COUNTRY A BOUNTIFUL AND DIGNIFIED PLACE TO LIVE IN.

HERE IS WHERE I WANT TO BE, AND LAYED MYSELF DOWN WITH A WILL."

SO TREAD AND SPEAK SOFTLY, DO NOT WAKE ME, LET ME SLEEP.

Bob Huttle’s gratitude and service to this country was complete, and it is my belief he made this Country just a bit better.

Enjoy what you are about to explore!

—PLEASE BE ADVISED—

To preserve the continuity and flavor of the times, the spelling, language, and personal references used in this historical manuscript are from the actual journal entries, and reflect the times of when they were said or written. All such language and personal references have been documented word for word in this work. Some references can be considered offensive by today’s standards. Please keep in mind as you read this manuscript that these words come from a different time and world. These words were also written as they would have been spoken in those times and places. Be as tolerant to their reflections of those times and places as you would expect these people to be if they entered your world today.

—PLEASE BE ADVISED—

#206_Alaska’s Mt. McKinley in the distance from the north… Bob Huttle’s Alaska!

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

#233_Gy Sgt. Rudolph Robert Huttle. Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

You, you, and you … panic. The rest of you, come with me.-aU.S. Marine Corp. Gunnery Sgt.

Total Fare and Freight $79.11 Train [£]6.85 extra Total $85.96

On May 10th, 1933 I bought the Ticket for the S.S. Yukon Price $57.50

No. of the Ticket was 6636.

State Room 238 lower Berth, bound for Alaska.

Ticket from Seward to Anchorage included the above price Railroad Ticket No. 32612

Check for Trunk No. 1577/ weight 119 lbs.

Straight Bill of Lading to Anchorage for 3 Trunks Prepaid $21.61

weight 665 lbs.

Boarded the S.S. Yukon boat of the Alaska Steamship Company at [out] bound for Alaska.

# 193_The Alaska Steamship Co. Terminal on Pier 2 in Seattle, Washington on May 13, 1933 as Bob Huttle gets ready to board the steam ship S.S. Yukon for his trip to Anchorage, Alaska.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

Underway at 95 [9:50] A.M. Sat. 13th [May] 1933. bound for Anchorage, Alaska

2007 Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council

At 3.50 P.M. Sat 13th

passed Niome Coal Mining Town Located on Vancouver Island

#189_Main Deck of the S.S. Yukon during the trip North to Alaska. Deck appears to be rolling a bit.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

Sun 14th passed between various Islands and Narrows. Met [Jake] Roamer bound for Fairbanks Alaska

Table partners Mr. & Mrs Gier, Miss Cochran and Mr. Call aviator from Anchorage.

ESTOL CALL-Half-brother to L. MacMcGee, and came to Alaska to fly for McGee Airways. Later started his own operation in Bristol Bay with Hans Sever sen of Iliamna. His hangar at Merrill Field in Anchorage burned in 1938. www.alaskabushpilot.org

One of McGee’s Stinsons draped with furs

LINIOUS MAC McGEE-Born 1897 in Francesville, IN. Worked in his grandfather’s bank. In 1931 with no money but anxious for adventure, stowed away on the SS Aleutian from Seattle to Seward, Alaska. Worked for a time for A. A. Shonebeck who was the Standard Oil dealer in Anchorage. He got into fur trading, then bought a Stinson and started charter flying which expanded into McGee Airways. In 1936McGee sold the airline with his fleet of seven black & silver Stinsons to Star Air Service and Mac managed the company for a time, then went back to mining. Mac died in Reno, NV in 1968. www.alaskabushpilot.org

Monday 15th 11-A.M.

arrived at Ketchikan. at 11.53 A.M. set foot on Alaska soil sailed at 2—P.M.

#191_Bob Huttle’s first view of Ketchikan, Alaska from the S.S. Yukon coming up on the city.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

#190_Ketchikan waterfront from the Main Deck of the S.S. Yukon.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

#220_(L to R) Jake Roamer and Bob Huttle on the pier in Ketchikan, Alaska.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

Nels Nelson G. Store Clerk

Anchorage his friend

Herald Miller Govt Road Construction

Arrived at Wrangell at 8.45 P.M. 15th May 1933

Photo taken of Dock at 9.00 P.M. walked with Roamer to Fishermans Cove had a cup of Cofe

Wrangell, Alaska in 1897-Wikipedia

#201_Approaching the town of Wrangell, Alaska May 15, 1933.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

Tuesday 16th 1933

at 1.30 P.M. arrived at Juneau made trip to Gold Creek with the Gier Family and Cochran snapped several photos and one of stern of Yukon returned to ship at 400 P.M.

#474_Juneau, Alaska waterfront and the Treadwell gold mine in 1933.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

#196_S.S. Yukon coming into Juneau, Alaska.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

#103_S.S. Yukon tied up at Juneau, Alaska.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

#475_Juneau, Alaska townscape 1933.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

#181_(L to R) Mr. & Mrs. Gier, Miss Cochran, and Bob Huttle exploring the Juneau area.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

#182_(L to R) Bob Huttle, Miss Cochran, Mrs. Gier, and Mr. Gier at waterfall on Gold Creek near Juneau.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

At 5.00 P.M. Tuesday 16th May passed the wreck of the [55] Islander about 6 to 7 miles outside of Juneau

At 9-P.M. Wed 17th passed Cape Elias an Island with a light house on the point beautiful sunset

On August 14th, 1901 the 55 Islander, owned and operated by the Canadian Pacific 5team Navigation Company, departed 5kagway, Alaska bound for Victoria, British Columbia, the vessel was filled to capacity with passengers and carried a cargo of gold bullion valued at over $6,000,000 in 1901 dollars. 5ometime after 2:00 am on August 15 while sailing down the narrow Lynn Canal south of Juneau, she struck what was reported to be an iceberg that punched a large hole in her forward port quarter. Attempts to steer the foundering vessel ashore on nearby Douglas Island were in vain; it is said that within five minutes, due to the tremendous weight of water filling the ship’s forward compartments had forced her bow underwater and her stern, rudder and propellers rising completely out of the water. After drifting for about 15 minutes in a strong southerly outbound tide, the 55 Islander began her final plunge to the bottom, sinking quickly. A total of 40 lives were lost. As of2004, only approximately $75,000 of the estimated $6,000,000 (1901 dollars) in gold has ever been recovered from the vessel. Wikipedia

Arrived at Cordova at 1.00 A.m. Thursday 18th May 1933. visited the town at 9-A.M. sailed at 1.15 P.M.

#178_Bob Huttle arriving at Cordova, Alaska. The buildings at the left side of the picture are the New England Fish Company.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

Arrived at Valdez at 6.50 P.M. Airplane laded [landed] to meet boat, visited town with Roamer and Stewart sailed at 8.00 P.M. old Army barracks are on the Starboard side of Inlet going in.

#473_Juneau Waterfront.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

#197_Bob Huttle and the S.S. Yukon arriving at Valdez, Alaska, 1933.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

#198_The Main Pier at Valdez leading to the town and the Richardson Highway 1933.

Photo Courtesy of R.R Huttle Collection

The first car, a 1913 Ford Model T, to travel from Valdez to Eagle, 1913.-Photographer P.S. Hunt Note what appears to be a double barreled shotgun in the back seat. Always prepared.

The Richardson Highway is a highway in the state of Alaska, running 368 miles (562 km) from Valdez to Fairbanks. It is marked as Alaska Route 4 from Valdez to Delta Junction and as Alaska Route 2 from there to Fairbanks. It is also connects segments of Alaska Route 1 between the Glenn Highway and the Tok Cut-Off. It was the first major road built in Alaska.

A pack trail was built in 1898 by the U.S. Army from the port at Valdez to Eagle, a distance of about 409 miles, to provide an All-American route to/from the Klondike gold fields. The Army kept the trail open after the rush ended, in order to connect its posts at Fort Liscum, in Valdez, and Fort Egbert, in Eagle.

The Fairbanks gold rush in 1902, and the construction of a WAMCATS telegraph line along the trail in 1903, made the Valdez-to-Eagle trail one of the most important access routes to the Alaska Interior, so in 1910, the Alaska Road Commission upgraded it to a wagon road. U.S. Army General Wilds P. Richardson, for whom the highway was later named was the head of the project. During construction, the government hired both failed gold prospectors, and regular construction workers. The income from this work allowed many of the prospectors to leave Alaska. Several roadhouses that are now on the National Register of Historic Places were constructed along the route during that time.

The rise of motorized travel led to the road being upgraded to automobile standards in the 1920s. To finance continued maintenance and road construction, the Alaska Road Commission instituted tolls for commercial vehicles in 1933 of up to $175.00 per trip. The tolls were collected at the Tanana River ferry crossing at Big Delta. When the tolls were further increased in 1941 to boost business for the Alaska Railroad, disgruntled truckers nicknamed gypsies started a rogue ferry service in order to evade the toll.

The Alaska and Glenn highways, built during World War II, connected the rest of the continent and Anchorage to the Richardson Highway at Delta Junction and Glennallen respectively, allowing motor access to the new military bases built in the Territory just prior to the war. The bridge at Big Delta, the last remaining gap, was built as part of the Alaska Highway project.

Until 1950, the southern end of the road was only open during summers, when a freight company foreman who lived near the treacherous Thompson Pass plowed the snow himself for an entire season to prove the route could be used year-round. The highway was paved in 1957.

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline 5ystem, built in 1973-1977, mostly parallels the highway from Fairbanks to Valdez. Wikipedia

S.S. Yukon 5856 Tons 380 feet long

ex Colon carried all material for Panama canal construction. Sister ship Eluatan sank near Kodiak Island on Stewart [5eward] Co[a]st went down in 17 Minutes Yukon has 6000 H.P. and two screws.

Time at Anchorage and Stewart is 3 Hours different set back from Seattle (3 hours daylight saving time)

Jake Roamer

General Delivery Fairbanks.

Nevada Hotel at Anchorage

Gilliland Hotel at Sewart

Poodle Dog Luke Elwell

Sewart

Guide

Ketchimak Bay Homer

Cpt Hine Burge [Heinie Berger] Discoverer runs to Ketchimak Bay.

Left the S.S. Yukon at 8.00 A.M. moved into Gilliland Hotel, at about 12.30 P.M. Storm came up with heavy rainfall arrived at 6.00 A.M. Friday May 19th 1933 at Sewart.

#195_Seward, Alaska waterfront on arrival of Bob Huttle on the S.S. Yukon, 1933.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

#194_Seward Train Depot from where Bob Huttle continued his journey to Anchorage by Railroad and ultimately on to Tustumena Lake.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

Seward to Fairbanks 470 Miles

Left Seward for Anchorage at 7.35 A.M. 20th May 1933

Passed first lake at 8.37 A.M. Station named Primrose 7 seven houses on far side of lake, lake is named Kenai.

Post office at Larving, number of dog Houses, also Husky Dogs still on the lake Moose Pass has a small sawmill lake and stream on each side small town about 25 houses stopped here at 9—A.M.

Loop of Rail R [Road] passed at 10.00 A.M. stopped at station named Tunnel had coffee and sandwich with Joe McDonald speaker of the house of Representatives at Juneau, his home is near Fairbanks stopped at Tunnel at 10—A.M. passed through several tunnels and Glacier. seen first Ptarmigan at 100.30 A.m. on Flats below Tunnel white feathers black Head was normocephalic and atraumatic

Seen number of geese and hardwood Trees on head of Turnigan [Turnaegan] Flats

At Gridwood at 11—A.M. about 15 horses on left of track on the flats Turnaegan Arm rec’d it’s name when Capt Cook was looking for the North-West passage landed on flats was compelled to turn about with his ship

Joe McDonald

Fairbanks

Ester Creek old home

Jerry T Allen retired Army Sgt. 4th A

4th Between C.D. Miller [and] Lucky Baldwin

8th & H Log Cabin $12°°

DeLong has a trapper from Talkeetna River next door

Arrived at Anchorage at 1-P.M. Sat 20th May 1933.

Deposited money March Cleark

Series of 1917 Alaska

No. 2234 – 500

" 2235 – 600

Series of 1918 – Alaska

No. 107741-100

Bills Transfer

near Panhandle Pool Hall

Mrs Edgar

Welb Marine

At 2.00 P.M. moved into Inlet Hotel had Room #38 Giers also moved in moved in the 20th Sat. 1933

Visited Masonic Club

Fire Station

Sunday 21st May 1933

rented a two room Log Cabin on East end of 4th Ave near No. 436 – 4th St. East E. St

Size of Lot 140 × 5

paid down $8.00 for rent and $5.00 for coal and fire wood the water and light is paid by owner

untill 1st of June.

Lot 1 Block 22

East E 4th Ave. East E

$2100 & 4010

Forrest Service

Juneau

Chugach National

Park Map

Miss Colb Jeomenette at US Department of the Interior

US Land Office

Mrs Tuomie (Tuomi)

George Ray

It is said this photo was taken around 1930 at Hardy’s, now known as the Old Kasilof Landing, on the Kasilof River. From left to right are: Tom Odale, Pete Jensen, Archie McLane, Al Hardy, John Sandwick, James Stryker, Alice Hardy, Bertha Stryker, Enid McLane, Jettie Petersen and Jennie Sandwick. The children include Stan, Jettie and Joan McLane, and Shirley and John Sandwick Jr. All were Kasilof fur farmers at the time, except for the Strykers and Jettie Petersen, who were visiting from Seldovia.

-Photo from the McLane Collection-

The purpose of the above picture is to provide the reader with some visual reference to a number of Bob’s entries throughout his journal. These people were among the movers and shakers already in the Kasilof area when he arrived. Bob forged a relationship with them, and many others whose names the reader will see referenced often throughout Bob Huttle’s journal.

436 East 4th St

East E Street

Meats a [at] City Market

Lamb Stew Meat 15¢

Monday 22 May 1933

moved into Log Cabin owned by Mrs. Tuomi located at 436 East 4th St East – E Street

Cooked my first meal in Anchorage, Alaska it was a supper consisting of 3 Fried Eggs and

Bacon and Lyonnaise Potatoes Rye Bread and Grape Jelly Forgot to buy same. Cost of Supper

27.9 cents At the rate of 27.9 cents it will amount to $43.30 a month with wood light and water

etc. will leave $14.50 for Clothing

24th May Wed

walk to Chester Creek met a Fisherman named McDonald fishing for King Salmon net costs $60.00 his Tent White Duck size 10 x 12 price $17.50

24th May

also met Road Foreman McCostoy Wednesday, May 24th 1933

found One Nickel (5 cents) before noon while walking to Chester Creek, the nickel was made in

1900

Photos of Log Cabin 436th East fourth St. taken on Tuesday 23rd May 1933.

#180_Bob Huttle in front of his cabin at 436 4th Street in Anchorage he rented from Mrs. Tuomi. The little house in the rear of the cabin is the outhouse. See the Sunday 21st May 1933 Journal entry for particulars.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

Wednesday 24 May 1933

Mrs Elders Birthday 61 years old the lady came to my cabin with some cakes Birthday Party

Sat 1.30 P.M. 27th May 1933

made trip to Matanuska arrived there at 3.30 P.M. it is on mile 150.

Passed Eklutna Indian School on the way up.

Eagle River is at mile 127 has two old cabins near rail road

Large Lake no outlet T shape at mile 130

old Cabin at mile 132

Met the following at Matanuska

Arthur A Cob Guide and Trapper better known as Tex.

Mrs. Walter has chicken ranch

Don Cunningham Fox Farm

Johanson Homes’d photo at Barn

Werner Fox Farm & Trapper

photo taken from distance

H.O. White Auto owner

Bill Taylor’s Log Cabin photo of Andy & I ret Matanuska

Wiede owns truck

#063_Is this Bill Taylor’s log cabin with Bob Huttle and Andy.

Photo Courtesy of R.R. Huttle Collection

Phil or Phillip Allen Hotel Keeper

Pack Trapper Nelson Type Pack Board & Knapsack in 3 sizes made by Chas Trager Seattle was known as Indian river Pack Boards sold by the Anchorage Commercial

Rubber & Leather Boots 16" high or higher

Ball Brand Packs. recom’d by Tex the Trapper

Met Drew a trapper and railroad worker at Beckers

Tuesday 30th May 1933

attended the Decoration Day services at Empress Theatre at Anchorage, Alaska. held by the

American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Judge Ray or was the speaker, from

there we marched to the cemetery placed flowers on graves of Veterans and sounded taps.

The Empress Theater on 4th Ave between G and H Streets, Anchorage, Alaska.

Alaska Digital Achieves

Met Townsley a trapper also a Vet. of Foreign Wars.

Size of Cabin inside meas [measurements].

Room 1510 Long 14 Wide

Kitchen 125 " 14 Wide

Pantry 64 [Long] 410 Wide

Sliding Double Window left forward in Room inside of Frame 54 inch Long 28 inches High

Front Door size of Door 66 High 30 inches Wide

Pantry Door 66 High 23 inch Wide

Solid Window Front Room right of House 36 Long 22 High

Fence around Cabin in 140 feet there are 280 sticks posts not counted, Posts 12 ft apart have

24´ sticks between Posts

__________________________

Sides of Wall 69 High to Roof of Front Rom 8ft High

__________________________

Sink Edge Hight from Floor 33 inches

__________________

Size of sink outer edge 18" × 33

___________________________

Size of Drain board 30" long

Width of Dish Lockers 15" inches to outer edge

Size of Cellar Door 25" × 33

Porch on rear of Cabin 61 inches wide

Letters mailed

6th June A.M. Trent

G Olsson Regs’t

7th June Forrest Service Juneau Regs’t

2nd June Scottish R.T. Peking

Blue L Port Royal

Islam

N.R.A.

E. Jer

F Huttle Julia

31st May Vet For Wars Cap. Address

Chuck Clayton Card

Frank Jr Huttle Card

June 10th Taylor Instrument Rochester, NJ

Congolcum Nairn, Kearney N.J.

June 10th E. Jer 9 photos Matanuska

June 10th Steve Chrappa Letter + 3 photos cabin

June 10th Mail Orderly Mare Isl Photo of [?]

June 10th Mr Mrs Erickson Letter Cabin

June 11th Sgt Maj Alexander Cabin Letter

June 11th H Harrison Cabin Letter

June 11th   James McGee

June 11th   G Jewett 6th July E. Jerstad-Bed order Air

31st July   for Leatherneck Reg Subscription 31st July " Comforters, Mont & Ward

31st July   House Shoes, Sears & R. Air

3 of Aug.   second to Leatherneck Photos Reg

      two to E Jerstad Air

      One to A. Melser N.Y. Reg. Air

      One Erickson Money Order. Reg

10th   Aug   M Long Photos Reg.

10th   Aug   M Long Letter Reg

10th   Aug   V Chrappa Photos Reg

10th   Aug   V Chrappa Letter Reg

10th   Aug   G O. Olsson Letter & Photos Reg.

10th   Aug   Henry Har. Letter with Photos Reg.

10th   Aug   A Melser Photos only Reg.

Thursday 8th June 1933

attended my first Masonic meeting in Alaska in the Anchorage Lodge #221 located at Anchorage, Alaska. Marsh’s Father and Marsh Jr. the Postmaster examined me. Cuddy the U.S. District Atty was also present.

Met Mr Woodhouse a neighbor of mine

Friday 9th June 1933

trip to Mrs. Tuomis Homestead met Korhonen had Coffee Trapper Clark smoked fish Kohler Dairy Owl. also visited Otter Lake Thompson 72 year old Sourdough owns a cabin on the lake, at present he is locked up for bootleg’g

Monday 12th June

met Mr Grover Postal Clerk, had bother Marine and one in the Navy he is Air Service Reserve Officer was instructor at Princetown during the war. cashed first Pay Check.

June 14th 1933

met Bails (Bailis) ex Marine