Otto Klotz Diary - September 09, 1887 (Vol 10)
Dublin Core
Title
Otto Klotz Diary - September 09, 1887 (Vol 10)
Creator
Klotz, Otto, 1852-1923.
Source
Part of R6645-0-4-E (LAC)
Publisher
Stakeholders Project
Date
1887-09-09
Contributor
University of Ottawa Library
Faculty of Arts
Rights
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Format
Diary entry
Type
Text
Identifier
Klotz_Vol10_1887_09_09
Scripto
Transcription
fine
For the placing of the upper joists I had to nail till noon when the section men came in and held them in place till I had nailed supports or the curves. Occasionally the operator came out and assisted me in nailing on the boards (flooring). Yesterday I did considerable puffing when working (mugavdhut wacht Blasan) but today that is already overcome and the work proceeds well under a heavy stream of perspiration.
A few words about the section house and its occupants. The building as was originally put up for the engineers during the construction of the railway, and now does service as station and section home.
The section boss G. Swanson is an old Norwegian sailor. His wife is of the same nationality. For men he has 3 Norwegians, and Englishmen + one green German lately arrived: The Englishman Johnson was formerly a short hand writer for lawyers in Birmingham – what brought him to the pick + shovel – drink. He voluntarily incarcerates himself here and intends to remain another year away from the temptation when he hopes to have overcome the evil craving. The wife referred to is a dressmaker by trade but on her husband’s late [recovered] here from Rat Portage had to abandon her work as the demand therefore here is [nil], and take to the kitchen. Being able to read English, she has bought a “Home Cook book” and now cooks her feast, and it might be worse. In a place like this with plenty of fresh air and work (manual) a good appetite results which forgives many deficiencies in cooking and cleanliness.
At present she has two Icelandic servant girls, the one only speaks her native language the other also Danish, which latter language the woman has to use to the one, + she in turn interprets to her sister. With her husband she speaks Norwegian, + he has to speak Norwegian, English + German to his men. The day operator is Canadian, the night operator a Frenchman. The result is that in this hamlet of [Kakuan] consisting of one house with its dozen occupants five languages are daily spoken + of necessity, and if I add my French which I occasionally use with Arthur [Gilliard] there are six, and still bedbugs thrive in such a polyglot mansion.
Today an organ arrived which Swanson purchased for his wife, altho’ she cannot play a note (he can’t either but he gave one). A parlor was filled up today also for its reception, and I must say the room looked quite creditable with tapestry carpet, tall curtains + a few charms and the rough plastered wall. Surely had I played a few chords when the whole household assembled as an audience, + to their delight I pumped some tunes out of the squeaky “organ”.
For the placing of the upper joists I had to nail till noon when the section men came in and held them in place till I had nailed supports or the curves. Occasionally the operator came out and assisted me in nailing on the boards (flooring). Yesterday I did considerable puffing when working (mugavdhut wacht Blasan) but today that is already overcome and the work proceeds well under a heavy stream of perspiration.
A few words about the section house and its occupants. The building as was originally put up for the engineers during the construction of the railway, and now does service as station and section home.
The section boss G. Swanson is an old Norwegian sailor. His wife is of the same nationality. For men he has 3 Norwegians, and Englishmen + one green German lately arrived: The Englishman Johnson was formerly a short hand writer for lawyers in Birmingham – what brought him to the pick + shovel – drink. He voluntarily incarcerates himself here and intends to remain another year away from the temptation when he hopes to have overcome the evil craving. The wife referred to is a dressmaker by trade but on her husband’s late [recovered] here from Rat Portage had to abandon her work as the demand therefore here is [nil], and take to the kitchen. Being able to read English, she has bought a “Home Cook book” and now cooks her feast, and it might be worse. In a place like this with plenty of fresh air and work (manual) a good appetite results which forgives many deficiencies in cooking and cleanliness.
At present she has two Icelandic servant girls, the one only speaks her native language the other also Danish, which latter language the woman has to use to the one, + she in turn interprets to her sister. With her husband she speaks Norwegian, + he has to speak Norwegian, English + German to his men. The day operator is Canadian, the night operator a Frenchman. The result is that in this hamlet of [Kakuan] consisting of one house with its dozen occupants five languages are daily spoken + of necessity, and if I add my French which I occasionally use with Arthur [Gilliard] there are six, and still bedbugs thrive in such a polyglot mansion.
Today an organ arrived which Swanson purchased for his wife, altho’ she cannot play a note (he can’t either but he gave one). A parlor was filled up today also for its reception, and I must say the room looked quite creditable with tapestry carpet, tall curtains + a few charms and the rough plastered wall. Surely had I played a few chords when the whole household assembled as an audience, + to their delight I pumped some tunes out of the squeaky “organ”.
Text Item Type Metadata
Filename
Klotz_Vol10_1887_09_09.pdf
Files
Collection
Citation
Klotz, Otto, 1852-1923., “Otto Klotz Diary - September 09, 1887 (Vol 10),” stakeholders, accessed November 22, 2024, http://omeka.uottawa.ca/stakeholders/items/show/482.