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/SureI think they die. Why not? Look. The boat is no good. They
ND good. I dontt mean they are not good boys. I mean they are not good
fishermen. They are not fishermen at all. Me. For forty-five years I go
orft in boats. I go in ships. Sail. Steam. Diesel. Skiffs. Alt that
Lore Wheeler Paper 1
afternoon I would not get out. Any fool would not get out. But Rudy and
that Carter kid, they're smarts They're so God -damned smart they know
more than the fishermen that go out every day in the year, more than me,
more than the Coast Guard. They see the storm flags. They see the surf.
But what they say? They say, "W4qat the halite They say* "The fishermen
!i%)
are a bunch of old women. 11 go out off Halibut Point, get our trawl,
m.pke five, ten maybE_ fifteen dollars to get drunk on tomovrowl" Well, they'
got drunk all right. Drunk on salt watertRudy gone* Carter kid gone*
little dog gone
)4414,14 Oh, I know how they felt. I young once too1 My father say,
"You work hard, Ger* bore on farm with me and brthor ien I get old,
.brother get farm, but we give some land to you*
everything all rights" All right, sure.
ild house, build barn*
Not for MAg That was near Hal-
singborg, my father's farm. Halsingborg big city, ten times big as Gloue-
ester* bigger than Salem and Lynn all at once, almost thirty thousand peop*
I go to Halsingborg, I and other feller, work next farm. We look or work
A'
there. You wairk for father* ome time long time get =nothing* 71ght now
get work and lotta hell. Work somebody else, gotta dollar. But we don't
get work in Halsingnoorg, other feller and me. I'm fifteen then* he's
maybe seventeen w)c" stay there two* three weeks, other feller go home* I
go to Stockholm, two* three weeks)there nothing too. I have good time
there, though. Good people. 'Give MA spmething to eat?e "Sure. Came
home with me, we feed you, give you some pennies." Then I get job. All
of a sudden I get job +.11111111111.1111111111111.M,seill4ron ship. Big Ship.
Six-msted ship for Hamburg. And that was funny thing, too. You look
at map some time* see Atlantic ocean. Bighuhl See what they call Baltic
Ocean. Not so big* huh? Like puddle. But ask anybody. Mach worse storms'
in little Baltic Ocean.
Wheeler Lore
Paper 1
Oind we get the storm, too. My Godi A month to get to Hamburg*
I thought sure honest I'm dead all through. We get there all right. That
Captain. 1 He Swede -feller, big, strong, yellow beard. Be laughed at -storm.
Re like me, too. "Oar," he said, "you are smart boy. You learn quick and
you work hard* Sailing is the best thing in the world for man to do, and
Swede -feller best sailor in all the world. When we get to Hamburg you stay
on ship. I think we go on big trip two, three year. When we get back
Sweden maybe you Captain, toot" So I stay with ship at Hamburg and right
off we go to Scotland, to Cardiff, Scotland (-1~101114111611er
abcoadmanfiguallillinaliew for coal and we go then to
Liverpool that's in Scotland, too for cotton goods* God, bow we load
up 4 Then we go around the world. We go everywhere. Sebastopc$1, the
capital of RIISSiA, ROMA that's in Italy 4NalsomimmillsOmmilladmpsd-do
Zmalikilimisp-a-vp-ost.igisored-+ then we go down around Cape and up to
Madras, that's in India. They got canal non MAR rnd horsN pull the
ships through, but no canal then, have to go around*
"In that Madras place we unload everything in boat, and wait for new
cargo. We wait a month, six weeks, then Captain get telegram, go to
Australia get sheep. or doesn't like that. My father's got sheep. I
ow sheep* They stink. All the time they stink. But sheep ain't all
t in Australia. We got something you never heard of* Something no-
body never heard of. We got what they call kangazoo4 All neck, that
°f ZAzoo. The Captain didn't get any telegram as:y.40'11p kangazooAV. Like
helU Captain meet man there in Australia. Man say, "Here. I got kan-
gazoo. Goeta go San Francisco in America to put in pal. You i4ke, *et
a thousand dollars." Captain say, "Sure." He don't know what the hell
is kangazoo. But damn soon he find out
40We already sail maybe eleven, twelve o'clock. Down comes man. He's
got kangazoo. And he's got paper Captain signed. Captain doesn't know
what te do. Man does, though. He just holds up paper. We don t get
away that Australia until four, five ofclock. We have to take forty,
fifty sheep out of hold, lash sheep on deck, Break open deck hatch,
put bottom of kangazoo in hold. Now we got seven masts. Kangazoo mast
ail by himself. Sheep stink worse than t home. Kangazoo stink louder
than sheep
-Aims
Sure we get to San Francisco. No, kangazoo doesntt die.
Jlist six, eight of the sheep. God, that Captain glad to have empty ship
once more. Pretty soon off he go with load of silver for China.
4,2 Hell, no. I dontt go to China. Why you say that2 1 never go
to China my life. I stay San Francisco. I got job i-mmiliiimme46.11amon-
OunaiimulaOrOpiaille04 I take care kangazooal,
alb al
make good money then. Fifteen dollars
week. I feed him, put hose on him, put hose everywhere, every week
fifteen dollar. Other time I go stet, with swede sailor -feller* walk
arounl, have beer, talk old country, sometime cry. Rough city San Fran-
cisco. Everybody fight. Everybody drink* everybody fight. I fight too.
There is place down water -front call him Anna's where lots Swede -fellers
are. Anna fine woman. Swede woman. Bealltiful woman. Six feet some
more. Weigh maybe three hundred. Strong as horse. We go there all time
joke (-41e4p-TwomomommdmimmPuommiAMMH with Anna* drink, sing Swede songs,
all about time Swedes have w4, lick Norwegianians, and about war lick
Denmarekers, lick French* lick English. Good time everybody. Anna's best
place all San Franciscp:
14.11?n Anna she die. She go out some morning get ham, get beef* get
fish. Came home arms full everything when along comes team aramit corner.
Anna don't see team. Feller on team don't see Anna. Anna die.
Ale have big funeral next day* every Swede -feller in San Francisco
there. Lutheran minister there* fine feller* make everybody cry. Feller
from Swedish king there, too. Bring flowers, make talk, Anna's husband
dead back in Sweden brave feller* good soldier. Best funeral I ever setee
ihnt when I get back that afternoon to park, boss says* "Bye-bye,
Gor. Yon all through. You don't feed kangazoo today. You don't put hose
on him.'" I tell him about Anna, abollt Anna's funeral, about Annais hus-
band, brave soldier* but boss say, "Too bad* nor. No more job. Other
feller take care kangazoo now. He take care bear, too, and lion.)th. give
me pay, next week's pay, too. I got maybe twenty-five, thirty dollar.
Back to water -front I go, see couple Swede fellers* tell him no
more job. They very sorry* say, "Maybe we go get drink, harr?" So we go.
4 don't play some more though. We get out in street, Swede -feller
say, "‘%11„ Gor, what you do know, harp? Np more kangazoo job, what you
do?" I shake nu, head. I say, "I don't know, I got little money. Maybe
I wait my captain comes back, then we go Sweden." Swede -feller laugh,
"How you know he ever came back, MArr? You ever sail steam -ship, Gor?"
hi
I tell him I never did sail steam -ship. Me laugh again, "That's
all right, he say. You come with me. We sail tonight, go New Yorke If
811/
.mate ask you anything, Po-' say sl, 0. You bettt thatls what I did.
And that's how I got to New York./
i
1¼
WIWI* T ilawalkOk New York ftmOm
5610OWn I do not know what to doe I do not want to sail any more, but that
is all the trade I got. I make up my mind I have enough of sea. That is
hard life, I say, the sea. All the time you work, then you came ashore.
'You spend your money, back to sea again. But what can I do? I have 3110
other trade.
All I do back in swede' in HalsingMors is lust a little farm-
ing and that I do not like, either. So I am pretty sad. The only things
I can do I do not want to do. By gosh, a long time I tell you I do not
eat. For almost a month the only time I eat is when Swede feller he gives
me five pennies for glass of beer. When I get beer I can get bread and
ham and herring and cod -fish eyes. Always I go to same place. o German
place. That Obating with the beer is what they call the free lunch. They
have better free lunch in the Irish place. But I do not like the Irish
place. The Irish are crazy. After a while the German feller calls me, he
says, "Hay, Swede -feller, how is it, hey? All the time you came in, lust
buy one beer and you eat like you buy ten? How is it, hey?" I tell him.
I tell that 4erman feller. "1 got no job," I tell him.
"I got no money.
Only money I have is when Swede -feller give me five pennies for beer."
"Well," says that German feller, "1 give you job, harrt Better you do some
work round here for what you eat than eat all you eat and do not work." So
he gives me a broom, that German, and he tells me I am the porter. The
place where that saloon is on what they call the Third Avenue,
/In New York everything is different. whey do not have Gurtis
Street and etranite Street and Phillips Avenue. No. They have umbers.
This place where the saloon is on what is Third Avenue. Ihe place where
I get room is on 89th atreet. It is a big old house, and the man who has
feller
it is a crazy French#### Yes, he is. He is like a woman, that man. There
are four, five, six floors with follr, five roams everyone. The French,,
feller he lives down cellar. Al]. he does is go around house in big stock-'
ingslikes scrubbing and sweeping all the time. He hover goes anywhere.
Never has drink. But he has nice clean horse like Swede woman just the
same,
"That house is everything. He must have somebody in everyone of
those roams or he cry like baby. Sometimes one feller he get sick in
room after he is drunk and when French feller see he hit his head against
the wall* I see a lot that crazy 'rench feller. 1 do not go to bed until
t
eight o clock in the morning and the German feller he does not want to
see me until nine o'clock at night. If 1 came in salaam when I am not
working they will not let me have the ree lunch. They will not even
let me buy a glass of beer if I say 1 will not have any of the lunch. The
German feller and the bar -tenders, they yell, "Get out of here, you crazy
Swedei"
,'Pretty soon that is what the customers call me, too. 1 have to
go around all the time in that place on Third Avenue cleaning everything
up andpmetimes when 1 get to a corner there will be two or three fellers
there and they will yell, "Get out of here, you crazy awed. Some of
them even put me into a song they sing all the time like the Swedes sing
about the war with the Denmarckers fellers and everybody. I could not
tell you all about the song those German fellers sing but one night they
put me into it. They sing, "Is das nicht sin crazy Swede. Ja, das tat sin
crazy Swede." Like that.
do not mind. 'Poi job is not very hard. I only have to clean
ORO
up until 1000%!* otelook in the mornings then all I have to do is stay
aronnd in the front of that place nntil eight otolook and be like a feller
who is policeman. But one night while I am staying out front like that
some feller I gness tweaks window in back* for when German feller OOMOS
he says there are ten maybe twelve oases of the whiskey all gone. He
says why do 1 not stop that feller who carnets in? He says I am crazy
Swede and I am not to pt my nose in that place on Third Avenue again or
he will kill me.
4/Well, I go back to that place of that Yrendh feller where I stay
and I think that German feller is one crazy feller* all right* harri But
that Yrench feller he is much more crazy* lie is there at the door and
he has my sailors bag and all my clothes and things. He throws them at
me and he says* ;7t other Swede feller oame in here last night and kill
himself all over my nice back room. You get the hell out and you do not
came back* you crazy Swedel" I do not came back* too* to the crazy French
feller. I go down to water -front and I meet Swede -feller be says "You
got any money, harrta I say got a little money. Swede feller say* "You
come to me to that Rookport place* harr* there is plenty job in the quarryJ
So I came.'
4SIIIMM8====mtarmdhLmtggskI first come Rockport, almost forty years
gone* ttch drink than, mnch fight. Most Americans work quarries then,
some Irish, then lots Swede fellers came, some Finns, some Italians.
Some Swede fellers like me speak good English been this conntry long time
been New York been Boston. Some Swede fellers, but, speak no English,
been nobodywherel They get off train Rockport, all alone, sometime maybe
know somebody, got brother, got consin, got feller same town, next farm
maybe. Sometime know nobody. No English, don't know nobody. Got sign
tied on, like on fish, say, "Rockport Granite Company, Rockport, Massach,-
nsetts, United gtates America." Some those fellers work hard, learn Eng-
lish quick* make friend, happy.
Other those fellers not so good job,
not learn English very god, sad, nobody like. Drink a lot, those fellers.
Fight a lot* those fellers. Sometimes people tell som #ose fellers
get drunk* want back home Sweden* go walk night, fall in quarry, get
drowned, die. I don't know. No Swede feller I know fall in quarry.
4hen I first
New York. We speak
boarding house down
come Rockport I come other awede feller friend mine
English smart, got little money, go Swede woman's
Forrest Street. Come int owii one day, get drunk that
night, celebrte, go Rockport Granite Company office, say* "We want job,
harr?" Boss say, "Go to work." Start right in. We work seven to twelve
morning, one to six afternoon. First they put me work load paving on
barge. Lot business paving then. Send paving everywhere in world then.
Rockport granite Company get whole lot that business, too. '2.hey pay me
twelve dollars week I first go work there. Second day I work feller
come around say, "You join Unipn, hErr?" say, "I don't know.
But
other Swede feller came with me New York say, "Sure he join union.
join union, too." So I join union. I belong union all time I work
Rockport Granite company maybe twenty-five year. fter big strike no
more Rockport Granite Company,' still belong Unionkk other companie!)
Bay View Lanesville. Still got my book. Maybe tomorrow feller come me,
say, "Hey, Gor, got job for you. Six month d job quarry. Good pay. Good
boss. No union." I tell him go hell. All old Swede quarry fellers tell
him #o hello Finn fellers, either. Anybody cut stone Cape Ann can't have
scab job, can't go round say "You work. He work. Other feller work."
Got go union, union give him fellers work, union hours, union pay. Too
many union, though. quarry -workers union, I belong. Stone -cutters union.
Paving cutters union, got national office down Rockport. Sometimes stone-
cutters say* "Hey, that's my job." Paving cutters say, "Hey, that's my
job." Have strike. Not union against boss. Union against union. No
good.
Army thing, ctrarry-workers all union men. Fellers work down
400.
tool company sons cinarry-workers lots them, brothers maybe, no union.
A
Work like hell. In snmmer hot in front those forges. In winter still
hot, ontside cold. Get hnrt qnick, ather. Lots fellers down tool com-
pany lose fingers in forge. Finn feller over Lanesville used came ronnd
now sell /21111LW,saiud,he lost three, fonr fingers in hammer come down,
wollld not want work there. Make tools. All kinds big tools. Make
wheels I don't know what for. Make parts airplane factory. Some fellers
say make thing go ronnd 1.-iprerreilo/ierifweiaiwsarieer--4 that Lindbergh plane
first time down there. Dean fellers run Tool gompany. Brothers. Lindley
Dean
know
wife
one brother. Sail boat races. Other brother live Magnolia.
You
what feller told me? Feller told me that Dean feller brother got
she die bath-tnb. at he do, nake gold bath tnbtill got,'
m
don't know.
ti have wife once, six,
Snre, so long gone sometime I
Rockport no more six months
girl come over here get job.
seven year. Yon don't know that, harr?
think I don't know that, too. I am in
get m rried Lntheran ChIrch yonng Swede
She get job Boston all right maid rich
family, come down here sometimes see friends Swede family, we get married.
Se no good my wife. 76., -don't like that, harrS Its fellers got wife
no good say she good. Its fellers got wife good treat her no good. I
got wife no good say she no good treat her good. Do not have her long.
Just six, seven year. She pretty, that wife, brit no good for wife. I
like lots boys, girls. 6he like no boys, girls all. After I get wife,
we move company house.
Move anywhere. Company can't make move company house. Union won't let.
But good horse, don't cost no more. Don't have trade company store, eitherl,
Rather trade company store. Cost little more, but stnff better. No more
Don't have move company house you don't like.
1
company store. No more company. No more wife. Company send team arornd
every day deliver, get order. Lots teams, lots horses on Cape I come
here.
No brrsks then, too. Street cars, go all arornd
Cape. Sometime
go Srnday for ride. in srmmer, no sides in srmmer, all look front seats,
condrctor walk arornd sides, get money.
Orl tell yor why I live company horse, trrde company store, Sometime
company fire fellers. Not for nion man. Not for poor job. Jrst no
brsiness. Yo r live own horse, rent sarrubody's horse, trade somebody's
store, maybe company fire you. Ttiey do not get hurt. Brt live company
horse, trade company store* fire yor, don't get rent, don't get trade.
Tat my wife she don't like be my wife. I don't think she like be any-
body's wife. 411 time she say thismo good, that no good, no clothes,
no people, no go somewhere. One time she go somewhere all rights I
come home one night sbe gone. Feller say she go off with fisherman over
Gloucester. I don't know. All right she don't come back. One time nine,
ten years after I drink beer place in Gloucester feller say me, "See that
feller, Gor? That feller over there feller run off yorr wife." I look
at that feller. He look at me. We don't say nothing. harrl
Aifter that wife she go my sister, her hrsband come over from old
corntry live with me. They got two boys. When they come got one boy.
NOls. Pretty soon get other boy. Henry. That husband my sister. Nice
feller. 4.riet. No fight. No drink. Just smoke, give my sister all
his money. Very happy that hrsband my sister.
Feller say him, "Hey,
yor think you ever go back?" He say, "Sure. When they build a bridges"
Very funny. He don't go back, bit. No. He paving -cutter. Good paving
cutter. Paving cutter shorld wear mask. Paving cutter doesn't wear mask.
Company got. Lot dust. Stone drst. Get consumption (...+MalApaga.11.52.0*
Pi.e400111Vriter T. Company got masks, brt paving cutter don't wear. That
husband my sister get consumption. Gantt work. Spit blood. Give up
job paving cutter. Just quarry -worker like me. Can't do that* too.
Go home. Go doctor. No good. Die. Reason peving-cutter don't like
mask, don't like feel* can't do so ranch work. Piece -work paving cutting.
/That Nels, my sister's boy* simart boy* strong boy, get good marks
school* go off war, only sixteen. He run away, lie to theme Tell them
other name, say nineteen years old* come from Kinnesota. do off war*
be soldier, get two* three letters, then die. War no good, I think
sometime. kiot for poor man. Rich man all right* make money* sell guns,
poor man get killed. That's what socialist say. I am socialist. 11
Swede fellers most is socialists. iiarr? Sure I vote. Always vote. 14ast
ten Ittteen year I vote, Vote strakght they call. Vote Republican"
LIVING LORE
-2- /17/17
Wheeler
Febrrary 1939
born
er
Re ing accor
erican lobste awho fo
erviews with
on 63 Swe
f his adrlt years wa a quarry
worker in hockport an rcester, Massachrsetts.
"Maybe you see in paper like I see King and reen England make
trip this country have visit, harr? like that King. /le will not
let everybody tell him what to do. He make up his mind, want marry
some woman. Yeller say, "No. llot marry this woman. Marry some other
woman. Marry nobody woman." King say, "You go hell, harr. I marry
woman I want, you go marry woman you want, m'nd your business, hart., I
mind mine" He is not scared fellers. Wat he care? He is King. In
Sweden they got King, too. Almost hundred year old that Swede King,
strong, good feller. Everybody like. No need soldier, no need guard.
Go everywhere, nobody hurt, everybody like. Feller say, "Hello, King."
King say, "Hello, feller." King they got Sweden socialist. I guess
either.
King they got England socialist, #0. Don't care rich people. Friend
to poor feller.
ttell you funny thing. I been here United States forty year gone
more, still I don't know American King who. Don't say papers. People
don't sat. Know President. President Roosevelt. Roosevelt iresident
thirty year ago. Now some more. I guess pretly soon no, harr? Lots
people don't like. Give money poor people. grit where get money, harr?
You don't know. I don't know. Roosevelt don't know, bar/4 Maybe soon
that Saltonstall be President, harr? Everybody like. I don't know any.
Still don't know American King. ask. Say, "Who King, harr?" Feller say,
"No King." I say, "King die?" Feller say, "Don't die. Don't live.
-Hb
don't die." I guess that King scared, harr? People know who, they
hurt. Got have King, though. I read in book. You do not think I
read in book, harr2 Sure, I read. English I read, either. Good. That
crazy nephew me, crazy, he could reads he go school, college, he could
read. Sometime he read like I read, Boston American. Sometime he read
:11.oucester Times. Don't read book, but. I read book. I read lots
book.
"Last summer I read book all about American war. Civil war. Al].
about that Lincoln. Great mnn, that Lincoln. He have war with niggers,
No niggers Sweden. No niggers Rockport. Before that Lincoln come nig-
gers run what call South. Everywhere niggers run. Lincoln come, say
niggers stops Niggers say, "No. We won't stop." Tell Lincoln go to
hell, Lincoln have war, make niggers stop, harri Put in jail. Put all
niggers in jail. Daily Worker try get them out. Can't get them out.
Lincoln won't let. Roosevelt won't let. Four five year ago they have
nigger women over Folly Cove, feller tell me, work in rich summer people
house, like Swede womam Finn woman. I don't see. Feller tell me. Not
there now, harr.
LIVING LORE
1
Wheeler
January 1939
Oontinri ecord cE inter e?s th Gor Svenson, 62, Swedish-
Ameri lobsterman :Or MD teof his adrlt years was a quarry -worker
n Glorcester and R port, Mas
<7
4hen I say that Henry my nephew he is crazy I tell yor he is crazy!
Yesterday. What does he do yesterday? Yesterday he go down dump back of
Philbrookts find old bottles, old engine parts, old pieces pipe, bring
'em home, clean tern rp, walk to Glorcester sell tem to junkman for money
half a pint of Crab Orchard? O. K. Maybe am broke, I am young feller,
I got no job, maybe then I want have drink. That's not so crazy. After
ge have drink everything up he start walk home. Five miles Gloucester.
Five m:les back. What he care? He got nothing else to do. He has not
had regrlar job almost ten year.
"He go Rockport High School two three years. Last year of all he
go Glorcester High Sc ol. Say better High School. 1 don't know. Then
Yleit"
he go two years to the college h--Brprele.t•dkp4P-fsdre-herrieer-+- and
college gets him job way over in Boston artomobile place, work in office.
Six yeEr he wprk there every day not on Srnday. Have to be there eight
o'clock. Get rp five o'clock have breakfasts feller give him ride get
first train six otclock in morning. He could not get there right he
trlce seven o'clock train. Get in Boston they got North station he got
plenty time walk to automobile place ort what they call Commonwealth
Avemie. Save ten cents, too. He work until after six o'clock. Two
much after six o'clock get six thirty train back. Get seven thirty train
back. Most of time walk home from station, sometimes get ride. Feller
who always give him ride in morning work on railroad section gang, call
him gandy-dancer. Henry does not pay that feller* only sometime buy him
cigarettes* Christmas get him neckties. Feller give him ride at niE;ht
sometime* give those fellers nothing. "hat the hell? They say* "You
want ride* harr?" He say, "S,Ire.n_ Never get home maybe nine otclock
when get rides almost half past when have to walk. Sometime rain snow
too hard walk* no ride wait for bus* not home almost ten otclock. Not
much life for him* harr? Get home* eat* go right bed* got get up five
o'clock.
/Got make money* though. %t. work. No mpney* no live. No work* no
money. guess maybe he first go work that Boston he make eleven twelve
dollars week. Two three years he get raise make fourteen dollar. Not
so much* harr? Cost fifteen* twenty dollars month railroad. Gotta take
lunch* sometime even have lunch* say* "What the hell" a buy coffee*
piece pie* too. O. K. I do, too* I him. Got bus fare sometime. Got
car fare Boston sometime rain snow. Sometime rain snow get off train
Boston North Station take car get out work place not open half hour. Can
not stand out -door in rain snow. Go in restaurant keep warm dry. Have
to buy ys+o in resta*rants harr i They will not let you go in restaurant
you do not buy. uoffee* sure* something maybe.
'Got have, nice suit* too* got wear hat* have clean shirt* shine
shoes. Lose job not have nice suit* wear hoot* clean shirt* shine'shoes.
in
After that Henry crazy pay me his *Pother board* no have money for him.
He never even hate smoke* that feller. Never have girl* too. No time
have girl. How you get girl you busy five otolock morning nine ten ot
clock night* go to bed nine ten Otclock night* sleep five o'clock morn-
ing? Too tired have girl* too. No money° Girl does not like feller no
money. Got plenty of money always have girl* have pretty girl* have
good time. No money* girl say* "What the he'll"
Abu know I think that feller Henry true he never undress woman once
at alll Now he thirty-five, thirty-six year old* never take woman to
bed at allS Harr l Sometime I m thirty-five* thirty-six year old
take fifty women to bed, pretty women, fat women* all kinds women, Not
altogether, though. different times. That Henry feller he like* too*
you bets Anytime some woman go 1 he go look out window at her. Crazy
felleri
'Yesterday he drink up Crab Orchard over Gloucester come back get
rideylsive supper. fter supper long comes Finn feller Stockholm Avenue,
say, "Hello, or, you go sauna, harr?" I say, 'You go to hell with that
sauna" Henry, though, Henry say, "Sure I go." You ever go sauna, harr?
Sauna crazy l Just inn fellers have sauna. Swede fellers they do not
have him. In sauna everybody take off clothes. Summer. "Inter. Take
off clothes just same, 'hey got fire under rocks. Throw on water. Make
steam. ±ou can't breathe. Once 1 am drunk I go sauna. I never go again
even I am drunk. Yesterday that Henry he is not drunk. He only had pint
Crab Orchard. Cannot get drunk pint Grab Orchard. Oannot get drunk
quart. He go, anyway. You know what? I do not think he go sauna he
like sauna. I think he go swIna just he go somewhere. Someday maybe
feller come door, "hey, Henry, you go Halibut point, harr, jump
t\
in ocean, maybe stay there* harr?)1 I think that Henry goS
/When he have that job Boston place Kt Henry say sometime, 'Hell
with job. All time go to job* work at job* came from job, no fun, no
money* no girl. Maybe I tell job go to hell, harr?" You know what he
say now? "If I have that job more," he say, "I get up three o'clock morn-
ing, not get home two o'clock morning, work twice as hard, get only nine
ten dollars, I happiest man in all this world." he don't get job more.
think he hever get job more. Paper say good business now better bus-
iness soon. Maybe. I hope. Hut better business soon they don't want
that Henry. What good feller do nothing much nine ten years? loike old
man. that Henry he only thirty-five thirty-six years he like old man.
They do not want him. They want young feller, quick, happy, lots life.
Tell him, "Do that" he run eib it.i Tell Henry, "Do thab he donit
know what hell do.
/Sure. Nine ten years boss say Henry, "Sorry. No job. All through.
Lay off ten, twelve girls fellers. Try keep married men, maybe lay off
them, tog." Henry come home then, read papers, wribe letters to people
say in papers they want hire somebody. Get ride Boston, get ride Lynn
get ride Lawrence, Salem, Beverly look for job. No joh for him. But he
keep lot& for job like that two three years. Sometime give him doll:r
two dollar, go on train, buy stmnps letter, buy paper, get new shirt.
But pretty soon slits all gone, shoes all gone, nobody want feller like
that. 41.1en he just look for job Rockport, Gloucester, try over in Ipswich
the mills. No job for him. He can not work in tool company, not strong
even if there is job. When he young go high school, strong, husky, but
after work in that Bbston all day, ride on train, sit by desk, writr in
book, all soft, weak. Only strong feller work that tool company.
41f quarryirlin maybe get job time keeper or in office, but quarry
run nothing. And that Henry he could not get job Gorton Pew or Birdseye.
He cannot stand smell of fish. Make him sick. Make him throw up. Stom-
ach no good. That why he can not go with me after the lobster. In harbor
all right, but once boat past buoy he sick. No good then° No good at all.
Better have nobody in launch after iobster but him. He worse from nobody.
He in way. He in own way, that Henry feller.
kor\little while once two times he has WPA job. Not too soft, weak
for that. Nobody too soft weak that WPA job. No work to do. Just hold
shovel, throw little dirt, rest, throw rock, hold shovel some more. That
make me sick. Sometime see five six feller lift little stone on drag
lift one hand, harrl But Henry lose that WPA job, too. They lay off the
CI
Ar-
single feller, do not need job keep wife, keep children. Just have
keep himself that Henry, cannot do thatl I take care his mother, my
sister, and she got little pension, anyway, other son, Henry's brother
kill in war.
/Sometime I get angry that Henry, harr. You think feller like that
no good anything he keep mouth shut anyway, harr. Yesterday he crazy.
He came back after that sauna, says "What to eat?" I says "Hamburg, pound
half good hamburg, cost forty-five cents," Henry say, "Where you get
forty-five cents, harr?"
I tell him. What the helli I tell him 1 sell
two lobsters. Bad day. Only two lobsters, all catch. That Henry go
crazy. He say, "Why you no bring lobsters home, we eat, harr? Four
hamburg.
times this week we eat god -damned #000 Why we do not eat lobster?"
Crazy that Henry. He can not understand. I work all morning, catch two
lobsters, bring home, eat them, make nothing for all work. Sell lob-
sters, make forty-five cents. Buy hamburg. Not much, but something.
Orazy, that Henry, harr
4
ORIGINAL MSS. OR FIELD ROTES (Chock one)
PUB. Living Lore in New England
(Massachusetts)
TITLE Swedish Lobsterman Gor Svenson
WRITER Harry Wheeler
'Or74
DATE 2/25/39 we. PP. 3
CHECKER DATE
SOURCES GIVEN (t) Interview
COHMENTS
ews with Gor ,§venzon, 63, Swedish-
yetolia-welrli-grarry-
ss4chr
thing. Feller say they got law now
Boston down to Maine. only can
FllAn if lobr. Aq7 thE7 want ship any lobster down Mine, harr?
ter don Maine, tier got plenty lobster. Yo r now where Con-
ol-d tr.6 Lrrtor ";o7nan7 Is, harr? Is over Bay view, dock where used
1)e irrniAtn ConPany blood -ledge grarry. Got pink granite
F,re good. anite. 'Sometime I work that quarry. I never work that Con-
)1I.d ted Lobster Co pan7, hnrr. I never sell him some lobster. Nobody
ever sell 1 -dm sonic lobster. know where he get his lobster, harr?
4et him down Maine, down Nova bcotia. Ship him in by airship. Yo r go
over some time 7oll can see. Sometimes prt in trrck, send Boston, prt in
Plane, send Ne- Yorke 3flre,
put live lobster from Nova Scotia in air-
ship, send New ork sumner peoples
"I see airship. One time I am over dog Town get blreberries, I hear
airship, look 17p, see airship, very low, got sign, say Consolidated Lobster
Company, Gloucester Massachusetts. Yor know what be frnny thing, harr?
Be funny thing feller catch lobster down Maine, prt on airship, bring to
Bay View, pl/t on tridck, send to Boston, lobster die, pit on train, ship
down to Maine, somebody eats I tell yon one thing more flInny that, happen
-11 time. Yo” go down First National Store, Rockport, get fish. Rockport
fish? I do not think Rockport fish. Yon want Rockport fish got go down
Bears4in neck. First National Store Fish come from Boston rvrket. There's
rrary ET3Tia-
Paper 7,.- A
1\
k Uo -Gin,,Ing accolp\t of int4Tviews with Gor Svenson$ 63$ Swedish-
--_.
born Americ lobsterlian, *holfor mc4t,orhla-ilidrlt year•,a-wee--11. grarry-
worker in Roc e and Glor\ste vhr ts.)
"Feller was tell me very frnny thing.
Feller say they got law now
say yon cannot ship dead lobster from Boston down to Maine. only can
ship live lobster. Why they want ship any lobster down Mine, harp?
They got lobster down Maine, they got plenty lobster. Yor now where Con-
solid-ted Lobster Company ks, harr? Is over Bay view, dock where used
be Rockport Granite .irarry Company blood -ledge qrarry. Got pink granite
there, good granite. Sometime I work that qrarry. I never work that Con-
solidated Lobster Company, harr. I never sell him some lobster. Nobody
ever sell him some lobster. ior know where he get his lobster, harr?
Get him down Maine, down Nova Scotia. Ship him in by airship. Ion go
over some time yon can see. Sometimes prt in trrck, send Boston, put in
plane, send New York. srre, prt live lobster from Nova Scotia in air-
ship, send New lork srmmer peoples
"I see airship. One time I am over Dog Town get blreberries, I hear
airship, look rp, see airships very low, got sign, say Consolidated Lobster
Corimplly, Glorcester Massachrsetts. Yon know what be frnny thing, harr?
Be frnny thing feller catch lobster down Maine, prt on airship, bring to
BR. View, prIt on trick, send to Boston, lobster die, prt on train, ship
down to Maine, somebody eats I tell yon one thing more funny that, happen
f-11 time. lo,, go down First National store, Rockport, get fish. Rockport
fish? I do not think Rockport fish. -for want Rockport fish got go down
Bears#in neck. First National Store Fish come from Boston mrrket. There'
feller down Pigeon Cove call him Pl-rks, catch fish, buy fish, ship to
Boston market. Does not sell fish in Pigeon Cove. Sure you go down
fish come in, say, "Want haddock, want cod." He sell you. blit no bus-
iness that. Most business ship Boston.
"All right. Pigeon Cove feller go fish. Catch haddock. sell
Parks. Parks ship Boston, fish go on train, maybe. First National
feller Boston buy fish, put on truck, bring back Rockport. Maybe wife
Cove
feller next door Pigeon,,feller fish, say, "Have chowder tonight. Get
hsddock." Go over First National buy hA.dock, caught in front yard but
go Boston for trips You go down First National store pigeon Cove some
time, say, for fun, "Give me can mackerel." They give you can mackerel
all right. Where come that mackerel, harr? Come Rockport? Come Glouc-
ester? Come California. Sure"
nI tell you one thing more funny both. Got relief over Rockport.
Get matress, get sweater, get shoes. Get grapefruit, get canned meat,
get potatoes. Got relief over Gloucester, either. One time feller tell
me train come dloucester, got nine ten car -loads food for relief. %-Tot
grape -fruit? Got potatoes? Got salt fish californiai
"I never like eat fish. I eat fish. Pever like. .v.;at mackerel.
Eat hake. Like go over Folly Cove seven o'clock night get Old England
hake. '1ot sell, eat. Best like get cod. ike eyes of cod. Not many
fellers like. You know what feller tell me? Feller tell me there's feller
got place sell lobster dinner. Big place. Everybody come, pay two three
dollar, have lobster dinner. Good lobster dinner. Go home tell everybody,
"You should go that pl-ce. Have good lobster dinners" Lobster. fiarri
You know what that feller tell me? Feller tell me feller has place mix
lobster meat cod -cheeks, cost less, taste good, nobody know difference' I
would not like pay two three dollar that kind lobster dinneri
"Sometime sell lots lobsters, make lots money, bily new hat, new
srit, new shoes, yo' l know what I am do, harr? I mi go Boston, go in bar,
see pretty girl. Feller tell me they got lots bars Boston, lots pretty
girl. I go lip her, say, "Hello, I Gor, I got lots money, yo ll come
with me, harr?" Feller say she come with me. I do not want do bad thing
that girl. I woiild not take chance, ge sick. I lost want pretty girl
with me.
e go movies, best movies boston, pay forty, fifty cents both,
donit care.
Then we go back bar, get good drink whiskey. Then we go
restaiirant h ve dinner. Yo" know what we have dinner, harr? 4e have
bake potatoes, and veal cwtlets, and Swedish bread, and Nliedish coffee,
and chicken so”p, and Swedish cake, maybe. All we can eat. I betthat
girl she never have dinner like that, harr?"
"One time last summer I go over Rockport Granite Gampany quarry.
Walk down on dock, see stonepcutteris sheds, all go to pieces, walk under
bridge, along where tracks was, all gone down, pull up, send to Japant
All railroad tracks Rockport pull up, send to Japan. I go by blacksmith
shop, all fall to pieces, by power -house, nothing there, all rot, I
almost cry I tell you. When I come Rockport four five hundred feller work
that quarry, take out stone, cut stone, ship everywhere. Now nobody out
stone at all. Nobody want stone. Now cement, stucco, brick. J -3t use
little bit stone now. Oompany cannot keep quarries lust cut little stone
every two, three years. Got to let go, got to let go to pieces, got to
let rot.
Almost -make you cry.
i")
te
--------I gress no more Rockport granite brildings, harr?
never think that, tell yo. Feller, farmer, he think, what the hell
people always eat wheat, eat potatoes. Feller, fisherman think people
always eat cod, eat haddock. Same thing qrarry-feller. Says people
got have buildings. Got have buildings, want good brildings. Want good
buildings, granite best brildings.
harr?
think that sometime. I gress no,
harries frll of water now, derricks pull down they do not fall,
kill somebody, tracks off Japan make cannon, barges rot, docks like
paper. Qrarry-fellers forget how be quarry -fellers. Some corld not hold
drill now, hit with hammer. World not know what. Yfor tell me that when
I come Rockport larghl ior tell me that back big strike I largh. We
had big strike back 1925, everybody go ort, company won't pay union scale.
Won't go back but get union scale. now long you think strike last, ham?
Strike last year, harr l That right. (.1tr:rry fellers don't go back Rock-
port uranite Cpmpany ()marry one year. Little while get strike benefit,
then no. Union no money. Some fellers while strike go work some place
else. Few work scab wages some place else. 'ost don't do nothing. Com-
pany try run qrarry with Italians and grards. uannot do it, no. Italians
w
don't cut enorgh stone drown eat. 'hey prt lot them in house rlar Peter
Bernard's garage. some nights strikers throw stones house, do not want
hnrt, jrst scare°
Atmeby company settle, union win, but one year long time be on
strike. Ihe company some feller tell me, lose million dollars try break
that strike. After that quarries do not work long. Crt stone entrances
big tunnel New York HigrimeMba.aikaaliiiiammuriketbk22t= and big bridge down
Rhode Island. Pretty soon close. I gress those Rogers fellers spend too
much time Country Club, not enough time quarry. Yo3ar long time strike.
One time in war they have strike in Rockport not last year. Last day.
Not quarrymen. Cablemen. Over cable station. Company do lot business.
Men want more pay. Company say no.
One night all same time men work
for cable company go on strike, Rockport, either. Next morning, company
raise pay, harri ther strike over Gloucester one time funny thing happen.
Stocking factory on strike. Ipswich mills. Company get big crowd strike-
breakers come Wisconsin. Come automobiles. All come automobiles. One
morning they cannot fine fifteen, twenty automobiles. They do not look
at bottom of quarry -pit, harr;
/When Rockport Granite Company close up I think not for longo Bus-
iness bad. Pretty soon business good. Old wood buildings wear out, old
wood bridges fall down, somebody die, got have statue.
I think, either,
maybe Rogers brothers not such good business men. Maybe some other bus-
iness man come Rockport, brry quarries, give everybody job. NO; yet. Fel-
ler come now.
GoW buy pumps, put up derricks, lay tracks, build shops,
get barges, machines, tools. Got get men, too. Lot quarry men here you
think, harr? Lot used -be quarry men 4 Like me.
ei get little work now then fter company close up. I work Leonard
Johnson's little while.
I work little whiale Fitzgibbon's over Lanesville.
There was work two three years ago some fellers. Build break -water New-
buryport, got have stone. No job for me then. 1 fisherman then. Other
feller me set trawls off halibit point get cod, get pollock, get hake.
Some weeks one week ten make week's pay, make twenty-five dollar. Most
weeks make money for gas, for bait, for paint for boat, few pennies beside.
I give that up. I give feller my share fishing boat for small gas launch
and skiff. I find few lobster -pots, fix up, find more. Now I lobsterman
for good, I guess. Not once make ten dollars week yet, half time make
five, half time nothing.
AN° more Tiarry work I g,less fifteen, twenty years.
Then work.
MlIch work then, harrl Then all b,lildings, bridges, roads made last
ten fifteen years go pieces. Yor, see. Everybody see. bti/cco no good,
concrete no good, only granite goodj Everybody want granite then* No-
body want sonethig else ever some more. gllarries open again. J,Ilarries
stay open, harrl Everybody got job/ 411arry jobs