Fall of 1916 could best be described as the term Dale Melrose, 21, took off from college. It wasn’t from lack of trying to find work, as evidenced by his letters. He had a strong work ethic, but the work wasn’t there. If it was there… well, I’ll let him tell his own story, in his own sarcastic voice.
Portland, Ore. Nov. 2, 1916
Dear Folks,
Well I got back again and am feeling a lot better than I did in Canada, except for a cold in my lungs. It is raining a nice drizzle here so I hope to get over my cold soon.
That trip to Canada was not very profitable after paying what I owed and my fare down here, my total assets amount to about $60.00. If I cannot get a good job <lasting> until after Jan 1st, I cant see how I am going to go to school.
I will dig in from now on and try to make enough to carry me by working again. By that you can see that I have made nothing by my trip, in fact I have lost. I could have gone to school at the first of the year and by working, could have made it after a fashion. This way I lose a whole semester.
I have signed up on a job in a rock quarry down the river. The fare from Portland is $.25 by boat. Pay is .30¢ per hour and board is $4.75 per week. I ought to make a little on that job by Xmas. I will keep this letter until I find what address I will have Saturday Night.
I came up to the quarry yesterday and we got there about six oclock. About 1/6 of us were shipped out and we wanted supper. They wouldn’t give us any, and worse still, they put us in a bunk house that was full of “crumbs”. We left within 15 minutes and came to Camas which was only 3 miles away. Three of us got work on the streets here and the rest beat it.
The wages are $2.50 for 8 hours. Board and room will come to about $6.00 per week. I may stay if the weather stays good, but it is time for the rains now so I suppose I cant make much.
Dad maybe you think that the Oswego job we had was a bad one, but this quarry has it skinned so badly that there is no comparison.
This is a great life. I’ll never make a school stake at this rate.
Write to me here. I may be here a couple of weeks.
Your son
Dale D. Melrose
Camas, Wash.
Jaci Dawn 
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