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  • Walter E. Dandy Letter 09/08/1939

    I hope you are well and that the weather is not too hot. I saw in the paper that the thermometer was 106 in Chicago yesterday, so I presume the hot spell will reach you on the following day. This is a remarkable climate. Every evening is so cold that overcoats are worn every day in the year. Sadie started me off with a straw hat, so you can imagine how that blends with my borrowed overcoat. Every evening it gets foggy. The fog rolls in from the ocean over the Golden Gate, which is now spanned by a tremendous suspension bridge. The other big bridge across Oakland bay is over 5 miles long. Railroad passengers have to take the ferry across from Oakland.

    It was a lovely train ride on the fast Streamliner. We crossed the Great Salt Lake toward evening. Its 25 miles straight across the lake - all built in by fill or trestle. You probably remember that I wrote you about this when I went across in 1907.

    Yesterday was spent with Reichert at the fair - was beautiful, but not so vast as the New York one. The fair is on a man-made island, which will later be used for an airport. It’s said to be the largest man-made island in the world. The Pan American Clippers use it now and later the land planes will use it, too.

    Reichert is very happy here. He has a most beautiful view from his back windows, over the Golden Gate and the Alcatraz prison, which you doubtless know about. It’s where the nation’s most vicious criminals are kept. They can’t escape.

    We leave on the boat for a five days trip on the Pacific. The Clipper planes make it over night. If I weren’t so deeply entrenched at the hospital, should love to fly it. Do go over and see my little kiddies - and tell Margaret about the Salt Lake crossing.

    Love, Walter x x x x x

    x x x x x x x (for Mother)

    I hope you are well and that the weather is not too hot.

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