9 years old
The purpose of this blog is to describe how fortunate we are in this generation with water and electricity and sewer and natural gas connections.
I was born into a family where we were very fortunate to have access to water and electricity and gas connections. We did not have access to a sewer line but this became available later. In the meantime, sewage and waste bath water went into a pipe that led to a cesspool. We did have a toilet and bathtub, a gas furnace for heating the home, a gas water heater that furnished hot water, an electric operated washing machine for the clothes, an electric operated refrigerator, and electric outlets in every room. The electricity was provided by a city owned power plant that provided electricity to any home in the city that could afford it.
So you can see that I was born into an almost modern home (at least as far as the important, vital services were concerned). Because all of these services were already in the home when I was born, you may think that I took them for granted. Not so! I had a family of cousins that lived directly across the street from us. Since, I was present in their home a good amount of time, I was very familiar with their life style. Let me tell you about the lack of facilities in that family home:
Source of water
Since this family did not have access to the city water line, they had to obtain water from other sources.
This particular family had dug a well in their yard and obtained most of their water from that well. They also placed large wooden barrels under the rain spouts and captured rain water in these barrels. Other families built a cistern. (an underground tank for storing water). This cistern was simply an over sized well that was lined with concrete. They then hired a "water trucker" to refill this cistern when necessary. This trucker had a 1000 gallon tank placed on the back of his flat-bed truck. He would buy water from the city and resell it to the owner of the cistern. Since there was no water flowing through pipes into the house, it was necessary for someone with a bucket to haul water into the house as needed. Also, since they did not have flowing water into the house, they did not have a bath tub or toilet. When hot water was necessary for baths or washing clothes or cooking, the water had to be heated on the coal burning stove.
The washtub
Every household had a washtub. Washing clothes was done with a scrub board and a washtub. The washtub was also used as a bathtub. Adults just stood in the tub and enjoyed a spit bath. Young children could sit right down in the tub. The water was heated on the coal burning stove and then poured into the washtub.
The Weekly bath
The weekly bath was an interesting event. This event took place in the kitchen next to the coal burning stove where the water was being heated. Family baths were conducted in a galvanized steel washtub. This tub was fairly small with about a four-foot diameter. Some of my most enjoyable memories were of joining my cousins during the Saturday nigh bathing session. Families in those days bathed once a week whether they needed it or not. Only one of the older children could fit in the washtub at the same time After they had finished their baths, the next two of the younger boys would step into the same water and enjoy their baths. By the time the youngest child was finished, the water was fairly murky. Incidentally, that's where the saying,, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water", originated.
The toilet
If you had to use the toilet, the only solution was to walk the thirty or so yards to the "Outhouse." In the outhouse was a bench with a hole. This bench was about chair high. Even the most dense minded person could figure out what the hole was for. Some families had two holes in their outhouse. Their outhouse was thus called the "two-holler". Personally I could never figure out why two holes were necessary. Maybe it was necessary when diarrhea had struck the entire family at the same time. In that case the family would have probably needed a "four-holler".
The usual substitute for toilet tissue was a page torn out of last years copy of the Montgomery Ward catalogue.
The Kerosene Lamp.
Many households at this time did not have access to a power line. So the main source of light was to buy a kerosene lamp. These lamps are still available today and are used to provide light for hunters and campers in the wilderness. The lamps were a dependable, inexpensive source of light.
Some member of the community devised an innovative light source. I first became aware of this source as I riding with my father and noticed (as we passed one house) there was a electric wire extending from a power line into that house. I questioned my father about this and he quickly informed me that the people in that house were stealing electricity. He further explained that this was extremely dangerous. More than one person had been electrocuted as they attempted to tap into a power line. He also said the power company would only become aware of the theft as a neighbor or an employ of the power company noticed and reported the theft to the power company . The power company usually did not prosecute the thief since there was no meter involved and no one could determine how much electricity had been used. They just removed the illegal wire and tried to make it more difficult for the thief to commit the same theft in the future. They also submitted the name of the house owner to the police who promised to check the house on a regular basis.
Grandpa's wisdom -
The best way to prevent sagging is just eat till the wrinkles fill out.
Don't think of it as getting hot flashes. Think of it as your inner child playing with matches.
A Good Senility Prayer- Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.
My doctor told me to start my exercise program very gradually. So today I drove past a store that sells sweat pants.
The healthiest part of a donut is the hole. Unfortunately, you have to eat through the rest of the donut to get there.
A groaner - A marine biologist developed a race of genetically engineered dolphins that could live forever if they were fed a steady diet of seagulls. One day, the supply of the birds ran out, so the biologist had to go out and trap some more. On the way back, he found two lions asleep on the road. Afraid to wake them, he gingerly stepped over them. Immediately he was arrested and charged with transporting gulls across sedate lions for immortal porpoises.
Grandpa loves all of you.
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