Henry Tribe

USA Rail Trip

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Contents

Introduction

The Round Trip Rail Ticket

Ottawa to Chicago

Chicago

Indiana University, Bloomington (50th Anniversary of the American Phytopathological Society)

Introduction

In August 1958, Henry bought a round trip rail ticket from Ottawa to Chicago, then back to Ottawa via Colorado, Arizona, California and Vancouver. As with his USA road trip, Henry’s rail trip was part work and part holiday, visiting microbiologists and laboratories in the USA as well as sightseeing.

This page contains Henry’s observations of the journey as written in letters to his parents and brother David, transparencies he took, postcards and railway memorabilia.

While he was away, Henry asked his family to address their letters to him along the route.

The Round Trip Rail Ticket

Henry’s round trip rail ticket, bought on August 21st 1958, is pictured above (click images to enlarge). It shows the following journey legs, most operated by different railway companies:

Note the Steamship leg between Seattle and Victoria, which is on Vancouver Island, and from Victoria back to Vancouver on the mainland!

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Ottawa to Chicago

Sunday August 24th

Henry travelled to Chicago on a train that left Ottawa at 3:30pm and arrived in Chicago at 8:10am – a journey time of just under 17 hours. The images below show the wonderful 1950s front and back covers of Henry’s Canadian Pacific timetable, along with the timetable page showing Henry’s train (outlined in red). Although the part of the journey through Canada was operated by Canadian Pacific and the part of the journey through the USA was operated by the New York Central System, the coaches were “through coaches” and he did not have to change train at the border.

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Chicago

Monday August 25th

Below are some transparencies that Henry took in Chicago.

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Indiana University, Bloomington

Tuesday August 26th, Wednesday August 27th

Below are Henry’s transparencies of buildings at the University of Indiana at Bloomington:

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Chicago Again

AMES IOWA
The Railway Station,
Ames, Iowa
Friday 29th August 1958.

I have a short opportunity now, it being 7.10 am, & have just had breakfast after arriving here overnight from Chicago.

The railway systems are in a bad way over here for passengers. Only two trains per day connect Ames with Chicago; I took the night train hoping to get a berth, but sleepers “used to be put on” & are no longer. A certain amount of shunting was done during the night, & I found at Ames there were only two passenger coaches in a long line of freight + mail cars. What with the air lines + road transport the trains find passenger few, on last nights train there was perhaps a large bus load.



Well, Dave, must now move on to Iowa State College at Ames to meet a Dr. Frederick in the Agronomy Dept, life starts at 8 a.m. here (which to my mind is rather uncivilized). Have had to spend an extra unexpected hour here already, as Chicago is on daylight saving time whilst Ames isn’t. Be back later!

Spent a very interesting day at Ames. It has one of the largest Agronomy Depts. anywhere (Agronomy – Soil Microbiology and Agricultural applications: fertilizers, organic manuring etc). Also visited the Soil Testing Laboratory, where farmers send soil samples to have tested to see whether they are infertile or not and likely to give reduced crop yields. Predictions are made as to the amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium & lime required to be added. Dr Frederick then showed me the field plots of corn (i.e. maize) & soya beans & sorghum, neither of which I have seen before, & then invited me to his home for supper. I have found all the scientists I have visited to be very hospitable, a tour like this (& the other one I made previously by car) shows one how hospitable the American scientists are, & sets a standard quite equal to the British, and I think higher than ours. Dr Frederick his wife and children were travelling to Lincoln, Nebraska, to-day which is along my planned route, and they invited me to travel with them by car. However they were going to rise at 5.30. + I predicted I should be too tired then (the effect of the previous night’s difficult sleep being felt by then) & declined the offer. He even phoned me at the hotel in Ames at 5.30 this morning, asking perhaps whether he had been sufficiently definite about his invitation the previous night. I declined again, about which I was really rather sorry, but did in fact sleep until 12.30 this morning. As you know I usually make it a rule to do and see as much as possible & am now perhaps a bit sorry I didn’t go. Left Ames on the 4.30 train after calling at the Post Office for Dad’s letter (if sent): it wasn’t there, & any post from Ames will be sent on to General Delivery, Los Angeles, California – it’s not much use cutting this too fine + suggesting addresses at intermediate places; this will be for mail to arrive on or before 10th Sept.

I left Ames two days before originally planned, this because I’d intended to visit Dr Frederick on the Monday (1st Sept), which I found later to be an American Public Holiday, & consequently by departing a little before the end of the Plant Pathology Conference at Bloomington managed to reach Ames by yesterday morning.

Letter to David

OMAHA
Saturday 30th August 1958.


Well, I’m just about to retire now Dave, on a sleeping car on the Burlington Railroad train to Denver – I think the first time I’ve ever had a sleeping berth on a train. Am writing this in fact on the train, which is just about to leave. The train from Ames was well over an hour late, due to some freight train having stopped on the line. The section between Chicago + Omaha on the Chicago + North Western has automatic train control – we had slowed down for some time before stopping, & finally drew up just behind the freight. Some electrical warning system is, I believe, involved.

Before I forget it – the commonest wayside wild flower over much of the route I’ve so far seen is the Golden Red!

Letter to David

COLORADO SPRINGS
Monday 1st September

Another line before boarding a sleeper, this time on the Santa Fé line to Lamy, for Santa Fé. The railway does not go through the town itself!

Spent but a short while in Denver, & then moved here. Wayside plants changing but now, quite a lot of white Godetias, & a few prickly pears appearing. It’s warm 5
here, late eighties. Took the mountain railway down Pikes Peak today; went up
by car as part of tour. It’s pretty far up,
14,100 odd feet, above a table land of
some 6,000. Was a little short of breath
on top due to altitude. The top ought
be known as “Scruff Summit”! Covered
with very scruffy buildings, a rickety observation
platform (as if it were needed!) Masses of
cars and a jet plane provided for the public
by the U.S. Air Force – in gratitude for development
of jet engines done on this property. A road
of course leads right up to the summit, which
is above the tree line, very rocky, with the
red rocks so characteristic of Colorado. The
view is very wide, over much lower mountains,
and over the plains on which the town of Colorado
Springs lies. It was not very clear, though
said to be the clearest this summer since
July, probably heat haze. Then spent
some time in the Garden of the Gods, a
natural beauty spot with some picturesque red rocks. Scrubby oaks, pines & yuccas are common. Bought rather a superior Western style broad-brimmed straw hat before seeing the “Garden” – as a necessity! (Having, incidentally, lost my last beret some long time ago).

Well, Dave, am feeling again very sleepy after this hot day & a good supper, so will bring this to a close, I’m in some danger of drowning from drinking so much water though – there’s a superb little fountain serving cool but not quite ice-cold water on the station. Really mustn’t over-indulge, as I have an upper berth on the train!!

SANTA FE

In the letter I wrote from the train I said I’d give a brief account of travels in the Santa Fe region of New Mexico. I spent two days in the town, part of the time in the very interesting museums which dealt mainly with Indian affairs, & on the third day went on a tour to a village called Taos, about 80 miles away, by limousine. This was arranged through my hotel, by word of mouth arrangement with an old chap who kept a gift shop – he had retired, & with a schoolmaster friend ran these tours. The schoolmaster’s son drove us on this one, the interest being that Taos is a Pueblo Indian village, which has existed for hundreds of years, built of adobe mud – mud mixed with straw. The village is still lived in by the Indians, who charge no fee to visitors, except a dollar for each camera, which permits photography of buildings only. In order to take pictures of any of the people, a fee has to be paid to the person (s) concerned! Taos itself is an American Village, chiefly an artists colony – in fact I think there are more studios and shops selling all varieties of art from modern to Indian than in Chelsea SW. 3. I took a photo of the village plaza (square), a general view from across the road, it happened to include two Indians. After I’d taken it, one of the Indians beckoned to me asked 50 cents for taking his picture – I was so astonished I gave it to him, & then he composed himself for a close-up – which I suppose was his method of obtaining cash, because I’m positive now he couldn’t charge me for taking a general view with him in it !! I shall be very interested to see how these pictures turn out. After a Mexican style lunch in Taos our guide took us to the Indian Village, where amongst other sights we saw some of the ladies re-facing some of the house walls with fresh mud. There is no piped water, nor electric light permitted by the tribal elders in this particular village. Many of the young people move outside it and set up houses in the usual American way. It really seemed to me a most incongruous situation, in the 20th Century for people, some of whom owned cars, to live in this way. After leaving the Indian Village, I left the group to peep into a modern art studio someone had recommended, and on the way down the road an Indian beckoned me from across the street. So this time I shook my head, but he beckoned again & I crossed over – he wanted me to take his picture, the usual fee apparently being 50 cents. So having 18 cents change in my pocket I told him that’s all I had, – after a moment’s thought he agreed ! Again I shall be most interested to see the results. I forgot to mention that on our way to Taos we visited another Indian Village and saw some of the Indian women putting dough into one of their beehive-shaped ovens to bake same. This is only rarely done nowadays, most bread being bought, but this was a ceremonial occasion as one of the ladies daughters was to be married on the morrow.

Returned to Santa Fe, and after supper was told at the hotel that a tour was to be arranged on the next day to a National Monument nearby (i.e. about 40 miles off), where cliff dwellings of Indians who lived in prehistoric times were preserved. I had intended to press on to Grand Canyon – had in fact reserved a train seat – but decided to cancel it and go. I arranged this one through the schoolmaster in a cafe near the hotel, who, hearing I was from England, asked if I know a Mr Dade at Kew? Yes I know a Major Dade at Kew, he is in charge of the fungus Collection!! Well, the schoolmaster knew Major Dade’s son very well, he was evacuated to Santa Fe during the war. And the priceless thing about this is that Major Dade wrote a fair number of letters to his son (then aged eight) and these letters were published by the University of New Mexico Press under the title of “To His Refugee Son” by H.A. Dade!! They contain a week by week account of life in Kew in 1940 and 1941, with the blitz and Home Guard, quite strong meat really for a young lad of eight. I wonder if you could find a copy, Dad? I read part of it that night, as the schoolmaster (Mr Malone) drove me up to his house and lent me the book for the night. We returned via the bowling alley, and I saw an example of true American Democracy. “There is the Mayor of Santa Fe” said Mr. Malone, pointing to a chap sweeping the floor!! And he introduced him to me. I think the Mayor had a great interest in bowling, which is a popular N. American sport. This was a new alley, having room for 12 games — the game is really like skittles, these stand at the end of a long run and have to be all knocked down in one or two goes. The Mayor said the public liked the place to be clean!! There were another twelve alleys to be installed shortly. This alley was fully automatic, an example of perfect American ingenuity, after the skittles are knocked over, they are automatically gathered up & replaced, if some are knocked over the apparatus just removes those, leaving the rest standing! In Canada (Ottawa) boys are employed for this purpose.

Well the next day we went to see these prehistoric Indian dwellings, they were actually built in the cliff face, as caves one above the other. On the way we visited another Indian present-day Village, which was famous for the superb pottery. Blast! I’ve run out of ink, since the bottle I had leaked on to my face flannel. I left it at the Grand Canyon for the next poor man! Will write on to-morrow, dears, in any case it’s getting late & life starts at eight in the University. So, Good Night for now!

Riverside, 11th Sept 1958.

Before I forget — many Happy Returns of the Day. Dad. I’m afraid they’ll be slightly late! To continue where I left off: This pottery is made simply by shaping with the hands, no wheel is used. Most of it is a beautiful lustrous black, which is put on during the heating process. The “old chap” himself (i.e. Mr Copmann who kept the Gift shop, see p.1) led this tour – he must be nearing seventy (pardon!), drove the hundred odd miles there and back, & informed us of all matters of interest. He took us up to the cave dwellings, up fairly steep paths on foot. In a way he was like the late Mervyn G. Palmer, having wide knowledge of geology, archaeology + Indian affairs. On our way back we went through the Atomic City, Los Alamos, where the first atomic bomb was made which until a few years ago was entirely closed to the general public. All the property in the city is owned by the Government, nobody is (or was) allowed to live there unless they are employed by the government, with the exception of those operating necessary services I suppose such as shopkeepers. All the housing accommodation for the scientific workers is as I said owned by the government, and allotted according to scientific status. Thus senior scientists have the most posh homes &c: class distinction! On our return some of us had supper together & I sat up until a somewhat late hour chatting with a lass from New York. Mrs Copman’s wife looked for the shop – I omitted to mention that two nights previous to this his wife had gone on a trip with two English girls who were touring in an ancient car, she had invited me up to his home for a bachelor supper of corned beef hash and beer! Hence the evenings went and my letter didn’t get written.

Letter to parents

GRAND CANYON

Yesterday I descended into the Grand Canyon, which is 4,400 feet deep – just as deep in fact as Ben Nevis is high from sea level. The only way in is along a mountain path – fortunately barred, – i.e. too narrow & steep, to all cars. Mules do make the trip, but only about 3/4 of the way down at present, that costs £3., so I hiked down. The Colorado River is the colour of red mud, which is carried down in enormous amounts, thus slowly filling up the lake at the end of the river gorge, where there is a huge dam.

Letter to parents


It was most interesting to see the vegetation at Grand Canyon: actually in the Canyon the temperature is about 20° higher than on top, & the climate resembles that in the Mexican Desert. Prickly pear cacti & desert plants grew in abundance. Some more of our garden plants grew on top at the Canyon, Gaillardias, Penstemons & Yuccas & Agaves in it.

Letter to parents


Even when I got to Grand Canyon a dance was held in the evening, and I spent much of that dancing with a young lady from San Francisco, who was holidaying with her parents. Most of The Village of Grand Canyon is owned by the Santa Fe Railway Co. and Fred Harvey interests, that part of the combine that do the catering and hotels. Really they do it very well, because the Canyon is miles from anywhere, 50 miles from the main line at the small town of Williams. Accommodation is graded, a posh hotel, a lodge, and “auto cabins” – little huts for people with cars. These last least expensive – self stayed there. I think I’ve already written of the marvels of the Canyon.

Letter to parents

GRAND CANYON TRAIN

Seem to have found little opportunity to write lately, & am now trying to do so on the train between Grand Canyon & a place called Riverside California – the movement of the train is rather worsening my handwriting I’m afraid!

At present we’re passing through the Californian Desert – much drier & more barren than those in New Mexico & Arizona. Very warm too, the train is air conditioned, but if one stands near an open window at the end of a carriage it’s very hot indeed.


These trains are very comfortable: I had another sleeping berth last night. I am writing this in the lounge. One has to travel 1st class in order to have sleeping berths: my round trip ticket is 1st + costs only about 20% more than coach class.

I still have somewhat to say about my stay in Santa Fe, but conditions are not very conducive to a long letter here, so will put this off a bit longer. There’s been something (or someone) preventing me getting down to writing each night!

Train going much faster now, & writing almost impossible!

Bit more opportunity to write as train stops at a place called Barstow, about 2 hrs late – as I’ve found normal on The Santa Fe Railroad.

Most of the people on the train are middle-aged or elderly people enjoying a tour. Their leader has just come round & informed them sandwiches will shortly be served & they will be ready to start sightseeing as soon as they get into Los Angeles, around 3. pm. What a life!

They’ve already had a night and most of the day on the train. I shall be visiting the Plant Path Dept. at Riverside, part of the University of California.

Letter to Parents

RIVERSIDE CALIFORNIA

Arrived in Riverside as planned to-day, a bit late as the Santa Fe Railway has always been not less than two hours late on each occasion I’ve travelled on it. The journey was a bit warm in places, the air conditioning failed in the train lounge, when an American gentleman (an eye-specialist) invited me to have a glass of beer with him in the lounge the thermometer stood at 99°, and100° when we left! In Riverside the temperature during the day was above 90°. It’s a pleasant town, full of palm trees along the streets & in gardens.

I was met at the station by a Dr Erwin, whom I was to see at the Plant Pathology Department at the University of California here, & spent much of the afternoon with him: to-morrow I shall see various other microbiologists here & also give an informal seminar on cellulose decomposition – this will be the sixth I’ll have given in the U.S.A.


11th Sept
Well, to-day was spent at the University here, in discussing matters microbial. I gave the seminar this afternoon, which went off rather well. I thought. Again the temperature rose well above 90° but cools off at night. The evening sky is beautiful, sort of luminous like the hottest of hot days at home. The town does suffer a bit from “smog”, believed to be due to a combination of air currents or car fumes from Los Angeles, fifty miles away. Shall move on to Los Angeles to-morrow. Have now run out of large paper! As you can see, I am having a whale of a good vacation. And I must tell you, Mum & Dad, of what I often think, how much of this capacity for enjoyment of living comes from your love. How I’ve been taught how to behave myself, & to like people, & to have an interest in all sorts of things and experiences. And taught too the good sound solid doctrines of the Church of England, which guarantee all of life.

So will close on this rather thoughtful note dears,

Letter to parents

SAN FRANCISCO
Sunday 14th September


Many thanks for your letters which have followed me to Los Angeles. Have spent a short while here in San Francisco, a really beautiful city & much cooler than Southern California.


Postcard to parents

Your journeyings are improving our American geography – somehow that country always seemed to be left out of my school syllabus! Your talk of heat and sunshine makes me quite envious – we have had one of the most deplorable summers imaginable here. Rain and gloom nearly all the time. The “it’s all due to atom bombs” and the “weather is not what it used to be” sections of the community have gained quite a following!
Letter from David, 20th Sept

I haven’t written to you for two weeks because I was not certain where to write to, but I’m sending this one to Parkdale to wish you a very happy birthday on the 25th. I wonder if I have timed this to get to you on the 25th. What an energetic time you are having, and what a number of places you have been to. I’ve had to get the atlas out more than once and brush up my geography. I expect to see quite a lot of photographs when you come back.
Letter from Dad, 21st September

No letters available for tour beyond LA. Not known if written 8/3/18 – note at end of Henry’s list of Canada letters.