Hill Country Living
It’s a Wagner Week! Let’s take a little mental vacation from the current world around us and hear from the Wagners and friends about the trials and tribulations of early electricity! This dude is super into fire. He loves it. I also have no idea why he wrote about going to Lancaster in all capital letters. I feel like the second half of this letter is filled with clues and euphemisms to which we’re not privy.
H. S. Meyers,
Dealer in Linseed Oil, Cotton Seed & Gluten Meals
York, Penn July 30, 1902
Dear Wag,
Here I am late as usual in writing to you. I got your letter some days ago and it seems that is the first chance I have to answer it. Last night there was all sorts of excitement here in town, as many as nine fires from five o’clock on. We had a little one in our house, and the next door neighbor had one that threatened for a while to be serious. The cause of all of them seemed to be crossed wires. In our house it burnt a hole that in our dining room chandelier, with considerable noise which scared the cook as well as the rest of the family. Next door crossed wires melted the gas pipe and the escaping gas exploded. Papa and Dave Rupp were sitting upstairs and they heard the noise. No one was in the house so they broke the rear cellar door off and gained entrance there. They couldn’t find a wrench to turn off the gas until the chemical wagon came. After the gas was off the fire was all over but if it had had a start of ten minutes it would have done bad work.
I had to write letters before I finished yours. I go to the mountains on Friday at nine o’clock and I expect to have a good time. Well I must tell you some news now…ON SATURDAY I WENT TO LANCASTER. Naturally, I had a good time. All is well and the goose hangs high. I haven’t heard from Miss Shaw for a long while and she owes me a letter.
I haven’t heard a thing from Floyd. I don’t see where he can be. I haven’t learned his address and so I didn’t write to him.
Mama says she will do all she can for you until you come up. I shall write you a letter about it but I hear of a big fireworks display to be held up in Harrisburg. If it does keep up until Sept it will be all otherwise it will be well for you to come up sooner as they say it will be a big thing. “The Fall of Pompeii” is to be shown. I saw it years ago and it would be well for you to see it.
I hope you are progressing well with the girls.
Mama just telephoned and said the Gross girls went down to Strickler’s farm this morning.
With love from all I must close,
Yours truly
D.R. Myers
