Hispanic Oral History Project Interviews

00:05 The following is an interview with EPI menu rosellas by Angela Luckey. The interview took place in Mr. Salas home to 51, Washington Avenue, Pocatello, Idaho, on May 23 1991, this interview is part of the Idaho Hispanic Oral History Project.

00:30 time but when your family

00:30 first came to this country,

00:35 first come to this country. There was in around 1918 or somewhere in April, sometime in April. My dad he had been here before, a year before. And then he went back and decided to come and live over here. Bring the family down this way. I don’t think there was a revolution down there at that time. I think he was all over with by that time, I think. But there were still rubbers around, you know. We, we traveled on done come in this way. We traveled down this way and by horseman, quarterback, my mother had a horse and tearing my brother, little brother, he was about eight, nine years, nine months old, maybe nine months. And I was with my dad and he’s with him on the horse. And there was another family with us, you know, friends of the family. Because my dad and him had been here before, you know, so they decided to go back and bring their family family down here. So I don’t know how far we traveled by horseback, you know? Because you know, from soccer tickets, such as Romain, where I was born as a long wish to come over here. There must have been a train when we some worse, I don’t know how far it was from where we lived. But I remember getting on a train how are you? me how old I was. I was about four four years and maybe seven when I was born October 28 1912 So I was about going on five anyway I remember seeing a little light on the train you know but then we come down to El Paso and there was still was a lady there she was. She rented home houses there. Were my dad rented one of the house and more one of her houses. We stayed there. I don’t know how long maybe temporary. There my dad is. And these other friends. The other family they got hired on a railroad track working for the extra again. And they allowed they allowed families on this extra gang I guess because they were sure to help at that time. So I don’t know how long he worked on the railroad and that extra gang there was two family families on each side of the boxcar living together. Well they lived in the box. Yeah. boxcars on the railroad on these extra again and there was the wider you know, two families on one side and two on the other side and you would share that one still on each side. This family on the other side I was still and we had a story here. Two of us which are the same stove to cook and then from there I think my dad decided to come to New Mexico because we had an uncle on my mother’s side living in Santa Santa Rita no makeup and that’s what we were shattered for down that way. And then before before we got over there we stopped in La Junta are on over anyway. Anyway, we stopped in wildly to thin beach. My dad was, you know, work on the way down in New Mexico, in New Mexico. So we started getting closer to where my uncle live. My, my dad, he got a job thinning beats on this wildly I think it was a town where we live and then from there after the things the other culture you know, summertime, we went to Santa lake and then from there my uncle had a big house. I mean he had upstairs in a dumpster. So we stayed on dumpster. And my dad worked there for I don’t know how long maybe a year, maybe two I don’t remember. And then my dad he decided to go closer to Colorado. So during that time, in the wintertime, there was a lot of sickness there. You know, a lot of a lot of people getting sick. And they quarantined the houses and couldn’t visit. Nobody nobody at that time. I don’t know it was as influential or something is contagious. They didn’t allow new people to visit when somebody was sick. But anyway, my dad, he worked there with my other uncle. I don’t know what kind of work they’ve done. But they had a job. And we stay there one winter, maybe two I don’t know. And then my dad decided to come closer down to Colorado, Colorado. So wished up Hawaii in Colorado. I don’t know if it was Lamar Lamar. I think that’s in la Mora was in Colorado, I’m not sure where we stopped there for the winter now he’s in REITs he was working in some kind of job he got a job there somewhere. And and we stay there one winter and I think it was Lamar. Colorado must have been Colorado was there. That’s what I was wondering it was maybe 19 or 2019 20 something like that. I don’t know. When they’re in March there was a colonias around the you know, a lot of Mexico people used to stay there in the wintertime. There be Colonia a lot of people on there and the one morning we got up he wasn’t snowing all the time you know when we got over there after we after the work was done we moved over there to the Colonia area Michoacan, Mexico people there and they had way from the colonial they had that big pigs and chickens raising chickens and pigs. The beat up dump was a little waste for her.

08:44 Does animals belong to the people of the Colonia?

08:47 Yeah, they brought their own they know they raised them you know they worked on the beat fields where they they had chickens and they they reason pigs we didn’t have nothing like that. So anyway, one morning we woke up and the house the house was wash. There was a large no there was no was way over the roof with a door wash was no we couldn’t open the door my dad I don’t know how you could maybe you pull the door open this inside. Will it open and never let us know people get out. It was way up by so we we had to shovel the way out. So we could go out

09:44 and we’re let us know. Florida wouldn’t mess with that wind rover go I went to school there for maybe two months. I don’t know

09:59 why What was that Monique?

10:02 Oh no I haven’t got to that yet no, we went I went school there maybe two or three months of school was that Oh, Colonia I don’t know the government or somebody sent teach teacher to help the people speak English but there was about eight or nine I guess. Maybe going into school yet no, no.

10:35 No moving around.

10:37 Yeah. Moving around. And then from there there was another family they wanted to go to Pueblo Colorado so my dad said well, that’s what I want to go and see I want to go down that way. So you see what it is like? So this man is relations over there and and we’ll find a place where you where you can stay there. So this family and my dad you know, we went over there to I don’t know we went by train I guess. Too clever. And there got there and I didn’t know how to speak English. In my name. There was there was a school that time there was a girl living neighbor girl that was going to school there. She was about 12 and she she spoke English. And my mother always call me by manual all the time manual manual book. I mean, I stay by that name manual. But my near real name is Edie be menu. I don’t know why they gave me that name for he was gonna call me manual. So when this girl took me to school, you notice they asked her what’s what’s his name? Manuel. So I’ve been mangled ever since I went school. Put me not kidding. Playing with clean dry pictures are nice. Yeah, nice. I was about nine years old and so must have been 1920 or 2021 maybe 21. And there’s a school was a mini quest school. And there was also a mini college they call it the Mini Cooper Lake. There was no not too far away. They call it the same medical Lake lake and the mini for school. So that’s what I went first year. Then my dad decided to move closer to town. Oh, we lived in the llogara all Mexico people there was no yeah, there’s a city. He that’s what they call it. llogara. And there was another another bliss. They call it a solo. Don’t put all Mexican people as Hello. And we lived on llogara All Mexico people there. My dad decided to move closer to town but everybody makes it around there. My dad Well, he’s got a job there and still works working there. I don’t know he still works. I don’t know he was working in wire wire mill. They call it a wire making wire or something I don’t know. So we stayed there and I went to the other school. When we moved closer. There was another school down that way. We went to this place Bessemer Bessemer school and the town was also called Bessemer mission. And the school was Bessemer school. So I went to school there about five or six years. I had troubles with a teacher because I couldn’t speak English trying to learn so I didn’t learn very much on besides the they were crowded, the school rooms were crowded. They have to put two classes in one room. And then even if you didn’t have good grades, you still going just to shove them up to another grade. Even if you didn’t even begin Even if you were not qualified to go to another room they’re still gonna put you in another grade higher and then I went school there but five or six years I guess

15:18 that was important

15:23 and there was a number of them in the italianos Diego’s mixture of MCs you know those people that are younger than us girls I don’t know what to call them. They had their own barrio apart we lived on one side of the value and this Bessemer school was right here and we lived over here and there was there was a lady was on this other side in the school or bedroom or school was here, but but their school was over here somewhere should we over here?

16:01 Yes separate school for the Mexican kids.

16:04 No, it was all people do. Only the Yeah, only though. They were they will. They had their own school but there were still Mexican people. And Mexicans do but their worry was more Italian or Spanish gives you llogara Yes. Hello. They have their own body or not us a louder legato I had a friend. He well we were in the same room in medical school. That was that was before we moved to Russia. And they used to have rooster fights you know put on Sunday. These two guys that undos roosters bison one day, my friend and I we were playing marbles I guess not too far away from them. And then there’s some shooting around there. Somebody was shooting somebody. And he was happened to be his dad. They shot him there. I don’t know. My friends that the other guy shot him. And that was the end. Boy that was bad. Anyway, we moved from there to Bessemer and then about a year after a year in schooling Bessemer you know we my dad decided to move this other way. There was a railroad here. And then this summer school was here and then we crossed the railroad overpass on the same street and we moved over here is Hello Italian the electrical what they call it a neighborhood module I had to go this way I had to go over the over Federal Railroad overpass on LEGO Street School and this guy’s Yeah, racism tone Tatiana savage just just standing around young kids you know going to school one time there was about four maybe six guys just visiting each other You’re talking and we’re not passing by their by them you know one of those guys grabbed me by the blue mark behind me and one of the little guys smarter than me just worked on me or was really pounding the heck out of me you know so next time I say boy I want to go around the other way I’m not going to hear no more so I didn’t there was another street over here I had to put his way and then we had a long way to school

19:11 so that was Yeah no I didn’t go to there no more no no there was a there in school there was a bigger kids you know they used to play ball what they call it

19:31 those big balls not not baseball but I guess that’s what it was softball they’re bigger around a little bit bigger. Yeah, Italian return and they used to go to school there someone and they were one guy that they call his name was they call him Tony Sirico. He was one of the main players there in school. One of the best But anyway, me we call years old maybe 1211 or 12. And then then one time he was in higher grade, he was ready to go to high school, I guess, because he was bigger. So this because he was bigger, you know, taller and he was ready to go to high school. But in the vacation time, they have him and some of the guys who happen to go down or we used to live on the other Well, I used to live with you mean we used to know what’s going through the store one day, and I heard a bar, a quart of milk, you know, a jar.

21:09 You took your own jars to the, to the Yeah.

21:11 And then then we get put one in, you know, empty, we used to take a recycle then empty jar, and then we’d pick one full, full jar of milk take home. So I had one of those jars on my arm. And there’s Tony Sirico I thought he was a nice guy, you know, I liked him, you know? They were going fishing by their and this. Then she asked me hey, you have a match. You gotta mention, you know, I don’t, I don’t smoke. I says, Well, why don’t you Well, I don’t smoke. And then before I know, he hit me in a hand evasion on the head or junglers might knock me down my sidewalk. And I used to think a lot of him, you know, kind of hurt my feelings, you know. Anyway, I never seen him after that. I never seen him for about three or four years laters I must have been about 11 or 12 that time but three years 1927 I think it was 1927 some of the chiller companies needed people to go work on fields on the farms team that beats in Tarpon. So, they needed help at certain places. So, they sent somebody from the sugar factory to town to advertise it. They would pay everything for transportation and everything and they could take anything they wanted and they pay for everything

23:07 it was so there was another family to one with us. We my dad signboards because he was now working to study that have those 9027

23:28 So they said this a week ago either student abrasca I don’t know where but to Nebraska or to Wyoming so my dad says Send me to send us to Wyoming so this other family or nurse we we were friends or my closest family was from the same town that my dad was born in southern

24:01 Europe born in the same city around their yoga place. And we were very good friends and they had two girls and two boys. They were bigger and slower as younger. And but the we will end on the same train to river river it’s only only there we worked on the beats. Oh, when we got there to return the farm that we weren’t going to work for. He didn’t have a house to for us to stage. So the company rendered us he was paying they were paying for the hotel or they say well you go stay here till the farmer gets a place for you. You don’t have to pay for anything. So So we stayed on that hotel I don’t know maybe two or three weeks we used to go to the restaurant and order whatever we want to eat and the company would pay for and I sure enjoyed it bacon and eggs I thought that was very good and I used to eat stuff and we were really eating good meals there then the farmer that was right there in town so we moved to this house and the beach we’re not ready to be thin you know we’re here we’re not ready but there was another friend of ours that federal health bar about three miles maybe maybe a little more he had too many beats and he couldn’t do him alone by himself so and they were getting too big so I was like to come and help me thing my beats and then whatever whatever time you put over there then I can come and repay you I’ll come and help you thing your your beats so I so my guess I can’t too far away from me but man Emanuel to Google if you

26:33 know, I had a bicycle you know I had a bicycle in well, because I used to go pick cherries and apples and I bought my own bicycle. So I took that with me so I used to go so that was a one on one help him finish his his beats I stayed about a week over there helping him and then when our beats were ready then he’d come over and help let’s do another school isn’t it so he helped for the same days that I was over there. We didn’t take long to finish

27:21 that we we’ve seen the beach and then I don’t know there was a celebration in summertime. I don’t know what it was

27:31 in town, Riverton they were selling hotdogs and you just have one thing you know they had a lot of those lot of people there you know we there was a friend of ours. Him and I went and I think my brother was with me too. We went to town to see the

28:04 the Fiesta get the young guy young in the city and we bought a hamburger I guess it was a hamburger out there and once that stands you know around we had a we had a hamburger and then we was walking away from their stand when were some shots. Some women do shut the one they’re sold as sandwiches shut him and he’s a boy right there and I don’t know what for I don’t know that problems before.

28:44 But these Indian fellow he had words anyway he shot the guy that was selling those hamburgers he was in jail after the show we finished the beats and stealing beats and then tapping came up and we taught them

29:15 we do a search starting to know when we finished up in those beats and then we decided to and he says well I don’t know we’re gonna move. I don’t want to stay here. And then there was another family who says well we are gonna Colognian Torrington, Wyoming now I remember Torrington, Wyoming. And there’s a lot of Hoonah Colonia, you go down there and you can stay there all winter, knowing your answer nothing. So, well he’s here maybe I have to buy a car. So we went he bought a car 19 I don’t know what year at large 23 or 24 Ford

30:05 How much did it cost?

30:06 I think we think he paid $100 Maybe something like that. How much did you make? The made is pretty good money I guess because we had nothing we had the money just

30:20 an acre or an hour I

30:21 don’t remember way back 2028 1927 I don’t know who was president then at that time anyway, we we must have done pretty good tapping beats because he says $100 Well, we’ll buy a car so we can travel. So he bought this for us. Like to up close. Now you know how to drive a car. He’s no, no, no, I didn’t know how to drive a car. You didn’t know. I didn’t know why No, no, we never you never own one. Anyway, but I know more or less because I had a brand new Well, we were refreshing. His mother was always had borders fed and they had a car for newer newer model neuron. And I used to go with him and I used to watch him I drove his car and what he had what he had to do the stuff get her started, get the crank it with hand by hand. And if you put too much spark on your lawyer gases that crank would jerk back and might break their hand. So you have to be careful when you have started like that. They didn’t have no battery

32:11 All right, the iron watch my friend. When I was in Florida, he used to throw his board and he always had to crank it. And he was careful not to put too much torque on it. So so he won’t kick back and break your wrist. So I learned from him but I never drove it you know I never do it. I just watch him do it. So I know more or less how to go by

32:45 I learned how to drive it. You know I drove it around you know getting prepared for the road who was going to tolerate them stay over there. And another family they wanted to think real clever with us. We was gonna go to the rent on the stay there for the winter. We went clear from rivers inlet to go clear over here clear to Thornton to stay and they were starting to snow. But we got there all right. You drove me. I was the only driver. What do the dishes you know and quills, whatever to cook with? And that’s because we didn’t have anything. No furniture. Oh, my bicycle had to be with me all the time. I wasn’t gonna leave that normal.

33:44 How did you pack that?

33:46 I just thought it was up over there over somewhere. But I wasn’t going to leave my bicycle. No worse. Anyway, we went Storrington and we look for a place to stay. It was full no place here. It was all filled up. And so we decided then this other family. They said well, I live in Salt Lake City before I went to pueblo. If you I think we better go down there. There might be more work down there. So we started coming to Salt Lake. And then I don’t know how many days it took us to get there. But I remember going down hill or someplace. I don’t know where it was. Oh, we passed Cheyenne. We had to go to orange and then we had to go here on to Cheyenne this way. And then to Utah don’t over which we weren’t because when we’re getting closer to Salt Lake. We were already in Utah I think there was a big lake or reservoir or some way down On we’re just going downhill but I had changed on that tire. We had changed on that tire. So I just looked down there. Oh boy. That’s good. We fall down there be nice. But it wasn’t bad. No no

35:16 no traffic. Was your other your friends with you?

35:20 Yeah, they were behind us. Oh, was the one leading the way? He had a car. Yeah, they had their own car. Yeah, they bought one two cars they bought it before we bought ours. We bought ours at the last one we figured we really needed something but they already had the record because they had bought one before you know that two big boys and the two two girls a they make pretty good on the links. So

35:51 anyway, we got so like no, we ran at one house there. The two families in the same house. And then my dad, he got acquainted with somebody from the railroad.

36:10 And doing a closer very close, very close to the holidays. There my dad and they decided this man he says where’s your soldiers where I live, there’s a good house. They’re pretty good size where you go, family’s gonna stay there were neighbors there who are now his wife was from South Africa. So they were at home. And she used to play the mandolin. This lady and my dad, my folks we used to resist after we moved to this other house where they live great neighbors close neighbors there. And she built a monstrous I got Dhaka city Chihuahua and I don’t know in the magazines, he was good. No holidays. And then the railroad ever having some kind of reunion, you know where all the workers to go have get together and get presents can take the kids over there. Then they invited me and my brother, my brother to go to this railroad roundhouse they called. So we went there, and they put peanuts and apples and oranges in a bag and gave it to us.

37:40 So we had that for Christmas. Then in January, and then this I forget what his name was his man that was working there in a railroad. He told my dad, if you join a union,

38:03 they will get you a job on the railroad where you have to join the union first. So then we now there he was working for a demo in real ground there. That was where we live. And there were the other people Union Pacific depot was ordered on the other way. But they were very close to anyway, he says you go to the depot, I think he said to the Union Pacific depot and join your union there in that. I think they only charge you about $2 for to be a member.

38:43 So we went over there that was in January, January. February, maybe by that time I was I was what 15 Maybe 15 Probably I was 1919 2728 jell o probably was about 15 going on 16. And so my dad was collecting union dues was he was Roadmaster you know he traveled around. So he was the one that got us a job we gave him $2 For me to those were my dad’s and we got a job and the other people got a job too.

39:51 They sound that way up. No, I say about what a waste from Salt Lake City. Nothing nothing over there nothing with brush brush No trees no nothing when you start in this place they call it Ajax. Ajax that’s the name of the section where we were there was another little another section St John closer by as another section farther away anyway when the Roadmaster told us we’re where we go work the foreman in this in this section was a Japanese he didn’t talk much to us when he sent me he says oh you’re not old enough to work well I said well Roadmaster sent me here so I guess Alright well I guess so. It’s a chance on you because I know I was about 15 seats going on 16 And and then he had a guy working for him I don’t know how many years 1011 years you know great big tall well built of course you get other people working there to not only but this guy he said well you go work with this. This number one man he’s he’s been working there a long time with him. So he’s you work with him and he’s your partner. I look at him okay. Mexico Mexico he was number one their section number one for anything so he probably thought that if I weren’t with him he could make me quit working you know because I was just a kid. Anyway, I really we were standing bar digging Taj out and 10 people are long bars you know templatized with it but I don’t know how many based my joints on my finger my hands they were very hurt because I used to jumping bars you know? But that didn’t bother me. I just kept at it and he and this guy. Boy Come on. We got to beat the other guys. You’re putting in more time more than they do. So we always did. Who else put it maybe one or two more than they did the other guys. But he was always in competition with Larry, he didn’t say nothing my joints on my hands they were wild right here tend to be large like that. Then dig them up. Put some new ones in there and then with it with a hammer with some intelligence and then one day he sent me to the reception was about maybe a mile or over maybe two miles to go to the good section and get him to go bring me some plugs. I don’t know what plugs was bring me some plugs. So spark plugs you know I was thinking about cars, spark plugs for the cars and I was wondering what does he want spark plugs for? So I went through the section over here and look for the spark plug in for cars you know those for the car. I went back and so there is no spark plugs over there. No no spark plugs, plugs for the ties as long sticks. Dice to tighten you know, put up for one of their sticks and then you and then you put a spike on it and say I’ll tighten up so I have to go back again. So they’re not very big bundle. plugs, big rolls. We don’t want my children to come in. Have no motor to go to walk down there. Miranda we worked there for I don’t know how many months

44:46 this is during the winter.

44:48 You’re still wintertime then then I got used to working with this guy. You know he lives through him and I got to be here Good friends, the guy that I work with this live driver I call him because he tried to make me quit. You know? The Japanese he said, I need another man here. Anybody here knows anybody in your family at work here. And then my dad said he I one of the he lives in Michigan. Okay, write to him, send him or tell him. I don’t know how he got there. I don’t know. They sent him a pass or what? But anyway, he did get a job there. Got my job. Boy, he worked there. He’s him and my aunt. And my mother were sisters. So that was oh, so it was your uncle. He was my uncle and my mother’s. Willem and my. My mother’s sister. Her sister Maria, this feller. So he was my uncle. But that way. Anyway, he got a job there. Because he had a nice, nice place to live. Number rowstore everybody there

46:17 but then started to get warm up. Some words in May, I guess I don’t know when

46:28 it’s starting to warm up. One time. Know this Japanesey he bought a new car, brand new car. And he had friends a young dweller, too. He used to go get his groceries, Aquila squared away from the session. Because he had to go to St. John another the other session and then turn off to talk about he bought a new car and then. And we used to go with him. You know, he invited me and my brother and my uncle. You want to go uptown? Come with me. So we used to go with him. And then one time we used to go to the movies. You know, he’s a you guys go to the movies. I’m gonna see my friends over here. I have friends here tonight. And while you go visit with them, you go to the movies. So my uncle and I and my brother was with me with us. We’re not gonna go to the movies. And then I’ll pick you up later. So one, one of these times that we didn’t go to the movies. We just saw this walk around. So we was walking around I don’t think my brother was with with us that time. He was just growing up yesterday. So when I was working, my uncle and I were walking downtown. And I seen one guy coming towards us, you know, he was alone. And he got closer and I thought, Gee, I think I know that guy. But he was you know, after three years, three or four years later, you know, I split away. I think I know. So I asked him Hey, don’t I know you? I think I know you I know. What’s your name in your name is donated. Yeah, that’s my name. Tony. Sorry. Oh, yeah. How do you know my name? Oh, yeah. I remember you. You live in Puebla? Yeah, I will say I’m live from our school. So he’s always gonna be friends with him. And then I told him well, you remember one time you asked me for a match and I didn’t have a match to give you so you could relate to cigarette is zero. I don’t know. I remember well, I do have something on my head. I don’t know where

49:22 I get

49:29 makes me feel kind of funny here. No. Because I hate him. You know, I hit him out or no one’s in the boy I hit him hard to and nothing. He landed on the sidewalk and now he’s gonna hit him again again. And then my uncle. He grabbed me from behind, pulling away from him. And I was going to work I was working on him boy. And then my uncle he grabbed me grabbed me from behind. Hey Don’t don’t know why you’re doing it what’s the matter with you know, Ohio score two settled with this guy. And when they got up but he took off, he didn’t stay there and then we went back after I several the most cool guy we’ve worked around, you know, I was gonna really work him over more but my uncle held me back. And he was bigger because when he hit me when I was about 11 or 12 years old anyway we went back home and then in May there were looking for a bit thinner. And then my dad says, I think I’ll go to Idaho. Who are they needed to help in Idaho to work on the beach? So this and this run consistent. And then the Japanese he he knew this guy so he’s Oh, I know who I know that man that’s looking for help. So he told him about us wanting to go work on a beach by ankle stayed there. And my dad, we we got they send us over here to Shelly Shelley Idaho that Shelley Idaho and then the the bid bid the filament he took us around looking for the place for us to work that first year. It was 1929 I guess? It was 28. We spent it in Ajax in the wintertime, or 29. I don’t know. So we went to Shelley. I own like sugar factory. That’s where that sugar factory. There was houses there. And this field and then he took us around and Sickler looking for a place worse. So we went down towards first I got the first and we drove her Snake River took us to one farmer who needed help or he had about 20 acres I think. And he he’s, well I got some big dinners here. You got a place for that stage? And he says, Oh no, well, no, I have a chicken coop here. They can clean it up and sleep there. My dad said no, thank you. You can have your beats. So we told that filmer not not gonna sleep in our chicken coop. Yeah, that’s what it was Chicken Boy. So is there nope, no, we don’t want we’re gonna we’re not gonna work here. So he took us around and then he sent us to Shelly, we went back to Shelly and then there was a farmer there. Between Charlie and arrow falls, there was a beaten dump right there. And farmer Lord right here, right next to the railroad tracks, not farmer here but 20 acre. So we moved there you had a nice place for us. So within beats there and then and he had the biggest beats you know, if you had 14 down to an acre, you had a good crop of beats 14 1216 ton to an acre, you had a good crop. And he were he had 24 down to an acre Wade Davis. And the well he was the only one those who he made money and you know, we had certain wages we were supposed to get for tapping beach so many so much.

54:31 We had our friend and Shelly staying and Shelly he was working there at the minute of the setup take us

54:41 and when we finished up in those beats, you know, he went to the factory to get the money for us. You know, the only we were just supposed to get so much autonomy, but he didn’t know much. So which is well bigger, so much and He was paying gonna pay us more than what the company was paying for the meetup so then he happened to meet this friend of ours up there and factory Sugar Factory and they start talking how much they were staying you know? And then this good friend of ours by Shannon was in my head is oh no no no no no You think too much you paid too much you only get so much Oh boy.

55:33 So there we lost about $100 right there good friend of ours but he was paying us more than the company was paying so much an anchor but he never bothered to ask you he’s just paid so much

55:52 so we beach anyway we went the next year we know next summer we went to work for another another another farmer you had a big farm he had three he had three hired and help work year round three men working all year because he had a lot of work there still no these ones over here tours further down the side away I don’t know what what are the name of that town over there Shelley or upper pressure Goshen What was it wapella What are we live Ziggler okay, we’re Larson’s Dilip Hill look by miles from first Oh before oh yeah I tell ya but can we

56:55 let’s see what was an eye for that something when we before we went to work for this sir I got that for right oh falls you know we

57:09 we there was a boy before we who we went to this first first you know after the guy from that was a chicken coop you know he’s we were looking for for a place to work then then he says well you can need to there but the first you know little town very close by there there was a some farms around there you know that beats around there because you can stay here and these they had a there’s a rancher that had a little house who has a lot of trees around their utilities you can stay here and then go wherever no matter where you go you can go with King beasts wherever you want to go within reach so so we did we that’s what we did have that first year before we went to Idaho Falls and right there within the week we met my clone brother a horrible sister. They were the groin is still growing them. They used to go fishing. We live right by the canal there and leave to go fishing right there. There was a small cheese Petri somebody’s making cheese or I don’t know. They took that away later on. But that’s what they used to make cheese or

58:44 Francis’s husband

58:49 Joseph Yeah. Well, that’s a Frankie’s brother. Brings us anyway there they were still young. And they used to go fishing no are there and then I don’t know how come we met doing and go server sweater and

59:10 what was the their father she needs to Chanita they call him Janet. And they they were working there in the section he was working on they’re right in town right in first section there. And we used to visit the you know, we got acquainted somehow we got acquainted with him. We used to visit with him and and then in the summertime we shiver they used to make kimchi lagers and tamales. You know fried chicken and you know that works. And so we were invited. And then there was some people from Pocatello used to go play you know, you know to join today like to go and shake his hand have an enchilada, some tomatoes, whatever. And anyway, the mango, the mango, yes. And what was Ernest Marietta used to play guitar? I think Miranda, I think that was his name I forget anyway, he used to play the guitar too. As earnest Justin’s father, roses, there was more reata. Anyway, Ernestine is married to donate to her daughter. She was about 13 Then around there. And they used to go over there and from here from Pocatello, and there was another girl, I forget what her name was. And so we got acquainted there. And they used to come here to Pocatello visit over here

1:01:16 is that when you started playing the guitar?

1:01:18 No, I didn’t know I didn’t have no no, no instrument, I wish I would have the desire to play violin. But you know, I didn’t know nothing about guitar. Because in Mexico, when my dad went back from here from this country, before coming this way, there was a friend now he is passing by the house or stopped by there, you know, just to visit. And he had a violin with him over his shoulder about and then my dad, he had a harmonica that he had taken from here to Mexico. So they both got together playing him. The wild man playing the violin and my dad the harmonica. So I liked the oil and I said, Gee, someday I’ll learn how to play that. But I never ever seen his dad knows, maybe four or five years are not normal now, a little over four years and I started making sticks with a another stick with a string on it tries to play like the oil in this I kept that up for a long time trying to figure it out. But I never owned a violin or nothing. So I grew up without a violin anyway with a desire after you know.

1:02:32 So those guys would get together and play why at when you got together to eat.

1:02:37 I got I started playing. I bought a violin here not all falls when when I seen Domingo playing the violin here. He used to play mandolin and a banjo too. Then I bought me a violin here not all Folsom and there was a achiever that I got acquainted with. In the wintertime. He used to play the guitar. And then I started learning how to play the violin too. So then the farmers I asked I mean, you know, the farmers in the wintertime the the like to make parties, you know, and they knew him you know, because he was cheaper. They were very well known. Anyway, he worked for the LS Cox and they were they used to have honey they used to have honey and sell it. And they also had sheep sheep and he was working for them. And they always make partition. So I met other people that play the violin too. And I started picking it up little by little very soon so we’re gonna play violin and all by yourself. Yeah. Yeah, I didn’t know we moved to this other place. Large where wish I worked for him for maybe living here

1:04:21 Well, anyway,

1:04:22 we’re working for

1:04:24 Larsen. Yeah, we, after the Fieldman. They took me to this new look for a place that he thought would be just right for us. So that was the author Berkeley Larson’s. He had a he got a large farm I had over 200 More 200 acres there something like two 300 He used to raise beats and spectators and hay and straw you know, I mean up tweet that stuff he had a job there all time so that was in the 30s 1930 I think it was when we moved over there somewhere around there so then I think she need to get laid off from the railroad from the railroad he got laid off and then they got down close close down they gotta place a house where they could go work thing beasts wherever they want to go. And we used to visit them after all, we knew them so

1:05:51 and

1:05:57 at large sums were there for oh, let’s see before 1929 You know, I used to hear about a family named Domingo. He used to there was 2829 I think it was 1920 29 or something. 28 I think when we lived in close to our old walls, the first year we worked on the second year, I think it was worked on that farm was a big beats, you know. There was a friend of ours, he used to go to Driggs. A lot of people used to go to Driggs pick PISA over there. And this friend of ours, he says he used to visit with my dad you know us over there said hey, I know hey, there’s a nice little girl or she’s about 13 years old, real national enduro made a lot of users I’ll take you down there who can meet her it was in 1930 I think 1932 around there 1930 But they’d never come but there’s only one thing though he’s there’s two brothers that sure like to fight and as well as Alright tell him meet him so but never got to meet my feet my wife here she was about 13 I think that time but he’s you got to watch that because he she has two brothers and boy they sure like to fight but he was going to take me you know, get acquainted with her a nice looking girl yes right for you but they never come so I never I never met her Carol 1934 or 35 because they used to live in there they had moved to Ryrie and they worked over there and Ryrie where is this where they used to work Ryrie 1930 And then they moved down towards Shelly 19 Maybe 33 I guess or they moved back to over here to Philly or I were corps they lived over further away from our side United norm you know I didn’t know that Louisville were popular there they used to box a lot I agree that’s totally done on there they were well known over there boxes yeah box you know the promoted down there small town promoters they want to make something for the people to go watch their favor guys that look to fight and then the two boys your brothers they used to box order they liked that more. And then they moved to Shelly one not to Shelly lock to the farm farm and then spud night you know before they used to have a celebration there in Chile. And they they had a they also had besides other programs that they had a wheel followed by Farish with yarn they had a you know something like a carnival like that. They had that and then they had they also had a platform Are they built? So they had boxing there in the evening? That was around seven o’clock they had boxing there and the boys shirt brothers so that’s how come I used to see him but I never got acquainted with him I you know, I’m you know, I never know there’s never used them but I know who they were. And I seen my wife do she was with her cousins who were there one night before nosh sit down

1:10:36 the slippery rock without my shoes and my socks. I want to see that meat please

1:10:45 okay

1:10:50 I seen her I seen her that year and I think maybe 30 for

1:11:03 her brothers that were there boxing and she was was a summer because of you know,

1:11:11 girls summer girls as they were cousins you know they were walking down the street and I seen her walking around. I didn’t pay attention to her I didn’t know what she was I didn’t know what she was either. So there was another girl that I had before we hold her know nothing about your life doesn’t mind and I never met her you know. And then like they used to go to California every winter after the work was done they used to go to California they went 1935 They decided to come to Pocatello earlier than usual and they moved right next door to where I live where we lived on the second sugar factory because we didn’t stand up or neither and when your time we moved to the sugar factory they had houses and there was about three or four houses there liner right and one no hearing Shelly then they come to Shelly from California wherever I don’t know where they were before 1935 They moved right next door but the next house where we live but right now I might my fortunately have done two rooms in this house and I named my brother and I used that they had these other two rooms and they moved initially following hours needed to see that so I used to pretend like I was writing a note there you know I had the light on the nighttime I pretended like our shoes readings something and I know she was looking at me but let her know

1:13:30 anyway, I didn’t I didn’t get a window of her right away. But boys they are the one they liked the box. Come on I want you to help me Spohrer with a boxing gloves because I’m going to have light coming indoors I have a bike coming up in a Ryrie and I like to have you helped me spar with a boxing gloves. And I said oh sure I will. And then I got acquainted with him and that’s how come I got acquainted with her. And her older brother too. And oh yeah, he’s are though her sister she was after me and

1:14:26 she’s listening but I never I never you know I respect that the family

1:14:42 Sure, I helped in teaching Peter one was going to fight in Rotary.

1:14:50 July I helped him spar around with him. And him and I got to be real good buddies.

1:15:00 So the family here only got nine other fights her dad and your brother John went to dinner. Yeah. And Pete then they picked up our friend of their family or their you know Ellery her father and the seller they picked him up so because he liked to watch the bush fight so he they picked him up and we went to Ryrie there when he was young away they were away away in hanaway new downstairs in the basement had the doctor there checking your blood pressure pressure see yours alright and then away um See what they we know that so they got him there and then they they asked him do you think your boy your friend here good one nine bucks you know that we’re not no we’re not going to be on that card you know? He says oh, I think he will you know I didn’t even think about it. I didn’t know what was going on over there nature and then he says hey, would you like to box check somebody else later he says why yeah shoe bit Oh last year they told me the guy was gonna fight he just kind of broke down the road junglers in Blackwood or somewhere and he you wouldn’t be able to make make up for that fight so he called up over there. So that’s dumb. They got me to fight that night. So they checked my blood and everything what I weigh 135 pounds

1:16:59 was you they’re good and go watch the fights Okay, anyway the they got me I was one of the first ones to fight in the rain

1:17:22 and when I was on my corner, sitting down

1:17:32 I was sitting down you know, ready to fight the other guy. The other guy was in the other corner and I was on the other corner. Some drunk guy got up on the platform and and he yelled out loud you know, not the Mexican Riviera. You’re sending that to where he come from. Mexico Grizzard he called me I just listen to him and then the referee he went over closer to him Moines yesterday nothing platform way down the floor boy that everything was quite after that he didn’t say no more anyway he will so I didn’t have no boxing shoes on no I was in heaven no choice that we’re going to fit me right now Chiseler a little bit larger. So I’m not going to fight it myself. But anyway I don’t pretty good anyway. I had to the the church that I was wearing also had a little too big I had to pin him down with something to hold him up after the fight I think I got $10 for the fight you know they paid us off and and you know and I beat me but you know just decision but I wasn’t expecting to play God because I will not I will not I’m not used to worship people a lot of women around the ringing on people they’re always going for their favorite fighter until I was kind of a little chain be there with George shortly anyway she beat me but no he’s just a dizzy and limp Rosa think he he’d be the other guy my brother but when he came to fight you know when Eastern came to fight Oh P t the the popular Yeah, he was like that. They were puppy are there. So anyway, he done pretty good

1:19:54 for most of the batches Mexican guys.

1:19:57 No single ranchera to search our channels we like to fight some of those farmers some guys from the city to they like to fight you know, gloves. Oh yeah, we have to get those Yeah. We put tape around your around your knuckles and we got paid I got my share what they gave me and then I went to the store and bought her a box of chocolates

1:20:40 anyway, I gave her a box of chocolates because I was just getting acquainted with her. I wanted to get to know her better so better a box of chocolates. Give it to her during her dead

1:20:59 a wish for her anyway. Then later on, oh, I don’t know how you better her to go to the movies. And her brother and her other brother went along he tagged along to watch her.

1:21:21 She had to tag along so anyway, we were watching her and they were separate from him. He was separated himself. And we were together watching a movie. That was really nice, really nice movie there. Anyway, we start falling in love with each other here. put my arm around her. And then well we went home no that night they I told her Hey, I think I think you and I belong to each other. And she’s Yeah. And of course her brothers she they had told me before all those we should like to have you to be a member of the family was a they had already. Yeah. And I said Well that sounds good. So then I asked her Hey, why don’t we just get married? Have we written up movies? So next day we got married just like that just one day and we got married next day

1:22:33 now either Yeah, next day we got married after the movie after we got married and like you didn’t Did you get married in church? No, no no this this

1:22:57 movie came right to hell just right for us to propose. right for me was it I know her from before but I never got a window you know what movie was it? What?

1:23:11 What movie? Well, it

1:23:13 was nice nice movie. Really nice. I don’t think I wouldn’t watch it too good because I was hurting my arm around Korea I was paying more attention to her than the movie I guess.

1:23:27 So you just went like to the judge or some justice to the

1:23:31 next day we went to Idaho Falls and got married with a judge and that was it. And I’m still married we’re still married

1:23:45 years now 5556 56

1:23:47 years Gee the movie must have been a good movie All right, because we’re still together then after I wish they’re going to California where I used to bucks after that I got acquainted with more promoters around small town promoters the boxing matches and they are always looking for somebody that wants to vote they don’t want to always want the same guys boxing with each other they want something differently. And I started going around like that What do they pay for paper so and I liked it so we have to fill the pornea

1:24:38 did Mary did Mary go

1:24:42 Yeah, we got the point. Yeah. Oh yeah. We had Johnny Pesci, Nellis Yeah, that was before we started going over there with your dad and mom. Yeah, with my dad. And so they started going like Are they? They had a nuclear tumor. And they started going to California to after. So to get away from the cold weather here and then come back in the summertime. What do you think? Oh, you have two different places in Oceanside or Oceana can be used to restore Santa Maria the weather loop isn’t going around down the coast.

1:25:31 And they used to have my shirt on you know, bouncing around small town. And what she was expecting Rita it was 1942 wasn’t 1942 or more folks moving to Nashville in Oregon, they bought a place over there. They bought a home over there. They had a home and

1:26:09 and then I told her well, she was expecting Rita. So I say let you go stay with your folks. And I’ll go to California and see if I can find a job. That’s That’s what I was looking for. A job a steady job. That was my intention. So I’ll get a steady job. So I sent her over there and then I took off to California. But I picked lemons to over there. I work one week picking lemons and not ever get paid for it. Thursday we’re on a strike. But I still you know I still worked anyway, after that after that strike. I still have big lemons and then they had boxing there too. So I started boxing around February well I’m not really a riverside well I wouldn’t know in Riverside. I was in another little town with residents for over a year anyway. I used to go with other guys used to go but I got I got acquainted around there and I used to get I used to pretty good there for a while and then my brother in law he had he was in

1:27:39 oh just really fortunate this or San Diego. You were working over there with a Japanese fan he this Japanese had 20 over 2025 men working year round all the all year round. And he was working for him. Then he’s and then he then he said hey you if you want a steady job, I had one for you if you want it. So I say Oh you bet I do. So then I went over there Oceanside. And I got my render a little cleaner. No trailer house. I was a little smaller. Know I was there by myself all the time. The owner had a house. I mean the store right next to it. I rent it from her right by there, but I had a job there anyway. One time. Yeah, I worked there and I got a job right away. steady job. And then one time, my brother in law was going I was going to work that on his car. Because we used to go to work together on his Korea, overthrew the Japanese farmer, but five miles from the from town. And then we were going to work in the morning, driving down their way. There was a patrol car coming these other way. And then he recognized that we were Mexican. So they stopped. They stopped us. And then they start asking us questions. You know, they first they asked me first, you know, and I told him Yeah. Because he asked me where I was born here. Where was I born? I say I was born in Mexico. I said I was born in Mexico. But I was raised here. And then I told him where I lived, you know, Pueblo, Colorado and Santa Rita New Mexico and and then Wyoming river down and Salt Lake and I mentioned all those places where I worked at Jackson St. John, because I worked at St. John two after my ankle mobility. After Ajax. He moved to St. John and then he, he, he got a job for us to go work in St. John, before talking before jelly. So we were in St. John. And I told him where I worked. And there’s no okay then. Okay, so they turned me loose. Okay. Okay. Then there’s third question in him. And he told him I was born here. They didn’t believe him. They took him took him. They took him to the house. Whoa, he was mad. They took him to the house to prove it that he was born here. When he got when they brought him back to the car, boy, he was mad. These are social. And then how come they didn’t send you back? How come they didn’t send you to the house? Oh, well, I tell the truth. No, but he was telling the truth, even though he was born here. Walsenburg. Colorado. But I told him our show are born in Mexico. I went scuba and cold webelo Colorado. I don’t remember. So anyway, we’re here with this 1942. Then that then that time, there was a war going on here. overseas with a Japanese, Japanese who I think it was when when they hit Pearl Harbor. And then they started at that time, you know, they started taking all the Japanese away from the coast. They took everything away from them. And this farmer was where we worked.

Yeah, he had 25 Min 22 over 20 Min. Working on year around blending seed, vegetables, cabbage, and whatever, you know. He had a big farm. Anyway, they took the former away from him and they sent him to concentration camps. And then, that was the end of that journey, steady job that I thought I had. So I went back to Oh, and then at that time, I think she was expecting Rita the Japanese were still there, but they were to take them away. Then I was going to buy a car from one of the Japanese nicey nice board. I was going to buy it from him for $100. And he was worth more. But something happened that he could sell it. I don’t know why they took it away. So I didn’t buy it. So So I went back to NASA where she was then No, no, no, no her folks had that we’re still working that. And then before that time they called me told me that she was really sick. And when she was having Rita and she didn’t know what was wrong with her. She was still working there to get punished. And so they sent me a telegram you know, so I quit working because I know you’re staying there they were gonna take all the Japanese away from there. So I went to NASA and the writer in LA was they had a little town because you took you to town there they selling everything they’re cheap just giving it away but so anyway, I went to Nashville and then from there. Rita was born and then I can beat that over there. You know, they said be sooner or they’re unaware. So I think we saw there and then I went back to the far north, largest as in 1942. Now we’re working there were the large ones. Summer theme beach there that beach there and then