Gus DEMUS (b. 1892)
Residence: Potlatch
Occupation(s): Trimmer at mill; laborer
Family Origin: Emigrated from Greece to the Northwest in 1909, and settled in Potlatch in 1914
Interviews
Gus Demus Interview #1, 8/7/1975
- Topics:
- Working and living for Greeks in Potlatch; their social separation from Americans. Railroad labor in eastern Washington: boxcar living. Growing up in Dedemah. Departure of Greeks from Potlatch during depression. 8-7-75 2.5 hr 37p
- Duration:
- 2:12:43
- Interviewer:
- Sam Schrager
- Keywords:
- Great Depression Greek Americans Italian-Americans businesses churches death drinking families foremen friendship games immigrants languages logging camps railroads religion sawmills stores strikes workers world wars
- Locations:
- Potlatch Walla Walla Oregon
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Gus Demus Interview #2, 9/12/1975
- Topics:
- Laboring in the Northwest: language barrier, foreman-crew relations. Sending father back to Greece. Ten hour day at Potlatch. IWW radicalism. Getting ahead in America. 9-12-75 2 hr 33p
- Duration:
- 1:55:39
- Interviewer:
- Sam Schrager
- Keywords:
- Greek Americans IWW bootlegging families foremen gambling languages prostitutes railroads strikes unions winter workers world wars
- Locations:
- Potlatch Oregon Washington
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Gus Demus Interview #3, 10/24/1975
- Topics:
- Work as trimmer in mill: disagreements, foremen, sign language, accidents. Greek living arrangements and lack of security. Company profits. Prostitution. 10-24-75 2.5 hr 47p
- Duration:
- 4:38:02
- Interviewer:
- Sam Schrager
- Keywords:
- Greek Americans Japanese Americans accidents automobiles foremen illness immigrants languages marriage mills prostitutes railroads sawmills unskilled workers women world wars
- Locations:
- Potlatch Pullman Washington
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Gus Demus Interview #4, 9/24/1976
- Topics:
- Brother's paranoia. Surviving the depression. Slow advancement in sawmill. Greek bachelors. Visiting Greece after retirement. 9-24-76 1.4 hr 26p
- Duration:
- 1:23:08
- Interviewer:
- Sam Schrager
- Keywords:
- Great Depression Greek Americans families foremen illness sawmills unions
- Locations:
- Potlatch Lewiston Spokane
Download MP3 Original Transcript
Source
- Preferred Citation:
- "Gus DEMUS (b. 1892)", Latah County Oral History Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/lcoh/people/demus_gus.html
Rights
- Rights:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted. For more information, please contact University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives Department at libspec@uidaho.edu.