World War I Collection

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you know is interested in the rice movement. They have 2,053 acres in rice and 1400 acres in wheat and 500 acres in barley. Some ranch.

I expect to make good money "arou"[crossed out] anywhere from $2.50 to $4.00 per day, to start including board, etc. He said I ought to be making over $5.00 before long.

Gosh Boo & I'll get hitched someday yet. By the way Boo asked me to send

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her love and to congratulate you. They have two big ranches 1 at Willows and the other at Nelson. Boo & I want to live at Nelson, "Hah, Ha!" [underlined]

I am working for father on a bookkeeping job. About 4 days work.

I registered this morning and was the first one; I was up there at 6.45 A.M.

Well Sned hoping all is well & with love

As ever

Your loving brother

Jocelyn Bates[scribbled out]

3 letters from Dick, dear boy.

H. J. Bates c/o Western Rice Nelson, Cal. June 14, 1918.

Dear Edward:

I am now at Nelson, California on Mr. Linderman's land in which 1200 acres are in wheat, 700 in rice & 300 in barley.

I arrived here today from his other land at Willows where he has about 2200 acres in rice. It is certainly interesting work & which I hope I shall like very much. However one can't enjoy work when the heat is so terrific as it has been. Tuesday it was 114°C at Willows, Wednesday 95°C. with a thunder & fork lightning storm, Thursday 87°C with seven fires, forest and grain, whereas at Nelson today it was about 85°C.. Although much cooler than Tuesday it is again working up to a hot spell. Their [there] are quite a few mosquitoes & flys but most of them I think harmless.

The wheat is wonderful, the best I have seen around here. It ought to

place called Nelson – c/o Western Rice growers[crossed out] Association – 15 miles from Oroville. Pretty but [underlined] – very [underlined] hot & well water, always cool & clean J says – I'm afraid of well water myself but of course it may [underlined] be all right – mosquitoes bad – malaria all around there you know.

I wish Jocelyn could go down to see you & Father wants to too – He does not know how he can [underlined] but he will try – as we all want [underlined] to very badly. I hope [underlined] you won't be going overseas [underlined] soon dear – not as soon as you think but I only hope [underlined] it – I know nothing at all –

I wonder what will happen to Les if he has to drop the flying? It seems hard if he has to be drafted on top of all this – If he could drop out

July 24, 1918.

Nelson, Butte Co., Cal.

P.S. Martha asked me when I wrote to say goodbye to you and to give you her best love, as did Mr. & Mrs. Linderman.

Dear Edward:

After staying around home the other day, I went down to Brookdale for Mr. Linderman as he went to Cuba, I came back and left for Nelson which place I arrived last night.

You remember me complaining of a bum cold and teeth aches, well I visited Dr. Eaves to find out if the after effects were causing the teeth to ache. He said impossible, so I went to Dr. James, who said my teeth were alright, so I left.

When I got there last night my front tooth ached terribly in fact I couldn't sleep last night and this morning Jewell made me go to Chico where I interviewed dentists. They all said it was an ulcerated tooth and an abscess was forming. So they drilled into the tooth and right into the nerve which was dead. They claim the dead nerve was forming gas and that I would

P.S. I do hope you and Dick will meet. I long to see dear old Dick myself. If I had money I would go East as soon as Les leaves (I think) to see you both. I fear Dick going into the War zone too – He will if he can.

Jocelyns draft question is the only thing that would deter me – if I could afford to go – You remember that tooth ache Jocelyn had – it ended in ulceration of his front [underlined] tooth – which was opened by a dentist up at Nelson or Chico – & the nerve found dead – I am concerned about it – I fear the dentist not knowing what he is doing – Can't see what would cause a good front tooth to do that in a person so young as Jocelyn? Its a shame – I only hope the dentist