|
Correspondence
Pg. 1
2 3
Fall 2000
Again we are favored with a letter from the talented pen of JERRY TYLER. From
Everett he sends an excerpt from his old diary of times on the Seattle
waterfront and elsewhere during the "good old days." One Old Timer
remarked that the only thing good about the good old days is that they're gone.
"Cairo, Egypt: Something happens this morning that took me instantly
from Cairo to the waterfront in Seattle. I was having my morning cup of tea on
the corner near the entrance to the Hwu el Louk train station. A skinny little
street kid in a ragged galabia was joyously telling the passing throng about
some personal triumph. A burly Egyptian soldier came up behind him, benny,
grabbed the kid, tossed him into the air and gently put him down behind him.
When he grinned back over his shoulder the man was such a striking resemblance
to WALT BARTON that I started to hail him. But WALT, even if he wanted to, could
never had made it over here and joined the Egypt army since I last saw him in
the longshore union hall in Seattle.
CHET CRITNEY once told me a story about WALT BARTON. They were in a gang
loading logs in the hold when something fouled up and CHET'S leg got trapped
between two logs. The gang rushed in to help, digging an prying with peaveys.
Too much weight. Someone decided to use the ship's gear to move the logs. That
was when WALT BARTON took over. "You'll do no such a damned thing," he
said." Get me a topping maul, some two by four blocks and some batten
wedges."
Walt packed some authority. He was disarmingly gentle appearing but known as
the sort that if you push him too far you might wind up holding what was left of
your head. He got the gear he called for. He stood 2X4 pieces in the space
alongside CHET'S leg. Then he repeated the operation on the other side, doubling
up the wedges. Back to the other side, taking up the slack with another wedge.
"Weirdest thing," CHET recalls. "There I was, hurting to beat
hell, scared I was going to lose my leg, and one thing stands out clearly - the
way WALT slammed that topping maul precisely on the top of those wedges.
By the time WALT had tripled up up on the wedges there was room enough. One
of t he guys holding me up warned me to grit my teeth and they lifted me
straight up and my leg came free. All busted to hell, but I am positive I have
WALT BARTON to thank for the fact that I can walk on two feet today."
This was not an unusual story about the waterfront. But can you imagine how
small the world must be? I could sit in a rickety little open-air coffee joint
in Cairo, surrounded by throngs of Egyptians, and, "Beam me down to
Seattle, Mr. Spock!" Thanks, again, JERRY. You're our favorite
globetrotter. We hope you will find other interesting diary items to share with
us, or anything else on your mind.
Pg. 1
2 3
 Harry
Bridges
Chair in Labor
Studies
Michael Honey,
Professor
----------------------------------------------
Center for labor Studies
Director; Kristina Anderson
Undergraduate Assistant;
Room 101 Smith Hall, University of Washington
Office Hours: Tues. & Wed.
1 - 4 p.m. and by appointment.
Phone: 206.543.7946
|
