Diary of Alfred E. Potter July, 1934

01.  Sunday: Attended six oclock Mass this morning, took Ed out to the cottage and hustled back to work.  We are beginning a new Schedule of work today.  Eddie and Bernard are gone.  It will mean more work but it may also mean a better organization.  In the evening had a little visit at Bill Koeck’s with Ed Fretchel.  Ed Worked all day alone and was pretty dry.  Then on to the “Nightingale” near Kaukauna where Dan Russo and his band are playing.  Had a nice visit with Cork Weisheipl – Paul Wittenmeyer – Dan Russo –Mr. and Mrs. Heck Herbert, Spybrook and Jimmie Jackson.

02.  Monday: Our new schedule is work and Joe Baier is out from this noon on.  We don’t know just what to do and finally ends up going fishing with Hemmer out to Wiesner’s near Omro.  They catch 5 Bull Heads and that’s all.  I learned tonite from Ed Wolf that our forefathers polluted Lake Winnebago very much but he didn’t know how.

03.  Tuesday: Boy! are we busy today.  Seems like old times to be kept on the jump.  Took Ed Fretchel’s family to the cottage late tonite.

04.  Wednesday: Took a drive today and brought home a little boy and girl, Donald and Marianna by name. Had dinner at home and then out to the cottage. The Fretchels are having a good time at the cottage. They were very much surprised at the increase in our family as were also Joe and Anna Weisheipl and Bill and Emma Siewert who came out to visit us in the evening. We had quite an array of fireworks for the children and they got quite a kick out of that. Kept Leonard and Robert Fretchel overnight to stay with the children.

05.  Thursday: Its another warm day.

06.  Friday:

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09.  Monday: Karl Koelbl passed away this morning at his home 328 –10^th St..  Born April 9 – 1869 in Austria

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15.  Sunday: Sang 7³⁰ Mass.  Took Ed to the cottage in the afternoon we drove out too and took along boat ride, which everyone enjoyed thoroughly.

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18.  Wednesday: Marion is sick with the stomach trouble and Donald has an earache.  It’s a hot day.  Took Mrs. Fretchel Marion, Robert and also Anna Heip Marion, Matt and Joe Jr.  To the cottage.  When fishing for a while caught 15 Joe Jr. got 3 18 total.

19.  Thursday: Had an evening with Joe Heip and Anna at the cottage.  Joe is a busy these days, it is difficult to get him over for a visit.

20.  Friday: Joe Hemmer –Joe Baier John Koelbl are out to or cottage this afternoon and get 77 Fish.

21.  Saturday: A year ago I bought my Chrysler and drove it 14 000 miles during that time.  It is another hot day.  Took a drive to the cottage after 5, for the evening.

22.  Sunday: St Vincent's young men and young ladies have their annual outing at the Power Boat Club. F.W. Mueller and his family are also there for their outing. They enjoy the beer very much. We spend the afternoon and evening at the cottage. The Heips and the Fretchels are also there. I left my hat at Spring Brook Tavern and got a kidding about it.

23.  Monday: Had a card from Sister Veronica this morning.  She is spending the summer with her friend Sister Devota at Harbor Spring Mich.  Joe Heip’s vacation begins today.  Well I drove out to get my straw hat at the Spring Brook Tavern tonite.  It is a beautiful night and very warm.  Stayed at the lake until midnight.

24.  Tuesday: The Heips move out to our cottage for a few days.  Ferdinand Gauger, our grocer when I was a boy passed away this morning at his home 933 – 4th St..  Born in Germany January 14 – 1856.

25.  Wednesday: This is my afternoon and evening off.  We all took a swing at Cook J Brown’s Sand Pit.  The water was very warm and we all enjoyed it.  The kids had a great time.

26.  Thursday: This is another nice day. There is much unrest in European Countries. Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss of Austria was assassinated yesterday by Nazis who are trying to overthrow the Austrian Independent Government. Chancellor Dollfuss was left to die without medical aid and without calling of a priest until it was too late. The Weisheipls have a family gathering at our cottage tonite. Max - Fritz - John - Joe - Frank and John Paukner and Leo Girens family are all represented. It was a beautiful moonlight night.

27.  Friday: Got up late this morning and did some fishing. It is easy to get a mess these days. Jake Jungwirth an old classmate died today from an accident on board ship at Brooklyn, N.Y. Born in Oshkosh May 20, 1892. We called him “Bandei” for nickname.

28.  Saturday: A big strike is taking place at Kohler Village. Two are killed and 40 injured in a strike riot yesterday. The village is now under martial law. Two hundred special deputy marshals and 250 National Guards are stationed at the Kohler plant. State Senator Merritt White of Winneconne died this morning. He was 69 years of age.

29.  Sunday: attended six Oclock Mass this morning and then to work from 7³⁰ A.M. until 9³⁰ P.M.

30.  Monday: Took a drive to the cottage with the Fretchel’s tonite.

31.  Tuesday: This is the last day of the month and its a busy one for me.  Got thru with most of the book-keeping tonite.  Heip and Sam Taub go to Neenah on a little political mission.  Heip thinks Sam a pretty good scout.