Diary of Alfred E. Potter March, 1933

01.  Wednesday: Ash Wednesday.  F. W. Mueller left for North somewhere this morning.  He is going to take a few days vacation.  He says he can’t sleep nights.

02.  Thursday: Senator Thomas J Walsh of Montana died on the train to Washington early this morning. He was born in Two Rivers Wisc. June 12-1859. At the age of 15, he won the lamp lighting contract for Two Rivers at 80 dollars per year. He was to be our next attorney general. He was married last Saturday at Havana Cuba to Mrs. Mina Berez.  Mayor Cermak seems to be on the road to recovery. Another pint of blood was transfused to him today and he is getting stronger.

03.  Friday: Another surprise in store for us this morning and all the banks in the state are on a holiday by order of the Lieutenant Governor Tom O’Malley and sanctioned by Governor Schmedeman. It may last for two weeks, but I hope it will not.  Business will suffer terribly if it does.  Took Joe Hemmer to the Scout Shack this afternoon.  1535 lives are lost on the island of Honshu in an earthquake followed by a tidal wave and fires.  4000 houses were demolished, 2000 homes being washed away.

04.  Saturday: Franklin Delano Roosevelt is inaugurated the 31^st president of the U.S.A.  He has many problems to solve, the unemployed, 36 states have declared bank holidays but I think he will measure up to his job.  It is an unusual day before inauguration, a very nice day and all events are very colorful.  Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt are very happy, and the country is happy with them.  This is Rose Drexler’s birthday, she is ____.  Mr. Mueller is back from a trip up north.

05.  Sunday: Attended 7:30 Mass, the mixed choir sings.  Work the rest of the day.  In the evening spent part time with Joe Jungen, he feels badly and thinks he will be “bumped off soon” as he puts it.  Joe and Anna Heip are over the latter part of the evening.  Mrs. Mary Kellerman wife of Aloys Kellerman (Louis) died at Mercy Hospital this morning at 2:30.  Born in Oshkosh Aug when 10-1875.

06.  Monday: All banks in the United States are on a holiday by order President Roosevelt.  He will issue another proclamation the latter part of the week.  Anton J. Cermak, Mayor of Chicago died this morning at Miami Florida from wounds inflicted by an assassin Giuseppe Zangara on February 15^th.

07.  Tuesday: Frances Lamb is over this morning to work on our income tax.  Dr. Neil Andrews died this afternoon at his home 209 Lake Drive.  (“3 years” written in upper right hand corner)

08.  Wednesday: Attended Mrs. Aloys Kellerman’s funeral this morning.

09.  Thursday: Joseph M Jungen passed away, at his home 631 14^th Street this morning at 4:20.  Born in La Crosse Feb 12-1877.  Survived by Mrs. and daughter Marie and five sons Joseph, Leo, Karl, Paul and Donald. (“A?” in upper right hand corner)

10.  Friday: Mayor Anton Cermak his laid to rest today.  It is a great gathering at the Chicago Stadium, mourners from all over the country are here.

11.  Saturday: Attended Joe Jungen funeral this morning.  There were many relatives here from out of the city.  Long Beach California is visited by an earthquake so are surrounding towns.  Damage is estimated at about 50,000,000 and deaths at about 125.  Los Angeles suffered also but not so severely.

12.  Sunday: Communion at Saint Vincent’s this morning.  Sang with male choir at 7:30.  Then to work the rest of the morning.  After dinner a ride with Joe Heip and Anna to Herman Holtz at Winneconne.  Sheriff Abre is there and promises some county business to me.  Attended Holy Name Rally in the evening at Saint Vincent’s Hall.  Professor Hewitt spoke to us and his stories were well received.  He spoke on Wit and Humor.  Also played 25 hands of sheephead, I won a box of cigars and 20 cents.  The ladies visit with Mrs. Mauritz Joe and I also visited John Spannbauer and learn about the “Roth for Sheriff” campaign.

13.  Monday: Busy putting the finishing touches on our income tax reports.  Anna Drexler’s birthday today, she is 49 and feeling fair.  President Roosevelt urges Congress to legalize beer at once.  Two of our boys Bernard Peterson and Ed Plashko get a week’s layoff beginning today.

14.  Tuesday: Primary Election.  Oshkosh chooses candidates for mayor and aldermen.  James Skole and George Oaks are the candidates for mayor.  Ben Berg died this afternoon 4:30.  Born August 27 -1869.  His wife passed away February 7^th this year, just five weeks ago.

15.  Wednesday: The Banks of Oshkosh open today for business, they have been on a holiday for 12 days.  We’re all glad to see them open again, business surely was poor while they were closed.  A March tornado hit the Kentucky Tennessee boarder last night, 30 are known to be dead and over 200 injured. Nashville was very hard hit.

16.  Thursday: Parke Davis Representatives Buhler, Baker, and Cliff Spaulding Chicago Manager are all in town today.

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19.  Sunday: Wake up to find a blizzard raging.  Not many cars out either.  It is not very cold tho.  Attended 9 O’clock Service.

20.  Monday: Ann Baier and Aloys Metzen get their weeks vacation beginning today.  More Blizzard.  Over a foot of snow has fallen and traffic is tied up.  Giuseppe Zangara, who shot Mayor Cermak of Chicago in an attempt to assassinate President Roosevelt was electrocuted at 9.15 this morning.

21.  Tuesday: City crews are busy working out of the big storm.  Streets are being cleaned and the highways cleared.  Visited Pollock Joe this evening, Baier, Hemmer and myself.  Hemmer and Pollock are lucky, Baier not.

22.  Wednesday: Margaret Drexler’s birthday today, she is 25.  John Drexler’s birthday also he is   .  The president must have signed the bill legalizing 3.2% Beer.  The whistles are blowing and people are in a happy mood.  Visited Jacob Pollock Sr. this morning.  His condition remains unchanged.  Louis is their home-brewer.  Visited at Anna Drexler’s in the evening, congratulated Margaret on being 1/4 century old.  Harry is here from Berlin.  The roads are open again.  John Mayer 64 prominent K.C. of Neenah passed away this morning at 2.45 at Theda Clark Hospital.  Graduate of Pio Nono College of Milwaukee.

23.  Thursday: Larry Laurence announces over WTMJ that we have only until April 7^th to practice deep breathing, to blow the foam off the good old lager or Beer.  Frank Jensen lost his wife Lydia this morning.  She passed away at Mercy Hospital.  Born Dec 31-1891.  Mary to Frank Dec  1912.  She was a sister to Mrs. Richard Doman, Clara.

24.   Friday: George Pable 38, is found dead in an auto driven by Lester Burton late last night about 11.30.  He was a brother to Billy Pable.

25.  Saturday: Kronzer Markets are celebrating their 15^th anniversary in business in Oshkosh.  Kronzer Markets is “Joe Kronzer” Senior.

26.  Sunday: K. C.’s Easter Duty at St. John’s this morning.  Mr. McGalloway Fond du Lac Attorney speaks after breakfast.  Sam Ogle and Bill Precour do the singing at Mass.  Worked rest of the day.  In the evening Louis and Mary Mauritz and Joe and Anna Heip are over.  500 rally was the game, but Anna Heip did not like it, she didn’t win, and as a matter of fact no one else did either.

27.  Monday: Margaret Voelz and Harry Plashko get their vacation this week.  Ann is back.  Attended funeral of Mrs. Jensen this afternoon.  Father Bastian is here to visit mother this morning.

28.  Tuesday: I think Joe Baier got a surprise today, Hemmer and myself started home this evening, Baier followed.  I don’t think he knew we were coming here to stay.  At any rate we played 60 hands of sheephead.  The boys haven’t been over for quite some time.

29.  Wednesday: Harry Kujawa and Agnes stop over for a visit tonite after church.

30. Thursday: The home of Father Charles E. Coughlin at Royal Oaks Detroit was bombed early this morning.  Father Coughlin Father John Tully, his assistant and Father Williams a Franciscan monk all escaped injury.

31. Friday: The body of Robert Knobloch 11 years old, missing since January 2^nd was found on a cake of ice on Lake Winnebago.  He was drowned by either falling into a hole or thin ice while skating.  Attended meeting of Boy Scout Troop committee chairmen and Scout Masters at the Scout Offices over our north side store.  Joe Hemmer visits with us at the house after the meeting.  This is a busy day at our postal station.