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1 THE YEAR 1931 ----- My original plan to cover the 1931 to mid-1938 period was to do it in a lump as I did the 1902-to-1924 section because I felt it would be well nigh impossible to segregate what happened by years. However, much to my surprise, I have found this not to be the case and I have been able to allocate the many events to specific years. So I've changed my plan and will write up this story that way. 1931 was largely a busy year despite the deepening depression. Bill Hamilton left the Company to go to the New York Central and Jay Walker removed from Erie to the New York Office to take Bill's place. This was about the first of the year and when Jay left, I took over the New York Central work in Transportation Engineering. In April I had my impacted wisdom tooth removed and the aftermath was near-disastrous. Also we had just moved to 710 Delaware Avenue, two houses up the street, and were busy trying to get that organized. However, by June I was fully recovered and we took our memorable trip to Colorado. We spent the rest of the summer in Erie enjoying the beach, playing tennis and golf, and going to various social events including Hunters Lodge dances and poker sessions some of which included the ladies. Nana and Gaps Fritschner spent July with us while Mother went to Chautauqua. The New Haven 0351's were built and shipped in the fall and although A.E.Smith handled them in TED, I got in on one memorable test in New Haven in which Lou Webb was nearly killed. But the work was slowing down and along with it, the pay, and with discouraging predictions of more declines to come. But we had one great event to look forward to in 1932 and that was the expected arrival of "little brother" in May. My apparent sources of material for 1931 are more promising than the previous two years. I'd produced some ninety days of diary between May and December plus a diary of the Colorado trip. There are various photos of Bab primarily here in Erie as well as many of the Colorado expedition. The Ingersoll—Rand article in TRAINS refreshed my memory on some items. And one thing will suggest another. So I believe I'm coming up with a fairly comprehensive picture of 1931. I produced 51 pages for 1929 and 60 for 1930. What 1931 will be I'm not going to hazard a guess but it will be interesting to see. This project, however, has developed into a sort of game to see just how much of real interest I can dredge up year by year so long afterward. Forman H. Craton Erie, Pa., September 12, 1973.
