Seven Canuck stories Submitted By Bev Edwards & Transcribed By Lynn Westlake
Written by My Grandfather, Joseph Hastings Dumond, who wrote under this Pen Name while working for the Palladium.

Written with his French-Canadian Accent.
Around Town, Unknown author with mention of Joseph Dumond's information.

Joe Canuck Makes Belated Report On Test Blackout

Wednesday August 5, 1942, Page Five

(By Joe Canuck)

Pea Soup Creek,

3 time dis month -

Beeg ones and Leetle ones to:

****

The nite she’s dark lak one black cat

For an’ by she’s dark some more,

For Benton Harbeur’s first blackout

Was blacker den before.

****

No sir, de axis no git Joe Canuck, she’s here as de hot hare wardin in de deestrick de Benton Harbeur. She get transfer from de intelligent department of de hot hare core. After I get my certify I appoint me old frend Batiste as my assist man. She’s 3 time as young as me so I name her junior hot hare wardin.

One nite not long ago maybe 3, 4 day after de hour of 10 when de street lites began to jingle, jangle an all de whistles began to play “deep in de hart of de black-out” we start out on inspection. At dat time de suspense commense to get intense an we prepare myself wid a new kind of flash lite dat works like a Winchel flash only dere is no batterie or bulb in de inside of her. All de people she calls it de new 1942 black-out flash lite.

The Magic Eye

Batiste she say to me she no can see wid his here flash lite an I tole it to her dat wid my magic eye when I was life preserve on old lac St. Pierre I see lots of sites wid it an I could take chance on Black-out wid it.

We cum down Broadway. Batiste rite away no where she is an say to me we are in de citie of New York.

Just den we loose our ball bearings an cum across one man who was sit on stone an smoke one beeg pipe. We report her on 3 charge, lite pipe wid match, smoke pipe, an have lite inside of pipe.

We walk fas maybe 2, 3 block more. We find bearings an read on sine on de cornor an she say Wall street. Batiste she’s glad when she say we are still in New York State.

We pass by de bank an we see de money all black-out. By and by we walk sum more blocks an I look wid my magic eye an say to Batiste we still in New York for dere is de statue de Libertie. We go close up an see no statue but a building where a King runs a place for to entertain de perplick.

When we find dot dis is not New York we go odder way. We see building dat de magic eye she say State. Batiste say rite away back in New York for dere is de Empire State building. I explane to her dat Empire was name of street to far south for to be connect wid dis here building an den we both agree dat dis place was noder play house. Batiste she say dere must be lots of kid in his town to have 2 beeg place like dat.

De next place we go is in resident deestrick. We see one hare wardin take pipe out of man’s mouth an tell her if pipe was not red hot she could keep it in mouth.

He Misses Nothing

We next see a woman who took chance on putting on girdle during black-out. One look wid de magic eye an I could see what was in de making. Batiste dis time was to slow.

After we cum back to de business section we pass by one place where dey play de pool. Rite away I look wid magic eye an see bunch of felleur hide behind de 8 ball.

In de next resident section we see a man in civil clothes tell it to hare wardin to take cigaret out of mouth an de way she throw it I thought it was going to land on de Lake.

Now we cum back to town an see one man in uniform. She was standing in street. We tole it to her to keep off de street during de black-out an she run for doorway wid no hole in it and by de way she run she much be some office man or man run for office for she look very much like de type of Pollytick man.

When we pass by de House of David we find no trouble at all for de black-out. All of dem felleurs put down dere hare and hide dere face in dere whiskers.

Cuming down Colfax Avenue we see one section where all de people look like dey had retired for you could not even see one flat wid de magic eye.

Continuing de black-out on de oder side of de citie we com to one sine an she say Brooklin. Dis time we say one to de oder one we are out of New York for sure. When we turn on de magic eye where Brooklin was suppose to be no Brooklin could we see for all de bodie turn em off dere lite.

On de way back to Benton Harbeur we see couple of peeples sitting on de curb. We no can say what de do dere because it wood be a millitair seecret.

One Las Look

We take one last look out in de country an de magic eye she see 18 lite bugs all over de field. I says to Batiste dat is de Golf course an de lite bugs are guarding de 18 holes. Why so many holes says Batiste to me an I looks at her wid one beeg eye an leetle one to an I say dat is because lots of dem golfers no can make hole in one.

****

Now all you citie folks an country ones too

Be careful during black-outs for what you do,

For de magic eye of de hot hare wardin

May set you all a wonderin’.

Joe Canuck Visits Old Pals, Makes A Political Report

Friday February 25, 1944, Page Four

(By Joe Canuck)

PEASOUP KREEK, 25 time dis month - One shot out of de rocket plane an I am land in de United State de Michiganne wen I go as kernel of de hot hare kore for de intelligent department of de United Nation. She’s long way from Halifax to Hellsinkie but de trip she remain a millitaire secreet.

Las week I leeve de beechhead at San Joe after I go to de Quart House to get me a birt sirtificate for birt on trane.

De trip she be long one, maybe to, tree hundred mile as de crow she fly. I go see lumber kamp in de nort woods an try to see Batiste, Felix an Pete. I find she nearly all gone. Dey have to have watchman at kamp an dey keep Pete for dat effeck.

Pete she told to me dat since Pearl Harbeur de pea soup she was rationed preety much an de best dey could do was to have alfabet soup an dat meant more education for to make out de letteurs she mean in de soup.

De education Pete say to me was hard to do because wen deese lumberjacks went to skool dey had to lern de tree R’s of dat time which she was Reeding, Riting an Rithmatik an now de lumberjacks an de young jacks have to lern Rationing, Recruiting an Roosevelt an olso de numbers.

They Learn Fast

Deese lumberjacks lern preety fast for Pete she say dat lots of dem were in de 1A klass an lots of de others were in de See an Bees. Others went in other outfit an get letteur gee an hi.

I find Felix up in Alaska after I go dere by plane. We have good talk together. Spitoonically speeking from Kuspidorical standpoint after Felix take beeg chew of peerless and spit on de floor she say to me Joe, you know why de Republicans sent more dimes to de White House den de democrats on de President’s birthday dis yeer an I say I dono an quick as a flashlite she say because dey want change in de White House.

We have one politick conference in Alaska. She was so cole up dere dat most of de words was froze out of mouth dat I make electric transcription an run him off on funagraf wen I get back to Michiganne.

De conference she start wen one of de doboys she want de soldier vote bill go thru de congress of de United State because sum of de republican felleurs want Vermont to stay in de Union. She fale to say whether it was de CIO or de AFL.

One of de soldiers she say dat Wilkie was make run from one State to de oder to keep dem all in de Union. Another felleur she say if we stay in de Union sho’s going to pay de dues an den Felix she cum back quick an say de people back home already peg 20 per cent discount on dere wages.

One man she say she was going to vote for Dewey because Dewey capture Manila back in ‘98 an one guy she speek up an say I believe McArthur is still in de fite and she’s de rite man to finish de job an drive de Japs from manila an de rest of de Phillipines.

Sum of de servicemen sey dat Roosevelt gets de votes because she’s a democrat an we are all in fite to make democracy safe.

Would You Believe It?

Wen I leeve Alaska I go by rocket plane to England ware I see lots of Canucks in de RAF who was doing preety good job in Europe. Den I take pursuit plane an go to Italie an Africa. She was no use to go to Berlin because dere’s not much left dere no more. As for de man called Adolf she could not see me because Joe Staleen’s Russians were making Hitler see red.

De last time I saw Paris I no see Madamoselle from Armentier but I see her daughter. He was underground an was wait for de word to say go.

Wen I make tour of italie I find me old frend Batiste an we had good chat. I can’t say much for de reason dat it was a millitair secreet but I can say dat de war she’s going at good pace.

On way back Batiste she cum back wid me to take forlow because she’s ben dere long time. We stop at de nort an sout Pacifis wid de rocket plan an wen we look down on de ocean wave we see lots of black specks. Batiste say to me dat is de insects de American discover in de Pacific an dey calls dem de Japanese flee after de Yanks chase dem.

Wen we land in de states me an Batiste visit some of de female kamps to get millitaire reports for de government maybe. We get one report from Short Wave but dat was millitiare secreets. Nex we interview Tall Wack an all dat was said was censured. Batiste look at me wid one beeg eye an leetle one to an says dis must be hot stuff.

De nex trip I take de distination maybe Tokio.

Joe Canuck Gives With Vote Talk

Wednesday, November1, 1944, Cover Page, Cont. Page Ten

By Joe Canuck

PEASOOP KREEK, United States de Michigan, 31 time dis mont -

Dis dispatch she cum to you by de way of de rocket plane service of de hot hare core by Joe Canuck who take sum time off from de intellegant department of de United Nation to tole em to you of de politick situate as she exist in dis countree today.

I no can fine no bettern man to quote to de democrats an de Republicans also den me old frens Batiste an Feleex. It all happen dis way. Bote Batiste an Feleex had sum fren in de Congresse of de United State who tole it to dem dat they could have all de franks dey want for to send to de peeples back home speech on how dey sand up on de politick platform in dis coming election. Well you see bote of dem were in de arm force in France an wen dey got de franks from dere congressman dey change de franks into american dolleurs an dey had de money for to cum to Peasoop Kreek.

One day she be nice day so Batiste, Feleex an me go down to de citie an we stop ae town hall of de hot hare. I nose dat dis discussion was go to be hot because Batiste was one democrat from de time dat Cleveland was part of Ohio an on de odder han Feleex was one of dem republican who fite wid Teddy in de battle of San Juan hill back in ‘96.

Before de debate she was going to start I told dem felleurs dat because I was in de intellegant department an had a vote in de elections wen Presidents, bote Republican an Democrat were elect from time to time dat I wood act as moderate.

De first speech she start wid was Batiste who outline her case from de time she was in de nort wood during de administration of Grover, Woodrow an FDR an how she gane her education from de elefabet of de present administration. She also make lot of quotes from FDR who is a close fren of Winston Churchill and Hoe Staline. Batiste also hole how she expect to get lots of de money from de social security wen se get to be old man. She also say dat FDR was de command in chief an had de rite to ordeur de soldiers bak from de front line wen de war was won. She also quote Franklin as say dat dey get all de job dey want wen dey cum bak. Batiste was go to talk sum more maybe one hour maybe not so much so I shut her up an told Feleex to have her sayso.

Before Feleex she start to talk she fill up her pipe. Feleex who had her ears to de grindstone since she was in de nort wood came out for de defense of de Republican partie. She quote from de administration of McKinley down to de time dat Hoover had de vacuum cleaner in de white house. She also say dat it was in de Republican time dat Dewey win a big battle in Manila bay an Feleex also clame dat sum morning Roosevelt wood wake up an fine it a dewey morning. Jus den I stop her because she took as much time as Batiste.

Batiste take few minute in rebutt an she talk about de Roosevelt meeting in Chicago de odder nite an she sez dat de only ward in Chicago dat Dewey wood get wood be Montgomery ward.

As a moderate I tole it to de meeting of all de democrats an republican in Peasoop Kreek dat bote of dem canidate for de office of President of dese United State was all good man an dey believe in winning de war first, jobs for all de soldier cumming bak and prosperity for all of de peeples.

Now Joe Canuck she wants to tole it to you whether you leeve in Peasoop Kreek or not you no have to go to de nort pole or de sout pole neither but go to de pole near your home an vote for either Dewey or Roosevelt an if you no vote at all it wood look almost de same as giving one vote to Hitler or to Hirochito.

Well, Guess Who Is Back In Circulation--Joe Canuck!

Tuesday, January 30, 1945, Page 8

(By Joe Canuck)

Peasoup Kreek. 27 time dis mont dis is Joe Canuck, de kernel of de hot hare kore of de itellegant department. Long time, no see.

De las time I rite you I tole about de situation for de election in de United States de Michigan, but now she’s different.

Since I cum back on de rocket plane de topic of conversation od de corner of de street was de result of de election an of course de war an its relation to de beeg tree, de post war. De condition of de Dumbarton Oak, de beeg red drive an all de odder tings dat go to keep a nation stay put.

On de way back from de head quarters of de hot har kore, sum place on de globe, I an my plane on de distreek de Columbus an go to de White House in de cities de Washington an see F.D.R. tank de Democrats an de Republicans for to let her stay in de same house sum more and geeve her leese for 4 more yeer on de President job of de United State for which she promise to look after de law an order. Dey did not kick me off de plane dat I pilot because it was so small dat it did not have enuff room to hold a bulldog.

I axe de man on de street who jus cum from de post office wid beeg bag on back what she tink of de beeg red drive an she told me dat de Russian ormie short time ago leeve Poland an reech river an get oder an culde smell Berlin 125 mile away an new dey was on dere way to Berlin ware according to Batiste dey are going to have beeg celebrate wid Hunkel Joe, Hunkel Ike and Hunkel Sam.

De congressman from dis distreek she say she’s going to do lots of tings for all de labour man during de post war time according to de Dumbarton Oaks but I no so sure about date an I calls in Felex to consultate wid me on dat proposition.

Felex at one time was labour man in de woods back in Michigan an now she’s in de See Bees an was stationed neer London Hinglan. She told me she see Sidney Hillman over dere at meeting of labour mans an was getting information on de first han an wid her second han was ready for de capital an dat in her opinion she could handle capital an labour under any oak, Dumbarton or no Dumbarton wid any congressman even if day got dat high up by sitting on de akorn.

* * * *

Wen Batiste cum back to Peasoup Kreek on her furlow after having seen Paree I axe her what she tought about de gals over here she saw wid one beeg twinkle in her eye, an I quote, dere is a good day to cum for dem gals because de new deel is going to let dem lady folks ware dem two way strech girdles again an den she terminate wid dis explanation dat lots of ole mades will be able to use on strech around dere form and figure de odder one to catch man.

Felex who was standing on one goot an den on de odder one on four cornor say what has become of de good lookings gals I see before Pearl Harbour an Batiste who knew all de gals since de days she work wid Paul Bunyon on de Blue Ox Kreek say to Felex and me and de reso of de peeples on de street dat day had join de Waves, Wacks, an Spars. All de tree of us joined in saying may de waves wack high on de spars of Liberty so dat our marines an soldiers may cum back soon after a successful conclusion of de war.

In an order of de nite from de headquarters on de west wall it says, an I quote, dat de allies now don’t want to shoot cannon to far into Germanie because dey are afraid for scare dey shoot de Russians coming into Gernanie on de Eas to pay Adolph a visit.

I see by de papeur date according to Joe Wells dat Friday Michigan was 108 yeer ole. Congratulations on de top of Michigan an it is a case of good judgment dat we have social security in dis state.

In conclusion Joe Canuck she say to you no to expect odder letteur for sum time to cum because government say cut down on heat an of course no heat no hot hare an not hot hare no not hare kore, but no forget de march of dimes on de President’s birthday for de Infantile Paralysis Fund.

Joe Canuck Comes Out Of His Winter Hibernation

Thursday, March 21, 1946, Page Nine

By Joe Canuck

PEASOUP KREEK, 19 time dis mount - De Governeur of one state she say to the governeur of de odder state an I quote “long time between drinks” an Joe Canuck she say to you all, long time no see.

Since I got me discharge as kernel of de hot hare ore de Unrah she geeve to me sum grain for to take care or me as a civil mana an she lets me have lots of kernela of corn for de spring plantation so I will let sum of dem start popin now.

Wen I leeve de hot hare kore I take wid me my rocket plane an a supply of de stuff dey call de radar. De success of de radar on de effect of de moon an de rocket plane dat I make fast time between Hellsinki an Hellafax maybe help me to make success in DE CORN business. De OPA she also geeve to me de consent to supply DE CORN to de public so long dat I do not put de ceiling to high on de price.

* * * *

Since de war now is under coveur in all de histories of de whirl dere is nothing I can do but to say tings on de home front.

De Irish round Peasoup Kreek de odder day she all got mad. I invite Frick Murphi an Patty Erickson for a beeg blow out time to celebrate St. Patrick an dey tole me dat de man dat make de callendeur dis yeer must be Russian communist for she put de 17 of March in red tipe an dey resent de Irishman be made Communist.

Beside de Jackass dey had lions and policemans. Between de he-haw of de Jackass an de rore of de lions I dunno who make de most noise but one of de policemen she get hit all over de face wid one pie. Sum of de policemans she get all mix up like in de traffic signal. Wen dey see green dey start for to get ball in basket an de Jackass see red an no move at all an in all de confusion de policemans all loose de game. Sum of de peeples dere I dunno if dey belong to de Packass, Lion or Policemans throw sum heggs an according to de smell dey must have been lade during de last Republican administration. Anyway sum of de folks back home ought to rite to Clare Hoffman an tell her to make de matteur up in de Congressse of de United State.

I believe it was yesterday dat I look thru de radar an find good news for de employer of de tipewriteur. Dey now have a new kind of tipewriteur dat don’t need any ribbons wen dey cum to rite. Dat will save de bosses lots of money wen dey had to buy blue, black or red ribbons for de tipewriteur an now all dey have to do is to put de ink on de letteurs of de keyboard an all dey will have to do is to carry a supply of ABC ink.

* * * *

Last week Batiste she say to me I see lot of woman folks cum out of department store an carry home lots of nylon stockings. Batiste she could not figure if it was in run in because nylons run high on leg. Who knows?

Dey tell it to me dat dey have new society in de whirl now. Felix she say dey call it de U no club. She say dey take sum of de felleurs from one countree and sum more from sum odder countree until dey get beeg bunch together to represent de whirl. Wen question cum up for to discus one felleur she say U No an anodder one will say de same ting but de United State she’s got one man, Secretaire Byrns who is always dere wen it cums to a burning question even wen sum felleurs holleur Rhhooski, Rhhooski. Sum countree have remedy to settle de disputes. A man by de name of Churchill has her leetle pills, de Russians maybe have dere vodka but de United State has de good old G. I. bitters. Deese bitters has already settled stomacks of de Hitler gang an also de Japs. Ask any G. I. Joe and she will tell you so.

Wen she cum to dis here Atomic bomb secret Felex, Batiste an me all agree on one ting, an dat is she’s no secret all att. All de advertise in the papeurs she calls Atomic even wen she cums to music an de orchestra. I tole Felex an Batiste dat I hope dat it don’t cum to making trousers wid atomic seats because wen day cum in contact wid anything explosive it wood make awful report.

By dis time Batiste she say to me an again I quote “ Joe, your corn is popin hot like a red hot girdle wid a double streach” I take one look at her an I say de time will soom cum wen all de womans will be able to get lots of girdles an all can put up a solid front.

* * * *

I see by de papeurs dat dis here man Hoover has gone to visit all de countrees dat want us to supply dem. In world war No. 1 dis countree Hooverized wid Hoover an now it will be de whirl Hooverizes wid Hoover, an now all de ladies should save all dere kitchen fats to make de whirl fat for democracy.

Joe Canuck will now leeve you wid dis thought in mind. Go see your local Red Cross worker an enroll in de 1946 membership drive which she is now taking place.

Correspondent Joe Canuck Goes All-Out For WHFB

Tuesday, February 10, 1948, Page Nine

(By Joe Canuck)

Peasoup Kreek, Benton Harbor, Michigan, Dis time dis mont, Nineteen Hundred Forty an Eight.

Rahdeeo Stashun WFHB an FM Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Deer Sir,

Dis here letteur is direct to do man on de mike. You axe for her so here she is to tole you how de pogram she cum in from your hare waves.

To begin wid we de peeples in Peasoop Kreek are no rich man. We have to be satisfy wid a tuneur by de name of Pilot an de pogram on de AM in de AM an de FM in de PM she’s cum in good. I can understan dat because I no de man dat is responsible for dat. Her name she is Jake Sheer an she no have to cut pogram wid sheer for she’s jake. She is de man in her klass for she was manageur of de classify advertise on de News Pallad.

AM an EFF an Hem is not good directeur. She is Malloy by de name of Phil but she is not like Killroy wen it cums to make pograms. She is dere to fill.

I lots of de time here Nick Paul. She’s very busy man. Wen we cum to take a pole we find lost of nicks on it.

Sum time me and Batiste an Feelix listen to de sports an here Norm Crown. Sum time we laff wen she get all exite an is not normal an use de mike for a crown an start to spin all dem workds all oveur her head.

We like very much to lisen to Jimmie Mack an wen she’s on de koffee time an sing to de ladies we sumtime tink dat she is going to geeve dem woman a grate beeg smack.

Dick Lee is one of dem pogram man we like too. She’s de man who run de Music shop an wen she go on records she make good pick.

John Pershing Chase is a good man on de hare waves. She chase static off de hare wid her words. She do good job like Pershing do in chasing de German out of France.

We somtime here Peggy de milk made girl. He got voise like million an is good on odder programe too.

Dere is also anoddeur woman on AM and FM. De name is Virginia. I don’t know if he cum from de west or not but no matteur what programe he is on, hees voice is like on de koffee time, good to de las drop. Wen we tune in Ay Maxbower her voice is kleer as bell an no need to turn rahddeo any louder.

De ingineer wid de head of Robinson and de bodie of Boyd, MeClish an dat man Benson who all leeve in glass house must not throw stone at me. De do good job to run de works on de rahdeeo stashun.

We are all crazy about Eff an Hem wen de winds an ice cycles don’t take her off he hare.

You don’t know ware Peasoop Kreek is? Look all oveur your map. She is between Ox Kreek and Blue Kreek an sie is de plase ware Paul Bunion use to travel long time ago. Dey say dat one time Bunion put on foot on west side of Ox Kreek an de odduer one on de east side of Blue Kreek an wen she drink wateur out of Ox Kreek she wood spit into Blue Kreek befor she move one foot.

I now leeve you wid his:

My educate is not no sleek

I no see skool since nineteen six

If you cant reed dis let me no

My fone is five too nine nine oh

I remane always your AM an FM listenuer.

Look Who's Back With US--None But Old Joe Canuck!

Monday, December 22, 1952, Page Twenty-Two

(By Joe Canuck)

Peasoup Kreek, 17 time dis mont Nineteen Hundred Fifty Two

My deer Mister Editeur an Readeurs of your Papeur:

Dis is Joe Canuck again. Shes cum out of de hibernate jus like de Republicans.

Dere has bin lots of stuf in de pollitick world in deese United State.

In de firs places dis las election she cum out of antimate business.

Firs ting of all wen de doggies had sumbodie step on dem wetheur dey has bin replublican or democratic dey wood holleur “Ike.

Den dere was smart hourse. De people call her “Wonder Horse. She say de nex governeur of Michigan was got to be Algers. But now de recount of de vote show lots of bulls. So now she look like “Soapie” she had more on de brush den de oddeur canidate for de same office.

Dis man we here so much about - de man of de hour - Elsenhour who is going to be our nex President. Well she seleck own cabinet already. Dis cabinet is not de kind you see in kitchen an sumtime connect wit refrigerator or deep freese like sum of de democrats she had. Elsenhour she appoint sum good man in her cabinet. For example she name man from Michigan to be de general postmasteur. If she turn out to be good man she will save de countree lots of tax monie because we wont need any dead letteur offise in Washington.

My fren Batiste she told me she meet one of her Sweed fren frum Minniesota by the name of I. Ben Yohnson. She tole it to Batiste dat she like Elsenhour because she name man frum her state in de Cabinet. De felleur she say was Stasson. Yohnson she say Stasson also made good governeur in Minniesota.

Yohnson also told Batiste to tell me an Felix dat if de peeples of Benton Harbeur want to make change in de offise of Mayor she cood put in man by de name of Big Ollie. She wood make sure dat instead of hot dog stands in de citie de peeples wood have Smorgasbord on every street corneur.

A beeg kick dis man Yohnson say she had wen a man frum Michigan who cum to see football game between de state de Michigan an Minniesorta. Wen de band she begin to play de piece dey call “Little Brown Jug” dis man thought they were playing de national anthem an she stand up at attention an salute de stars an stripes.

Batiste she say dat Yohnson look up at her wid big eye an leetle one to an say to her an I quote "You never saw hair like that on a Swede."

Batiste an Felix she all join wid me in wishing you an your reedeurs a Merrie Christmas.

Maybe I will see you again sumtime.

Joe Canuck

Around Town

Saturday, April 16, 1955, Cover Page, Cont. Page Fourteen

(Unknown Author)

Michigan is still lacking in limited-access expressways, but it still can boast a splendid arterial system that brings the Straits of Mackinac and Sault Ste Marie within an easy day’s driving distance from Benton Harbor, while Detroit, Saginaw, Bay City, Port Huron and Traverse City are easy, carefree jaunts.

Such was not the case 37 years ago, in 1918. But even then - in the last year of World War I, a highway building program was underway and macadamized surfaces were regarded as the ultimate in luxury.

Joseph H. Dumond, who resides at 116 Oden Street, and who is a News Palladium advertising compositor, recently came across a 1918 edition of “King’s Official Route Guide” containing notes of an automobile trip from his former home in Marquette, in the Upper Peninsula, to Marinette, Wis. And return.

Going to Marinette the mileage was 135.6 and the start made at 4.50am with arrival at 1.10pm.

Nothing untoward occurred, dumond recalls on the round-trip but it was not made without trepidation. The tour book warned that the route traversed “wood and plains. There are few accommodations and the motorist should be well supplied with necessities”.

From Engadine to Blaney, the Guide continued, “the road is gravel, sand and dirt. No accommodations”.

The roads mentioned today are part of superb US-2, a concrete ribbon traversing beautiful country in the Upper Peninsula, with accommodations ranging from modest touriest cabins to such luxury resorts as Blaney Park, operated incidentally by J. J. Bachunas, owner of Taber Farm, Sodus.

The Guide charted every tour down to small detail and mileage fractions. It required, in fact, a “navigator” to advise when to “turn left at post office, bear right at corners…………………..dangerous railroad crossings”.

The reasons for these explicit directions become quite clear when it is remembered there were no route numbers such as prevail today and even main roads bore few, if any, directions signs.

In 1918, an automobile trip anywhere in Michigan was an adventurous safari indeed.