DIY History | Transcribe | Nile Kinnick Collection | Nile Kinnick correspondence, January-May 1942

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Nile Kinnick correspondence, January-May 1942

1942-03-29: Page 03

Nile  - 2
the docket for several months now and, according to last guesses, will break about
May 1st.    It has nothing to do with the recent readjustment in officers, and such
programs have been promoted in the other banks during the last three or four years. 
The Farm Credit Board still is stalling on the matter of replacing the officers
dismissed at the January meeting.    Rumors have been scarce and I couldn't hazard
anything but my own guess. So let's just wait and  see.
I wonder if you have read the stories in the last two posts  (SEP) about "The Terrible
Tempered Dr. Barnes".    If you didn't read then you will be repaid in laughs if you
hunt them up. That old badger has a unique manner of amusing himself,  I should say.
Mother and I did a lot of side shaking over the first one, March 21st, wherein was
recited some details of his epistolary encounter with Alex Wollcott. Alex came off
a bad last,  if you ask me.    Barnes seems to be a past master of the vindictive
invective,  the diabolical diatribe and the malicious metaphor, and does he love it.
By the way, I had a short but very welcome visit with the Van Meters in Cedar Rapids
on my way back to Omaha. My last meeting at Manchester on a Friday and my
traveling companion drove me down to CR, about 4 PM. I arranged for my train ride
back to Omaha,  then rode with Clarke back to his home full of charm and all of
those qualities which make a home mean so much. Mr. and Mrs. Wormhoudt were there
and Clarke took all of us,  except Portia,  out to the Country Club for dinner.
Later we chatted until train at 9:40.     I never had seen the addition to their
family but at once gave full approval and endorsement.    She looks like she had been cast
in the same mold as Mike.    All of them look well, and Mike was sporting a dude
cowboy outfit that seemed to lend a sagebrush atmosphere to the old homestead.
Ott wasn't in town as he had gone with family to make an inspection of his western
mining properties.    By that I mean the source of supply for "Chick Bed",  the latest
sensation in the poultry industry,   if you don't already know.    Highly interesting,
Perhaps you already know the first steps in the establishment of this new industry,
but this  is the way I heard  it.    First,  did you ever hear of the lowly diatom? Well, 
that is where the story begins. Diatomaceous earth is the deposit formed by untold
numbers of diatom skeletons. Present uses  include filter material in sugar production,  and as an absorbant in dynamite manufacture. Some salesman,highpower,  sold
Ott a car load as insulation material,   last summer.    Ott couldn't sell it, but remembered that the guy mentioned that some poultry raisers near the mine in Arizona
used the stuff as litter in their chicken houses.    Ott finally goes out and takes
a gander at the mine;  learns that the government had surveyed all of the known
deposits; hunts up a chap who had assisted in the survey and is told that one of the
purest deposits is in Nevada east of Reno. They go there and finds that a new highway traverses the deposit, whereupon he stakes claim on several thousand acres of
government land and proves up his claim. Next step Is to take Elmer Kaser out
to suggest methods of working the surface deposit,  including grinding and sizing.
Next, contacting the hatchery men to open up a market.    They are underway with the
new business and the prospects appear very good, especially as the other litter
material used now is mostly peat from Europe and Canada, now largely out of the
market. Being highly absorbant the new stuff keeps down odors surprisingly and
can be used twice as long as peat. On paper the possibilities look tremendous,
and Clarke is worried about keeping Ott's feet on terra firma. So the old beetle
brow still ferments with ideas.
We know that both you and Bob are pleased to again be on the same base.    I phoned
Mrs. H. a couple of weeks ago and she told me that Bob had landed at Pensacola just
the day before.    One boon companion can make up for a car load of casual friends.
Perhaps Bob has told you that was expecting Forrest to embark any time,
so Mrs. H. related. Aside,  mother declines to phone Mrs. H. anymore because it
seems impossible to terminate the "conversation".  I was more fortunately care 
for; saved by the bell, literally. Someone rang her front door bell just about the time we had covered the essentials. Tsh, tsh.

Saving...

Nile - 2 the docket for several months now and, according to last guesses, will break about May 1st. It has nothing to do with the recent readjustment in officers, and such programs have been promoted in the other banks during the last three or four years. The Farm Credit Board still is stalling on the matter of replacing the officers dismissed at the January meeting. Rumors have been scarce and I couldn't hazard anything but my own guess. So let's just wait and see. I wonder if you have read the stories in the last two posts (SEP) about "The Terrible Tempered Dr. Barnes". If you didn't read then you will be repaid in laughs if you hunt them up. That old badger has a unique manner of amusing himself, I should say. Mother and I did a lot of side shaking over the first one, March 21st, wherein was recited some details of his epistolary encounter with Alex Wollcott. Alex came off a bad last, if you ask me. Barnes seems to be a past master of the vindictive invective, the diabolical diatribe and the malicious metaphor, and does he love it. By the way, I had a short but very welcome visit with the Van Meters in Cedar Rapids on my way back to Omaha. My last meeting at Manchester on a Friday and my traveling companion drove me down to CR, about 4 PM. I arranged for my train ride back to Omaha, then rode with Clarke back to his home full of charm and all of those qualities which make a home mean so much. Mr. and Mrs. Wormhoudt were there and Clarke took all of us, except Portia, out to the Country Club for dinner. Later we chatted until train at 9:40. I never had seen the addition to their family but at once gave full approval and endorsement. She looks like she had been cast in the same mold as Mike. All of them look well, and Mike was sporting a dude cowboy outfit that seemed to lend a sagebrush atmosphere to the old homestead. Ott wasn't in town as he had gone with family to make an inspection of his western mining properties. By that I mean the source of supply for "Chick Bed", the latest sensation in the poultry industry, if you don't already know. Highly interesting, Perhaps you already know the first steps in the establishment of this new industry, but this is the way I heard it. First, did you ever hear of the lowly diatom? Well, that is where the story begins. Diatomaceous earth is the deposit formed by untold numbers of diatom skeletons. Present uses include filter material in sugar production, and as an absorbant in dynamite manufacture. Some salesman,highpower, sold Ott a car load as insulation material, last summer. Ott couldn't sell it, but remembered that the guy mentioned that some poultry raisers near the mine in Arizona used the stuff as litter in their chicken houses. Ott finally goes out and takes a gander at the mine; learns that the government had surveyed all of the known deposits; hunts up a chap who had assisted in the survey and is told that one of the purest deposits is in Nevada east of Reno. They go there and finds that a new highway traverses the deposit, whereupon he stakes claim on several thousand acres of government land and proves up his claim. Next step Is to take Elmer Kaser out to suggest methods of working the surface deposit, including grinding and sizing. Next, contacting the hatchery men to open up a market. They are underway with the new business and the prospects appear very good, especially as the other litter material used now is mostly peat from Europe and Canada, now largely out of the market. Being highly absorbant the new stuff keeps down odors surprisingly and can be used twice as long as peat. On paper the possibilities look tremendous, and Clarke is worried about keeping Ott's feet on terra firma. So the old beetle brow still ferments with ideas. We know that both you and Bob are pleased to again be on the same base. I phoned Mrs. H. a couple of weeks ago and she told me that Bob had landed at Pensacola just the day before. One boon companion can make up for a car load of casual friends. Perhaps Bob has told you that was expecting Forrest to embark any time, so Mrs. H. related. Aside, mother declines to phone Mrs. H. anymore because it seems impossible to terminate the "conversation". I was more fortunately care for; saved by the bell, literally. Someone rang her front door bell just about the time we had covered the essentials. Tsh, tsh.