This is Part 3 about Mason City, built to house the workers on Grand Coulee Dam, and their local company-published newspaper.

Interesting quotes:

“Up to 1928, a million dollars has been expended in various surveys to where the dam should be built.” (Folks, that is $13,955,606.94 in 2017 dollars!! Nearly fourteen BILLION…just to find the best/correct site.)

“Air is a major item used in the construction of Grand Coulee. Nearly 3,000,000 cubic feet of air is being used daily to run the jackhammers, bit sharpeners, forges, and numerous other devices.”

“Tools don’t cause accidents; it’s the men who use them.”

The Mason City theater in August 1935 was showing the film, Call of the Wild, with Clark Gable and Loretta Young.

Produce ads in 1935 in Mason City grocery stores:

• Thompson Seedless Grapes – #3 for 10 cents
• Tomatoes – 2 for 5 cents
• Watermelon – 1 cent per pound
• Hamburger – 12 cents per pound
• Weiners – 15 cents per pound
• Eggs – 21 cents per dozen
• Brown Sugar – #1 package for 5 cents
• Peanut Butter – #1 glass jar for 17 cents
• Lettuce – 2 heads for 7 cents

(Let us do remember that the average weekly wage for a worker in 1935 was $12.00. Likely the Grand Coulee Dam workers got a bit more.)

May 13, 1936:  “The payroll this week: 347,624 checks issued for over $6,000,000.” (I divided that out; it comes to $17.26.)

And there was this cute joke:  “Without doubt woman is the eternal question. It may also be added that man is eternally finding the wrong answer.” 

Did one of your ancestors work on the building of Grand Coulee Dam???