EARL TUTTLE 1904

TUTTLE

Posted By: William Tuttle (email)
Date: 1/12/2002 at 14:00:29

EARL TUTTLE 1904

I have a picture of Dad, taken, he said, in 1921. This would make him 17 years old. Dads' nickname was "Old Dakoty", and this picture shows him in breeches and high-topped boots, with a big hat, and a bandanna around his neck. This was the image of the cowboy in the 20s', popularized by such old-time cowboys like Tom Mix and "Hoot" Gibson.

Dad was at times a full-time cowboy. He told of driving 100 head of cattle, collectively owned by the farmers around Dallas SD. It was January, and he was alone, driving them from Dallas, in Tripp County, to the rail-head in Chamberlain. It took him four days, and he did not lose one animal.

After he had turned the cattle over to the stock-yards, he noticed a railroad car, sitting all by itself, with the lights on, and heat rising from the roof. He knocked on the door, and asked if he could come in and get warm. A man was in the car, all alone. He explained that he was a U.S. Mail clerk, sorting mail for points east. He said that he regularly came to work at 5 AM, and sorted mail until the eastbound Union Pacific added the mail car to the train, shortly after 7:30AM.

The mail clerk gave Dad a big cup of hot soup, and some coffee. Dad noticed he had many creature comforts in the mail car. It was warm, coffee and food anytime he wanted them. Dad decided right there and then that this was the job for him. The clerk told him he must be 21 years old, and must pass a civil-service examination.

Dad went home, and although he was not 21, found out where the examination was to be given. I have heard this story over the years, many times, but Dad was never clear how much time elapsed before he took the exam. He did go to Huron, and did take the examination. My Mother told me he scored quite high. ( I later found the letter from the Civil Service Commision advising him it was 98,2 %.) She didn't say that she saw the letter advising Dad of this, or whether Dad had told her about it. At any rate, he was offered a civil-service job at the Main Post Office in Chicago, and he reported for duty in the summer of 1924.