“Through the eyes of Arville Schaleben you can read what happens daily to these intrepid modern pioneers from Wisconsin.”
Schaleben wrote in his introductory article to the series: “Theirs should be a fascinating story to live. I thrill in the anticipation of writing it.”
Neil & Margaret Miller found out by telephone call on May 1st that their hopeful application to join the Matanuska Colony had been approved, and they would be leaving May 14th. It was a frantic two weeks to say goodbyes to friends and family, sell furniture, and winnow the family’s belongings down to 2000 pounds, including the piano they couldn’t bear to part with.
Margaret recalled:
“I received a letter from a friend saying, ‘As I was reading an Eau Claire Leader, I happened to see an item where a number of families were going to Alaska, and reading a little further I saw where a Neil Miller was one to go. It surely isn’t your Neil that expects to go up there in that God-forsaken country. Surely you and the girls aren’t going! Saying it just makes me sick. I just can’t imagine you folks going to live up there with all those Finlanders.’”
Page from the Miller family photo album, PMHA Miller collection, captioned “Taken May 9, 1935 by News Reporters – Blair, Wisconsin – Just prior to leaving for Alaska – Neil, Margaret, Mardie, Priscilla, Janell”
Quote from “A Creek, a Hill, and a Forty” by Ray Bonnell
Clipping from the Milwaukee Journal, May 13th, 1935
Milwaukee Journal staff artist Einar V. Quist provided sketches of the departing Wisconsinites, in a full-page pictorial that appeared on Wednesday, May 15th.
“Now home lies behind the sleepy folk in this train. And yet it lies ahead of them too. . . They roll westward away from Wisconsin and Michigan adversities that bested them, toward Alaska and the Matanuska valley. There new hope shines for them in a government sponsored co-operative colony.”
Newspaper clipping from the PMHA Bailey collection.
Quote from Arville Schaleben article, Milwaukee Journal, May 14th 1935
Schaleben described a farewell party in Rhinelander held by the American Legion for the 12 families from Oneida and Forest counties, attended by 500 people. “One table collapsed from the weight of spectators standing atop it to get a better look at the colonists up front.” It smashed the foot of a woman who fainted and had to be carried away.
… “About 1:30 a.m. hundreds of people began flocking to the depot.
‘This is history,’ said Henry Olsen. ‘These are our people and they are going away. They are making history and we are going to help them.’
Rhinelander did. A string of cars blocks long edged in side by side until hardly a foot of the long depot yard remained unoccupied. The lights of uncountable automobiles illuminated the station platform. A clear moon shone down through fleecy clouds, throwing its beams on the scores of spectators who overflowed onto the railroad lawn.
Inside the station’s gray walls the pioneers gathered. There a father hugged his son in farewell embrace and a few of those men who have suffered so much broke down and cried. Sister kissed sister, brother slapped brother on the back and said, ‘Go to it and good luck.’”
Schaleben described how musicians from Rhinelander wound through the station drumming and singing, and the crowd picked up the tunes, ending as the train pulled away with a rousing rendition of “There’s a Long, Long Trail A-winding.”
Sketch by Einar V. Quist, Milwaukee Journal.
Quotes from Arville Schaleben article “Pioneers Bid Farewell to Wisconsin Homeland,” Milwaukee Journal, May 14th, 1935.
Several recordings of “There’s a Long, Long Trail A-Winding” are available online via the Library of Congress. Here’s one of them: https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-817436/