-A Journal by Ralph Cunnar
In the summer of 1933, Ralph Cunnar, 18, and his cousin, Werner Beldo, 23, decided to take a hobo trip from their homes in Zeigler, Illinois hopping freight trains through the Northern United States to the West Coast and then back to Zeigler taking the Southern United States route and finding work along the way.
They started the trip on June 20, 1933 and ended it on November 2. On their travels they met and stayed with many interesting people—friends of their families, distant relatives, and people who hired them. The people they stayed with or worked for were either relatives or friends of their families and were for the most part Finns. Many were new to the United States and were looking for a better life than they had in Finland.
Their travels occurred during the height of the Great Depression when many people were out of work. President Roosevelt was in his first term of office, the Civil Conservation Corps had been created, and many men used the railroads as a means of transportation to look for employment. Unlike today’s unemployed, they did not receive any government unemployment benefits. To survive, one had to live by his wits. When Ralph and Werner found employment, they sent some of the money earned to their parents.
As you read the journal, put yourself back into time—imagine what it was like to live then. The East and West Coasts had been connected rather recently. Population of the western states was sparse. Many railroads were being built. Electricity was just being offered out west in remote areas. Many people in rural areas had no electricity or running water. Few people had telephones in their homes. Radio was used for mass communication. Photography for the common person was gaining popularity. Prohibition had been repealed.
I have included several appendices that list several, but not all, interesting facts, locations, etc. to help the reader create what life was like in 1933 and to understand what was happening in the United States at that time. There is a list of people who have similar names to those who came into contact with Ralph and Werner and who may be related to those mentioned in the journal still living in those areas. If interested, you can use those names to research more information about them. You’ll find information on several locations and points of interest encountered by Werner and Ralph. Also, to get a real feeling of the time, there is a PBS documentary called “Riding the Rails” that you may see repeated on TV or you can see below.
Many thanks to Ralph for recording this amazing trip.
--Carol Griffith, Werner Beldo’s daughter
December 2010
Werner Van Beldo and Ralph Cunnar
Not liking to spend the whole, tiresome summer in Zeigler, my cousin Werner Van Beldo, alias “Jackie Wheeler”, and I, Ralph Cunnar, alias “Gary Deane.” Decided to go on a “bum” out West. We picked Tuesday, June 20th as our starting day, and when the day came, my parents took us to Herrin Junction, where we were to catch a “freight.” We thought the train was going to arrive there at 9:00 a.m., but were badly mistaken. After waiting impatiently for a few hours, the...
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