WELCOME TO SALLY’S DIARIES:

Before I get started describing this piece, I want to let you know that I have a podcast. I’ve taken some diaries from my private collection and shared them on our podcast called “Diary Discoveries.” We’ve got 48 episodes out now and you can find it on all the usual podcast venues. So if you enjoy the compelling and adventurous stories from vintage diaries then please check it out.

Plus, I was asked to do a TEDx talk in Vienna about this very thing, collecting diaries, and if you are interested in this sort of thing just put into the search engines “10,000 diaries” and you should come up with it. It was a privileged and blessing to be able to share what I’ve learned in the last 36 years. And with all that said……

The first thing I want to say is that the photo you see above of the four men walking is original as is the diary. The black and white photo just showing our authors face and the photo of the book he wrote are just ones I copied off the web.

Up for auction today is a very historical handwritten diary that originally belonged to and was written by a noted scientist by the name of William Ian B. Beveridge. His diary was written in 1938 and 1939 with additional note cards from 1959 and all of it has to do with his trip to American to tour the states and do a bit of research. There are about 100 handwritten pages counting the loose handwritten note cards, and most of those pages have to do with his travels.

There are some incredible entries as he is traveling with his wife and 3 month old son John. This diary is packed full of wonderful entries such meeting the King and Queen (of England I believe) while he is in Washington DC, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion. One of my particular favorite sections was when they were in Colorado as they travel to Estes Park and up the “New” steep highway to the top of the Rocky Mountains. They also visit the Cliff Dwellings in Mesa Verde Park, Las Vegas (amazing description of Vegas in the late 1930’s, driving along the great Columbia River in Oregon, then parts of Canada and even being pulled over by the police while in Mexico for not making right turn. They wanted of confiscate his car but he showed them his government visa, and so much more. Before I get to the diary I must tell you how important this man is when it comes to science and discovery.

William Ian Beardmore Beveridge was born in 1908 in NSW (New South Wales) to the parents of James William Caldwell and Ada (Beardmore) Beveridge. The genealogy says he had two wives, the first being Patricia. She is the one on the trip with him. I don’t know when they were married or when she died but the genealogy records list another wife by the name of Ellen. William passed away in 2006.

In a nut shell, in 1937 Beveridge was awarded a Commonwealth Fellowship and went with his first wife, Patricia, and infant son John, to work in the Rockefeller Institute in New York City, studying swine influenza virus, on which he worked with Richard Shope. They showed that it was serologically identical with the agent that caused the 1918-19 flu pandemic. His research at Cambridge focused on pneumonia in pigs and influenza in horses. I found an article titled, “The man who found the cause of a great pandemic.” and I typed up some separate information from this article and then scanned that page.

Again, most of the entries in this diary have to do with his auto trip across the United States with his family camping along the way.

Here are just a few of the many example entries….

“Mr. and Mrs. William Ian B. Beveridge and John. Left Princeton 1^st June, 1938 by car.”

1938

“June 1^st. Left 11 A.M. on beautiful spring day. Route NJ 30 and US 22. through pretty hilly farming country. Passed thru Easton, Bethlehem, Allentown and Hershey. Stopped for night and 4 miles from Harrisburg in Cars Cabin. 150 miles. Spedo. (Speedometer) 3130.” (next day they drive along the Susquehanna River and make it to Butler Pennsylvania. Next night they get to Canton Ohio.)

“June 4^th, Broke camp 10.30. Spent 1 hour in Canton shopping for baby food etc. Went through softly undulating and later flat country all of which good with farming – maize wheat, dairying and a few sheep – mixed breeds for fat lambs. Passed through Van Wert which was decorated for Peony carnival and saw magnificent field of red, white and pink peonies. Then gave John dinner by roadside. Set watches back hour and went on to stay at Huntington. Quite attractive town. Night at Good Luck Cabins. Covered 243 miles. Spedo. 3703.”

“June 5^th, Left Huntington 10.30 on time (9.30 local standard time). Passed Wabash, first town lighted by electricity. Nearly all towns and cities passed have many trees in streets making towns very attractive, excepting larger industrial towns. The beauty, richness and extensiveness of the land, the paved roads – mostly concrete – are the most impressive features – also the great number of towns many of quite considerable size – 20 to 100,000. Passed Peoria an industrial town of about 100,000.Then fed on roadside and stayed at roadside cabin – good accommodations for $2.00. Covered 280 miles. Spedo. 3980.” (Next day they pass over the Mississippi River and end up staying the night at Ottumwa Iowa.)

“June 7^th, Left Pat in cabin and returned to Milton at 9.30 a.m. and spent morning with Dr. W. L. Andrews seeing sheep farms (see details elsewhere)...”

(Sally here: when he says “see details elsewhere” I didn’t find any other details about this particular subject in the diary so he must have written those in a separate journal.)

“After lunch went back to Ottumwa and found Pat had not been well – vomiting. Then on to Des Moines – only passed edge of town to Ames for night. At AAA cabins. Pat better in evening. Passed through farm land all gently undulating, mostly maize. Covered 240 miles. Spedo 4400.” (On to Omaha Nebraska where they rested two days and then on to Grand Island Nebraska. On the 11^th they cross into Wyoming and arrive at Cheyenne spend two nights and then cross the boarder to Colorado)

“June 13^th, Left 10.30 and drove to 4 miles Fort Collins through tredless (?) ____ undulating plains with Rockies. Snow peaks in West and wild flowers along roadside. Photo of some ewes and lambs at pasture. Ft. Collins is attractive town with many trees and state College, 4 miles from foothills of Rockies. Stayed in good cabin and afternoon met Newsome and Farquetson (?) and others and drove around. Sheep feeding set ups and farms (see elsewhere).”

“June 14^th, Morning at Vet School talking to Dr. Newsome. After lunch saw Vet Hospital. Fairly good but small after Ames. Then to Loveland and to Estes Park then Thomspon Canyon along Thompson River all way. Narrow Canyon between precipitous mountains both sides. E. Park is fine sized town in fairly open valley. Fine mountain scenery, snowy peaks in distance. 10,000 foot up here. Night in nice new cabin 2 miles W of E. Park on edge of river. Cool. (Snyders Lodge Cabins). Modern cabin. Situated amidst large tall trees and scrub. 5 yds from the fast flowing river alive with white houses. The sitting room is furnished with lovely old antique furniture and fresh bright linoleum and gay curtains. Last night we lit the stove which is a wood stove to cook our dinner and warm the cabin.” (they spend a few days in Estes Park and one of those days they hike up to Bear Lake and Nymph Lake)

“June 18^th, After lunch early, left cabin and took Trail Ridge Road over mountains to Grand Lake. (Sally here: A little side note on Trail Ridge Road, the construction began on it in 1929 and was complete in 1932 and was built to counter deficiencies of Fall River Road. The Fall River route was too narrow for the increasing numbers of vehicles. Frequent snow slides, deep snow, and limited scenic views also plagued the route. The maximum grade on Trail Ridge does not exceed 7%. Eight miles of the road are above 11,000 feet in elevation. Two different contractors were hired to complete different sections of the road. The first section completed, 17.2 miles, was Deer Ridge (8,937') to Fall River Pass (11,794). The road reached Grand Lake in 1938.)

“The road was remarkable – good easy grade about same all the way, often cut deep into mountain side and windy back and forth, up side of ridge to gain altitude. Several parking spots on the way to admire view from and here and there were usually chipmunks and other little animals taking food from hand. The road went up and up and up till we felt dizzy and the snow capped peaks and timber came nearer, then on a level with us and finally on top of mounts from which we could look, soon all ridges covered with snow and ourselves passing through snowdrifts sometimes 20 feet deep – 4 miles over 12,000 feet, up 12,183 ft. The views were magnificent like pictures of Himalayas. Almost unreal. The grass above timberline was mostly dead and just beginning to shoot. The road took 78 years to build and in places special construction had to be made to prevent land slides. Before ascending we saw a stream with a whole series of beaver damns made with longs up to 8” through. Finally reached Grand Lake, a beautiful sheet of water at the very foot of steep mountains. Spent night at Grand Lake.” (Next day they arrive in Denver, spend the day there and it’s up to Cheyenne Mt. Here’s a bit of history about the incredible steep road they took to get there…… “Spencer Penrose began to develop Cheyenne Mountain property that he purchased on the northern peak in 1915. He built the 7.5 miles (12.1 km) Cheyenne Mountain Highway in 1925. Initially called the Broadmoor-Cheyenne Mountain Highway, it began one mile (1.6 km) south of The Broadmoor at the Old Stage Road and ascended to the summit with 32 switchback turns up the mountain, gaining almost 3,000 feet (910 m) in altitude with a maximum 10% grade. It afforded views of Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak.)

“June 21^st, Rest in morning and chores. Opinion from Dr. that unwise to take John up Pike’s Peak, therefore we had to abandon that trip as no one to leave him with. After lunch we drove up Cheyenne Mt. - 9300 feet ascended about 300 ft. in about 7 miles or less – road right up side of mountain with very many switchbacks – loose gravel road mostly, no side rail at first made me feel a little giddy and nervous driving up road with no edge and only plains 10,000 feet below visible but when used to it no trouble if taken slowly. Wonderful vista from Lodge at top overlooking plains and Col. Springs and beautiful Broadmore Hotel with lake. Zoo ¼ way up. Then South Cheyenne Canyon with Pillows of Hercules towering reddish cave rocks nearly 1,000 feet each side and seven falls at end. Then North Canyon up into hills and high drive and then having to feed John. Then Garden of the Gods – large reddish rocks with peculiar formations. Then dinner at Manitau Springs BBQ in open – good dinner. John wonderful and no trouble as usual. Then home to bed. M. Springs very attractive at night and many good cabins. Night at Gables cabins again.” (On to Monte Vista following the Arkansas River. They go into Alamosa and he describes all the adobe Indian like homes. On the 23^rd they finish crossing the San Juan Valley and are now traveling along the Rio Grande and the San Juan Mountains. They arrive at Mesa Verde Park and pass Chimney Rock. Then Durango. He said it was an “uninteresting” town and said to be centre of extremely rich universal area where many minerals are found.)

“June 24^th, A few yards from the entrance to Mesa Verde Nat. Park we got park camp cabin. Left early this morning and drove 20 miles to headwaters. Met guide and party took us to view cliff dwellings from top of cliffs. Dwelling very numerous and occupy all caves, surprisingly well made. Were occupied from 11-1300. Also saw earlier dwellings of basket makers. Round huts in ground, here till 700 AD also Sun Temple built by cliff dwellers. These are probably ancestors of modern Indians and were agriculturists, cultured corn, squash, and beans. Country looks rather poor but has 17-20 inches rain at night times for corn. After lunch went over museum and through special tree house, a large cliff dwelling. Then drove to highest point for view which is said to extend 150 miles in every direction. View very extensive and remarkable but doubt if see so far. Back to some cabins at night.”

“June 25^th, Left at 9 a.m. and drove over dusty road then ate at Navajo reservation past peculiar rock formation including Ship Rock, also many Indian dwellings built native style and saw many Indians. Country semi-desert and quite treeless. Then to Gallup, town with more Indians and American types then whites. Then across border to Arizona – past beautiful pink cliffs then to Painted Desert towards sundown. Colors remarkable but saw it at worst time of day. Then Petrified Forest – much petrified wood including large longs lying about (never standing)…..Night at Holbrook...” (Before getting to Flagstaff they visit a meteor crater. Finally reached the Grand Canyon and are staying at Angel Lodge. He describes the next three days viewing the Grand Canyon from different vantage points on the South Rim. On the 30^th they head out and also go see the Painted Desert along the Colorado River. They are staying this night in a cabin on the North Rim of the cabin. July 1^st it’s Bryce Canyon and the 2^nd Zion National Park. By the night of July 3^rd they are driving through the Mohave Desert.)

“July 3rd,…….Then after leaving St. George we went over a small mountain range as darkness overtook us, showing very jagged peaks on the horizon. We drove in turns, 2 hrs. each. The road was windy for the first hour or two then straight and mostly flat and very good surface. We got to Las Vegas at 11.30 our time, 10.30 their time. Were surprised to find such a gaily lit up town – very many service stations, restaurants, etc. But learned the town depends on tourist trade and Boulder Dam and for gambling which is “open” in Nevada. After this we passed many a frequent roadside service stations and all night cafes. Passed barber at 1.30 a.m. and found cafe’s open and ready to serve coffee on spot – this all in the desert at 1 a.m.! The amount of traffic surprised us, very many cars, trucks and busy both ways and said to be heavier in day time…..Saw many cars parked on roadside for sleeping…...” (By the 5^th they are on their way to Los Angeles but didn’t stay, headed to San Diego where they spend several days. One of the days they drive into Mexico.)

“July 9^th, After lunch went over border into Mexico. Drove 65 miles across border to Ensenada – pretty drive along coast but road lumpy. Country barren. Mexicans mostly poor looking and mostly have much Indian blood but some quite cute. Towns not attractive. Bought curios and drove home after John’s feeding, arriving at Tijuana at 9 p.m. and were caught by police for not making “Boulevard Stop” and taken to police station. They wanted to hold car till Monday until I showed Gov. Off. Visa, then said they would pardon me but for having written out slips to go to Mex. City but would take the smallest fine. (15 pesos = $3.5) which I paid and went.” (They go back to Los Angles and tour the Hollywood Starts homes in Beverly Hills. Said they saw Robert Montgomery in the back of a car. On the 16^th they drive all around Santa Barbara and then San Luis Obispo. They are driving the “recently opened” Scenic Coast highway. Now the Redwoods and then San Francisco)

“July 20^th, John fell on head from cot and was badly shaken. Had us very worried for a while. Went for drive thru China Town up Telegraph Hill – good view of Bay Bridge and World Fair (Treasure) Island – Island made for Worlds Fair 1939. But too foggy to see golden Gate Bridge. Drove around Fisherman’s Wharf toward G. S. Bridge but too much fog to see it.” (On the 22^nd and 23^rd he is visiting Berkeley Animal Department of Agriculture facility. Describes the University and then Davis in the San Joaquin Valley. They leave the San Francisco area on the 26^th and stay that night in Eureka. They are driving along the Redwood Highway. The night of the 28^th they are in Lakeside Oregon)

“July 29^th, Up Oregon coast along 101 to Otis then branched off to Portland. Some sections of drive very pretty through dense forest of fir (Douglas fir) and Spruce – practically all unoccupied land. Forest has dense undergrowth and no boundaries, black bear, cougars. Saw black bear and cougar at roadside “zoo.” Trees dense and straight and heavy pine. Many log trucks on road. D. firs (Oregon pine is in last Oregon). Portland 300,000 on Columbia River – a deep sea port to U.S. Navy vessels here now. Good cabin on US 30. East of town for night.”

“July 30^th, Went “loop drive” up Columbia River and back via on Hood region. Drive along C. River said to be one of the most scenic in world and rightly so. The river is deep and wide – said to have as big output as Mississippi. Drains 5 states $8 million worth of salmon taken every year. River goes there deep gorge and saw several high waterfalls down side of this gorge along roadside. Saw Bonnieville Dam and salmon ladder to allow salmon up stream. Mt. Hood 11,000 feet and solitary. Fine forests around it. Much snow on it. Back to same cabin for night.” (They cross over into Washington State the next day and drive through Mt. Rainier National Park where he spends two days)

“August 1^st, Drove into park again up to Paradise valley and then back to entrance and up another 16 mile drive. Saw large brown bear and tried to photograph it. Walked to the bottom end of the great Nisqually Glacier and took our photos there – bought picture showing it highest up. The drive is one of the prettiest we’ve been – all through dense forest of Douglas Fir, Cedar, etc. and many wildflowers higher up. Had excellent view of Puyallup Glacier on West side – great masses of ice coming over great cliffs. Left park and drove to good cabins 7 miles from Tacoma.” (It’s on to Vancouver Canada for a few days and then back to Seattle Washington. They are now heading east in Washington State. They visit Grand Coulee Dam outside of Spokane Washington. Then Idaho on the 11^th and back across the Canadian border where they get as far as Cranbrook Canada and spend the night at Fairmount Hot Springs. Kootenay National Park the next day and lunch at Marble Canyon Lodge. Next day they drive to Lake Louise and they stay at Banff, on to Calgary. On the 17^th they are on “Going to the Sun” highway and over Logan Pass into Montana.)

“August 20^th, Late start, drove into park to Yellowstone Canyon and viewed it from Artist and Inspiration Point. Fine deep canyon and yellow walls with patches of red. Fine falls twice as high as Niagara. Round loop drive and back to West Yellowstone. Saw 10 or 12 black bears on roadside and one climbed on door of car until Pat hit him in face and paper. Also saw moose and elk.” (Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful, Moran Lake, and spending the night at Jackson which I believe he means Jackson Hole. Said it was an “attractive little real western town a long way from any big city.”)

“August 23^rd, Drove back over same road to W. Yellowstone. Fine views of the Tetons. Saw the mission at Moose, a log cabin church and flat glass windows showing views of Tetons. The road only goes a few mile thru the park but gives beautiful view of lakes and mountains in back. Jackson Hole is a large basin or valley in which Jackson is situated. This country only settled about 50 years ago and only opened to tourist 1929. In Yellowstone saw Old Faithful Geyser play 3 more times also the Riverside and the Castle geyser, each only play once or twice a day and later is said to be the most impressive geyser in the world. Also saw many hot springs and pools and geysers not actually playing. There are many here, said to be more than in the rest of the world. Also saw “Paint Pots” bubbling hot mud. All very interesting. Although at first we were not favorably impressed with Yellowstone, we now have changed our opinion. The geysers, hot springs are very fine and the animals more plentiful and tame than in any of the parks. Night at Yellowstone.” (They then spend a few days in Bozeman Montana then on through the “Bad Lands” and spend the night in Mandan North Dakota. By the 30^th they are in Minnesota and by the 3^rd of September Wisconsin. On into Chicago Illinois where he said there were “2 or 3 miles of Negro residential area, all Negros.” On to Detroit where they tour the Ford Motor works plant. Then Niagara Falls and New Haven on the 13^th of September.)

“September 14^th, Saw Prof. Leo Rettger, Prof of Bact. (Bacteria) Yale. All Med. school houses in hospital bldg. He runs a 3 yr post grad course in Bact. for P.H.D. - according to him very good, more pure bacteriology than med. bact. Drove around Yale – fine buildings but ____ no grounds as in centre of city…..”

They then drive to Princeton and this is where the first trip ends, September 15^th, back in Newark and back “home” at the Peacock Inn. The second trip is then recorded on the next page and it begins with quite the noteworthy entry…

1939

“June 8^th, King and Queen arrived Washington, joined in welcome.”

“June 9^th, Garden Party at British Embassy to welcome King and Queen.”

“June 10^th, Left Washington and drove to ____city 17 miles W. of New York. Night at Hotel. 230 miles. Thru rich farm lands and dense woods, beautiful country, heavily populated…..Drove via N. York and Boston arriving 8.30 at Myles Standard where stayed a week for Symposium on Virus diseases at Harvard. Slow driving and heavy traffic and passed cities of New Haven, New London, Providence. Saw many trees uprooted by Hurricane of Sept. 1938, the most evidence of damage now gone. Attended Symposium on Virus and Rickettsial Disease at Harvard 12-17^th.”

Drove through Boston and Salem Massachusetts. By the 19^th they are back in Canada. There are 7 pages devoted to their time in Canada.

Finally after this in the back there are 9 pages about the conference he attended in September in 1939.

“September, 1939. After conference (3^rd internal Microbial) in New York and receiving news of war, returned to Washington. Arranged attend lecture at Army Vet School Med. School, Army Med Centre 16^th Street Washington. Also through British Embassy to visit Army Med Field Service School, Carlisle, Pa…...Acquired radio and got the latest news. Wondered till last if we might not still return via England but finally got last minute accommodation on Monterrey for Nov. and decided to take it. Attended Senate neutrality debate several times but not very exciting. Hard to follow what being said usually and when you can hear it’s usually boring….” (They leave Washington by train, selling their car and end up in New Orleans.)

“October 27^th, Arrived New Orleans. Went tour of city in car. City divided by canal street, very wide – into older French section and newer American section. French section people most “Creoles” descendant nearly French, Italians and speak French. Bldgs. old and quaint – usually don’t look much in front but have patios in centre and greenery. Saw Mississippi and high banks, levies, so river often about street level, about a mile wide long fine stream.”

On to El Paso Texas, Fort Bliss, and Arizona. Then the last page he talks about sailing on November 9^th but it looks like they stop in Hawaii (brief notations) before heading home.

As you can see the diary was kept in a ringed notebook and it is in good shape and measures about 4 1/2” x 7”.