I found this circa 1919 letter from surveyor Robert Gould to a Mr. Griffin. Gould is giving him directions to view a proposed road and get everything ready for the County Court since Gould will be out of town:
Interesting phrase. I've used it at least 10 times in conversation today. Sadly, people think I'm trying to buy weed.
The road itself wasn't established for two more years which is rare. Usually from conception to establishment the road proceedings were 2 to 3 months. Also - I think this is the only time in this area where I've seen a road established with a narrow 20' wide right-of-way. 40 and 60 were the norm.
For those interested I've attached the 1921 establishment and survey, along with Gould's entire letter to Griffin.
I was drinking a cold dope while reading this. It was refreshing.
Mike Berry, post: 360638, member: 123 wrote: Interesting phrase. I've used it at least 10 times in conversation today.
Must have been in pretty common usage around 1920; this was the first thing that came to my mine (I must be getting old, because Hemingway popped in my mind before weed)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three-Day_Blow
Bill stood up.
ÛÏHe can hit,Û Nick offered. The heat from the fire was baking his legs.
ÛÏHeÛªs a sweet fielder, too,Û Bill said. ÛÏBut he loses ball games.Û
ÛÏMaybe thatÛªs what McGraw wants him for,Û Nick suggested.
ÛÏMaybe,Û Bill agreed.
ÛÏThereÛªs always more to it than we know about,Û Nick said.
ÛÏOf course. But weÛªve got pretty good dope for being so far away.Û
ÛÏLike how much better you can pick them if you donÛªt see the horses.Û
ÛÏThatÛªs it.Û
Bill reached down the whisky bottle. His big hand went all the way around it. He poured the whisky
into the glass Nick held out.
ÛÏItÛªs fine,Û Nick said. ÛÏThatÛªs a real book. ThatÛªs where his old man is after him all the time. Have
you got any more by Walpole?Û
ÛÏThe Dark Forest,Û Bill said. ÛÏItÛªs about Russia.Û
ÛÏWhat does he know about Russia?Û Nick asked.
ÛÏI donÛªt know. You canÛªt ever tell about those guys. Maybe he was there when he was a boy. HeÛªs
got a lot of dope on it.Û
ÛÏIÛªd like to meet him,Û Nick said.
ÛÏIÛªd like to meet Chesterton,Û Bill said.
ÛÏI wish he was here now,Û Nick said. ÛÏWeÛªd take him fishing to the ÛªVoix tomorrow.Û
ÛÏI wonder if heÛªd like to go fishing,Û Bill said.
ÛÏSure,Û said Nick. ÛÏHe must be about the best guy there is. Do you remember the Flying Inn?Û
That was true. His original plan had been to go down home and get a job. Then he had planned to
stay in Charlevoix all winter so he could be near Marge. Now he did not know what he was going to
do.
ÛÏProbably we wouldnÛªt even be going fishing tomorrow,Û Bill said. ÛÏYou had the right dope, all
right.Û
ÛÏI couldnÛªt help it,Û Nick said.
ÛÏI know. ThatÛªs the way it works out,Û Bill said.
ÛÏAll of a sudden everything was over,Û Nick said. ÛÏI donÛªt know why it was. I couldnÛªt help it. Just
like when the three-day blows come now and rip all the leaves off the trees.Û
Curious about the last sentence, "if you will make up the field notes". Concerning the verbage in the letter content I am assuming that statement means correlate the notes so a map can be prepared, not fabricate or "make up" notes. ??
FL/GA PLS., post: 360653, member: 379 wrote: I am assuming that statement means correlate the notes
That is correct
Mike Berry, post: 360638, member: 123 wrote: I found this circa 1919 letter from surveyor Robert Gould to a Mr. Griffin. Gould is giving him directions to view a proposed road and get everything ready for the County Court since Gould will be out of town:
Interesting phrase. I've used it at least 10 times in conversation today. Sadly, people think I'm trying to buy weed.
The road itself wasn't established for two more years which is rare. Usually from conception to establishment the road proceedings were 2 to 3 months. Also - I think this is the only time in this area where I've seen a road established with a narrow 20' wide right-of-way. 40 and 60 were the norm.
For those interested I've attached the 1921 establishment and survey, along with Gould's entire letter to Griffin.
Thanks for posting! That is good stuff. Are your road records that good, that they keep inter office letters too? I would love access to that history when retracing roads in this part of Oregon. Thanks again, Jp
WGD, post: 360644, member: 8001 wrote: I was drinking a cold dope while reading this. It was refreshing.
Well dog my cats, I'd never heard that colloquialism for soda/pop/soda pop/cola/etc. before...
Mike Berry, post: 360680, member: 123 wrote: Well dog my cats, I'd never heard that colloquialism for soda/pop/soda pop/cola/etc. before...
I've never heard #5 - and I have a degree in that field!
Mike Berry, post: 360638, member: 123 wrote: Interesting phrase. I've used it at least 10 times in conversation today. Sadly, people think I'm trying to buy weed.
I will often talk about the articles I read on a website called The Straight Dope. Most of my friends look at me quizzically and say, "But you don't...uh..."
Silly kids.
Jp7191, post: 360678, member: 1617 wrote: Are your road records that good, that they keep inter office letters too?
They are sporadic at best. Generally routine and containing the information you'd hope for, but sometimes you come across seemingly mundane items that reveal hidden treasure.
skwyd, post: 360699, member: 6874 wrote: I will often talk about the articles I read on a website called The Straight Dope. Most of my friends look at me quizzically and say, "But you don't...uh..."
Silly kids.
My dad would uses "dope" in the same context as the website, as a replacement for "information" or for "records". Sometimes he used it in place of "stuff" or "things".
FL/GA PLS., post: 360653, member: 379 wrote: Curious about the last sentence, "if you will make up the field notes". Concerning the verbage in the letter content I am assuming that statement means correlate the notes so a map can be prepared, not fabricate or "make up" notes. ??
I think in the 19th century, early 20th century, Field Notes weren't made in the field. The Notes were a narrative map made from the actual Field Notes. The Santa Clara Surveyor has Hermann's actual field notes, they are very different from the official Field Notes, including doing radial stadia from high places. They didn't actually run the lines like the notes imply, at least not in that township.
Texas still calls legal descriptions "field notes."
BajaOR, post: 360770, member: 9139 wrote: My dad would uses "dope" in the same context as the website, as a replacement for "information" or for "records". Sometimes he used it in place of "stuff" or "things".
Now that you make me think about it, I have used the word " dope" for "information" myself, but that was long ago, I think my Dad used it say it also, we're talking early 60's.
BajaOR, post: 360770, member: 9139 wrote: My dad would uses "dope" in the same context as the website
Mine would too. He was a product of the depression (b. 1917) and I get a kick out of seeing/hearing terms that he used and I took for granted at the time but they have grown faint in memory for many years.
Back in the 1960's when I was new to the business, the old timers at that time used this term. There was a guy who did most of the research for us and he was referred as the dope guy. Saw a note on a field job folder once " Jack has dope in office". Sounded strange at the time to my young mind that Jack had the dope in the office.
dope ~ lowdown ~ scoop ~ story ~ the news
"Tell me everything dude."
B-)
As I recall, dope was what Wally called The Beav on a regular basis.
Holy Cow, post: 360789, member: 50 wrote: As I recall, dope was what Wally called The Beav on a regular basis.
I'm immune to the term "dope". I was the recipient of that term on multitudinous occasions during my incarceration in a parochial school for 9 years. :whistle:
Shooters should be familiar with the term "dope" as well. I worked at a firm where it was called "poop".
BajaOR, post: 360770, member: 9139 wrote: My dad would uses "dope" in the same context as the website, as a replacement for "information" or for "records". Sometimes he used it in place of "stuff" or "things".
My understanding is that this was a common use of the word "dope" prior to the 1960's. I find it interesting to see how words have moved and changed through the years.
