<Begin Segment 23>

SF: So then after doing this, then they had this general demobilization, and then you got outta the army. And then, what did you do next?

TS: Well, I went back to railroad.

SF: So did you work in the, as -- on a crew again or...?

TS: Yeah. I was, this, one guy named Mr. Ferryman, he was the boss. And he says, when I left, he says, "Well, be sure and come back after you get out." I got back, went back, and I went into the office, and there was a guy above him by the name of Mitguard. He was the boss above the boss I knew. And I had to see him first. I go there, see, and the guy was kind of a dour, old Norwegian guy, and -- "We've got no job for you, boy." And I, I could just feel myself getting angered, ready to spout off. And I could see my boss over there. He (signals), "Ssh." And he points at the door. So I kept quiet, and I walked out the door. And pretty soon, he comes out, and says, "We'll put you right back on." So -- and then, I went to, out to the gang, and I kept time for the gang. And pretty soon, he got promoted to be the division (roadmaster) for a new section of railroad (with) headquarters in Seattle. And he says, "Well, you come over to Seattle, I'll have a job for you." Invite -- yeah, so I went to Seattle. And he had a job for me.

SF: What kinda job did you get in Seattle?

TS: Paper shuffling. Carried as a timekeeper a while, then I got other jobs as I went along.

SF: And, so you made a steady progression up management over the years, huh?

TS: Yeah.

SF: A whole career.

TS: I was a timekeeper, and then worked as a road master's clerk. And then -- I couldn't get certain job,

because there's still a kind of a -- what do you call -- ? Prejudice. In fact, when they passed that one law, the federal law or whatever...

SF: Civil rights?

TS: Yeah, whatever. About jobs, equal employment. He had me represent him at a meeting of, everybody in the Seattle area. And oh, God, I heard some awful things in there. I was the only non-white in the room.

<End Segment 23> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.