(7:24 min) (01 of 19) Early years Born in small town in Illinois on a farm. Saw a tractor as a great improvement. His father said it was not going to be around too long. Couldn't agree with father on other things so took first opportunity...
(3:36 min) (02 of 19) Young adult #1 Got a job CB& Q railroad working on a coal chute. Next, had to wipe the locomotives down. Went to help Uncle thresh grain. Went home to shuck corn and went north.
(4:03 min) (03 of 19) Young adult #2 Traveled north. Shucked corn and by the end he was averaging 95 bushels a day. Went back home and got a job with his brother-in-law on a dairy farm. Took a class to become a railroad fireman. Train...
(5:05 min) (04 of 19) Education in Chicago Got a request from the Chicago & Altman Railroad to try-out for a fireman job. He was engaged to be married and decided not to work on the railroad. Went to Chicago to take the Ray Automobile...
(4:26 min) (05 of 19) Illinois Central Railroad Met a man working for the Illinois Central Railroad. Next job was painting for the Illinois Central Railroad. While he was there he put in for the steel gang building and repairing railroad...
(3:44 min) (06 of 19) Prepared for trip to Alaska Got information from Department of Interior and studied the possibility of moving. Saved up the money to go. Bought 1918 Model T Ford and fixed it up.
(5:20 min) (07 of 19) Trip to Alaska Left on July 1. Headed for either Alaska or Buenos Aires. Drove the Old National Trail to Seattle, drove over the Mead Bridge.
(4:04 min) (08 of 19) Trip to Alaska #2 Roads difficult. Gas expensive in Yellowstone Park. Flags were at half-mast when they made it out of the park and found out that Harding had died. Checked the Model T in at the Alaska Steamship...
(3:39 min) (09 of 19) Driving the Richardson Road Boat to Valdez, then on to Fairbanks via Model T. Stream crossings, rough terrain and speaking with a construction crew manager. Splashed the distributor cap.
(2:57 min) (10 of 19) Driving the Richardson Road #2 Thompson Pass too steep; had to be pulled; didn't have fuel pumps back then. 7 days to Fairbanks. Stopped at the News Miner offices and Pete Steele's Grocery.
(6:42 min) (11 of 19) First jobs in Fairbanks W. F. Thompson, editor of the News Miner, interviewed them about the trip Sept 1, 1923. Rented cabin from Pete Steele. Went to church and got a job the next day. Got a job with the N. C. Co. ...
(3:46 min) (19 of 19) Travel agency Started the first tour agency with Chuck West; called it the Arctic Alaska Travel Agency located in the Co-Op. Paul rented the travel agency's space from Cap Lathrop. He also opened an office in...
(3:27 min) (12 of 19) Early Fairbanks agriculture Fixed thresher and then traveled to where the machine was needed. Description of the Rickert homestead -- 320 acres in Fairbanks.
(5:26 min) (13 of 19) Automobile repair shop Bobby Sheldon. Machine building and transportation. Tourism. Bought out automobile repair shop, and took over the buildings.
(3:39 min) (14 of 19) Business grew Within five years he needed to expand the shop. Moved into a building built by McPhee who opened a saloon and rented the rest out. Fairbanks Exploration Company [FE Co.] was across the street. Largest...
(3:30 min) (15 of 19) New hire Hired George Butrovich, the brother of Johnny Butrovich. He was easy to teach, understood quickly. Worked hard. In 1927, George left him for the Road Commission and one year later he was the shop foreman at...
(4:50 min) (16 of 19) Popularity of road travel Was able to work on 35 cars at a time. Traveled to Detroit for a General Motors dealers' convention. Visited family before returning to Alaska. Met, courted and married his wife, Miss Flora...
(5:52 min) (17 of 19) Business continues to grow Bought out Mr. Goes and Mr. Pearl. Bought out the bus service to the University. In 1931, took over Ravell Brothers and ran freight between Valdez and Fairbanks. Fall of 1931, bought a...
(3:08 min) (18 of 19) Put the gas car out of business Cost $0.25 a round trip in gas between the school and Fairbanks. Fall of 1932 he ordered a 32 passenger bus. Ran it as a bus in the winter and switched the chassis to a cargo vehicle for...