Getting closer to the boat: Entry 6

I feel the end to Julius’ boredom finally approaches…well I know so as I have already started translating entry seven before writing this post. As he gets excited for new things, he writes more and his entries are longer so I can see at a quick glance if something exciting has happened or not. As such, he also seems to write faster, which in the end makes transcription and translation slower for me. Can win them all I guess.

Dienstag den 16hau August 1864 Morgens gingen Robert, Hermann u ich aufs Boat u beleg ten unhere Stlutze, bezahlten $30.00 fur passage, erfuhren über, dasz des Boat erst den folgenden Tag abgehen werde das Boat iss grosz u grachtig eingerichtet u verzeche ich wir in demselben eine angenehme Reihe. Auf dem Rückweg Rauhte ich wir ein en neuhen Rock, und nachdem Essen geig enwir weit Hermann nach seinen Guartier u nahem ein barl, und da es suhin tilge eines Jehe. Tigen Gewitte bed eut end abgekühlt Jatte, se suhlte ich nich nachdem bade in seinen Kleidere nacht wohl. Abends ging ich wie gewuhe luh ins Tivoli Julius Hundhausen, August 16th 1864

Tuesday the 16th of August 1864 In the morning Robert, Hermann, and I went on the boat, picked our seats, paid $30.00 for passage and found out that the boat was leaving the following day. The boat is big, tall and long and I think we’ll have a pleasant row in it. On the way back, I ruffled a new coat as a recent thunderstorm had cooled the weather significantly and I felt that I probably wouldn’t be bathing in my clothes again. after dinner we played the violin as Hermann went to his guardian near a bar. In the evening, I went to the Tivoli like usual. Arin Blackwood, translation Julius Hundhausen Journal entry 6

One of the details that jumped out at me as I transcribed this page is the $30.00 passage cost. I hope that was $10.00 each, as three of them were purchasing passage, but even $10.00 in 1864 is a decent sum of money. Today, that same $30.00 would have an equivalent purchasing power of about $537.23! Even the $10.00 per ticket that I hope it was is still $179.08 today. That’s some expensive boat travel and I can only assume that they were below deck and not on the deck, otherwise those steamers were banking some serious money! As far as I can tell from quick searches is that, indeed, steamer tickets could range from $40 for steerage to $75 for a cabin. They very well may have purchased steerage passage at $30 per person!

#writing #inflation #HermannMissouri #newwriter #Hundhausen #1864 #civilwar