What Was - Could Be Today

By Samuel E. Donelson

Samuel "Sam" E. Donelson is an achiever and one who does not let "too much grass grow under his feet." Coming from a family of eight boys, three girls, and, of course, his wonderful mother and father was one of being very poor. His younger years consisted of mostly farm work until he was nineteen years old when he enlisted in the US Army. Besides being a business owner as an electrical contractor, he has worked for large corporations as a "worker bee," VP, and ex-VP, including eighteen years in politics. However, the most important in his life is his wife, Patricia. Sam has set two additional goals before passing on: writing a book and becoming an inventor. His firm belief is to "set your goals and work hard to accomplish them."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9798885400503

Book preview

Chapter 1

Huck

Searching for a place to settle shortly after the Great Depression Era, three groups of people migrated to an abandoned town and lived within proximity to one another. For the most part, these three groups of people did not share very much in common. Some wanted to live in peace and tranquility while others knew little of these virtues.

The group known as displaced persons lost everything during the Great Depression. They were flawed but courageous in their attempt to start all over.

The group known as hopefuls left Russia shortly after WWII, still believing Russia could become the world’s dominant power while living under the influence of communism. Their belief was predicated on Russia’s part in defeating the Germans during WWII—but not all!

The third group, known as undesirable people, were from Poland and were implanted within America by the Russians. Their primary purpose was to promote socialism and communism, even though they were considered by the Russians to be undesirable people. They had no choice but to commit subversive action, or Russia would ensure they were deported back to Russia wherein it would ultimately cost them and their families their lives.

While searching for a place, most of these groups arrived within a short period from each other. All were tired due to a great deal of wandering when they came to this abandoned run-down town.

Many people within these groups found some fruit within the nearby woods. They recognized this fruit as huckleberries, which oftentimes grow among fir and pine trees. Some of them were aware from their history that huckleberries were being used for medicinal purposes, tea, jam, and jellies. Hence, not knowing the name of this abandoned town, many believed the name Huck was a proper name to give to this area they began to settle in.

Unknown to these three groups of people was a man by the name of Austin Burke Sr., who had been one of the lucky ones that struck it rich during the 1848–1855 gold rush in California. He invested his money in banks, oil drilling, and land within this same town known then as Hope. None within these three groups of people knew anything of this abandoned town, nor did they give it much thought or worry but only to settle in and start their lives over.

Upon his death (Austin Sr.) left all his inheritance to his wife, Minerva Minnie Burke. In like manner, prior to her death, Minnie made her son Austin Jr. and his wife, Nora, beneficiaries to all these holdings.

Nora was a very pleasant person with a keen mind for business. This, of course, fit very nicely into assisting with all the business activities left to them. Austin Jr., having a fetish for railroading, bought the entire Overland Back County Railroad (OBCRR). The OBCRR was owned and operated by Wasim and Spring Valley Counties.

These two owners had to sell because they were having a great deal of trouble in keeping the OBCRR operational. However, a clause within the agreement included the right of two trains owned and operated by the OBCRR to use the tracks, including any and all of appurtenances built by whomever.

Austin Jr. had just come from Wasim County during which time closure was made for the OBCRR. He favored the train known as Loci No. 9 and became jubilant while listening to Loci No. 9 blowing its whistle while he was standing on the outside where the train depot would be built in Huck.

Shortly after purchasing the OBCRR, Austin Jr. built something more than a so-called train depot with a five-day mail service known as Mail on the Fly halfway between these two counties. This method of sending and receiving mail, during this period, was widely used by many towns. It was a makeshift mail catcher, primarily consisting of an iron rod attached to the railroad car for catching a mailbag from a ground pole close to the depot while the train was in motion.

The purchase of the OBCRR was a significant help for Huck in its development, wherein Austin Jr. established a method of leasing land only to the displaced persons, who had a desire to build a home. Austin Jr. believed his father purchased these land for futures worth. He also believed it was incumbent of himself to maintain the ownership of this land including all mineral rights. Consequently, for those desiring to build a home would be allowed to lease only for a period of ninety years.

Having not the right knowledge to sell but to lease land to potential land/lease owners, Austin Jr. started a land/lease company under the direct supervision of qualified personnel. This was very smart on the part of Austin Jr., who later found out that this land was saturated throughout with asbestos.

Huck started out as a little bit of a wee bit backwoods town. There were a few run-down buildings vacated during the Great Depression, which needed a lot of repair to become somewhat useful. The need for food and goods became more prevalent as the population of Huck grew.

Some within these groups became entrepreneurs—they began developing a general store, a barbershop, a sawmill, and a meat market. This meat market was unique in being able to provide fresh meats—such as beef, pork, and other types of meat—daily. This uniqueness also provided freshly killed chickens and ducks (mostly any time) and turkeys (on Thanksgiving Day).

Huck (having the abundance of fir and pine trees) became the overwhelming mainstay for lumber within Wasim and Spring Valley Counties. As a result, work within Huck became somewhat plentiful for lumberjacks, sawmill workers, store trades, barbers, and meat cutters.

Many of the displaced persons (mostly consisting of older men and women, settling within Huck) believed it could be a good town. They did, however, have a real concern about subversive activity within Huck. Their particular concern was about the hopefuls and the undesirable persons, having been saturated with either socialism or communism from their respectful places of origin.

The displaced persons did not want any other type of government, except that of a democracy, allowing them freedom. They did not want either their land, possessions, or economic resources to be controlled by an elected socialistic government.

They also did not want a communistic form of government with almost the same similarities yet differing, wherein all land and most other