TX BIOS:  Ostrander house
   Selected and converted.American Memory, Library of Congress.
   
   Washington, 1994.
   
   Preceding element provides place and date of transcription only.
   
   This transcription intended to be 99.95% accurate.
   
   For more information about this text and this American Memory
   collection, refer to accompanying matter.
   
   U.S. Work Projects Administration, Federal Writers' Project (Folklore
   Project, Life Histories, 1936-39); Manuscript Division, Library of
   Congress.Copyright status not determined.
   
   0001
   
   #19
   
   AUG 22 1938 [19-G?]
   
   FIELD NOTES Taken on Interviews
   
   (Information given by a local carpenter who helped build the Ostrander
   house)
   
   OSTRANDER RANCH
   
   "I helped to construct the Ostrander house in 1883. John Avery, a
   brother of Mrs. Ostrander, Charlie Tuttle and Tom Hughes of Eden also
   helped. Avery lived with the Ostranders and shared in their business.
   I worked from early spring until December. I got my time over at the
   Loomis place and went to Mrs. Ostrander for my money. I had a good
   horse to ride home. Mrs. Ostrander refused to pay me in cash because
   she was afraid I would be robbed. She gave me only enough cash to buy
   a suit and gave me a draft for the remainder.
   
   "Loomis and Ostrander had a wholesale grocery business in New York and
   many products which were used on the ranch bore their trade name on
   the labels.
   
   "All the fancy woodwork in the house and most of the furniture in the
   house was made by hand.
   
   "The Loomis barn cost $13,900.00. Loomis had a small buggy with no
   top, drown by two horses, with which he joined in the chase after
   antelope. The horses were well trained and were on the scene when the
   dogs caught their prey and were overtaken by the horse-backers.
   Old-Timers will remember the short, quick turns made by the horses and
   how Mr. Loomis knew exactly how to lean in order to balance the buggy.
   He was a grand sport. 00022"Prominent guys from the city would often
   come down to Ostrander's house for all-night parties. One could see
   the bearded Jews; and high-up guys would carry in loads of hams,
   canned goods, fine liquors and wines for the party. We knew they were
   having a party and decided to pull one of our own in the Loomis barn.
   We loaded up with our drinks and food and early the next morning an
   old bearded Jew came in and searched our quarters for more drinks but
   didn't find any.
   
   "I went back to the Ostrander place in [1885?] to do some more work
   and they were gone."

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