Scope and Content
Rose’s entries are longer in this journal, and have more room for gossip, personal thoughts, and reflections on news and local
politics. Jane grows very ill in January, so Rose, Mattie, Helen, and sometimes a neighbor take turns staying up by her bedside
every night into February. At the same time San Diego is hit by the 1916 floods. The family is safe in Coronado but loses
electricity and access to mail and other amenities. In March, Rose and Mattie get season tickets to the Exposition for $5
and attend more frequently. Helen moves briefly to San Francisco for work. Rose spends more of her time with neighbors, particularly
Miss Holmes, Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. Shields, and Mrs. Stafford, who is active in City Planning and Civic Improvement efforts.
Rose develops a recurring stomach problem, and Mattie and Jane are also often sick, so Helen returns home in July. At the
end of August Helen gets work as an assistant cataloger at the library with Althea Warren. In September Rose gets some work
writing letters for Mr. Winn (sp?), and otherwise continues with embroidery and quilting. As the year draws to a close they
all attend the Exposition more frequently, with Rose tallying up 39 visits since buying her ticket, and Mattie 44. Note: some
comments are in shorthand.
Entries of Interest:
Page 11: January 10, 1916: The house in Enid finally sells for $2,400, less than the family paid for it. Gil sends Rose $926.
Page 16: January 16, 1916: The San Diego River is rising and the dams are full. Rose mentions Hatfield the Rainmaker.
Page 27-31: January 27-31, 1916: After two weeks of rain the dams begin to fail and much of San Diego is flooded. Rose’s family
is safe in Coronado but affected by loss of services and access to San Diego. Rose is also dealing with the ongoing illnesses
of Jane and Mattie.
Page 47: February 16, 1916: Rose attends a meeting on Civic Improvement at Mrs. Stafford’s home. Tensions run high when the
topic turns to the War, since there is a Frenchwoman, an Englishman’s wife, and several German sympathizers all attending.
Page 68: March 9, 1916: “Villa & his band raided Columbus N.M. & killed a number of people & now we must go after him.”
Page 74: March 15, 1916: Rose follows the news on the conflict in Mexico and the war in Europe, but laments that the news
is so censored they don’t ever know what’s going on.
Page 96-101: April 6-April 11, 1916: Rose follows the political campaign between Spreckels and Johnson, and the election carries
in favor of Spreckels and the Prosperity League.
Page 124: May 4, 1916: “The water force is so bad can hardly get any water. Its been 3 months since the dam broke but the
San Diego government is about as bad as it possibly can be.”
Page 178: June 27, 1916: Following ongoing trouble with Mexico: “There was an emergency call at 3 oclock this morning for
men to go out to guard the dams and to border troops are coming in to be ready too. How I wish it was all settled.”
Page 187: July 6, 1916: “Mrs. Knight and Miss Holmes came in & wanted me to come over to a meeting for suffrage in all the
States at Miss Holmes Sunday. I am not at all interested.”
Page 197: July 16, 1916: Upon hearing that Rose, Mattie, and Jane are all sick, Helen comes home from San Francisco.
Page 235: August 23, 1916: Helen gets a job at the library as assistant cataloger with Althea Warren for $40 a month.
Page 283: October 10, 1916: A friend or family member of the Anthonys runs away to the ocean with suicidal intent, and returns
home hysterical. The reason for this is in shorthand.
Page 287: October 14, 1916: For her librarian exam Helen has to swear she lives in San Diego, and spend one night a week at
their Aunt Ellen’s home.
Page 308: November 4, 1916: “Helen said that Joe Boquel the aviator was killed this afternoon late. He had written ‘Farewell’
in sky & as he came down his machine exploded.”
Page 312: November 8, 1916: Rose describes attending the national election at the Masonic Hall, with 259 out of 342 of the
people in her precinct voting. The city of San Diego goes dry and this causes a commotion.
Page 368: A Memoranda page lists the Christmas presents Rose gave and received that year.