February 09th, 2012

Robert David Mitchell 's Memories

 

What I remember of my parents




My dadís name was Bob and My momís name was Carol. Dad did tell me once that as a child he had broken his leg and in those days they didnít run to a hospital. He said his aunt set it with a board. My dad was also a great shot or marksman. I used to practice shooting cards on the edges and shoot the spots out because ammo was cheep. My dad had guns rifles and such. He taught me and I could go along in car at fifty miles an hour and shoot a bottle with my little 22 and break it. You donít aim it you point it. Sometimes you would miss and take a quick adjustment and go boom, boom. But I could get it. In fact I could break them in the air.

What I remember of my grandparents

Back on January 30th 1939, My Grand dad was working at the Ideal Cement Plant. Some people had been thawing out a whole truck load of dynamite in an out building when it blew up. My Grand Dad Reid and Don Reid were there. I also have photos of them at the plant. He ran the train bringing in the rocks for the plant. At the moment of the blast he was lucky. He was down in the quarry. He told us the whole story. Workmen at the plant when the blast occurred had been thawing the dynamite. Donít know what caused it but it was reported to be heard up to 30 miles away. Two Employees were killed and a number were badly injured and dozens affected by the flying glass and debris. A significant part of the plant was demolished. Laport and surrounding areas were affected because the plant was a major employer for the area.