Percy Jackson: Interview Outline: Section 12 His wage work experiences Tape Reference Number: H2002-09-14 Percy Jackson talks with Bill Schneider and Eileen Devinney in Kiana, Alaska on January 28, 2003.

Bill Schneider: And I think that one thing that we should talk about for the young people that might be listening is your going out for work experiences. When did you first leave the area here to go out for wage work?

Percy Jackson: First I used to go up Klery Creek when I was young, work up there cutting wood, sink a hole [for mining operations].

Bill Schneider: This is on the Koyukuk River?

Percy Jackson: Klery Creek.

Bill Schneider: Oh, Klery Creek.

Percy Jackson: Uh-hum.

Bill Schneider: I'm sorry.

Percy Jackson: After that, I start boating for B & R.

Bill Schneider: Was that down at the bay or was that on --

Percy Jackson: No. A river and a bay.

Lorry Schuerch: There was -- that B & R was the Bullock & Rotman Tug and Barge Company that worked out of Kotzebue that was owned by Jack and Edith Bullock. And that tug -- tug and barge company served the Kobuk River during Percy's days of youth. And it eventually was -- is still in operation under a different name now. Owned by Crowley.

Bill Schneider: Can you tell us about working for the miners?

Percy Jackson: Yeah. When I first went to miners in Candle --

Bill Schneider: Uh-hum.

Percy Jackson: -- I worked 70 cents an hour. But that was big money, though, those days. Maybe about a month they raised me, though, to 76 cents. I started driving Cat. Maybe about 150 a month we used to get that time. That's a big money. You could buy lots of stuff with it.

Eileen Devinney: Do you remember about when that was that you did that work?

Percy Jackson: When I was -- let's see, I forget the year.

Eileen Devinney: Like how old were you?

Percy Jackson: I was 20 years old that time when I first went to Candle.

Bill Schneider: Were you married that time?

Percy Jackson: No. I was single. And there was a whole bunch of us went over there to go work from here and Noorvik. Archie Ferguson was the only one that could fly us over.

Bill Schneider: And when did you start working on the tug and barge?

Percy Jackson: Let's see. When -- when I was around 17 years old. I started working for Archie Ferguson. And after that, moved to B & R. And let's see, in '59, I was on the DEW Line, too, from Kotzebue all the way up to Barter Island.

Bill Schneider: Hmm.

Percy Jackson: That's a long trip.

Bill Schneider: Yeah, it sure is. Now they are dismant -- I'm picking up that noise here, you're clicking.

Lorry Schuerch: Okay.

Bill Schneider: And now they are dismantling that DEW Line, huh? Yeah. And building other types of defenses.

Percy Jackson: Uh-hum.

Bill Schneider: And then when did you go to Fairbanks and work?

Percy Jackson: First I went over '61.

Bill Schneider: '61?

Percy Jackson: Uh-hum. After I joined the union.

Bill Schneider: So you've had a -- you've had a lot of experiences. What do you look back at as being the most important or the most enjoyable?

Percy Jackson: In '61, there was hardly any jobs over there. I just work about a month and I went back.

Bill Schneider: That's pretty neat about that Richard Glover and teaching you those things when you were young.

Percy Jackson: Uh-hum.

Bill Schneider: That must have been something you remember with fondness.

Percy Jackson: Uh-hum. Still remember that.

Bill Schneider: Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you for taking the time to do this, this morning. Yeah. There's some good information in there.

Percy Jackson: And he teach me lots, and I forget some of them.

Bill Schneider: Uh-hum.

Percy Jackson: And when we're out in the country, in summertime.

Bill Schneider: Uh-hum.

Percy Jackson: We used to use that water for storage, to keep the meat cool, and fresh. When you put it in gunnysack and put it in water, don't change, stay there for a long time. And when we want fresh meat, just dig it out and get some meat. 'Cause that water is cold. That way you could save lots of meat in summertime.

Bill Schneider: Uh-hum. Yeah. Okay. Well, thank you for taking the time to do this.

Percy Jackson: Uh-hum.

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