Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

122. is – a special train to Pittsburg (sic) is made up at 11:15 which he takes. After he is gone unrest seizes me – I feel that such history making floods more important at the moment than the rail-road pictures – how to get to the real scenes is a problem. I even went so far as to go down to the station hoping that the Pittsburg train has not gone and that I can go with Denehey. Fortunately (as I later learned) the train was gone. I try half-heartedly all afternoon to get to work on my shop picture- but I cannot concentrate – all I get done is a brushed drawing with the brush, & light colors washed in.

     Impossible to phone in the evening, all lines held open for emergency flood-calls. At midnight I send telegram to relieve Bertha’s worry. 

11^th day- Thursday – (19^th)

   A.M. to E&M shops for more notes & impressions – News that the flood waters have subsided quieted my unrest somewhat and I realized the interesting phase was gone anyway, and that I had better work. All day at shop picture, making better progress.  

12^th day- Friday (20^th)

A.M. to E&M shops. Made studies of the “flaming wheel”- while watching it, I thot (sic) of the wheel that Ezekiel saw, and the negro spiritual “Ezekiel saw the wheel” started going thru my head. It persisted for days.

     P.M. work in room on picture, bringing it almost to a finish. Letter from Denehey:

“With a city plunged into total darkness, troops patrolling the streets proclaiming martial law, and flood waters that touched Pennsylvania Station, I arrived here last night at 10 P.M. after a creepy ride from Altoona.