| Summary: | FINAL LETTERS BY WILL ROGERS: "Well, Wiley's Got Her Warmed Up; Let's Go." FINAL LETTERS BY WILL ROGERS "Well, Wiley's Got Her Warmed Up; Let's Go." HE LAUDS BEACH Noted Author and Wife "Were Responsible for Me in the Movies." The following article, mailed by Will Rogers from Juneau, Alaska, August 10, was believed to be the last ever penned by the beloved humorist, who was killed a few days later. Subsequently the New York syndicate handling his letters received three more articles in one envelope from Fairbanks, Alaska. These were sent the day before the fatal crash and were undoubtedly prepared in anticipation of a flight across Asia. The Spokesman-Review will publish these articles on the regular weekly schedule—September 1, September 8 and September 15. By Will Rogers Well, all I know is just what I hear when I talk to somebody and as I generally do all the talking, why I dont hear much, but I started out on this trip with the idea that I was going to do some listening. As I told you in a daily dispatch awhile back, Rex Beach hit Juneau just before we took off. Rex seemed to know everybody there, and all over Alaska. That "Spoilers" I expect is one of the finest novels ever written about this or any country. Rex Fishes and Hunts. He hasent been up here in years. He has always maintained some mining claims up around Nome, but it's fishing and hunting where his heart lies. He had no more than hit Juneau there a few weeks ago when the very next day he was out in what they call 'strip' fishing for what I think they call "Jack salmon." Then a little later he will start bear hunting and he sure knows this country. He came to Nome in about 1901, that was when she was really "hot." You see the "'98ers" were for Dawson and the Klondike district, a thousand and more miles from Nome. Then the Nome strike took it away from the old Klondike district. Put Will in the Movies. Rex and his wife Greta (that's Mrs. Fred Stone's sister), they were responsible for me in the movies. They was making a great Alaskan picture, and his character was "Laughing Bill Hyde." It was one of his famous short stories, by that same name. I was playing that summer in the Follies, and they got the "nut" idea that I could play the part. We made it while I was working in the show. It was made at the old Fort Lee studios, in New Jersey just across the river from New York city. They used to make an awful lot of pictures there. It was made for Mr. Sam Goldwyn who has all these years remained the famous producer. With producers coming and going and changing, he has held his own right at the top. He was my first picture boss and we have remained friends all these years, a rare combination. Mining and a Haircut. I learned what little I know about mining, which is practically nothing, from that picture we made. Rex supervised the picture, and he made 'em make all the details as to the actual mining scenes, exactly correct, "sluice boxes" and "panning" the gold. Then Rex wrote all the subtitles, and they were 'wows.' I went to the barber and got a haircut right in the middle of the picture and like to spoiled it, I dident know what I was doing, (and here I was in one door with long hair, and coming out with a haircut). They all like to had a fit. I think yet it was the best picture I ever made, for I hadent learned to try to act. There ain't nothing worse than an actor when we act. I have always had a great respect and friendship for Rex and Mr. Beach. Rex is an unusual man, outside all this writing. He is an authority on a lot of things. He has a lovely home near Sebring, Florida, and went to work and cleared a lot of swamp lake land and started raising celery on a real scientific principle. He ships it to New York and its a real bona fide going concern. Beach and Florida Dirt. Now he has got some Florida dirt, or something that is the very mineral that every person or plant needs to make it grow. Who ever heard of feeding people "fertilizer," but that's what it is. It makes grass grow, people grow, chickens lay, cows give milk. It' " developed under some great land chemist, and Rex says it's a great thing. I am going to get him to ship me a carload of it to California, feed some of it to my horses and make 'em run faster, some on the alfalfa to make it grow and another few spoons full on my chili con carne. Quotes Bill Fields. It's good as dear old Bill Fields (who has been sick and I hope he is well—he is next to Chaplin, the screen's greatest comedian), well, as Bill Fields would say, it's "Good man or beast" or plant or fowl. Rex was a-telling me about a famous man that is mayor of Vancouver, that he predicts great things for. As he says, this fellow is attracting attention all over Canada and even to England, that he is really smart and has the solution of the "way out." He must have something, he couldent fool Rex. Well, Alaska was certainly glad to see him. They remember up here, none of this one-day sensation like down in Cuckooland. Well, Wiley's got her warmed up. Let's go. (Copyright, 1935.)
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