February 20, 1936
 
Captain Connie McGee
615 Elizabeth Street
Paducah, Kentucky
 
Dear Connie:
 
Mighty glad to have your letter noting that you are out of the hospital and back home, and you are getting along mighty well, navigating with the use of a crutch and cane.
With good weather conditions outside and practicing each day, it won't be long before you will be able to get along with the cane like you state, and a short time later forget the cane.
Connie, just take your time on getting yourself used to getting around as you don't want to have a fall, and when you feel that you are able and it is safe to get back on the job, drop me a line as we have plenty of work for you.  At first it would be best to take on a job such as watchman or something that does not require a lot of maneuvering.
With the ice scare there at Paducah, and all the other boats moving up in the Tennessee, thought best for us to move up too.  I am anxious to hear how the ice came down the Ohio when the gorge did let go, whether or not it came thru the cut off, and if any came thru just how much, and whether or not it came down on the Kentucky side or held to the Ohio.  By watching that now one will know about how the ice will act on the Ohio for the future, as it may save us moving.
We have plenty of ice here, and I hope we will be all right when it moves out.
Connie, I am glad to hear from you at all times, so drop me a line.  With kindest personal regards, remain
 
                                   Yours very truly
                             STRECKFUS STEAMERS
                                   Jos. Streckfus
                                   Manager

March 9, 1936
 
Captain Connie McGee
615 Elizabeth Street
Paducah, Kentucky
 
Dear Connie:
 
I have yours of the fifth, and I am glad to hear that you are able to make a trip every day on down to the river, that you are using a crutch and cane and getting along as well as you could expect under the conditions.
Note what you report regarding your left shoulder and hand, however that is something I don't know anything about.  Note Dr. Tomlin of the hospital claims it was sciatic rheumatism, which is probable.  Also note Dr. Bradley of Paducah said he thought it was an attack of paralysis and gave you instructions how to take care of it.
Connie, doctors are like advertising men and lawyers.
Did you ever find two of them that would agree?
It may be that you are using the arm and shoulder more than usual, inflamed the nerves in that arm if you have had a touch of sciatic rheumatism, and naturally laying off using that arm and bathing it in hot water will take down the inflammation of the nerve centers.  In other words, you will have to nurse the arm along a little as you really haven't been using that arm and shoulder very much for the past six months.
I know you have lots of grit and you don't let everybody that talks to you get you excited as to this and that, as you have had too much experience for that. Just take good care of yourself and get used to using the limb more often, and the other part of it I am sure will take care of itself.
No doubt you prefer to stay at Paducah for some little time yet, possibly up to the time the boats leave, and will then want to come to St. Louis.  Whenever you feel that you want to start on the boat doing something, I will be glad to arrange it but I would suggest that you get used to getting around first.  When you come to St. Louis we will have something for you here that you can do and keep yourself occupied so don't worry about that part of it.
I see no reason why, after you get yourself in good shape and get used to getting around like you did before, you cannot go right back and handle the same jobs you handled before.
We are busy on the big boat here, she looks like a picked chicken now, and there is lots of hard work as she is so big.  The boys will be coming over to Paducah in the next couple of weeks and I know they will be glad to see you.
With kindest regards, remain

                                      Yours very truly
                                      Jos. Streckfus
                                      Manager

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