Essay, by Charles Salton (1921-2004), 2002

When we arrived in Las Vegas I was 6 and am now 80. My memory of what happened in the early days is based on the discussion of my parents and as I grew up we were still family freinds. We arrived in Las Vegas in December of 1928, (my mother, sister and I). My father had [come] to lLas Vegas earlier in the year. He came [to] Las Vegas because Congress had authorized the construction of Boulder Dam (Hoover Dam). However, construction did not get under way until the money to bond the dam was approved several years later. This was the shot in the arm that Las Vegas needed at the time. While here in Las Vegas my father met Ed Phillopson and his family and ours shared a four room house. The Phillipsons later returned to California. When we arrived the Jews in Las Vegas were Lillian Davidson (Lane), Louis Cohen, Morris Rose, Sam Stearn, and Ike Bloom. Louis Cohen was probably the first Jewish lawyer in Las Vegas. I don't know whether Louis Abraham ("Abe the Tailor") was here. If his son is still in Las Vegas, he could tell us. The service held in the [?] was conducted for the most part by airmen from Nellis. The Sunday school classes I attended were in Sally Gordon's father's office downtown. They may have also been conducted in her home but I don't think I attended their classes. When we needed more room for the high holiday service, Lloyd Katz offered the Huntridge location and that is where the icident with Joe E. [?] took place. In addition to Eddie Cantor being for U.J.B., B? and Allen were also here for another one held at the El Rancho. One year when Jane K? was president after the appeal was made the members of the board signed a note and borrowed money so that the appeal wouldn't have to wait until the pledges were paid. As the pledges were paid, the note was paid off. The first High Holiday service conducted by a rabbi was conducted a ?? student rabbi, cousin of ? and Jayne Marshall. As a member and officer of the board, I was the indigent committee for a while and during ?? a [?] seaman came through and he ran out of money. He was coming from the east coast to a berth in San Pedro and needed money for gas to get there. Two days after I gave him the money, I received the money order from him for the amount I had given him. He was the same one who ever paid back the [?] he was given. I am writing this as things come to me and not in any order. When discussing the Jews in Las Vegas in the 30s, one cannot omit ? who had a ? and could have been the ? first Jewish woman shop owner in Las Vegas. After a trip to the cemetery I remembered the other early Jews. They are Abe Schriber, Bear the Sign Painter, Dave ?, Wiener Family, Waldman Family, Silver Family. The L.D.L. (Mormon) Church was invited to a Friday night service and after the service a question and answer session was held. Seder was held at ? The first Torah was donated by Mike and ? Gordon. The second by Rebecca? Salton. [The following pages contain lists of names].