Cumtux 2009 Vol 29 No 1 Winter

2009·4.8 MB·English

by  Clatsop County Historical Society

CrarTsop County Historica Society QUARTERLY
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JUMTUX
Vol. 29, No. 1 — Winter 2009
In This Issue...
The last diary kept by Nellie
Flavel (in the CCHS Collection)
ends on December 31, 1929. Milk Fund Benefit
It details the life of a wealthy
DANCE
woman in the months before the
stock market crash on October
24, 1929 and the two months TONIGHT
following. Selected entries from
her diary appear in this is-
Auditorium
sue. As a contrast, also in this
issue is a story by Karen L.
Leedom, author of the new
For
book Astoria: An Oregon History,
Undernourished
about the impact of the Great Children
Depression on local residents
in the 1930s. An excerpt from
Thaddeus Trullinger’s memoirs Sponsored by
is included, describing his view Dairy
of the events of 1936 and 1937. Employees
Loeal 522
And Dorothy Daggett Boyle has
written about her memories of
12° Street in Astoria in the late
75¢c
1930s. The last story takes place
in the mid 1940s and is about
the Yellow Cab Company. It Per Couple
was written by Bryce McCall,
This Advertisement Through Courtesy
grandson of Harry and
Ann LaChance Hyde, for Dr. Lower Columbia
Julie Brown’s writing class at Co-op Dairy Ass’n.
Clatsop Community College.
Also Makers of
| SHAMROCK BUTTER & CHEESE
Note: If anyone can provide AND FROSKIST ICE CREAM
the names of the other maids
mentioned in Nellie’s diary,
please contact CCHS, P.O. Box
88, Astoria, OR 97103.
Criatsop County Historica SOCIETY
CLaTsop COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY JUMTUX
714 Exchange St.
P.O. Box 88
Astoria, Oregon 97103-0088
[phone]
[email protected]
www.cumtux.org Ciatsop County HistroricaL SOCIETY
QUARTERLY
Heritage Museum Vol. 29, No. 1 — Winter 2009
16th and Exchange St., Astoria
Copyright © 2009 Clatsop County Historical Society
Flavel House Museum (ISSN 1083-9216)
8th and Duane St., Astoria
Uppertown Firefighters Museum
30th and Marine Drive, Astoria
BOARD oF DIRECTORS
Contents:
Kent Easom, Astoria
President
2 A Glance at Astoria during the
Paul Mitchell, Warrenton
Vice-President
Great Depression
Patricia Roberts, Gearhart
Secretary By Karen L. Leedom
Kent Ivanoff, Astoria
Treasurer The Depression Years 1936 to
Brett Estes, Astoria
Marsha Ettro, Svensen 1937
Vern Fowler, Gearhart
Jean Harrison, Astoria By Thaddeus Trullinger
J. Todd Scott, Astoria/Seattle
Yvonne Starr-Comins, Astoria 10 Memories of 12th Street
Randy Stemper, Astoria
By Dorothy Daggett Boyle
STAFF
16 Excerpts from Nellie Flavel’s
McAndrew Burns
Executive Director 1929 Diary
Sam Rascoe
23 Steamer Wrecked on Peacock Spit.
Director of Marketing
The Morning Astorian Budget
Liisa Penner
Archivist &
CUMTUX Editor 40 The Yellow Cab Company
By Bryce McCall
Lynette Thiel-Smith
Curator
Martha Dahl
Business Manager Front Cover: CCHS #5670.00F
Patricia Flavel, ca 1932, great granddaughter
Alma Jackson
Volunteer Membership Clerk of Captain George and Mary Christina Flavel
Carol Lambert
Carol Moore
Marlene Taylor
Cumtux Support
CUMTUX: Chinook jargon:
“To know...to inform”
Years of Growing Despair
A GLANCE AT ASTORIA DURING THE
GREAT DEPRESSION
By Karen L. Leedom
\ i J HEN STOCK VALUES collapsed The building remained empty until
on Wall Street on October 12, 1930 when a new bank, The Bank of
1929, plunging the United States and Astoria (not affiliated with the present
the world into the longest economic one), opened its doors to the public in
depression in history, it initially meant November. One year later it reported
little to the citizens of Astoria. They that the “first year of its existence has
were still reeling from the 1922 fire been highly satisfactory with deposits
that had destroyed downtown Astoria increasing more than $600,000
and were already struggling to pay during the year.” (Evening Astoria
their reconstruction debts. Budget 11/6/1931) In 1937 the bank was
In February 1928, following the purchased by the U. S. National Bank
retirement of Astoria National Bank of Portland. The building now houses
president W. A. Tyler, rumors about the Columbia River Day Spa.
the bank’s stability began to circulate In June 1929, rumors again caused
and people started making large a bank’s demise. The Astoria Savings
withdrawals. Grover Utzinger, who Bank, which had been in operation
succeeded Tyler, said the bank “did since 1891, was forced to close its
the only thing we could do, which doors. Bank President Frank Patton
was to convert our quick assets into said “it is with profound regret that we
cash to mend this abnormal demand.” are compelled to notify our customers
But they couldn’t keep up with the that the Astoria Savings Bank... has
withdrawals that continued and been forced to close its doors and
Utzinger said “it would have been cease business for a period of time...”
manifestly unfair to our friends and (Morning Astorian 6/19/1929) It never
loyal patrons who were not withdraw- reopened. Astoria City Hall has oc-
ing their money, to keep open longer.” cupied the building since 1939.
(Astoria Evening Budget 2/23/1928) The During the Depression every local
bank was located at 12" and Duane. bank in Astoria failed, except for one,
It closed in 1929 and liquidated its the First National Bank of Astoria,
assets. founded by Captain George Flavel.
Criatsop County Historica Societry
Traders Wiped Out
In
CiryA ND County GovERNMENT
As the Depression Era set in, to have been a contributing factor
assessed values in Clatsop County to the serious financial problems of
fell rapidly, but of course the size
the county. (Astoria Evening Budget
of the public debt did not. With no 1/6/1932)
source of capital, businesses failed and In October 1932, the Astoria City
unemployment loomed large. Before Council announced it would slash
the fire, Astoria had been a thriving salaries by 15 to 50 percent and
community of over 14,000 people. initiate a 6-hour work day where
By 1930, Astoria’s population had practicable.
dropped to around 10,000.
In November 1931, Astoria had CLaTsop County RELIEF
a bonded debt of $3.9 million. The COMMITTEE
Port of Astoria defaulted on bond On November 17, 1931, the Clatsop
payments as they were unable to County Relief committee was formed
raise enough tax dollars to keep up to find work and bring relief to
payments. Clatsop County reported families of unemployed men. It
a 62 percent tax delinquency in the included delegates from one of each
first halfo f 1933. of the churches and relief groups in
In January 1932, the county an- the city. At the time ofi ts inception,
nounced a program ofd elinquent tax 690 unemployed men registered with
foreclosure that included all property the committee. The committee’s first
delinquent up to and including the fundraiser was an “unemployment
year 1927. The failure of former relief picture show” held at the Liberty
Clatsop County officials to foreclose Theater where they hoped to raise
on delinquent property was thought $400.
Cumtux — Vol. 29, No.1 — Winter 2009
In late December, committee in exchange for fresh produce.
members crowded three large stor-
age rooms and prepared Christmas HUNGER MARCH
baskets for the needy, with all county Efforts of the relief committee ap-
cars and trucks being pressed into parently were not enough because on
service for delivery. In addition to March 3, 1933, a group of Is0 to 200
food to feed a family for several days, persons calling themselves “Farmers
they included toys in baskets sent to and Unemployed Workers” conducted
homes with children. a hunger march in downtown Astoria.
The transient population was taken Hundreds of spectators lined the
care of by the Salvation Army. One streets and about 500 to 600 of them
thing the Salvation Army did was joined the marchers as they assembled
establish a wood cutting operation at the county court house. One of
where transients chopped wood in their demands was for free medical
exchange for food and lodging. The treatment for farmers, workers and
wood they cut was given to needy their children. They also demanded
families. that “foreclosure proceedings against
In October 1932, the commit- farmers and workers be halted and
tee opened a food bank called the that workers not be taxed to provide
Sunshine Depot in the Ben Hay relief for their fellows.” (Astoria
building on Eighth Street between Evening Budget 3/3/1933)
Bond and Commercial. The county-
owned building was given to the relief Money Scarce
committee by the county court. Money was so scarce in the 1930s
Another plan to assist the needy that bartering schemes were devised
relied on the generosity of business to handle some business transactions.
men and city employees. They were One effect of the economic collapse
asked to pledge one percent of their was the merging oft he two city news-
salary to buy groceries for those in papers, the Astorian and The Astorian
need. In return for receiving as- Budget. Employees of the new paper
sistance, it was also stipulated that agreed to accept ten percent of their
every able bodied person be required pay in “Budget Beaver Pelts,” small
to work on specified projects for the certificates which merchants had
amount of relief they received for their agreed to accept and use as payment
families. Men received time slips for for newspaper advertising. This prac-
the work they did on a theoretical pay tice continued for several years.
of about 25 cents per hour which could ‘The school board worried that they
be exchanged for groceries. A number would not be able to keep the schools
of men also provided local farm work open. Teachers accepted drastic “vol-
Cratsop County Historica SOCIETY
untary” pay cuts, and school children jetty was constructed at the mouth of
marched along the streets of Astoria the Columbia River.
beseeching residents to at least pay the Another program of the New
school tax portion of their delinquent Deal was a relief agency known as
taxes. And it was noted in a school the Works Progress Administration
board report in The Astoria Budget (WPA). Before its end in 1943 the
on December 2, 1931, that “stealing in WPA provided 9 million jobs and
the high school is unusually prevalent spent nearly $12 billion. Three fourths
this year.” of the money went toward construc-
On January 8, 1932, the Astoria tion projects, one of which was the
Evening Budget reported that the municipal airport and seaplane ramp
school district was unable to pay its constructed on the south side of
teachers, instead giving them their Young’s Bay. It also funded a project
pay in warrants instead of in cash, and that taught local farmers how to build
that the school board was working on sanitary pit privies.
a plan to raise $15,000 for its payroll The WPA also provided jobs for
by issuing notes. unemployed writers, editors and
research workers. One such program
RooseEVELT’s NEw DEAL was the Federal Writers’ Project, a
In November 1932, branch of which was established in
Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected Astoria in 1935. This project put au-
President of the United States in thors to work in each state preparing
a landslide vote. One of the many state guidebooks, writing historical
publicly funded employment pro- pamphlets, and recording points of
grams initiated by Roosevelt to interest.
help struggling families get through In the later 1930s, attempts to curb
the economic difficulties of the inflation and limit federal spending
Great Depression was the Civilian caused unemployment to rise again.
Conservation Corps (CCC). And The cure came from beyond the coun-
although not everyone in America try’s borders. While the nation was
supported FDR and his New Deal striving to stabilize the economy and
programs, the CCC provided young to pacify workers who organized to
men camaraderie and accomplish- demand better pay and safer conditions,
ment in an era fraught with idleness countries were preparing to defend
and despair. In Clatsop County the themselves from the growing threat
CCC spruced up Fort Stevens and from the belligerents, Germany, Italy,
helped reclaim a large part of the and Japan. Early in 1941, there were
Clatsop Plains from encroaching sand still nine million unemployed men in
dunes that had built up after the south the United States. President Roosevelt,
Cumtux — Vol. 29, No.1 — Winter 2009 5
realizing the need to prepare for possible
conflict, persuaded Congress to allow
him to enlarge the U. S. military. After
the U.S. entered the war at the end of
1941, lack of employment was no longer
an issue.
Many area families survived the
Great Depression by planting vegetable
gardens, fishing, hunting and trapping,
cutting wood, and gathering bark, and
berries. For some the struggle to feed
the family was fought daily. The experi-
ence marked them forever. “Waste not;
want not” was a central theme of their
lives that later generations never quite
understood.
Karen L. Leedom is the author of
Astoria: An Oregon History. The book
was published in 2008 and is available
at the Heritage Museum, the Carriage
House and other bookstores in the area.
OUR DUTY TO THE JOBLESS
(Editorial) Sept. 7, 1931 Evening—Astorian Budget
Labor day, 1931, finds a situation throughout this country such as has not existed in more
than a generation—a problem of unemployment which is forcing itself upon the attention
of local, state and national governments.
Millions of men are out of jobs and another long winter is approaching. When seasonal
employment of the fall is over, the ranks of the unemployed will be swelled unless the public
provides jobs—and without jobs this country will find an increasing demand for the dole.
The dole is a last resort and no self-respecting laboring man wants it. What he wants is
work, not charity. And, since it seems inevitable that the government must provide in one
} way or another for the people who can find noj obs in private industry, the wiser course would
be to make available appropriations for public projects upon which could be employed a large
number of these idle men. The states, counties and cities ought also to undertake a similar
>) program insofar as their finances will permit.
America in the past has heeded the cry of distress from many foreign lands, and has raised
millions of dollars for the relief of sufferers in Europe and Asia. With so much real distress
4, at home, occasioned by the scarcity of jobs, the response should not be less generous than
4 when the call comes from other lands.
President Hoover should not hesitate in calling a special session if new legislation is
required to meet this crisis.
CiLatsop County Historica SOCIETY
A Tough Winter in Sight
THE DEPRESSION YEARS
1936 TO 1937
By Thaddeus Trullinger
INTRODUCTION Perkins, Lewis, and Green‘ all disagree
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt’ and employers and labor cannot get
advisors convinced him that the budget together. No plant of any kind can
deficit would create more problems than operate but for short periods. There is no
unemployment would, he raised taxes, assurance of steady operation. No con-
lowered spending and cut the W. P. A. tracts or agreements between employers
program in half. A recession followed. In and unions are of any value. Arguments
the article below, Thaddeus Trullinger by unions are broken by divisions of the
describes the conditions for business at the unions. Factions fighting factions always
time. results in the closing of the plants.
Excerpts from Thaddeus Trullinger’s The cannerymen, fishermen and
reminiscences have appeared many times cannery unions have worked successfully
before in Cumtux, describing an early all through the fishing season of 1937.
logging camp at Walluski, mining tin for Some disagreements, but no strikes or
the canneries, the fire of1 883, the Astoria shutdowns. This has been the only in-
Post Office and the Quarantine Station dustry in Astoria that has operated steady
at Knappton. We plan to include more of during the year. All other industries have
them in the future. had trouble. Great credit should be given
to the heads of the fishermen’s and can-
CO CO CO C&* nery workers unions. Strikes everywhere
I started operating a gas station at 52 while the fishing season passed without a
West Bond during the last part of the strike among the fishermen and cannery
month of April 1936. Up to the present workers.
time [1937] there have been strikes in one Logging camps and sawmills have
or more industries during all the time. been closed many times and at the
Labor unions have been divided and present time, Nov. 6, 1937, all the mills
the several branches and departments in Portland are down and very few logs
have been at war with the parent union are put in the water.
A. FE. of L. The President, Madam All stores in Astoria are unionized and
Cumtux — Vol. 29, No.1 — Winter 2009 ?
short hours prevail. price and the cars are repossessed by the
The idea of the short hours in the dealers for lack of payment. Many people
stores was for the purpose of employing are driving cars who have no steady
more clerks. Owing to less employment employment and are trying to supply
in camps and mills, the extra force their gasoline requirement by obtaining
were not needed and while the day was gas on promises to pay later on. These
shortened, extra help was not needed. drivers put on a bold front and make
Gas stations are being closed as early as many promises to pay, but after securing
six o'clock to save paying electric light a credit even for a very few gallons they
bills. Many gas stations that always kept never come back and if they do earn
open late are now closing early evenings. some money, they spend it elsewhere.
Two stations are now closed entirely for They can obtain more gasoline for their
lack of business and all other stations are money than by paying for gasoline that
operating at a loss. has been burned up.
Major oil companies are selling gaso- In past years major oil companies
line at wholesale to customers, doctors, issued credit cards by thousands. At
lawyers, truckers, farmers, canneries, the present time, credit cards are rarely
fishermen or anyone with a bucket at seen. Only proven honest people can
less than service station wholesale prices. obtain a credit card. Oil companies have
Major oil companies claim they are lost millions of dollars through issuing
meeting the competition of other major credit cards to people who formerly paid
oil companies, thereby spreading ruin promptly each month, but now when
among the retail dealers. people have a card, they use it until it is
On my way to open my station this called in but do not pay. The desire to
morning, I noted the cooks in three keep up appearances and drive a car is
restaurants leaning on the counters making all classes of people dishonest. It
reading the morning papers all ready for is now considered an accomplishment to
business but no customers for breakfast. obtain gasoline on credit and then refuse
Even the beer joints are not prosperous. to pay. All gas stations that demand cash
All report less trade. are starving for lack of volume while
The sales lots where second hand cars those that extend credit are fast going
are sold show a change in stock on hand. broke.
Last winter and in the early spring the Owing to high wages and short hours
lots were full of old style autos which and increases in cost of upkeep, many
were sold by the hundreds. The lots are stores and butcher shops have ceased to
now filled with more modern cars and operate any free delivery service.
some Cars are 1936 and a few 1937 models. Barbers are charging 65 cents for hair
This display of late models indicates cuts and long hair is now in style.
failure of buyers to complete purchase No towing of log rafts for some time
Ciatsop County Historica SOcIETY