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COSMETICS AND COAL
(Georgia)
"Ours is much better coal than you are
selling and it will certainly serve your customers to greater advantage."
A man's voice was saying as I walked into the office of the Fuller Coal
and Wood Company.
His high-powered salesmanship must have been very effective for when he
left he carried with him an order for three carloads of coal to be
delivered by May 15.
A vase of flowers and a partly finished dress on a sewing machine
evidenced the feminine touch in this office, which otherwise was like the
usual one of its type.
Mrs. Fuller, owner and operator, is a very diminutive person, who weighs
not more than ninety-five pounds. On this particular morning she was
wearing a shirtwaist dress and her light-brown hair was combed straight
back and arranged in a bun on the nape of her neck. Her manner was very
brisk and businesslike.
As Mr. Milton of the Tennessee Coal Company left the office with a "desire
accomplished" look on his face, Mrs. Fuller turned to me with a smile, as
she said:
"And now, what can I do for you?"
"Well," I answered, "Our work at this time centers around people who were
drastically affected by the Economic Depression and because I know that
you come under this category, I have come to ask you to tell me of your
experiences."
She agreed readily but told me that she would need prompting as she went
along in the shape of questions that would keep her on the right track.
"You're asking quite a lot when you expect me to go all the way back to my
birth date. However, I'll try.
"Our old home was on a plantation in Wilkes County. My father was a native
of Wilkes but my mother came from Lincoln County. I was born September 10,
1890, the third child in a family of 12, but only six of us reached
maturity.
"My father believed in educating his children and although though we each
had special work to do on the farm, he saw we had ample time to attend
school.
"My mother passed away when I was 12 years old, and as I was the oldest
girl, I fell heir to her work. So then, I not only had to do the cooking
and washing for the entire family but also had to find time to go to
school. Of course I couldn't hold out very long under this strain and
because my father was unable to obtain help, school had to be given up.
"My father finally married again, but the home was never the same. My
stepmother was undoubtedly a good woman but she didn't understand
children. In other words the maternal instinct was entirely lacking in her
make-up.
"When I was 16 yours old, I married B. L. McManus, who was employed as a
loom fixer at the Sibley Manufacturing Company. Thus a little green
country girl came to Augusta to establish a home. My three boys were born
of this marriage.
"My husband gave me a lot of trouble. Whiskey and women were his
weaknesses and after fifteen years, even he came to realize his failure as
a husband. One day he admitted it and asked me why I didn't leave him.
"I answered: 'If I can't succeed at making our home, I certainly won't
break it up.' Well, he had no such scruples and he left me with my three
little boys, when the youngest was seven. I didn't know what to do and
felt certain we would starve.
"When my father learned of my trouble, he came to my rescue immediately.
There was nothing left for me, but to move to the country with him. I was
very grateful for the food and shelter but was very dissatisfied eating
other people's bread.
"I applied for support from my husband.
He agreed to give me $10 a week and then a little later a friend of mine
sent for my oldest boy to work on his laundry truck at $5 a week. I now
felt that I was financially able to move back to Augusta and put the two
younger boys in school.
"I was almost a nervous wreak from all the worry and trouble. I prayed
every day for a way to open that would enable me to get the eldest boy,
Otis, back in school also.
"One Saturday as he was working on the truck he found a copy of the
Augusta Herald. He could never explain where it came from and I have
always felt that it was an answer to my prayers. I searched eagerly for
the want ads, and found that there was an opening for a lady to sell
California products.
"I could hardly wait until Monday. Somehow, I felt almost certain I would
get the job and that through it would come the solution of my financial
difficulties.
"I lived through Sunday somehow, and bright and early Monday morning I was
on hand to apply for the job. My spirits were somewhat dampened when the
lady told as me I would have to put up a $5 deposit for the sample kit for
that was just about $5 more than I possessed.
"I found the proverbial 'friend in need' who offered to lend me the money
and first thing Tuesday morning I reported for work. I didn't realize how
very weak and nervous I had become and at first I was only able to work 3
days a week. It wasn't very long before I had built-up a clientele who
ordered regularly and my average earnings reached $50.00 a month.
"As the mental strain lessened I began to improve physically, and I began
to feel like I was really living again. I was now able to keep all three
of the children in school. I only-worked from 8:30 A.M. to 2:00 P.M., in
order to have my afternoons at home with my boys.
"Even with such short working hours my sales mounted to $1,000 a year for
several of the ten years I worked for the company. Each of those years I
received a $60 bonus as a reward.
"For the last two years I remained with that organization and for sometime
afterwards, I also sold coal for Mr. Fuller as a side line. He allowed me
a commission of 50 cents for each ton I sold. Some seasons I made as much
as $100.00.
"I had always wanted a home of my own and before long I located a lot that
suited me on Ellis Street. The cost was $575.00 and the owners offered it
to me for a $10.00 cash payment; the rest to be paid at the rate of $10.00
a month.
"One day when I had my lot about half paid for, I went to the hospital to
deliver some orders. I saw a crowd gathered at the emergency room, but as
I was in a hurry to get home and have supper, so I could go to prayer
meeting, I didn't stop to inquire who was hurt.
"You can imagine how amazed I was when upon my arrival at home, my next
door neighbor hurried out to ask how Otis was.
""He is all right.' I answered in surprise. 'Why do you ask?'"
"'Don't you know that he was run over by a city truck and rushed to the
hospital with a broken leg?'"
"And before I realized what I was saying I cried: "Oh, God, why did you
let it happen to my boy?' A minute later I was horrified at my sacrilege
in daring to question what God had done for after having a minute to think
I remembered that 'He doeth all things well,' as he showed me later.
"My boy's leg was in an awful condition and the doctors told me that an
operation was absolutely necessary. They explained to me that the leg
would have to be cut and put back together with silver pegs.
"I just didn't see how I was going to stand it and the morning of the
operation I stayed away from the hospital until I thought it was all over.
When they brought him down from the operating room he looked so bad I was
telling myself: 'He'll never walk again!'
"Joy seldom kills but it came pretty close to it when the doctor said,
with a much lighter manner than I thought suitable for the occasion:
"'Well, when we put him to sleep, we pulled his leg and the kneecap
slipped into place and it was not necessary for us to operate. In about
three months, he'll be up and walking.'"
"The injured leg in about half an inch shorter than the other but the
difference is scarcely perceptible. The city paid the hospital and
doctor's bills and gave me $500.00.
"I finished paying for my lot and used the rest of the money to make a
deposit on the house. In a very short time I began building my home.
"Did I tell you that each of my boys helped themselves through school by
carrying the Augusta Herald?" She asked with pride.
"I couldn't always take up the notes just when they were due." Mrs. Fuller
went on. "But both of my creditors were very considerate and as long as I
paid the interest they were both satisfied.
"And now I want to tell you about the best part of my life. All through my
troubles when I came face to face with a crisis of any kind I first asked
God to guide me and without his help I would have failed. Yes, I have had
many trials and heartaches, but God always helped as carry my burdens."
"When did you marry Mr. Fuller?" I asked.
"We were married in January 1926." She answered. "And I kept on selling
California products until he died in 1928."
"And he left you the coal and woodyard?" I queried.
"No he left a will which gave the executor the power to do as he liked
with the property. I have never really known how much Mr. Fuller had. My
lawyer advised me to ask for a year's support and I was given a house, a
lot, and a small cash payment. The house was in such ill repair that it
took the better part of the money to put it in rentable condition. What
was left after this was done I used to make the final payment on my home."
"Who got the woodyard?" I asked.
"Mr. Fuller's nephew. He told me that he had bought it."
She replied. "I worked for him here in the office for $10.00 a week. He
didn't know a thing about the business and just at the beginning of the
Depression, I bought the place from him. It took all the cash I had as I
also had to pay for several carloads of coal then on order.
"The effects of the Depression upon my venture were immediate. I took the
business over at the very beginning of the season and instead of my sales
increasing they were falling off daily. I lost a lot of money on coal that
had already been delivered on credit. Most of this had been sold to
railroad employees, who had been laid off after the receipt of the coal.
It seemed that the bottom just fell out of the railroad business about
that time.
"I didn't realize that the trouble was here to stay and kept on selling on
credit. Of course, there was no way to collect for nobody had any money.
The few cash sales I was able to make and the very little money derived
from those who did pay failed to net me sufficient funds to keep coal in
the yard for delivery. Then the larger coal dealers cut the price of coal
to $6.00 a ton, in an effort to force me and another small local dealer
out of business.
"I had spent my last dollar and the mines refused to ship more than one
carload of coal and that was shipped C.O.D. I borrowed $175.00 to pay for
a carload and when I had sold that, I ordered another.
"I had mules to feed in addition to the upkeep of the wagons and the first
two years of the Depression I only made $500.00. I felt as though we were
facing starvation. As a last resort I mortgaged my home to keep my boys in
school and to buy coal and wood."
"Did you continue to sell on credit?" I asked.
"Yes, I couldn't refuse when folks would tell me they had sickness or that
their little children were cold. Some of them I knew would pay when they
could, others I was dubious about. And do you know I am still collecting
some of that money? Sometimes they can only give me 50 cents a week, but
at that - they are paying."
"How is your business, now?" I asked.
"Good, very good." She replied. "For a long time now it has been
increasing. I have replaced my mules and wagons with four modern trucks,
have paid off all the mortgages and have the money on hand to pay for my
coal upon delivery.
"Yes I have a bank account. My average income is about $500.00 a month and
I am able to save quite a bit of it."
"Did your boys go to college?" I asked.
"No, but they all finished High School. My oldest son is married and has
two children. The middle boy is an accountant and the youngest works for
me. Both of them are single.
"I am very tired and nervous and before very long I expect to turn my
business over to my sons and take a much needed rest.
"Anyway, as I see it men make better managers for this type of business. I
knew that in a good many cases women are more successful but where you
hire colored drivers, it takes a man to keep them going and the
responsibility in too great for a woman. I can notice a great difference
since my son has been with me. Yes, a man is better fitted to manage this
business."
"Mrs. Fuller, I notice what your place is surrounded by small houses,
apparently occupied by people of meager incomes. Do you have many calls
for help?' I asked.
"Yes, I do." She replied, "And up until this winter I gave away several
tons of coal in sacks. I never turn an old person away or refuse to give
coal where there's sickness. I have had fewer calls for help this winter
although it has been the most severe on record. Times are really better.
The nearby mills are running full time and are employing three shifts. I
tell my boys constantly how very thankful we should be. Especially so,
that we are Americans and live in a free country.
COSMETICS AND COAL
(A Depression Victim Story)
Written by: Mrs. Ada Radford
Augusta, Georgia
Edited by: Mrs. Leila H. Harris
Supervising Editor
Georgia Writers' Project
Area 7
Mrs. Inez Dennis
1481 Greene Street
April 4, 1940
A. R.
Text from: Library of
Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection
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