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I'M PLANNING TO MAKE A
COME-BACK
(Georgia)
Even in the face of all that has
happened to me," said John Clarke, "I still believe I'm man enough to take
a man's place in the world and have sense enough to make my own living."
Those of us who have known him for many years and watched with interest as
he built up a small fortune by arduous labor, believe that although he is
71 years old he will again make a good living for his family.
My quest for the Clarkes led me to one of the oldest residences on upper
Broad Street. While this section no longer enjoys the prestige of former
days, several of Augusta's prominent families still maintain residences
there. The rain was pouring as I stepped warily up the walk in order to
evade numerous puddles as I stepped settled in the low places.
Mr. Clarke came to the door in answer to my ring and asked me to come in.
"My wife is back in the kitchen," he said graciously, "Excuse me while I
call her." He looked at me with a very puzzled expression as I said:
"I'll be glad to see Mrs. Clarke but my real business is with you."
I explained to him that we were making a study of people who had seen
their financial security vanish completely during the economic recession
of the past few years.
"Well," he said thoughtfully and with amusement, "If you think I have
anything interesting enough to help you, fire away with your questions and
I'll do the best I can.
"So you want me to start at the beginning. Well, I first saw the light of
day May 17, 1869 in Oglethorpe County not far from Athens. I was fifth in
a family of eight children. My father was a farmer and had two
plantations. All during the Civil War rumors were rife that all land was
to be confiscated by the government. Trying to evade such a calamity my
father sold his property for Confederate money. Of course, when the war
closed he was flat broke and had a large family to support. Those were
indeed hard days.
"I have often heard my mother tell of the days of privation that followed
the war. They rented land and my father worked so hard trying to get
another foothold. He was unsuccessful and finally, broken in health and
spirit he died when he was only 48 years old leaving my mother with eight
children.
"Where did you obtain your education Mr. Clark?" I asked.
"Well," he answered. "This will no doubt surprise you, but my entire
schooling was crowded into about six months. This was scattered over a
three-year period, two months out of each year - between crops. Then we
would get up at 4 in the morning, feed the stock, eat breakfast and take
our tin pails and walk about three miles to the one-room log house that
was used for the school. Most of the time our lunch consisted of bread and
syrup.
"When I was 14 years old I went to Florida and got a job at a sawmill,
that paid me 33 1/3 cents an hour. When I had been there seven months I
had saved $250. At this time my mother was in desperate need and I could
hardly wait to get home to give it to her.
"My father was sick for about seven months. In those days farmers were
extended sufficient credit by the landowners to furnish commodities for
their families. This was called a grocery run and was payable when crops
were gathered. With all of the extra expense brought about by father's
illness we were unable to pay for our run and they took everything we had.
Included were a yoke of oxen and two horses, which deprived us of the
means to cultivate our land. They also seized four cows and six hogs that
had been killed and salted ready to cure. These constituted our winter
meat supply. You can readily understand what my $250. meant to my mother
just at this time.
"Next I got a job with a cousin of mine who was a contractor. He promised
to let me start at 75 cents a day and as soon as I had learned enough so
he could leave me with a job he would raise me to a dollar a day. Somehow
he never paid me but 75 cents a day. I got tired of waiting and left him.
I got a job with a railroad foreman, who was building trestles, at $1.50 a
day. As soon as my cousin heard of it he went to my boss and told him that
I was only an apprentice and that 75 cents was all I should be paid. So
the foreman laid me off.
"I was 23 years old now and decided that advancement was too slow in the
country, so I made up my mind to come to Augusta. My first city job was in
a grocery and bar at $25 a month. After a few months another man offered
me $15 a week to take charge of his place at the corner of Eleventh and
Broad Streets. I worked with him for more than a year and then became ill.
I soon realized that a boarding house was no place for a sick man and I
wanted my mother. I think a part of my trouble was homesickness so I went
home to stay until I was well.
"When I came back to Augusta my employer had put someone in my place and
then, too, he was planning to sell out. Before very long I got a job with
the Bell Telephone Company. The work was hard, the hours long and the pay
was very small. I had to run lines and tote polls.
"When someone wanted a phone cut in, we had to walk with a big coil of
wire over the one shoulder and carry our tools and the phone. After doing
all of this when we arrived at some of the places the people would say
they had decided they couldn't afford a phone. This was very discouraging
as we were paid on a commission basis.
"Often, when I would get up in the morning my hands were so sore I
couldn't close them until I had bathed them in hot water.
"Later on the company furnished a horse and wagon and the work was a
little lighter. I had the privilege of listening in on the first long
distance call from Atlanta and was filled with wonder. I can still recall
how proud I was to have had a part in bringing it about although I was
only a lineman.
"Inside of another year I agreed to do carpenter work for a man who was
building one of Augusta's large hotels. To obtain the prevailing $1.50
wages I had to join the union. In just a short time there was a strike
that delayed the hotel's completion for more than five months. I wasn't
keen on strikes and as the union was either on a strike or planning for
one, I decided to take up another line of work.
"This desire led me to a livery stable
and I got a job selling mules and horses in Richmond and the adjoining
counties on a commission basis. I saved a little money and bought a pair
of mules for myself for $50. Then I bought a 2-mule wagon, paying $5.00
down and agreeing to pay the balance as I could.
"Now I was in a position to work for myself. I secured a contract to haul
poles for the city. I worked early and late most of the time and did the
loading alone. Every morning I just had to roll out of bed I was too sore
and stiff to raise up. But I soon paid for my mules and wagon.
"I was trying to get enough money ahead to open a barroom for I knew there
was good money to be made selling whiskey. After a few more months I
bought an established business for $400.
"I had a mixed clientele but as the liquor the man had on hand was no good
trade began to fall off. Knowing what the trouble was helped a lot and I
got busy immediately. First I tore out all of the old fixtures and
replaced them with modern ones. I fixed the place up generally and
restocked it with good whiskey.
"The man from whom I had purchased the business advanced the money taking
a mortgage on the place. Trade began to pick up at once. Within three
months I took up the mortgage and then believe me, I really started to
make money.
"But my troubles were not over. You see, I was buying my labels from the
former owner and I found out later that he was selling me printed labels
when I should have been using lithographed ones. When the Upper Ten
Wholesale House found this out they prosecuted me. Upon learning that I
was purchasing them through someone else they wanted me to turn State's
evidence. I refused flatly to turn against the man who had set me up in
business so it cost me $1400. I didn't mind, however, for at that time my
sales were averaging from $900 to $1000 a month and 50% of that was clear
profit. In those days you could really make money selling whiskey. You
can't do much now because there's too much revenue.
"Shortly after this I moved to the corner of Jackson and Ellis Streets,
and opened one of the best barrooms in the city. The fixtures cost $1500
and I carried the very highest grade of whiskey, wine and beer. My stock
was valued at from three to four thousand dollars. It was at this location
that I was honored by having Ex-President Taft come into my place for
refreshments during an intermission at the old opera house, which was just
across the street.
"No, he didn't drink whiskey he had a ginger ale and when he finished he
told me that I certainly had a nice place. I thanked him and he went back
to the theater."
"Were you hard to get along with after that honor Mr. Clarke? Did your hat
still fit you? I asked.
"Well," he laughed, "I admit that I was proud of the honor but I was still
Jack to my friends.
"And then came the 18th Amendment! I had to close up and the fixtures
wouldn't have brought a quarter at a forced sale. I had to fall back on my
side-line which was a job as caretaker for the Savannah River Lumber
Company. This firm owned a lot of land along the river and they told me I
could use all of it I wanted.
"So I started to farm. I bought 4 mules and for the next 2 years I made
good crops of corn and other produce.
"Then war was declared; all my Negroes left me, and I had to make another
change. I made a bid on clearing the land for Camp Hancock and got the
contract.
"I had 8 mules and 4 wagons. I received $9 a day for each team and the
same for myself. For a time I rode a saddle horse and superintended the
work but later I bought a car. The work lasted for six months.
"When this was over I received an appointment as labor agent for the
government. I got $9 a day for the use of my car with gas and oil
furnished and my salary was also $9 a day.
"Just what were your duties in this position?" I wanted to know.
"I went through the country employing help for the camp. I tell you I
never saw so much money. I had one little Negro that I paid $3 a week just
to carry water. I stayed until the camp was dismantled and the last nail
was pulled.
"I had saved a good part of what I made and a friend and I went into
partnership operating a concrete contracting business. We paved many of
the streets of Augusta.
"Then I graded fairways for the Forest Hills, Municipal, Country Club and
Bobby Jones Golf Courses.
"Next people began to talk depression and work of any kind was hard to
get. Those who had money were afraid of their shadows.
"By a good turn of fortune, about this time I was awarded a contract to
build 5 miles of roadbed for the Georgia and Florida Railroad. The work
was centered around Keysville, Georgia.
"In some way the news got out among the Negroes and even before I was able
to secure bond they came by the hundreds asking for work, saying they
would take it for anything I would pay them. I could hardly understand it
for up to this point it was hard to get a Negro to work for less than 50
cents an hour.
"I selected 50 from about 300 of them and set-up camp near Keysville. I
took this job with absolutely no experience. I had never even seen a
wheeler before. I just believed I could do it and I did.
"But let me tell you I had more than one kind of experience on this job.
Just about this time the road went into the hands of a receiver. When next
pay day came there was no money to pay off the hands. I really believe the
men would have worked right on for we were feeding them. However, I knew
that wasn't the proper thing to do. I had $2000 on hand and I offered it
as a loan to the road. They accepted and I deposited the money to their
credit in the Georgia Railroad Bank.
"The rest of my money was in the Merchant's Bank. Just a few days after I
had made the loan to the Railroad, the Merchants' Bank closed its doors
and I lost every penny of my $42,000 that was on deposit there.
"This was a terrific blow but it was no time to give up. I kept on with my
work and when the job was finished I had paid for my 6 mules and wheelers
and had cleared $2500.
"Within the next few weeks I got a job with the Charleston and Western
Carolina Railroad at Hattiesville, South Carolina, grading and working
gravel pits. I cleared $400 but while I was in camp I took malarial fever
and came near dying. I had to come home and it was several weeks before I
was able to work.
"When I had recovered fully I worked with one of our local construction
companies, just taking jobs when I could get them, which wasn't very
often.
"There is an old saying that trouble never comes singly and it certainly
was the case with us. My wife took sick just about this time and she was
ill for more than a year before she passed away. The loss of my companion
and the extra expense came near putting me out of business.
"I owned 28 mules. We had no work and they were eating their heads off. I
had made several unsuccessful attempts to sell them so there was nothing
to do but keep them. Shortly after this I lost 19 mules that had cost $200
apiece. Some of them were killed and the others got sick and died.
"Then the Savannah River went on a rampage and while I lost three more
mules, it netted me a job. I bought 3 trucks and got a contract to help
repair the levee. The weather was bad, we couldn't work regularly and when
the truck payments came due I couldn't meet them. I lost the trucks and
the $500 I had paid on them.
"In order to complete my contract I was forced to hire trucks for which I
had to pay $1.00 an hour. I finished the job in four months but did not
realize any profit. In other words I lost money and was down to my last
dollar when I learned that the Gulf Refining Company had bought the house
and lot on the corner of 13th and Broad Streets and that the building
would be torn down.
"I got in touch with the manager immediately and offered him $200 for the
building. This was his answer.
"'Clarke, if you will move the building, it belongs to you.'
"I got a bunch of Negroes together, tore it down and sold the salvaged
lumber for $1000.
"About this time I married again. My second wife was anxious for us to try
a soft drink and sandwich shop and with the little cash I had, I think It
was about $150, I rented a place on the 800 block of Broad Street for $75
a month.
"It wasn't long after we opened that my health failed completely and we
were forced to close. I stored my fixtures and went home for treatment. It
took 3 months for me to get on my feet again and we reopened the shop and
stayed there for 2 years. My wife and I both worked. We managed to make a
living but very little extra money found its way to the bank.
"I decided my overhead was too heavy, so we moved to the 500 block on
Broad Street. When we were there just a short time our place burned up. We
only had $200 insurance and we thought it was about time to quit the soft
drink business.
"And now we only have this 10-room house. We rent furnished rooms and
furnish meals to those who want them. Yes, we are making expenses but the
chief responsibility is on my wife and I want to make the living for my
family.
"I'm planning to make a come-back. Just how I don't know but as I said in
the beginning, I believe I'm still man enough to take a man's place in the
world and also have sense enough to make my own living."
"Well, Mr. Clarke," I told him, "I am sure that with your spirit and
determination, you can't fail."
"You don't need me to tell you that the World War caused the depression.
It was only a repetition of history. You see, I suffered terribly from the
effects of the Civil War, but it was a whole lot worse this time because I
had so much more.
"People in general felt it more because they didn't realize what they were
up against. Most of them thought it was only temporary and would soon
pass. Prior to the depression folks bought automobiles and lived far
beyond their means.
"Suddenly money ceased to flow like water. Then people were unable to pay
their debts and of course they couldn't buy anything. The merchants were
overstocked and couldn't meet their notes when they were due. Property
values dropped and as many of the banks had exhausted their reserve, they
had to close. You couldn't borrow a dollar from your own mother and I
believe the country was on the verge of a revolution when President
Roosevelt was inaugurated. He has saved the people in one way and in
another the W.P.A. ruined them.
"Take as for instance, I am a contractor and my business is excavating,
hauling, and grading. I can't even get one contract! Why? Because every
city and county contract is awarded to the W.P.A."
"Well," I said, "You will have to admit that while the W.P.A. has hurt you
it has at the same time given employment to thousands of people who
without that work would have been hungry."
"I do know that," he said, "And I am glad. I may be forced to ask them for
work myself some day, but not until I have tried everything else first.
"I will be 71 years old in May. And get this again, I am coming back! And
soon. Some day before very long I will again be able to write a fair-sized
check and the bank will honor it."
I'M PLANNING TO MAKE A
COME-BACK
A Depression Victim Story
Written by: Mrs. Ada Radford
Augusta, Georgia
Edited by: Mrs. Leila H. Harris
Supervising Editor
Georgia Writers' Project
Area 7
Augusta, Georgia
February 23, 1940
James Jackson Butler
1369 Broad Street
Augusta, Ga.
Feb. 23, 1940.
Text from: Library of
Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection
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