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September 12, 1G39
Bradley RennellY
(General uanager)
j
Municipal Terminal)
Naval Store Yards
acksonville, A.orida.
Lillian Stedman.
Mr. Kennelly was seated at his desk in the cool offices
of the nalvil store yards. The breeze from the river and frag
grant acent pf the rosin ..i.ave a pleasant reception after the
long trip from the city.
lx. Kennelly said, Are you sure that this is no hum.*
bWr nroposition, and you really have nothing to sell, either
now or /atert
Me continued, Not long ago I came the office and there
was note for me to call a number in New York City. I said,
now who in the earn hill could be calling me from 4hers. 4.o
I called the operator and ulAed who was going to pay for**
the call and she told me that the party in New York would
so I called and this the idea of it 511.
Seems that some rogue there had got together some junk.
on ports and naval stores and wanted to publish it and wanted
me to say that to sa:r that I'd take a thousand copies at 25
cents a copy to distribut here. This would have netted him
about6'250.00 for subscriptions out of this office alone, he
was on the way to big money quick.
And since you promise that there is nothing to sell and
no scheme, I guess its allright to talk to you. You say the
Federal "overnment is sponsoring this. 0, yes I believe I
have
26040
,Ii,quA77,4404,
Kennelly #2
have heard of the Federal Writers.
I have been connected in this present capacity for nine
years and I can hthnestly say that I 've never seen business
so slow in this line ever before. And the record show too tIld
this is perhaps the worst period for the naval stores ever.
The only thing that will cause things to loosen up is
another world War .or some of the foreign countries and the
United States to form trade relations enough to absorb this
surplus we hatre on our hands. le have now on hand about
320,000 barrels.Worth about 50 million dollars And we have
on hand aad in storage A7000 barrels of turpeqine
It The reason for this is 1,hat they have found so many
substitutes for making paints and varnishes.
aince the government has taken the situation in hand MA
and have decided upon a different and better method of packing
the tupesitine and rodin, and storing is isn now done by the
grade, we are able to keepour eud here f the business up more
efficiently than before.
The sal,,,ry is small when taken itno consideration that the
responsibility of a 3 millUn dollar a year coroperation,rests
in your h.,nds. All up and the ')orts, Mobile, Savannah,
New Orleans, ".;eattle and Los Angles the job pays more than twice
what it pays here.
##M############A####A####M
My salary is 4800. 00 a year. The job is a political one
and I have had luck to keep it nine years, and I guess it is good
for a whi4e yet.
At some of the steamship meetings, if y. -u could be there
and hear some of the flen talking you would think that Hoesevit is
Kennelly 3
the damdest fellow that ever lived, maybe because of some cvow
to pick with some labor unin. It all depends on what is eatin
them. Then again you'd think that they thought no hotter man ever
lived old Fp D. R. All in all in depnds on ho they are stand
,with the labor Unions
Our non- organized white labor out here get 41. cents an hour
and our oranized colored labor gets 33 they will ,Jet more this
month.
Yes, am a party man why not. Uesessarily,so. I have ,layed
in the game of politics just for the fun there is in it,Not to get
this job that ,was given to me as a Thank You.
"I try to be friendly with all the help, the white collar
and the rest just aa well, after all election time rolls agound
every now and then.
The can we go out for usually gets the office.
But with all the app rent smoothOrunning set-up there is
still a very definite uncertainity connected with this lob and
there are times when I am not sure that I did the right thing to
accept it.
§ometimes I wonder about the future. If a fellow-aaa etke
a livin, in his own business for say twenty-five years, he usually
can struggle on for the next twenty-five years and amnage to take
care of himself in his old are. wiles* politiaal jobs are fine as
long as they last. Slit they usually let a gellow down when he is
too old to get himself a job.
I am learning how to pass the buck allright it looks like
that ;c3 the key to success nowdays. Maybe I can become an expert
at it.
Kennelly #4
My father was a prencher and taught us to be good boys, at least
he tried to do
All the, education I got was little short of the seventh grade
at the Central grammar School, Jacksonville. The name of my school
###/#40#raof higher education was, Hard knocks and Experience.
when you graduate from LI-v,re you dont forget you lessons.
14i brothers have been in th transportion business nearly all
their lives. One brother is with the Express ompany and the other
one is in the trucking business, We were operating the business tog.
gether when I gave it up to take this job. We have been in the
business for about 25 years.
The trucking business is a hard one to beat for a steady year
'round occupation that brings in excellent revenue..
I cant see where any personal life of mine would be of interest
to you in 'this story.
was married twenty-two years ago to a good
woman and sicne 41 she died abut ten years ago I haven't had a
lesire to call on the parson again.
y daughter will graduate this year foom Wellesley College, I
have tried to give her a happy home .rnd every opportunity to be
71ble to heraelf useful and happy after I Lave her.
Mr. Kennelly seemed prefer not to talk further concerning him-
self. But after reflecting a moment added.
I own the home I live in at the beach and do not care to own
more than my own home and a good car.
I love to'go fishing and hunting, I usually take a bunchof the
fellows from around here 4d#,*### during the hunting season and
pack a lunch for several days. I get more pleasure thorugh that
Kennelly #4
than anything else that comes along.
If you want to know something more about the naval store
business let me introduce you to Raymond Gage. Come here
professor, he called to the man in the next office. You know
Professor Gage Mrs. Stedman. hes the man with the orchestra. Mr.
Gage to seemed to take ...his introduction as it was the usual t manner
of Vr. Kennellys. There was a slight smile on the faces of both men.
Kennelly 444# said, this fellow knows more &mut the ravel stores
that ever know. He has been with them for twenty—five year.
Ur. Gage said,"Aal you know this is only a place of storage and
packing. Wht you want is an interview with some of the turpentine men.
They can give the most interseting part of thq story.
Also have kou talked with Mr. Lee Powell and Mr. Charley Joseph
of the jolumbia haval Stores.
They woul be able to tell you something better thaniwe coUld, We are
only a warehouse. But I shall be glad to talk with you anytime after
this week.
Here are some samples that I have picked up for you, I heard that
you were coming and I thought you'd like themahe lightest in color
is the best grade and next to it is the second grade and so on in that
manner it selected.