Document text
11.0 OUT-TAJUT Tt JTAIRk OW
A Depressiot Victim ,..ory
hritteu by: ;Kira. ,..du tra
Au‘uata, Ga.
cited by:
Mrs. Leila
4ui)ervisilag ttor
Georgia I4riters' Project
Areu 7
Autivatat Geortja
JunwAry 10, 1'1,40
YAD010 ,640 Jennia6s
127% aroad „itreet
Augusta,
January 4, 1940
A• it.
riiA Matt 4d4 vuT-zaus., A.44A s.a.11R
"Yes, nave made quite a good come -pact." Paul Harrison
said complacently. As glanced around with satisfaction at his
almost new aquipment ana taa recently installed neon lighting
twit conformed to the predominant black and it. Of the
establishment.
"Atter you have he' rd the *nolo story," he asnt on, "I
believe you villi agroe with me tat A. owe it entirely to
ability to out-thinit tae ot;aor iellow."
The itar Dry ‘;leaning Plant, walca narriiian aans ad op-
erates, is icodern in every respoot. eaui is an ehorMOUs i)ers)n,
weLaing approximately 46Q pounds. s 1 entared ne US seated
behind Wm* 14 tuat counter, uppu *hien were placed a casn
register anh iki4 ased to tag 6arzents as they viere arau,nt
in.
Despite his mammoth aim) ilarrison is always extremely
neat and clean. Cin t -is morning he aaa wearing navy clue, pin-
striped trousers, a brown sweater, and arown coected dap.
A stickpin, an elk's 1.0414 avaaded wita 414ikuu4s, adorned ale
blue and brown -striped tie. ae1 tioaut 5 1eet 4 inches,
his hair is snowy wait*, an' aia „Lray eyes are aean tnraugA
rimmed glasses.
.2
"Shall I start at the begianiag? he asked, "Or shall I
Just relate the trying personal experiences twit plunged my
business tu rack bottom, and or how I re -instated myself
absolutely on credit and aid the rest by honest dealing with
tae people of Augustary
"Please let as nave tne 'nolo story." I answered qaickly.
"Right irom the day of your birth."
"Well, I w4s bora in Ciranitoville, South Caro.Lina, January
22, 1822. I was Um, only boy and I had two sisters. By the way,
my only living sister nas been employed 411 switchboard operator
at the ULiversity Hospital since its completion in 1916.
"I ettended grammar sonool at Vaueluse and Langley, south
Carolina, and finished the fifth grade when I was twelve years
old. then my parents moved to Augusta and I started to work
it tile weaving room at two Shterprise %;otton kill *Jut workmi
there for two years.
"About this time a cousin of Alas who was foreman or two
maehine shop at tas Augusta Mill, offered me aL aamentlesships
watch I eomeleted in tures years. Ail during that time i was
attending night school conaucted by Professor )tie, who
afterwards became prinoipal of John Ailledge School.
"Wit two machinist's trade at my finger ends I felt capable
or supporting a wife and I married Lira Madrin on December 14, 1902.
-3
We furnisned our hams comfortably and settled down contentedly
to be juot good citimens at Augusta.
"Our plans were soon upset for a triend of nine who Aad gone
to Atlanta to work in Lae railroad macaine shops, wrote as that
they were in need of macninists and Limit na dad eivra my nano
and address to the master -mechanic. I nadlOt ionsiurared making
a chanhe but finally urter receiving an after with quit* an
increase in salary I saia to my sits:
"Do you want to move to iUe.Ata?"
"'Us,' she said, 'If you do.'
"That very day 1 a4d my fdrniturs orated and left to report
for tort at tae Atlanta onops.
"tverything went along tine tor 14 months and taen I was
laid up for several weeks with a badly mashsd root. As soon as
I WO11 abbe to get about, my wits ad 1 deolded to dome home.
"Her &atlas? and aine insisted that we stay in AuAusta,
so as soon as I could walk real wel/ 1 went to work tor the
Atlantic Ice and Coal Company. Arum some time I received such
a hood offer from the Lombard Maclaine onops, that 1 left and went
there to work. I was also employed for a short time at the
Osorgia Iron Works. My i.ast work as a maw/Liu/at MIAs helping
with the inatallation of macainery at the Atlantic Ice and
Goal Company's plant on kenwick 3treet.
"There were two reasons i ave up working at my trade.
-4
First, buslitaba Waj 11Jt so boad aria second, 1 and aeveloped
glaud trouble that was uausing me to put on wel6ht very rapidly.
At that time I weighed ZaLl pounds anU was getting too aeavy
on my feet ta follow my regular occupation.
"Now I was confronted wit the i?roblem at finding a aew way
to ma e a living." iaul continued. "While I was in Atlanta
i met two young mien who lived neur me. These boys bad ao trace
and very iitcle capital. Zaey nau concalved the iaea of washing
overales at tn ir home and, in aaout u year they were operating
a full-fledged latirldry 1111012 &opt (oar trucks busy. I just
tbought to vself, if taey dould be ;fiat saccessful in Atlanta,
way oauldn't I do as well in ..ugusta.
"I Ad a long talk wita my *ife about it ana siaa aaiu taut
aae WJ4441 Do ta help me. At that time we aad a vsry small
taiok yard. Then oaaa tua problem or eqtaipment. I °ought two
1 rge *ashpots and 3everal syrup barrels. i aawea tae iutter
in halves to use lor tubs. Next I aired two auiured women
unu after I hat; puronused a twO-adealau aaLia aart I was reaay
to 4:,at out and solicit same business.
Ay first work ivitA3 obtained from LAa railrOad 411d macniae
Shape. 1 alieu for aut. -..alivered the overalls each weex tar
cents
a pair.
"In 4 law months my customers Digall to suggest tnat I expand
my oUJilldiS 4Lt; start daiug taeir suits as welli One fellow
-5-
araut;ht me a dirty, .x‘easy coat .ina said: 'iatty, take t
is
coat that I have been using ior a sweater; 3k tne devil out
or it and il it cOMOS clean anything sill an,i you sion't nave
ta worry about hurting Lae lelloadt. suits.
"1 deolaed to try it ita“i carried the coat to my wile.
ie stewed just wilt or it IL a aeavy cloth sack. 1 addhed and
iiressod tne other half wita startiini, results. It looked as
goou ua new. Men 1 deciued to use tai,..4 coat as an advertise-
ment. I was laLieulately accused ay several people oi taking
an old U new coat sn4 dewing tne aalveb together.
"I soon lOtald ti4iit cleaning suits ede MOre ta4n 1 Add
barained rar, bat ad i;::Ae Wela Ail agreed UOt to hold me re-
sponsible ror fading or shrinkage, said I would try. So,
with a scrub orush and :;osip I olaaned my i:irst suit. AD wrung
taa zarments ay hand and pressed them with it 4 -pound aand iron
thst vius nadted on
stove. •Ocrubuing euits 04s mach
oleaner worktLn viJuilag ovardlie tilia it wa4 much more
profitable or I received 4i.bker suit.
a
"I soon Uisoarded 6ne pusa cart and bougntibloycle.
itoric 4et on coming in anu saal: it wus tso riuch ror Lae icycle.
Ady business in eyond sly wildest ekpootations. Soon
it was too muca o be conducted at my nom' and I rented tne store,
at Lae rear or Lae lton 4ay capany, tut ;routed on
Young „itreat o,)aned iirst-oluss prassinij, club. I 00D-
tr eGau vita ti 'aoiley .orAss to oui.i.d me a crook tO JOut
-6.
4195.o and suyt when td -t truck aue iinished with its
glass doors and aarrison Pressing Club painted on its sides,
I been to feel like a re ii business man.
"I moved my reai,_enoe to "ialton 'eiy next door to a vacunt
lot. The owner agreed to give me five. yeare rent in exchange
for my oul..ding a plaoe large enough to ouse my pressing olub.
I butt the lumber end erected a place 2g x 40 test. Then
kept adding to it uutil it reached tai lenos. Business was
booming, but just aoout this time the War iepartment was bs-
ginnitia to draft married men and my preseers were expecting to
be called.
"am, Hancock lAci been esteblished about ;Ave .miles trom
t4e city ana the soldiers dud no way to get beak and forth.
Axpecting my pressers to oe ta4en irom as, I decided that
maybe I could :oake more money operating a jitney to dud
from Gaup ii14000Xj than l could with my preing club, *s-
pat:dully if my- Deii)ers were drafted.
"A friend or atria *43 anxiode to buy tile business, And
witn tile proviso taut I wouldn't open anotlier pressing club
witain 4 y3ars 601(1 it Go
"I purchased u eeven-paseenger 1.4 oar al.d to out a
license to soldiers to tram toe city. or a little
better taan 3ii wonths I wade 4.1ms money than I codld ever
nave i.,ected at to lirassIn6 olub. Twit lield or got over-
7
crowded, uowever, 4W1 uobody made auyt Dag.
"Alien the year was up 1 opeued duotter prossing olub at
udy i Aver's comer and from tuere I wowed to D'Antignao ,itreet.
It was tuen tadt I 006/1 to0 use mineral spirits for clew:line old
I boufAt 6as presser., Rudiuess W43 ti000d au :Jay friends urd
me to move down -town iuto 4 iareor place. Jo I -rented the
storehouse at 7th 4110 4llis reets 4114.1 stayed.tuere for four
years. Mau my lease coipired auu tue place was sold to the
Gulf Refirlind rlompany.
"Rents were veri Align dt, this .tima dud %flan I iound a vides
to shit me at 7th and fenwidk atreets uau to pay 460 reut.
I ootilit quite u oit pi squipweut, tca lot of repairiug and
moved in. I widd opsrating.turee trucks alai Add two bicycle
boys. Prices ro,Anined aowit tile same, 44.2b 4LU up, dud I
Wea dveraziug 46u0 a week 41tU d uet prolit at v100. All of
my equipment ALxJ ,i4aisi for aL4 LAQ 1.couid plan to do 30A0
of wie tins 1 taU always wanted to do. Mainly, to build
a aome *hare hnd how I wauteh it. IootiGut d lot on
',4itsoor) Road 4nd ohilt -rosi ouhwilow tUat cost
4o,tiUG. ky if. adhzer oeeu so nappy :4Au sue .spent
most pi' her time iu her ilower „Anion. It seemed to no
tnat sue ciu always plariti uibe. faeu hue ni64t I
went noas ana 104/1U /101- cryin6. 4ue finally told we tAat
tue ants rdideo aer „,aruen, Ulikt 1144:1 eaten 411 01' uer dull)*
-8-
1:eaving only the husks.
"'It's no use, Paul, I must go to k florist ana rind out
/mat to 44 about it, taere must be some omy.' o tae next u) -ay
se went on tne war -path adainst the ants.
"Anotaer of the tninge I wanted to do was to save a
nice oar tar our own use. I Joudgt a b-passen,opr Buick
unu after Ihau clone tnese two tins I etill asd eaough
to do the taird tuing, whica WA4 to nave a nioe bank aobount.
"One day a drummer for a iiry ‘;leauing Sui4ly U'ompany
came into my piaci' and seeing the volume of business I tad
he offered me tIOQ a montn rent if I would let him nave the
pleas. I adreed, never dreaming taut as -was IL earnest. But
Lie dame -clack on tate rirat 4r tiitt month and insisted that I
sties to my word.
"I really didn't mind so very mush far I was anxious
to toe a rest 14d waa glad to: tue opportunity.
Niverything went well for several mouths, taken I learned
that tae maa was behind ',vita his rent and taut am had a dreat
many unpaid bills. This worked a aardsaip on as for everytniag
Was Sti11 iu my slams. I a4k4c, aim same „,uestions and ae ad-
mitted taat Lie aka uuable to iJaite a do or tae business and
asked me to relieve aim Jr it.
"Mere was nataing else for as to Q0 ea I aad ao con
trot aud ae wit), nJtaiug wita *44.04 to pity. 40 I to it over
-9-
wit4 an indebtednesm of aeverul hundred dollars. Brioht
and early next morningI vs LI the job and before very long
I had paid tua bills und beiian to make money.
"Averybody will tell yau twat oompetition is the life
or business. I didn't find it so tor soon another dry cleaning
firm opened A C44311 And carry business olose to me, cutting
prices in half. I ao3n realized that I couldn't stay at that
location end in order to meet their competition I moved on
the tiit) Block of iroad ..reet, 301Q LWO 01 my traoks, and
erated cash and carry business, I Akwid -1Lb A aiontu rent.
This increased my verie LiQi decreased my income. i
had A 044111084 01 frOm 4.i00 to 4400 a weak bith only a
460 profit.
"T414 01'10, cutting mid 4 -art UU.iiiitiSS consierably and
everybody ben to talk "deidression." 1 WaJ hatistbed and telt
that I was still tottind my share.
"One iriday wording early inii,i went down dr14 opened
up as usual. filers seemed to be something wrong out I didn't
fidure it out until Ihai)ouied to notice Cue clothes racks.
livery ,J1rment- tnat w 43 re-tay fJr t4.arUay olivery cAs t;01141.
I aurriedly looked in GiA4 cases; 6hey were disJ) awpty. The
open Ainaow at A, rear oi Guilding told its drim atory.
"I unile Lae po4ice deo:Art.iient oat LJ trace of the
aurgi&r w.. vr:aund. -2he 4ar,ments A:laanted to
-10-
mora than #1,000 and 1 uidntt nave a pennyte worth of ourglur
insurands.
"I notified my austomors tarou4h tne newspapers tadt
wattle reimburse them iar all stolen artioles. TAis must bie
ciaue from my awn lunds Wit. 1 just a-uldritt do anytaine„ else.
taount 1 knew people out I found I bud a lot to
learn. 3ome were reasonable a;.:o considerate. They realized
that tney snould only es.pect ma tu ,Ay fur worn artioles.
Jthers demandeo new prices aLi. even more. hat uatild 1 do?
lulu said 1 wauiti pay.
*Then 1 ie to r,Jaart to my bank aduount.I drew every-
thingI had out at LD4 bank and started to pay up. 1 saan found
twit 1 hao more claims than dash. 1 paid us oust 1 could
and the fuuny thing to me was Laat wary oustamers wnoa
was uLable to pdy 1.ai1teiy curried Weir' work ta otaer
places. 1 zuess tnere's u lut of truth in tau saying: 'Wen a
fellow's taunt, keep icaocking..
dy thia ti 4 the depression was on in full swing.
There *as way to aorrow money liar wally of taa punka
were °lasing. 1 saau realized that Atue serious
mistat.a at turniAg 1D)4s all i my aaah and now tiler* was
nothing left far opartiric, expenses. A couldn't eaor my rent
end i Aad •LJ release mid Lrt.ater pa.t oi nelp. wife
utrem.. to come 4awn UnQ kiil IL one at tae vat:analog.
-11-
"Taeu tains aappened iu rapid AUG00110101. first our aams
weht. Then I laid tao truck aside uad useo my personal oar.
you sell your truck?" I interrupted.
%Jell it," as it contemptuoualy. "Who do you taink would
buy a truck? 1 oaulan't *wen ive it away. 1 WdS now down to
my last dollar und hud ucidold to olose up,YUAOn one Of the ladies
who was earklag tor ma asae me ta allow her and her fataer to
operate tao plaos."
Lt this point I stopped him again: "BUt, Air. Harrison,
ir yau couldn't make a go of it eith all of your aiperianoe,
aow in the world cauid sae expect to even alear expanses?"
"1 don't ILLOW.ft 4* repliea. "Unless it was taat Witty
*aren't in debt ant ha a little money 6,881.Q*2. Then you
know, too, 1 Ave lived long enough to know that the otaer
follow always thinks lie ;:at aanule your problems better
than you ban, ir he wts just ,;;ivell your unarm,. o 1 46:read.
They were to pay me 446 a month for the ase pi tile equipment.
"La Lae meantime I SOi4 my automobile for what I could 6et
and auu signed over my equipment to tue real eatate agent as
security or tato rent. The woman nor lather paid me for
tte use al tae equipment rar about live months aad 1 taouht
tney were payini, .uo rent. Vaen I earted that it wasn't being
paid 1 felt taut rU s,Ldist SLIM*.
"1 4CUL SJ 1.1a real estatel aeon% an4 okplained Lae whole
situation to aim. Ji course te anew all &pout it beforehand
-IL
and he sdid to me: 'Paul, Lamm dre aahardous times. We are
all wonderiug waut d4ataar week ar month will brine, Earth. You
always pd14 *atm you aad it dnd my A4V1,00 to you is to go and
t's vur aid ics over and run it youraeif. tart 1.44W and
pay your rapt by taa west 444 dou't worry about We oncd rent
until yaur ausiass picas up.'
"Very much euoouraged aver Ale attitudi 1aaid:
"'Thank you, 111 iala.aw your advice immediately auu try
once more. rats time I'll oplrate strictly on a c-sh aua carry
basis and pay as go. Ii' I uon't aays was cdsh on nand
to buy oicaning fluid, i just won't buy it.'
"I got busy and ta obtain ::,no (man decessary ta es in
again, I solci my sovO 14144114.1 finite r4f ALI:i my baujo taut
cost me 4,1W tor iia0. Tusk A. opsnoti tar audipess :lad solicited
customers. I altered to work rar i4.141Als taat would searoely
enable me to meet expenses, iu artier ta get S4A4 OU31110411.
"Here I struck iinataer suag. You 400, I still awod SO=
money au tue staida ulOthing dud everybody thougnt tnat because
1 ddd re -opened A. uo* ild4 sufficient motley to pay ior tile rest
of =am. In raality 1 was aiuking deeper in obt. Setaro
long wy rvse were aaot to pieces witu&e treuuous
ergort 1 aa4 made to uoid on to my ousiusss uusil the
OCOLJAii0 orisis *4a aver. !quly, ous maruing iu ;he latter
,part of 1931, I walked inLa tr, raal estate aiiive ftLiCi threw
the teys on tee counter. I 8 through. At last ooller was
gone
"The reui estate man tueL asxed if 1 would run the
place until ae could 6et a sale or tue e,,uipmeht. iLe
said that I mi6ht have whatever I could tame in.
"That was it much as an offer, lor the ary oleahIng
business Wd4 dj dead us hector. &veryoody hau long ago
coma to the o4Uul4a1011 taat they ooulu wear dirty clothes,
but it waen't a bit -Aeasant to go aungry. /ven the people
who coule attord to have -afore one were scared to death to
part *ita d Collar.
"karly in £i442, my friena, tee real estate mall, sold
tae e:;iuipment to a man at Teamson, Creor4ia for 41,10J. And
80 1 haa to stand taere uad see ;au things that 1 eau *forked
80 arc Lor moved out 4i my place CADO to lrlomeon.
4y *ice ri 1 moved into tee aouse Aith uer motaer and her
brotaer aucl 1 san to 1.)ok 41-Jull lor 6040 Ifay to pear our
part oi toe 0.44N:wee. in i'ebruary 1 locatet au olu empty
store o 1th -tree t that 1 coui4 rent aj.most at my own ligure.
1 *rtet te hien in Taomsan and 434C41 al& if ae would sell
We one of my °oilers anti 44 i)re334ir ox creeit. Lie aiailiQ041 it
to me 118:4.41iately and my wife 411U 1 W aritod together all°. made
anothr st rt buying una paying by the week.
"Just ASI *AS olearing a little more than wire eXpenses,
-i4
a man who sus out of work came to me anti asked that I lot
Aim work tor ma; that ue wou d be glad tor just wdat I could
pay hia. rut riO.UoiAla be ouly too slad for the WWI** to
make a wallas. I dired aim and ,osve nia the press to operatat.
'iIow let ma put you wise to societaing. ir autoody offers
to ua anytning far you ;:or natning ‘nat's .;ust !gnat it's
worth. Ii a auort time my protege nud offered tale wan at
TbenaOn allintly more tLa I Waa paying on t'a uuUer aad press
aud he Let nim nave it.
"Well it ended aa things like that usually end. Be are
very iong the place was cloae inu tkle man,dad left for parts
UL01111.
"1 11411Qc really alt bottom this time. I Wa3 aUt of work, no
business ci:Alro money. But we triu to eat a -n this Waa csrt.iniy
no t.LAI to Aold one's usual' and await a miracle. I was sure
there Aust be soTas business tuut I coolb sat aud I uetormined
to 14a40 one more attempt to got A roJt-UOld.
"I renteu tkia atareQL;40 corner of 'ialton $,ay and
Youus treat, out aail011 utICk au ext:ructor from 4 trieud
or min* aut. apaued or OasineaS. 14 wife aLu I Jived iu trio
room at tna rear arid worked early aLd .:Axe mouthed
and altered garmauts and ittit a filale wa were breaking
even. And we serc 4o vatip ful to n've a ,;lace to live
an4 La ae ale to est.
-lb
"In triase trying hays I uovar dovanbed 4 ,44111t 4'041
Without set-baok. This tilL0 Uh0 fitOZO W4S sold and I had
to iihd *Lather loeation. Fortune smiled on me a little Wain
tiiite, for 4.,saa able to ciat tac place shore I had operated
my first plant. I moved in dud ooilt a small pideeIra the
yard. I had na uipment to tags care of dry cleaning so I
sent all or my aork to ahather plant dila 40 did tile pressing.
"I only had one lireastar taen out Oerore I aloft twit
location A had three pressars and had saved enough to wake
a down payment au 4 small dry bledeing plant.
"Then I dedided to plunge in tang wike u al -6; Qii4A00 on a
oome-baok. it was an awful risk in Cho fade Qi 'mutt nail gone
0efare but ;n14 place which A. w ccupy was vacant and I
rented it and iLovad in.
"I still add 4it or raitii In tae peoplo of i.ttg6sta and
balieved that if I tried aard shougli I could zet their ousiness.
I ti ti 401.40 my best to Aarrant their tpOU Will. 4 had
refused to go ibt0 aauxruptcy dub a.ih paid 10 babts 0110A
th04611it Lial t44011 evarytuing in tua world I had.
"The veLture proved SU0000SPA1 aud aitpar ;wa years I had
paid 141. my eq4iht. aujaJ.1 plant oil:area ma a 600d price
for it ,Aud as I again felt t..44 ur6e 60 sApandA. Let lem aave
it.
"Taer: A. bou,,nt tae irry latest axiu hiz;aly Ir.:proved
-16-
mama/nes aud now I asve one of tae best equipped /Astute in tae
oity. I run lour pressers and uae A steam iron tor ladies' sort:.
"II I am spared a few more atonths I will itave paid for
my equipment. ration is valued a; 45,C4OU. i now employ 64.0;
2eople wita ?ta average payroll of 410U a week. 4iome or tuem
Nark on a eomaiion basis.
"It's been a tough upaill fight and I've had lots ox people
to do everytaing in Lair eAter t okrive ma of my business,
my credit, ix4 direr.). sty Jill!' I an truthfully say,
however, taut nobody outtlen to ,r;ive 1.'4 4440 opportunity to
regain waat I w,d loot. And 1 repeat I MAIM what Ihave solely
evieouse ut my aolixty to out-tuink tide utuer
Barrisob atends all oi tile Baptist Gaurches. Lie sings
tenor and helps ir tat) ()noir wnere he ls most needed. he
plaice a oanjo uad la treotly interested in evarytning musiaal.
AS MI, afterthou4;at ae said joxingly:
"And now I'll to14 you way A ave never joined any of the
:Baptist anurches. size is to 6rest tor tueir oaptizing
equipment."