Document text
ORIGINAL MSS. OR FIELD NOTES (Cheek one)
PUB. javillk Lore in
New Imgland
TITLE James Dowling Pittsfield
WRITER Edward Welch
DATE 12/22138 1D6.. P.P.
CHECKER DATE
SOURCES GIVEN
COMMENTS
6
Interview
13
MASSACHUSETTS
STATE
NAMZ OF WORKER
ADDRESS PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
SUBJECT LIVING LORE
NAME AND ADDRESS OF INFORMANT JAS BOWLING,
PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
EDWARD WELCH
James Dowling is fifty-three years old, short, stocky and
gray haired. his nose bulbous and slightly red is his out-
standing feature. Due to an attack of typhoid when he was young,
kr. Dowling has to prop his right leg on a phair seat or rest
it on the floor with his left leg dangling over the arm of a chair.
Mr. Lowling's father and mothere were of Irish descent,
hard working and ambitious for their children. James was ex-
pected to "make good" and he was given as good an education as
the family could afford. For years, he worked in the Crane kill,
but a hair trigger temper which he made little effort to control
cost him his job.
M. Bowling tries to talk carefully and choses his words
with deliberation. ,ccasionally he lapses and then tries hard
to make amends with bigger and better words.
Name: Edward E. Welch Assignment: Dalton
Title: Living Lore Topic: James Dowlinp;
le had been calling on some old friends a Dalton paper
mill family hoping to have a good long conversation. Sick-
ness inthe family put an end to our scheme. Dropping into the
post office to see who we could see, we bumped into Jim Dowling.
We have known Jim for years and he's always friendly and ready
to chat. Hoping to get a lead for an interview, we happened to
say, 4You're an old-timer, around here, Jim. Porn here, weren't
you?' That was enough. Jim was off and we had our interview.
"No, Ed, I wasn't. I was born in Pittsfield in 1885, went
through the grammar schools there and attended the Pittsfield
High School for three years, and then went to the Albany Busi-
ness College. Some of Berkshires' most prominent men were class-
mates of mine at Albany. You know 'Bricky' Purchase, County Com-
missioner? Well, he was a student and a darned good one.
"When I was nine years old we moved to Dalton. Father
insisted that I continue on in. the Pittsfield schools) so until
I finished my High School) I drove a horse and buggy to Pittsfield.
After completing my course in Albany, I worked in a clothing store
father had purchased. It was then on the corner of Main and
Flensburg Avenue. I worked there with dad for a while and then
I decided to take civil service examination for a position as
counter in the Government Mill.
-2.
Name: Edward E. Welch Assignment: Dalton
Title: Living Lore Topic: James Dowling
"I remember one morning, Marsh Crane, (he owned the Crane
Mills, that is, his family did) came into dad's store. I was
busy filling out the civil service application form and Marsh
looking at me said, 'What are you doing Jimmy, making out a will?'
'No'l I answered, 'Just making out an application for examination
as a counter at the Government Mill'. Let me see that application
a minute', says Marsh. Taking it, he wrote on the bottom: 'Ap-
plicant has my personal endorsement for positida applied for
and signed it with a flourish. Well, I passed the exam all right,
and went to work soon after.
"You know the Cranes, although they're worth millions are the
most democratic folks you ever met. Why Marsh and the rest of the
crane boys played with us as if they lived next door. The Senator,
that's W. Murray, he gave our church, a Raman Catholic Church,
mind, a grand pipe organ. Ahl they are real people.
"Did you like working inthe Government Mill?"
"I certainly did. It's mighty interesting. Take the gi is
that work there for instance, the four who are under Civil Service:
They start in at 4;1350.00 a year, get thirty days sick leave and
thirty days vacation each year. A registered nurse takes care of
them when they are sick, and their job is a clean one. They have
to count ninety thousand sheets of money paper a day. And for a
time they used to do it and check out of work at two in the after-
noon. well the management thought that if the girls could count
Name: Edward E. Welch Assignment: Dalton
Title: Living Lore Topic: James Dowlillg
ninety thousand between the hours of eight in the morning and two
in the afternoon they should get more out by working their full
time. So a rule was posted to the effect that the help must stay
at the plant from eight until five, the regular working hours.
This didn't increase production, for the girls only turn out their
ninety thousand.
"You know, it's a funny thing, so many people think that the
manufacture of paper for currency bills, is a highly protected
secret. Most any paper maker could make the stuff, or should be
able to. Every single shred of that paper must be accounted for
at the mill, though. Ont he machine that makes this paper is
a clock, as we call it. It counts every piece of paper made.
Incase the machine should break down or a piece get torn this
is taken out and placed in a jar of water to soak up and then
put back in the beaters to be used over again. This is where the
government supervision comes in. A man is sent from the Treasury
Department to supervise the Governments employees and keep count
of all paper made. There are six employees under his direct super-
vision. Four girls who work as counters, and two sealers. The rest
of the workers are civilian employees. The working conditions at the
Government Mill are O.K.
"You know all the paper for the Liberty Bonds was made right
here in Dalton at the old Berkshirenill. Currency paper is made
Name: Edward E. tielch Assignment: Dalton
Title: Living Lore Topic: James Dowling
for many of the Latin American countries, too. This is called
planchette paper. Instead of silk thread that go into the making
of U. S. currency paper, snail round paper discs areput into the
planchette. Most of China's paper currency is made here. All
this planchette is made for the American Bank Note Company of
New York. Crane Interstate Mill makes the paper for China, while
the planchette is made at the Bay State.
"Say, how many Government employees did I tell you worked at
the Government Mill? Six, eh? Well, I was wrong. There are, let
me see, 5 Counters, 2 sealers, 4 packers and 3 guards. Guess I'm
getting kind of rusty.
"You know Dalton is a Republican tovi. Me folks here are
grateful for the fine things the Crane family have dons for the
town and mostly vote the straight Republican ticket. The Democrats
are few and far between. It isn't because the Cranes have asked
anyone to vote for then. They never have. But the Senator was such
a fine man the townspeople feel that they got to because of the
generosity and the charitable needs of other members of the Crane
family. Nobody goes hungry in Dalton. The Cranes see to that. If
a man with a family is taken ill so that he can't work for a few
weeks, or months, or years, the Cranes take care of him and his
family.
"The last election certainly was a disappointment to me. Look
at the way the Republicans carried this state. And no wonder, with
Name: Edward E. vielch
Title: Living Lore
Assignment: Dalton
Topic: James Dowling
Curley trying to make a comeback) there was no one to vote for.
A vote for Curley was a vote thrown away. I hated to see Owen
Johnson get beat. What this county needs is a good Democratic
Congressman like Johnson. Treadway never has voted for the
laboring man. He gets pensions for war veterans widows) and
things like that, but any damn fool could do the same thing.
He votes for the big corporations that rob these veterans' widows.
I don't think Johnson would do that. Berkshire County would have
been much better off if we had a Democratic Congressman during the
past eight years. we were out of luck with Treadway. What happened
inthe CCC Camps and on the WPA? Men and women from the eastern
part of the state got all the good jobs. That wouldn't have hap-
pened if Johnson was in. Local men trying to get jobs in the CCC
camp had to write to David I Walsh) in Boston. But he did nothing
for them. He was too busy with his own people. People kick about
politics) living conditions) and everything else) but do nothing
about it. They just won't think for themselves. They let the
newspapers, magazines and radio think for them. When election time
comes around they listen to a lot of hot air and bushwa. They forget
that it was the Democratic President Abosevelt who saved their for-
tuneslfed them, ciothed them, and through the different govern-
mental agencies gave them a new lease on life, by creating jobs for
them. They forget to be grateful, so after listening to some crooked
-6
Name: Edward E4 4elch Assignment: Dalton
Title: Living Lore Topic: James Dowling
political spellbinder who did nothing for 'em, but criticize the
man who had aone something, they believe the livered -mouth crook
and vote for him. Why don't these voters think for themselves?
They're too damned lazy. Barnum was right when he said people like
to be fooled. The politicians are doing the same thing to this
Presiaent that they aid to Lincoln. It's a damned shame.
"They have a tight political set-up here 41 Dalton. The
Republicans rule the roost. There is only one Irishman on each
of the Town Boards and they keep it that way. But I'lllhave to
admit, we have and always have had a pretty efficient administra-
tion, darned conservative too.
"Well all in all Dalton's a good town to live in. There is a
neighborliness not found in many other towns. we're pretty well
off industrially. I have lived here the better part of my life
and am satisfied to stay here as long as I live. I don't know of
any town in the state any better off. Say, I'm sorry, but I have
to hop. Promised Dick I'd pick him up before noon. Came over to
the house some time."