The War Comes to Plum Street

3. The Slow Pull Upward, Late 1930s

3. The Slow Pull Upward, Late 1930s AFTER THE WRIGHTS and Moleses and others on the street had descended so near to ruin in the early 1930s, what followed seemed like recovery. It was not, of course, and they all continued to struggle in the effort to pull themselves up a little further each year. There were mixed results. For many, work continued to be irregular, or at least not completely dependable. For most, wages had declined since 1929 in the face of the adjusting pressure of the depression, which few understood. At the same time, rent or house payments still had to be met, and there were people who lost their homes on Plum Street before 1935. Banks or noteholders hesitated to foreclose on a property because of the costs, and it was the rule that a debtor could go for several months or even a year in arrears if there was some hope of recovery or if token payments came in regularly. Most managed to find the rent or note payment somehow. Cars became commonplace in the 1920s, but not every family owned one, in spite of the efforts of men like Henry Ford, who made automobiles in the price range that millions could begin to think affordable. There was a thriving market in used cars in practically every town in America, on used car lots, around garages, and between individuals. Jess always had a car from the time they got on their feet in New Castle in the later 1920s. Purchasing a new car was far beyond his capability, but there were bargains to be had if one had the eye and the patience to shop carefully. He probably had a Model T Ford first, 48 The War Comes to Plum Street as so many did, because they were abundant, having been made from the 1910s to 1925, and about the cheapest as well. By the time Wanda was born in 1929, he had an old Chevrolet, recognizable everywhere by the noise the brakes made when slightly worn. Although he worked at Chrysler, the company did not make cars for the common man until the 1930s, when the Plymouth and DeSoto lines began to come within reach. Consequently , he drove other makes until the mid-1930s, when he bought a used 1934 Plymouth. He traded this later for a 1936 Plymouth. Owning a car was a tradeoff Jess decided was worthwhile. The six of them lived in one of the smallest houses on Plum Street, on a tiny lot with no garage. Nearby, the Wrights lived in one of the biggest houses, paying more than three times the rent Jess and Ethel paid, but had no car. This made some people ask questions about Jess’s priorities, because a car was something that could almost always be sold for a sum of cash. Even the price of an old T might pay their rent for half a year, and most used cars sold for far more than this. But the car, almost any car, was a symbol of status and mobility with which he was not willing to part. If the tires remained in good condition, a car could be operated for very little money, because gas cost under 20¢ per gallon in those years. It could always be left sitting, with no expense save a license plate, when circumstances demanded. Occasional questions arose about this later, when he drove cars that were only two or three years old, at considerably greater expense than many people thought he should be able to afford. One of the sights that became familiar on Plum Street in those years was the bill collector. Installment buying grew in popularity in the 1920s during enthusiastic economic times and continued as many people accepted the idea that it was not dishonorable. This fueled the temptation to buy on credit when times were good but little money was available for a down payment. A sizeable sum in down payment could practically guarantee credit terms, but for many items under $30, a few dollars down and a dollar a month would put a coveted item in one’s home. Payment was to be made at the cashier’s window at the place the credit had been obtained, but when money was short, people stayed home to avoid admitting they could not pay. As a result, businesses The Slow Pull Upward, Late 1930s 49...