The payment that was promised to Ruth never materialized, so she has trouble making rent payment and worries about being able to afford food. Dave has an ice harvesting job, but also experiences a similar problem with collecting payment.
February 3, 1936
Stamford Mirror-Recorder, Oct. 15, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
Hello Hon,
One down and five to go. Can you figure it out? Worked on the ice today and I’m just about as tired as I was Saturday night.1 Still doing two for one duty. As near as I can figure it out all the rest of the help has left because they can’t get any money. I would, too, probably if it wasn’t for the fact that I can use it up in feed and as long as there isn’t anything else to do I might as well keep on. I think this week will about wind it up anyway.2
I’ll be anxiously awaiting your first letter to find out if you got to Albany safely and what you found when you got there. I would have liked to have gone with you but I didn’t argue the point because it was quite late and also quite cold. You were probably a lot more comfortable in Ben’s car. I guess he has a good heater in it.
I stayed about a half hour after you left and listened to a discussion, the subject of which you can probably guess, Florence and Ben. They come in for a lot of discussion from everyone I guess.
Lydia and Fran were planning on going to Middleburg today but I don’t know if they went or not. They didn’t stop here if they did. They wanted to go down and see Tex before he goes tomorrow.
You will probably have some difficulty reading this. It isn’t bad enough trying to write on my lap but I have to give up most of that to Fluffy and hold this pad out on my knee. I guess she misses Pete. She walks around looking in all the rooms and under everything. I haven’t decided yet whether she is looking for Pete or a place to take a tinkle. If it is, I’ll tinkle her with a piece of stove wood. You know how I sock her.
The weather looks bad out tonight. It started snowing about four o’clock and it looks like the real thing. Some guy on the radio just said this storm would make all the rest look small. Here’s hoping he is all wet.
Gee, darling, it’s a shame to send any blank paper in this letter but I can’t think of anything more to write. If I was with you, I could say plenty, you know, I love you, I love you and so on far, far into the night. Be good sweetheart and here’s wishing you luck.
Always yours,
Dave
February 3, 1935 [actually 1936]
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Hello Honey,
It is now six p.m. and I just got dressed. I have been in bed most of the day. I guess we got up about 10:00 had breakfast and I took a bath and went back to bed. I took a couple of aspirin but my headache still persists. I feel so darned weak and hot I don’t know how long I can continue to hold the pen up. I guess it must be a hangover from my weekend. I thought we would never get home last night. Riding in the car made me sick as the deuce.
Just as I expected, Dr. Lally still hasn’t showed up with any money and they have shut off his office telephone now. Ed is going to take me over to the office tonight and I’m going up to the house tomorrow afternoon to see if it does any good.
I went on register in both places this morning. There are about twelve ahead of me on the Exchange and at school I don’t stand a chance due to the fact that there are thirty-six students so of course they get the work.
I am awfully glad you didn’t come up last night. It is such a long, cold trip and you must have been awfully tired. Of course you realize that every minute I spend with you is precious, however, it would have been selfish of me to let you come.
Nope, I didn’t cry last night but it wasn’t because I didn’t feel like it. I was so tired I just undressed and rolled into bed.
I haven’t been out to eat yet and don’t think I will unless I suddenly start feeling better. Loretta says if we don’t get work before long we will take the water cure. Every time we feel hungry, we will take a glass of water.
I think right now I am more broke than I have been at any time since I was in the city.
Well, my sweet, I think I will let this be enough. I will drop you a card tomorrow and let you know what sort of luck I have.
Lots of love,
Your Sweetheart,
Ruth
P.S. This is another blue Monday nearly over and am I glad.
Post Card
[Postmarked February 4, 1936]
Tuesday p.m.
Dear Dave,
We called on Dr. Lally last nite and he must have been in a generous mode so he gave me $5.00 and Loretta $2.00. He promised to bring me more today, but he hasn’t showed up yet and I don’t expect him. Looks like we will have to haunt him.
Fran came to see me a few minutes and took us down street to pay our telephone bill. Ed took us out to dinner last night and Bill Bonville took us to a movie and dinner today.
Be good and take care of yourself.
Love,
Ruth
February 5, 1936
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Dear Dave,
How’s my little lamb chop? Judging from your letter I would say you are working too hard. I wish you didn’t cause it isn’t worth making yourself sick over. The ice must be awfully hard to handle.
Ben’s car isn’t any warmer than yours even if he does have a new-fangled heater. My right side and back was nearly frozen when I got here. Besides that the alcohol or whatever he had in his radiator smelled so it made me sick.
Last night I called Tex at the YMCA. He couldn’t imagine who it was for a long time. He called me Nellie, Hazel and Florence. When I mentioned Fran, he recognized my voice. He said he had gone to bed, and I said “What, at 8 o’clock.” He asked what I was doing. I said nothing and he said so was he. He said he got sworn in yesterday afternoon and went to a show. They are leaving the city at 8:15 this morning for Newport, R.I. There were eight recruits, and he said they seemed like a nice, clean bunch of fellows. His roommate was from Little Falls, Mass. He sounded a little lonesome. I guess I must have kidded him for about fifteen minutes. He said probably when he saw you again you would be occupied with household problems. I invited him to come and see us and told him we would try and have an extra dish of oatmeal for us. OK, yes, I also challenged him to a cat fight.
So you discussed Florence and Ben after we left. We could hardly discuss them, so we did the next best thing and discussed Floyd and Evelyn. I suppose you and I provide a topic for discussion too, but I should worry.
You should have seen me about mail time this morning. I was sleepy until I thought the mail man should be here. Then I jumped in and out of bed, rolled all over the bed and had a fit because Clifford didn’t let the mail man bring our mail. I was OK when I got my letter.
Just as I expected, Dr. Lally didn’t show up yesterday. His promises didn’t mean a thing. I haven’t paid any room rent. I was afraid if I did, I wouldn’t have anything to live on. The funny part about Dr. Lally is whenever you go over there, he has an office full of patients.
Loretta is having a bad time because I write to you so often. She seems to think I give you too much of my attention.
Mrs. Johnson is trying the radio out and she sure is getting plenty of noise. It sounds like a combination of a cat fight and machine gun duel. I am about to start tearing my hair. I never knew one radio could make so much noise.
If I’m not working Sunday, you had better plan to come up and spend the greater part of the day with me. I don’t know what we will do, but just so long as we can be together that is all I care.
Loretta just asked where I stood on the list at the Exchange. They said I was still twelve on the list so things don’t look so hot there. Looks like I’ll have to camp on Dr. Lally’s door step or starve.
Clifford is out looking for a job today. He feels quite confident that he will find about six positions. You know how priceless he is.
Well, my darling, I think I’ll call it a day and spend my time waiting for your next letter and Sunday.
Lots of love,
Ruth
P.S. You had better bring me some stamps Sunday if you want any letters next week.
February 5, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
My Dear Girl,
I just made a good start by putting a blot on this letter the first thing.
I received your letter yesterday and the card today. I suppose I should have answered last night but I had to take Mom down to Middleburg to some kind of entertainment so I let it go until tonight. I went to Sprague’s while she was downtown. Lydia and Fran were still there so he gave me all the dope about seeing you. I could have bawled him out good for not stopping here when he went by. I wasn’t working yesterday on account of the rain and I could have been with him if I had known it. Oh well, I guess I can stick it out till Sunday. The week is half gone and I’m still alive so I have hopes for myself.
Gee, Dr. Lally sure broke his heart or sompin when he gave you all that money. If you do get it all eventually, you will have earned it twice.
How are the headaches, hon? Won’t you please see a doctor. I know it won’t hurt you a bit and may do a lot of good. Why not see Dr. Hannon? He might give you some ideas on how to collect money besides helping your headaches.
If this cold weather doesn’t let up soon, I’m going to dig myself a hole and crawl in until spring. The thermometer is heading for zero again tonight.
When I finish this I have got to take Mom down to Lula’s. I’ll bet the car will be missed around here more than I will when I leave. LaVere will have to hurry a little and grow up so he can take my place.
Thursday noon.
I couldn’t think of anything more to write last night so I quit until this noon. I don’t know that I am any better off now.
I’ll bet Tex was surprised to hear you on the phone. It’s all right as long as you didn’t go down and kiss him goodbye. I don’t trust these sailors.
So Loretta thinks you give me too much attention. Maybe I do get more than I deserve but I like it, darling. I’m ashamed to send this short letter after reading the nice long one from you.
I’ll be up Sunday probably about noon if I don’t hear of you getting work before then. Meanwhile, lots of love to the sweetest girl in the world.
Yours always,
Dave
February 7, 1936
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Dear Dave,
It is 3 p.m. and I am still in bed. I got up for a bath and breakfast and since I had a bad headache, I decided to stay in bed.
Loretta got up and went to Mass this morning and when she came back, she went to bed again.
I didn’t feel like writing and tried to sell Loretta the idea that she should write but she said she would come tearing up tomorrow to see what it was all about.
I haven’t been to see Dr. Hannon yet. He has been sick in bed himself.
Loretta sits here on the bed taking an embroidery lesson. She is working on that towel she got about six months ago. She promises it to me for my cedar chest when she gets it done.
I was telling Loretta that you were going to dig a hole to crawl in until the cold weather is over. She says to tell you while you are at it, you might as well make it large enough for us, too.
When you come up Sunday you had better bring your picture along. I got your frame the other day. They told me if you couldn’t fix it to bring it down and they would.
Wednesday night we were over at Johnsons for dinner. Last night we went up to Distell’s.3 We all went down to the Madison Tavern for 5 cent beers. You can imagine what a nice time we had. Loretta and I came along home before the party got too rough. They called us wet blankets, flat tires, what have you.
Remind me to tell you about our outing when I see you. There were eight of our class together and only one of the bunch had a job. Life is so futile.4
Clifford is on a crab today. I don’t even bother speaking with him for the last three days. Loretta has decided to stop speaking and he was in just a minute or so ago trying to make conversation. No doubt he is getting ready to ask a favor.
Loretta is pleading with me to get up and much as I hate to, I suppose I will have to do it.
Lots of love,
Ruth
[From Loretta]
Dear Little White tit-mouse,
I’m looking forward to that big deep hole we are about to share. It isn’t enough that I must slave over a towel so you will be able to dry your dishes, but I must write to you also. Are you lucky?
I’ve had to stay in bed with Ruth all week. When are you coming down to relieve me?
So long, old dear, I must get back to my masterpiece.
Sose.
Footnotes
- The Schoharie Creek runs right through Middleburgh, so this could have been a site for ice harvesting. Starting around January, jobs for this would have been posted in newspapers; usually 60-100 men were hired to cut ice, and the work would last about 2 weeks. The Knickerbocker Ice Company was one major distributor in NY State, with headquarters located near New York City. In Halcottville (subject of the article, about 35 miles from Middleburgh), the ice house was probably located on Wawaka Lake, owned and operated by the Ulster and Delaware County Railroad. By 1936, ice could be manufactured at cheaper cost (see posted article), so these jobs were starting to be phased out. Electric refrigeration was also available, although a home refrigeration unit in the 1930’s was more expensive than a new car! Click here or here to read more.
- Update: A recent story on NPR highlighted a still-active ice house! Click here for the article and photos, and here to see the website for The Thompson Ice House in Maine. Dave frequently mentioned his job on the ice throughout these letters – worrying about the weather, how long the job would last, and falling through was common. See posts (to name a few) here, here, or here.
- A photo of Ruth Distell can be found here.
- Since the market crashed in 1929, the U.S. economy had slowly been on an upswing, but starting in about 1936, it fell into another recession. Note she mentioned that Clifford was looking for a job, as were most of her nursing comrades. Nobody was having any luck! More discussion about the recession can be found here, and read here for a comparison to the recovery effort in 2009.
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