Tag Archives: money

September 29, 1931

Tuesday Night.
Sept. 29, 1931.

Dearest Sweetheart:

Your good letter of Friday night was greatly enjoyed. We were amused at your account of the wedding. I read that part of the letter to the family and they laughed. It was nice that you and the Halls could attend. I’m glad you let them have the furniture. I do not know how much it is worth. Don’t you think it would be advisable to find out from Mr. Firetag what we paid for the bed and mattress & table, then use your own judgement about the worth of them now? They have not had hard usage, but of course they are second hand.

September 29, 1931

September 29, 1931

I am sure our room looks much better since W.W.’s bed has been moved. Thank you. He should be more comfortable in his own room too. He is getting large enough to want a little privacy now.

Last night Mama, Walter White and I went out to see Mrs. Jackson & family (Lois, Edith etc.) We stayed until nine and he seemed to enjoy every minute of it except when the parrot screamed at him. Mrs. Jackson showed us her pictures and souvenirs from her Gold Star Mothers’ trip to France. They were interesting. I recognized some of the places as names you had mentioned.

Thelma had the last of her teeth extracted today. It was very painful this time as the anesthetic failed to affect the gums around two of the teeth. Mama spent the afternoon at Thelma’s and said she was suffering agonies for hours after she returned home. We are hoping she can rest tonight.

The depression is on. That is practically all people here talk about. I am wondering if it has just now reached this part of the country. Banks in different towns in this part of the state are failing. Yesterday one of the largest banks in San Antonio closed. I’m beginning to feel that money isn’t safe anywhere. Honey, the Citizens & Southern is a chain bank. Do you suppose there is any danger of its suddenly going broke? We are saving money for Owenwood in November and it would mean a lot to us if we were to lose our account in the bank. I would even hesitate to deposit a salary check. Of course I realize that a spirit of that kind is what causes banks to fail. At any rate, we are not going to invest a thousand or more dollars in a car any time soon, are we? It seems that automobiles have been reduced less than most things so far, so there must be a drop in them coming soon. We surely do not want to be paying on too many things right now, do we? So many people are having to let things go back as they are unable to complete the payments.

No doubt you and Mr. Hall will be starting on your Florida trip soon. I hope it will be a very pleasant and successful one. I can hardly wait to hear about the possibilities at Tampa.

Please remember me to the lab force, and to other friends.

I love you lots & lots, Honey – I’d love so much to be with you tonight.

The family sends love.

Always, your
Ina.

P.S. Today Claudelle wrote us to send her shorthand book. She wants to practice as there is a stenographer’s civil service exam to be given in October. That is lovely, isn’t it?

September 25, 1931

Friday Night.

Sept. 25, 1931.

Dearest Sweetheart:

Your letter of Monday night which arrived this morning was most welcome. It contained lots of interesting information.

September 25, 1931

September 25, 1931

The thing that impressed me most was the possibility of our moving to Tampa. Yes, of course I understand that it is by no means cut and dried but is a mere possibility. However, it doesn’t hurt to think about it. In fact, I consider it very pleasant food for thought. Tampa is a very nice place to live, is it not? At any rate it is not Charleston – is not even in South Carolina. I am very anxious to know more concerning it. Also, I am wondering who would remain in Charleston. 150 miles from Ft. Pierce should be safe.

Have you heard anything from the Cushings? They should be coming out soon.

It is nice that your trip to the Southern has been approved and that Dr. Shelmire had a second thought in regard to the order of names in the exhibit.

I am glad that you were pleasantly surprised in the number of sand flies in your collections during your last trip. I did not want you to be disappointed in it.

Walter White gets sweeter every day. This afternoon Mr. Cain (the rather elderly gentleman in the apartment next to us) said that W.W. was the cutest boy he ever saw. He said he was so easily entertained. He, his wife and daughter seem to be so fond of W.W. I believe the baby would enjoy visiting with them all day. He knows when people like him.

I believe there is more talk about the depression here than at Charleston. These people are more accustomed to prosperity than Charlestonians, I suppose, and a shortage of it causes discomfort and probably alarm. Honey, don’t you suppose we had better wait quite a while about getting a new car? It was for this trip home that I was especially anxious for it and since we have gotten along so far without it I believe we could make Willie do for many months yet. In that way we could avoid rendering a new car for taxes next year and could probably buy a car at a lower price later. In the meantime we could be using our money to a better advantage. I am anxious for us to be able to pay a great deal on Owenwood next time. It will be lovely when we get even with the world financially.

By now Rebecca should have been married long enough to settle down to her household duties.

It would be lovely to have another letter from you tomorrow.

We love you lots & lots.

Always, your

Ina.

March 23, 1931

Though he had to miss Christmas with his family at the end of 1930, Walter’s work on the transmission of endemic typhus went well, and he and his colleagues started preparing their data for publication. I believe he brought Ina and young Walter White to live with him in Charleston, SC sometime after New Year’s. Meanwhile, Walter took out a loan from the Veterans’ Administration. The VA was apparently getting a lot of loan requests around then. Even with a steady job, the Great Depression was a tough time.

March 23, 1931

March 23, 1931

December 18, 1930

Dec. 18 – 1930.

My dear Sweetheart,

I am enclosing your list of names for Xmas cards. I tried to supply addresses. Pardon my delay in returning the list and also no letters during the past two days.

December 18, 1930

December 18, 1930

Last night and the night before Dr. Shelmire came by and took me to their home for dinners. We came back to the lab at night. Our first series of feeding tests did not get us anywhere. The animal used for infecting mites apparently did not carry the infection. We are feeding two other species from new inoculations. The suspense is great. Some of the new animals received infected mites 3 days ago, others last night, and still others are to get theirs tonight and tomorrow night. We are allowing different intervals of time for development of organisms in the mites.

Yesterday I made application with the Southland Mortgage Co. for a lien to replace the one held by Mr. Harper. Also, I paid the city taxes (no penalty). Under the new scheme we would pay 10.60 per month on each $1000 loan with options of paying $500 at any time. The rate is 8% on the unpaid balance. Statements are sent by them every six months. There is no brokerage fee but the renewal with them will cost about $55. This covers guaranty policy, recording fees etc. We would not have another renewal of the lien.

I happened to mention it to Mr. Bruce. He said that he and Mrs. Bruce had some small loans maturing and that he thought they might be interested in making us the loan at 7%. He went home last night and I should hear from him Monday. I told him that you might feel that we were taking advantage of their friendship. He said that it was a business proposition as he could get only 6% in Kansas. If we let them have the loan it would probably mean another renewal as soon as they get a permanent location, one or two years. I don’t know how you feel about it.

I am enclosing cards from the Cushings and Mrs. Miller. I read them. Hope this is OK. Your letter of Tuesday came a few min. ago. I am glad to know that my family is OK.

Dr. Shelmire just left. He came out to be here with me when we inoculated some more pigs. In a few min. I am going to Oak Cliff for more mites. We want to have a colony going indefinitely with pigs. We want to try to carry the infection along by introducing new pigs to infected mites. Mr. Sommier is making the housing quarters for the mites.

I love you Honey and I certainly miss you. The Shelmire baby made me mighty homesick for you and W.W. “Wo” talks a little but I don’t savvy his language. He walks about 10 to 12 steps. The Shelmires have to be very careful about making a fuss over Wo when little Bedford is around. The dinners out there were very nice, and they were very hospitable. Mrs. Shelmire wants to meet you and W.W.

With all my love,

Your
Walter.

December 13, 1930

Saturday Night.

My dear Sweetheart & Buddy,

Yours of Friday AM came this noon. I note that Daddy Lewis is up to his old tricks yet. The trade sounds like a good one. From what you tell me of the location it seems OK. It should be close enough to the High School, in case the apartments are not rented to year-around residents. If three apartments are rented now, the chances are pretty good.

December 13, 1930

December 13, 1930

We have not yet had our lien fixed up. I am figuring with a loan man for the Savings Bank of Detroit. His proposition is a 10 year pay at the rate of $12.50 per month on each thousand. This includes prin and interest and there are no other renewal charges. There is a brokerage fee. At this rate our house would almost pay out from the rent. This would seem to be OK if we made a trade for something else or if we sold. I am investingating other propositions. I think I have time enough to do so.

My first series of experiments are not yet giving results. I fed the mites on a pig about the time the fever was subsiding. Since then I used another animal just about the time he came down with fever. Tonight I am feeding a third lot on an animal just beginning the fever. This will make three series of experiments, two of which should give transmissions. The first lot may come through. For they sometimes go about 12 days before they come down. I am pushing it all I can for I am anxious to complete the work.

Jimmie writes that there is no hurry about returning but that he misses us. Says Mr. Hall makes it pretty embarassing at times. Bruce says that Hall is running true to form. Looks like another Abbott in some ways. Hope we can find out about him before it is time for his wife to return. I have a lot of sympathy for her, but that does not make the lab work go as it should.

With lots of love, Honey, I am

Your
Walter.

December 8, 1930

Box 208 – Monday Night.

My dear Sweetheart,

Yours of Saturday AM was received this AM. It is fine that W.W. is getting along OK. Hope he keeps up the good work.

Today Shelmire brought another infected pig by for the mites. Have just finished feeding the mites on this animal. The latter animal is in the early stages of the disease and should have more organisms in the blood stream. Animals inoculated from the other pig, which was convalescing, have not yet shown symptoms. It is a little early. This is the end of the 4th day for them.

December 8, 1930

December 8, 1930

This PM I called on the Southland re: the first lien. They are not in position to handle any more, but he sent me to another insurance Co. They are investingating and will let me know right away. They had not made any loans in Owenwood and were going out to take a look. More about this later.

I am enclosing a letter received from Dr. White. It runs true to form.

With lots of love, I am

Your
Walter.

June 22, 1930

Sunday June 22nd

My dear Sweetheart,

We did not get away for Charleston today. This morning we went down to the Tybee beach and then to a resort hotel on Wilmington Island. The plan is to have Jimmie work from this hotel. We will know more about it tomorrow. We expect to leave here tomorrow at 1:20 PM. Should arrive Charleston at 4:20. We will be there until Wednesday afternoon. Guess I’ll have to go to Wilmington, and possibly to Florence S.C. then return here. I’ll call at General Delivery when I return here. I should get back about next Friday PM. Will probably get return tickets on the last day of the month and it would be about the 3d of July before I get back to Dallas. When I return here it may be necessary to draw a check. Would like to know if the expense check has arrived and has been deposited. I would draw not more than $25. Guess salary check would get in in time to catch it OK.

June 22, 1930

June 22, 1930

I hope that everything is going well with you and Walter White and Claudelle.

Savannah looks good for a laboratory site. Charleston may be just as good.

I love you, Honey, and I will be glad to see you.

Your,
Walter.

June 19, 1930

June 19th.

My dear Sweetheart,

We spent the day here and found it interesting. This morning we went to Zellwood (about 25 miles) and saw Mr. McNiel. He is a Harned[?] student and his wife is from Tallulah. She is rather pretty (but not as pretty as my wife). They were married a few months ago. Mr. McNiel’s work is interesting. He is studying a mosquito which is peculiar to this locality. There are no sand flies here.

June 19, 1930

June 19, 1930

This PM we called at the headquarters of the Med. fruit fly campaign. Saw Mr. Yothers and his group, then we met others on the eradication campaign. Mr. Kimball, one of Harned’s students is here, in charge of our area.

We are leaving tonight for Jax. Will be there tomorrow morning, then to St. Mary’s, then Savannah. I am getting anxious to see the “promised land.” I am getting enough of Florida. Conditions are not so good down here. Every once in a while another bank fails. Everyone has lost money in property and in bank failures. It makes one feel that he wants to put his money in his shoe.

I certainly hope that Walter White has been sleeping well and that you have been getting along all right. It seems ages since I saw you. We have covered a lot of territory and have seen lots of people and it seems that we should close the trip. I guess I’ll get my return tickets on the last day of June. This seems to be about the time. Hope to see “Jimmy” at Charleston.

With lots of love, Dear, I am

Your
Walter.

May 25, 1930 (PM)

Sunday Night

My dear Sweetheart,

I am at the PO now. Received some wonderful news and I managed to get this stationery to tell you about it. Bish sent a blank along which is to accompany his recommendation for me for the grade of Senior Entomologist at $4600 per annum. Can you feature such a jump. I expected a pretty good one but I did not anticipate this much. I am jumping the whole grade of Entomologist $3800 to $4500. This is an increase of $75 per month – Whoopee! I’ve pinched myself to see if I am awake. I’ve tried to figure if there are any loop holes. I guess not for he undoubtedly knows that he can get it through as he would not try in writing without this assurance. Bish is all right.

May 25, 1930

May 25, 1930 (PM)

With love and lots of it,

Walter.

Please be careful about mentioning it. You know how such news reacts on others in the service & even those out of the service. Tell the immediate family if you like but ask them to not mention it outside. I don’t believe I’d tell the figures to any except Daddy & Mother Lewis & Claudelle. Don’t tell Walter White even.

$4,600 in 1930 equals a little over $63,000 in 2012. Walter White is their first son, who was less than a year old at this point.