Thanksgiving preparations made people grumble complaints about inflation. The meals were costing more to prepare.
The year was 1941, 80 years ago, as Orange and the U.S. were adjusting to a defense economy and watching the rest of the world fight. Thanksgiving was on November 27 that year. It was the last holiday in peace for the next four years.
The Friday after Thanksgiving, news came of the first young man from Orange losing his life in the military. Second Lieutenant James Grant Manley was killed in a plane crash in the Phillippines. Nine days later, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
Orange in November 1941 was already booming with a new U.S. Steel Navy shipyard and contracts to build $100 million worth of defense vessels. Existing shipyards Levingston and Weaver were also getting new construction contracts.
The Orange Leader (a daily newspaper) on Sunday, November 23, reported 509 people had registered to find places to live with the Home Registration Bureau in the previous 30 days. Only 27 found places. Classified ads had a few rooms to rent, but more ads from people looking for rooms.
As people talked about inflation, the newspaper had a front page Associated Press story about Governor William H. Murray of Oklahoma saying inflation was going to get worse. He advised people to buy three acres and a cellar so they could grow food, can it, and store it.
He blamed the inflation on the U.S. Supreme Court. The 1871 court decision that allowed the government to issue paper money ruined the economy, he said.
Grocery ads in the newspaper promoted Thanksgiving special prices. Piggly Wiggly had pork loin, pork ham, or pork shoulder roasts for 27 cents a pound. The store also had 10 pounds of “spuds” for 23 cents, peanut butter for 25 cents a quart, and two pounds of homegrown popcorn for 17 cents. Apples, oranges, and lemons went for 10 cents a dozen.
The Lighthouse Market at Front and Fourth sold a large can of Tommy Tucker Tuna Fish for 14 cents. The store had local fresh catches with 23 cents a pound for red fish and 25 cents a pound for speckled trout. Sirloin steak was 39 cents a pound. Kraft Velveeta cheese could be purchased in a two-pound block for 59 cents.
ABC Food Stores had two locations, one in West Orange, and had two cans of Ocean Spray cranberry sauce for 23 cents. Chuck roast was 19 cents a pound and “old time” mincemeat was on sale with two, 10 cents boxes costing only 15 cents.
Pavia’s Super Market, 1201 Green Avenue advertised delivery service. Sales there included Imperial powdered sugar at 17 cents for two pounds and Phelan’s Coffee for 26 cents a pound.
Vincent’s Grocery, 316 Border Street, had four pounds of pure lard for 59 cents, two No. 2 1/2 cans of peaches for 29 cents and pork liver for 19 cents.
The stores advertised canned milk price specials at 17 cents a can. Fresh milk was still being delivered by milkmen working for dairies. One was the Orange Dairy at Ninth and Division (now Old Orange Cafe) which had “pasteurized and homogenized” milk. The dairy also sold Aristocrat Ice Cream.
City directories from the period show neighborhoods in the city were dotted with family-owned small meat markets and groceries. The meat markets took orders for turkeys and delivered the fresh, cleaned ones to customers. Children and grandchildren often helped out with the deliveries.
Goldfine’s department store on Fifth Street had new holiday dresses for girls in popular materials like velveteen and corduroy for $1.98, $2.98, and $3.93.
The Fair Store on Front Street had men’s suits for $19.50 to $28.50 with men’s dress shoes for $2.50 to $3.50
Green’s on Fifth Street had boy’s “longie suits” for $8.95. Women’s coats were on sale for $9.90, down from $11.90. A pair of patent women’s high-heeled shoes cost $3.45.
Orange was the only incorporated area in the county. Bridge City had not even been named, but its forerunner, Prairie View, had a pre-Thanksgiving box supper. The paper said 200 people attended the event and County Attorney Bill Sexton auctioned the boxes to raise money for an annual community picnic.
On November 28, the newspaper reported Thanksgiving had been peaceful. Many men had spent the morning hunting ducks and geese in the marshes.
But the paper had good news and terrible news. The good news was Congressman Martin Dies, who lived on Seventh Street, announced President Roosevelt had approved 200 portable (pre-fabricated) houses for Orange to help find places for the shipyard workers. However, C.C. Leedy, chair for Orange housing, said another 3,500 to 4,000 more units were needed.
The bad news was about Lieutenant Manley. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. R.S. Manley Sr. The young Army air corps member grew up in Orange where his father was manager of the Texas Creosoting Company. The family lived at 603 Cherry Avenue.
Orange later named an elementary school in his honor. Manley Circle in the Charlemont subdivision was also named for him.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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