“…this war has ruined my business. Those I owe will have to wait
until I can get the money out of the business”
From G. H. Marshall April 9, 1917
November 11, Veteran’s Day, was founded after the end of WWI in 1918 and is one of two days where our nation remembers veterans of war, the other being Memorial Day, observed in May. Like all wars, WWI brought on changes in individual lives and businesses of every conceivable sort. The records of the Ellis & Melledge Real Estate and Insurance Co. reminds us of the tenor of the times – both in correspondence with the firm about housing: rentals and maintenance and selling or buying properties, and from the circulars on savings, reducing consumption, an increase in insurance rates, and hiring returning soldiers sent out from various state and government agencies.
As the quote above illustrates, some of the correspondence brings the consequences of the War in daily life down to a human scale. Here are some more examples:
“My Dear Mr. Ellis,
I have decided to give up my room in Prescott Hall, beginning Sept. 1st. I know that the time is short, but as I have been put on active service sooner than I expected there is nothing else to do…It is with regret that I must give up my room, but since the Army is not likely to take a rest for some time, I have no reason to believe that I shall have use for my apartment any longer…”
(August 20, 1917 from James B. Munn, 2nd Lieut. U. S. R.)
This next letter refers to Samuel Chew (1871-1919) a Harvard graduate and lawyer in Philadelphia, who, working with Ellis & Melledge, was a large investor in Cambridge property, particularly on Church Street.
“Dear Sir: –
…Mr. Chew is with the American Field Ambulance in Paris, and will not return for several months. In the mean time you may continue the management of his church Street property…” (March 1, 1917)
The letter below was from Cecil K. Drinker, a professor at the Harvard Medical school from 1917-1932, who was living on Hurlburt St. in Cambridge:
“Dear Mr. Ellis:
Duties brought upon me through the war necessitate absence on my part from Cambridge after July first of this year. This has been a sudden development and renders it impossible that I should go forward with rental of the garage as we had planned…” (May 16, 1917)
Navy Commander W. L. Littlefield wrote Ellis & Melledge in 1917:
“Dear Sir:…Officers in attendance at the [Naval]War College here, are being ordered to sea daily and my turn will come any day now so you can readily understand that I am anxious to get this matter straightened out before I go to sea.” (March 17, 1917)
Commander Littlefield’s home was at #10 Mellen St.
Five months later, in August, Littlefield writes: “…due to the war conditions I would appreciate as prompt a reply as practicable, as I do not know where I will be tomorrow….”
INSURANCE
Costs went up for everything, including insurance. This letter from the New England Insurance Exchange (November 17, 1917) announces a 10% rise in rates:
TO ALL AGENTS
We are handing you, herewith, promulgation of a general advance in rates of 10%, effective on November 19, and which you have, no doubt, been long expecting….the insurance business is no different from any other, and conditions which demand a general increase in prices, affecting all lines of business, because of the increased cost of doing business, and the increased expense in the way of taxes to maintain the defense of our Country, produce the same results with the business of insurance.
Three weeks after the U. S. entered the war (April 26, 1917) insurance companies responded with ominous warnings about threats you could face in your own home. For instance, bombardment, as seen in this letter from Gilmour, Rothery Co.:
“Dear Sir:
YOUR CLIENTS ARE NOT INSURED
If their property is destroyed or damaged by fire, originating from foreign enemies, military power, civil commotion, riots, etc.
BECAUSE
…Fire insurance policies do not cover damage by explosions or bombardment. There is far more reason to secure protection from these dangers now than here is to insure against fire in times of peace…” (April 26, 1917)
Or this newspaper advertisement:
Other businesses also took advantage of war time fears. The advert below implies that enemy troops may even be at your own gate!
SHORTAGES & SAVINGS
Shortages affected everything, but fuel was uppermost of mind. National and local government agencies sent flyers to businessmen about how to aid in preventing fuel shortages, as seen in this excerpt from the New England Fuel Administration flyer. (Reducing elevator service would not automatically come to mind these days):
“To Tenants of Apartment Houses
November 19, 1917
“A serious shortage of coal threatens New England and it is important that every possible pound of coal should be saved. If each New England consumer will reduce his consumption twenty per cent, the total saving will be over nine million tons and we will get through the winter without serious factory shutdowns and without suffering…We offer the following suggestions:
- Do not ask to have suites heated higher than you actually need; suggests 65 to 70 degrees
- Do not waste hot water
- Prompt attention to turning off burners of gas ranges will save considerable accost
- Reduce elevator service where practicable
- Shut off heat in all unoccupied rooms where there is no danger of freezing pipes
- Pull down window shades at dusk. A drawn shade keeps in the heat nearly as well as a double window
- Bank your fires as early as is expedient“
Of course, the newspapers all did their patriotic duty to encourage fuel reduction as well. These two articles were printed in the Cambridge Chronicle on the same date: January 12, 1918
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE WAR
This advertisement is a grim encouragement, reminding people to buy Liberty Bonds. Liberty Bonds were a way of individuals “loaning” to the government to pay for the war. The loan would be repaid with interest after a designated number of years. These bonds became a symbol of fulfilling one’s patriotic duty.
The excerpt below is from a flyer sent out by the Treasury Dept., National War Savings Committee to enlist businessmen in helping raise money for the war effort through Thrift Stamps:
TO THE BUSINESS MEN OF MASSACHUSETTS
The importance of a general distribution among wage-earners and others of United States Government Thrift Cards and Thrift Stamps cannot be overestimated. With these cards and stamps widely distributed throughout the State a great savings movement will have begun.
I AM ACCORDINGLY REQUESTING YOU AND EACH AND EVERY OTHER EMPLOYER WHO CAN POSSIBLE DO SO TO GIVE A THRIFT CARD WITH A THRIFT STAMP AFFIXED (cost 25 cents) TO EACH EMPLOYEE.
…the Thrift Stamp bears no interest and is intended to be bought stamp by stamp by people who save in small amounts. When sixteen of these stamps are accumulated, amounting to four dollars face value, they may be exchanged for a War Savings Stamp by adding the necessary few cents to meet the price of the War Savings Stamp at that time. The War Savings Stamps are promises of the United States of America to pay five dollars June 1, 1923. …It will help bring to everyone’s attention the necessity of economizing in the expenditure of money, materials, and unnecessary labor so as to help keep up supplies for the Army and Navy.” (From Robert F. Herrick, State Director of the National War Savings Committee December 18, 1917)
Of course, small- time businessmen also did their part:
AFTER THE WAR
After the war life, citizens had to adjust back to what used to be considered “normal.” But with demobilization, new issues arose:
“Dear Mr. Ellis:
The Fortunes of War or of Peace are bringing us back to Cambridge from Washington and we find ourselves in the peculiar position of hunting for a place to live with our own house rented. Are there any possibilities of small furnished apartments? Now that the soldiers and sailors are demobilizing I should think there would be attendant vacating of apartments.”
(From Rachel Perry [Mrs. Ralph Barton] Perry November 27, 1918) [138 Irving St.]
The housing situation was a jumble, but, perhaps more importantly, so was the employment situation. A circular from the U. S. Department of Labor on February 5, 1919 warned:
“War contracts are nearly all completed, necessitating the closing of a considerable number of shops. In many cases the people employed on these war contracts must find employment in entirely different directions. Discharged soldiers in continually increasing numbers are seeking replacement in industry.”
In Cambridge, a local Bureau for Returning Soldiers and Sailors was organized under the chairman Walter F. Earle, president of the Harvard Trust Co. And on January 25, 1919 the Harvard Square Business Men’s Association sent this to its membership:
“Dear Sir:
Your attention is earnestly called to the efforts now being made to provide work for the returning soldiers and sailors. These men have been representing you on the battle-fields of France and they have just returned after winning the greatest and most righteous war of all time. Now they desire employment – – not charity, but an opportunity to reenter [sic] business life and once more fill their places as good citizens. Can you help to provide employment for these men?”
* * * *
End note: Because Ellis & Melledge dealt mostly with properties in Mid and West Cambridge, the correspondence does not reflect the all the concerns of those living in Cambridge, particularly east of Central Square.
Today’s post was written by CHC volunteer Kathleen Fox
SOURCES
Cambridge Historical Commission
Cambridge Public Library newspapers on line
Wikipedia