Old Missoula

We Lived Through It

City Is Hit by Depression With Rest of Nation

Missoula, not unlike the rest of the nation, felt the devastating blow of the great depression in the ‘30s.

Whereas Missoula bought $11,079,000 of goods in 1929, it bought only $7,386,000 in 1932, according to an article by William P. Helm. Although there was no federal census taken in 1926, as in 1929, it was estimated that the volume of goods sold at retail in 1926 in stores in Missoula was $10,525,000. According to Helm, the difference between 1932 sales and 1926 sales, as estimated, amounted to $3,139,000 in Missoula.

One-Third Drop in Nation

The figures for the entire country, according to an estimate of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, indicate that the nation’s buying power declined from $49,000,000,000 in 1929 to $31,000,000,000 in 1932. The drop was almost exactly one-third.

In 1933 the volume of retail business in Missoula totaled $6,228,000, according to the report of the Bureau of the Census. The payroll that year was $695,000. By 1935 the volume of retail business had increased 49.7 per cent over 1933 figures. Business concerns had sales of $9,321,000 and a total payroll of $1,048,000 in 1935. The payroll was an increase of $353,000 or 50.8 per cent over the 1933 total. Yet 1935 business had not begun to reach the volume of retail business of 1930 – $11,000,000.

Stores Squeezed Out

In 1930 retail stores in Missoula numbered 306 and gave full-time employment to 862 men and women. In 1933 there were 247 stores and in 1935 there were 285. When 1935 was compared with 1933 it was found that the number of active proprietors and firm members decreased from 278 to 259 and the number of full-time employes increased from 542 to 940 employes.

In 1930 there were 62 establishments in the automotive group, of which 21 were filling stations. In 1935 there were 71, of which 40 were filling stations. Food stores totaled 74 in 1930 and 60 in 1935. The apparel group of 28 stores in 1930 was decreased to 24 in 1935. Of 16 stores of the lumber and building materials groups in 1930, eight remained in 1935. Of these, automotive group had the biggest sales and by far the biggest payroll.

From 1929 to about 1937 the lumber industry suffered along with others through the great depression. The Anaconda Company, with its mining reduced, cut back its timber cutting accordingly.

The numerous federal agencies swooped down on the struggling economy in Missoula County to help it regain its balance. World War II, however, seemed to provide the needed push.

In November 1933, 415 men were called into service on 14 approved Civil Works Administration projects. In January 1934, 1,000 persons were engaged in CWA work in Missoula County. Projects included surveys, inventories, forest service work and airport work.

Miles of Missoula County streets, avenues and roads benefited from Works Progress Administration projects. Eighty two blocks were graded, 56 blocks graveled, seven miles of county roads cleared and six miles of road oiled. The new Central School building and the Lowell School addition were constructed with the use of a $192,000 WPA loan-and-grant.

The city benefited by a survey conducted by University sociology students and WPA workers which determined that 878 of 1,171 would support a city recreation department. The WPA sponsored musical training for those students who couldn’t study music in special schools or with private teachers. In 1937 public art classes were conducted under WPA auspices. There were no registration fees.

150 Trees Planted

A 30 man crew in 1938 put the fairgrounds in shape for a Boy Scout circus and planted 150 trees. Improvements of the University golf course, Kiwanis Park and other city parks and playgrounds to the amount of $42,827.79 were the result of WPA. Service clubs matched WPA funds for a $210,500 swimming pool-park project which was under construction by 1939. Projects made possible in part by federal funds included the $2,500 bridge to Island Park and the Missoula airport construction of an estimated $1,500,000 which began the week of Jan. 1, 1939.

At Montana State University the Student Union Building (Fine-Arts Building), Journalism, Chemistry-Pharmacy, Natural Science Annex and Woman’s Club Fine Arts Buildings were Public Works Administration projects in part. Bleachers on Dornblaser Field were a Works Progress Administration project.

The National Youth Administration provided $23,800 annually to enable students to attend college. In 1937, 225 University students had jobs with NYA. Three projects carried on in 1936 were the forestry nursery project, which permitted the University forest nursery to fill 2,500 orders for 700,000 trees for shelterbelts; the study of the economic production of Montana and the historical records survey.

 

Dr. Charles H. Clapp received recognition from students for his administration of Federal Emergency Relief Funds for economically-pressed students.