Mabel Writes to Octavia

Here is an interesting letter. It's undated, but it mentions Earle, who died in 1938, so it must have been written before then. Since Octavia is away, she must be widowed and thus the letter is after 1925. Mabel worries about Abbott and how sick he is -- little did she know he would outlive his father by 64 years! Earle doesn't seem as sick as later, so maybe this is a few years before he died. Alma's husband, Sidney Marx, died in 1935, so perhaps that is the sickness in Alma's family to which she refers. It's entertaining to compare the housing costs herein with today's... Here is the text as I OCR'd it:

Dearest Mother

Your letter of Nov. 2nd came a couple of days ago, and I am writing immediately after seeing Dr. Brasel. I didn't get to see him until this afternoon.

To plunge into the subject of the house: I am sure you have no idea of the complete stagnation which exists here in regard to real estate and every other line of business. Half of the property in Dermott is for sale at sacrifice prices, but there are no buyers. I have talked with Ernie and Ernestine Kimpel, John Golden, and several others about the price of property, rents that are being paid, etc. Every one says that $20.00 is apparently the maximum rent which can be collected in Dermott -- regardless of the kind of house. Ernie has been renting his house near the school, which he says is newer and as good, if not better than your house, for $17.50. There are no vacant houses in town, but neither is there any demand. There are a good many run down houses, and several of them have been bought for $300 or $400 --some fairly nice places have sold for $800 —and have been repaired after- a fashion and are now occupied. There seems to be nothing that can be done with the better class of property except to pay taxes and insurance or simply let it go.

In spite of these conditions, I thought the Brasels might be interested in buying the place if we let them name their own price, and I put up a good stiff talk to him that we thought he either ought to buy it or pay at least $25.00 rent.

I tried to get him to make some kind of an offer, but he says the ceilings are too high, the bathroom is not conveneintly located, etc, etc, etc, and they would rather build a new house than try to remodel that one. He says they will not pay any more rent and keep up the repairs -- that they had the entire interior newly papered and painted last sping, a new roof put on half the garage, etc, etc, at an expense, altogether of $125.00, which is equivalent to more than 10.00 per month -- that they would, not stay in the house unless it is kept up, and that for them to pay the repairs is equivalent to their paying more rent.

I am convinced that no amount of pressure will induce them either to buy or pay more rent, which brings it down to your third alternative -- for them to get out. That, of course, can be easily accomplished but there is everything to lose and nothing to gain by making them move. They are unquestionably the best renters in town, and the only ones I know of who would take care of the place, pay the rent regularly, stay in, instead of moving in and out, etc.

As to the finances I have paid out --

State and county taxes ------------------ $43.93

Paving tax 33.26

Sewer tax 10.00

Total taxes $87.19

Insurance 19.50

Total property expense $106,69

One month's rent sent to you 20.00

11 HOLC payments @ $12.00 each 132.00 (Should have paid 12)

Total paid out $258.69

Total received, 12 mo. @ $20 240.00

Of course, only $ 106.69 is really prorerty expense. If it were not for the payments on the loan, you would have $133.31 clear, which is an average of $11.10 per month.

Frankly, I do not believe that, under present circumstances, there is any way at all to get any more out of the place. We can, of course, turn loose of it at any time, but there is a chance -- slim, I admit -- that property may some time be worth a little more than at present, and as long as the income from the place is paying the taxes and insurance, and supposedly meeting the payments on the loan, it seems too bad to simply let it go. If in spite of these conditions you want the Brasels to get out, there probably will be no choice except to let it go, for I do not believe that if they are made to move it will be possible to continue to hang onto it, as I have been doing As for your coming back here, we would of course be glad to see you, and I would insist on your coming except for the fact that, the way we are situated, I am afraid you will not be very comfortable. Abbott has the middle room. Earle has the front room ( with a lot of "junk" piled around in it which makes it seem very much like a store room) and when I am here I "camp out", with a cot in the dining room, etc. The only possible arrangement would be to get a room for you at Mrs. Belton's or somewhere in this neighborhood where you would be comfortable and could get back ,and forth easily. As far as the place is concerned, I am sure you could not do anything at all about it -- except to put the Brasels out.

We were sorry to hear about the sickness in Alma's family, and the financial worries in Aline's. I am certainly in a position to sympathize with both of them, for I have known nothing but sickness and financial worries -- both serious -- for the past several years. In addition to Abbott's condition which, to say the least is not encouraging, Earle has been having serious trouble with his throat, lungs, bronchial tubes, etc. He completely lost his voice several months ago, and since last May or June has been able to talk only in a whisper -most of the time a very faint whisper -- which in addition to his very poor physical condition, is a serious handicap in a business way. Financially, we are just on the verge of losing both the house and the office -- are simply staving off the crash as long as possible. Don't know how much longer we'll be able to hang on, and have no idea what will become of Abbott, nor any of us, if our creditors do foreclose, as they are constantly threatening to do.

I am telling you all this for- one reason only -- and that is to explain vhy I have not written and urge you to come and spend the winter here. We certainly would be glad to see you and if, under these circumstances you think you could stand it, we'll do our best to make you glad you came.

Have been interrupted so many times while trying to write this that I've no idea whether you'll be able to figure out what I've tried to say or not, Am rushing to get it in tonight's mail, so please make allowances for haste, errors, etc.

With much love to yourself and every member of the family,

Hastily but devotedly yours.

/s/Mabel