So here goes!....
In Wilmington we were all issued coveralls, safety equipment, a net bag and large safety pin for transporting our dirty laundry. Well after a few days my white coveralls were able to walk on their own, leaving a smelly trail behind them. I can honestly say my coworker’s apparel was in same the condition; however my sweat did not seem as pungent. I had to break down one night and do my laundry. The next morning, I took it out of the washing machine to place in the dryer, and only to find my socks, under pants and coveralls had been died Orange. I believe Dave Wheeler and Mike O’ Sullivan were the culprits. As an Orange man from Northern Ireland, I took the prank to be well meaning. Not having been given an extra pair of coveralls or under cloths at that time, I wore the orange outfit proudly that day. That night stripping down for a shower after hard day of cleaning a dust collector and replacing bags, my whole (what used to be a pearly white) body was bright orange! I still owe Dave and Mike one for that inconvenience!
As you all know, after working our shift we cleaned up and had a well deserved meal and our ration of beer and a hard drink. It made the work seem worthwhile. Well, Jim Hardy was the Plant Manager during the strike and he (for reasons I will not go into) required the Bartender’s to use a shot glass to measure the hard liquor, instead of the Bartender pouring strait from the bottle to glass. Morale and producing went down hill for a while. I think Jim Brown was in charge of assigning Bartenders, and I was scheduled to be one a week or so after the shot glass edict. Seeing all the long faces at dinner every night, without really thinking of the consequence, I took the reflector out of a flashlight and used it as a shot glass that night. I am sure you all remember how attitudes changed! Jim was one of the last to come in for dinner and his usual favorite drink. I used my improvised shot glass and as I had said to those prior to Jim, “Say when” while pouring through the reflector hole. Jim looked down, caught on, shook his head and said “WHEN!” That was the end of rationing and production rebounded.
I am sure all of you on both sides of the fence have great yarns to tell!
It seems (the plant photo) was taken prior to 1947 as there are no houses to the east of "the plant". Joyce and Tommy perhaps you can help Marilyn and I out. Our house, fondly called mom and dad's first mobile home, was moved from the area, I think over by where your house was, due to PCB (Pacific Coast Borax) selling the property to another company. Neither Marilyn nor I can remember the company buying the property.
