Neil Family Interview 3

EDNA NEIL: -- ashamed for having grown up on a cotton mill village because -- as I said -- my parents taught me that a honest living was nothing --

GEORGE STONEY: (inaudible)

F1: Wait, I want to turn the fan on.

JOE NEIL: Well, you look good on --

BUDD NEIL: She does, doesn't she?

JOE NEIL: Mm-hmm.

GEORGE STONEY: OK.

EDNA NEIL: I've never been ashamed for growing up partially on a mill village, but I do know that, uh, people look down on 'em -- people that live at mill villages -- sometimes -- and some people are very self-conscious about having grown up on mill villages. I have talked to people in town, and they would be talking to me so -- you know, so animated and just looked like enjoying the conversation and everything -- and, uh -- then they'd say, well, where do you live? And when I'd tell them that I lived here on this village, well, it was 00:01:00just like somebody thrown cold water over 'em. So I knew that they were prejudice against cotton mill people to some degree. And I do know that people that have grown up here, and have gone on to better and bigger things, and they don't like to be reminded that they grew up here. Now, I know you all know some of the people the same way.

JOE NEIL: Right, but I mean -- you know -- the thing about it is, like I said before, you were self-taught. And, uh, all the trades that I know was from being raised up here and having to do it -- having to fix anything that tore up and, uh -- uh, I feel sorry for people that wasn't raised like we was raised. Because it was a -- you know -- you just couldn't have a better time in life than we had.

EDNA NEIL: And you've never been ashamed of growing up here.

JOE NEIL: No, ma'am. I've been proud of it and, uh, it was a blessing to me because look where it got us. I mean --

EDNA NEIL: And the friends that you gained -- and -- Brenda, have you ever felt 00:02:00ashamed for being born and bred in a company -- not much --

GEORGE STONEY: We need to stop --

(break in video)

GEORGE STONEY: OK. We're rolling.

JAMIE STONEY: Rolling.

EDNA NEIL: I was never ashamed for having grown up on a mill village. Because, like I told you a while ago, my daddy always taught me that if you were making an honest living then you had nothing to be ashamed of. But I know that a lot of people are. And I have been in places, and meet people, and they'd be talking to me and look like enjoying talking with me -- and we've have a real animated conversation going -- and they'd finally get around to asking where I lived. And when I told 'em East Newnan, it would be just like somebody poured a bucket of cold water on 'em. And I have been places, also, that people that I had grown up with -- and they could've recognized me -- and I'm sure they did -- and they would fail to recognize me. Because they didn't want to be reminded -- or want the people around us to be reminded -- that they also grew 00:03:00up on a mill village. And some of 'em are a little reluctant for anybody their heritage. But, uh --

JOE NEIL: But, uh -- when we went to high school, the most, um -- the richest acting people was come from the other mill village. They wanted to act like they was --

CAROL NEIL: Dime-store rich --

JOE NEIL: Dime-store rich people. I mean -- you know -- it wasn't the rich -- the rich -- the actual rich people was the ones that was your best friends and good to you.

BUDD NEIL: Yeah, that's right.

JOE NEIL: They were -- they were fine. It wasn't them, it was the -- it was the people that were raised up like we were raised up, trying to impress the rich people. They just -- they just felt like they, you know -- uh, I don't know why they're ashamed, 'cause I feel sorry for people that wasn't raised on a mill village, uh, like we were raised up. Because they missed the best time of their life. Because there's the best people on Earth here.

EDNA NEIL: Well, I know when I went to high school, I felt a little ill-at-ease 00:04:00because I couldn't dress like a lot of the kids did. And another thing, you know, all these different fads that come out among kids -- and I couldn't keep up with my peers 'cause my father and mother couldn't afford it. And I've told her a lot of times when she was going to high school, I was determined she wouldn't have that problem. And I wore $2.98 dresses to church, and she wore $8.95 skirts and $10 blouses to school -- and that's the truth. She don't much appreciate it, I don't think. But it's the truth. (laughter) But anyhow, she went on and got her education, and I'm proud.

JOE NEIL: Well, I don't know how, um -- I didn't realize at the time, you know, but I don't know how y'all done as well as you did. Because we always had plenty. Always had gracious plenty to eat, and good clean clothes, and a good time. So I don't know how you do it.

EDNA NEIL: When you got old enough to ride a bicycle, you had a bicycle. Things that --

JOE NEIL: We had the necessary things that we needed and --

SCOTT NEIL: See, I'm not ashamed of y'all, or ashamed of the house or the yard and everything. 'Cause I mean, everything is kept up good, but -- I mean -- I'm ashamed of the address, you know? Because of -- I mean -- people look down on you, don't they?

BUDD NEIL: They don't look up --

SCOTT NEIL: Especially now, with it falling apart around you. I mean, I know -- maybe if I'd seen it when, uh -- you know, when the mill was really in pros--

EDNA NEIL: When your daddy was growing up --

JOE NEIL: We would've been -- had a lot better attitude. But now, it's a slum.

SCOTT NEIL: It is. It's a slums. And people -- you know -- and assume, right of the bat, that, uh --

JOE NEIL: You a slum.

SCOTT NEIL: That you're slums.

EDNA NEIL: That you're trash.

SCOTT NEIL: This house looks like maybe the one down the street -- you know -- or -- or whatever.

EDNA NEIL: Well, the ones on this street look pretty good, but across the pond over yonder -- and -- and other streets --

JOE NEIL: Falling down -- it's the slums.

SCOTT NEIL: It's just a bad area.

EDNA NEIL: It's all rental property and it's just falling apart. Because the people don't take any pride -- the ones that live there don't take any pride in it, 'cause they don't have any stake in it.

CAROL NEIL: But it's not only this mill village, it's any mill village -- 00:06:00any mill village you go to. (inaudible; overlapping dialogue)

BRENDA NEIL: There's not 50 people on this village that were here when we were.

SCOTT NEIL: No.

JOE NEIL: No, they're not many --

F1: Now that -- there's 50 -

JOE NEIL: They died off, is what happened.

SCOTT NEIL: Go down the street and you can tell who they are by the way the houses look. The good houses are -- they were here originally. And the ones that are falling down are the people that are moving in that are giving these areas the

JOE NEIL: The bad name.

SCOTT NEIL: The bad name.

GEORGE STONEY: OK. Now, I want to show --

(break in audio)

JUDITH HELFAND: Read it out loud.

EDNA NEIL: Memo for Mr. Tyler Farrow. On Friday, August the 34th, 1934, the following statement was circulated among all our employees. "To our employees: The newspapers state that a general textile strike has been called by United Textile Works of America to take place on or before September 1st. So many of other employees have asked how much such strike would affect our mills 00:07:00that were lead to make this statement. We do not know how many of our employees are members of the local union, or whether the local union plans to call out its members or not. If the strike is called, we intend to carry on such work as we can, if enough of our employees wish to continue to work to enable us to do it. We intend to make every lawful effort to protect other employees against unlawful interference with their right to work, and from intimidation and acts of violence. Such acts, when reported to us, will be vigorously prosecuted. No complaints have been made to us by our employees, and there is no reason for any strike against us. We're complying with the code in letter and spirit, and will continue to do so until same is changed in a lawful manner. On Saturday, 00:08:00September the 1st, the following unsolicited and wholly voluntary letter was brought to us by the workers. Signed by over 98% of those at work at the time. In reply to your communication directed to the employees at Newnan cotton mills, we beg to say: 'We, the undersigned, are desirous that the mills continue to operate. We want to express to you our very great appreciation for the stand you have taken in reference to the employees of this mill, and to let you know that we endorse, most heartily, that the course that you have pursued. We want to let you know that we are grateful for your position, and that you will have our undivided support in the continued operation of the mills.'" This is from Newnan Cotton Mills Company. I didn't know there's another page. OK. 00:09:00And to Mr. Franke-- and from Mr. Frankie Coffee, director of the Atlanta Regional Labor Board. It says, "Dear Mr. Coffee, I wish to make a complaint of union discrimination in violation of section seven of the National Industrial Recovery Act against the Newnan cotton mill number two, Newnan, Georgia. This company has refused to reinstate a large number of strikers and members of the union. That, when the employee of that concern at the time of the strike. Many workers, not members of the union, with less seniority than those refused employment, have been employed. Your prompt investigation of this complaint will be greatly appreciated. Following are the names of some of the workers 00:10:00that have been refused employment, and are victims of union discrimination. Sidney Boswell.

BUDD NEIL: I know him.

EDNA NEIL: Zona Chandler

BUDD NEIL: I know her.

EDNA NEIL: Dusty Morris

BUDD NEIL: I know him.

EDNA NEIL: Harry Sarington

BUDD NEIL: I know him.

EDNA NEIL: Mitty Jones, Irene Brooks you know her that your (inaububle) sister.

BUDD NEIL: I know her.

EDNA NEIL: Ruth Arlington. Margaret Bishop. I knew her. Maddy Brooks. Marie Morris. Louella Bishop. Verna Brooks. We knew all of those.

BUDD NEIL: I knew all of them

EDNA NEIL: Elma Spreadling. Gladys Spreadling.

BUDD NEIL : I knew them.

EDNA NEIL: Ruby Spreadling

BUDD NEIL: I new her.

EDNA NEIL: Oscar Morris

BUDD NEIL: I knew him.

EDNA NEIL: Claude Cawley C.H. Phillips. Hoyt Roberts. Sidney Boswell again Maddy Bishop and Arthur Duncan. Now Mr. Arthur we know him too.

BUDD NEIL: Arthur. He's the one Daniel Sunday talked to.

JOE NEIL: Oh, OK.

EDNA NEIL: And, uh, two -- from J.M. Marrington -- or, to J.M. Marrington. East Newnan, Georgia. "Dear sir: The mill desires to have possession of the premises now occupied by you at 23 Hill Street, and you are hereby notified to vacate the same on (inaudible), Saturday, March 23, 1935. You have failed to comply with this notice. We'll necessitate our sort to legal process. Yours very truly, Newnan Cotton Mills." And it's signed by Mr. [Freeman?]. And then it goes on. The same notice was sent to all those whose names appear on that form. We knew quite a few of them. They, uh --

SCOTT NEIL: They were the one -- they were trying to get the union to come in. Is that what --

BUDD NEIL: They were trying to get it in.

EDNA NEIL: They were trying to get the union in, and that's the procedure that the company followed.

JOE NEIL: The followed -- there's was actually another that said, uh, that, uh -- they gave 'em -- they had to move and --

SCOTT NEIL: So now they didn't own any of these houses at the time?

JOE NEIL: No.

EDNA NEIL: No.

BUDD NEIL: I knew all the rent people -- I knew every one of the people there, and I know what the ratin' was here --

SCOTT NEIL: What do you mean, ratin'?

BUDD NEIL: I don't wanna go tell too much, but I -- you know --

EDNA NEIL: He knows how the company felt about 'em when they -- you know -- tried to strike. But, uh, anyway -- he was too young, really, at the time, to --

SCOTT NEIL: Understand.

EDNA NEIL: -- to make a good decision about it himself. 'Cause you's just a teenager.

BUDD NEIL: Yeah, I was a teenager when --

EDNA NEIL: But, uh, he knew -- you know -- how bitter -- there was some bitter feelings between the ones that were pro-union and the ones that were against it. And that's --

JOE NEIL: They come in and try to sell 'em the union -- and they didn't know what they was talking about. They thought it was a local thing that some people got up around here -- and they didn't know it was nationwide. They didn't have no way of knowing it was nationwide.

EDNA NEIL: Mr. Stoney said that -- that it was documented that there was only 00:13:00five union organizers in the whole south. And how many mills? About 300?

GEORGE STONEY: Several hundred mills, and there were only five paid, full-time --

EDNA NEIL: Organizers. In other words, there were only five people that really knew the workings of a union and what it would mean to the employees. And they would go to a, uh -- a mill village, and they would get acquainted with people and they would pick maybe three or four key people --

SCOTT NEIL: To try to --

EDNA NEIL: To try to help organize. And they probably didn't even know enough about it to explain to others.

JOE NEIL: And then it started with a bunch of people --

SCOTT NEIL: Well, were they probably getting paid to do it, too?

JOE NEIL: No. They just promised 'em everything.

EDNA NEIL: Promised 'em better wages.

JOE NEIL: Better wages, and lower hours, and you're gonna be doing this -- and you know -- and, uh -- you couldn't sell 'em. You know, that village and its people.

GEORGE STONEY: You want to tell 'em about when the people came from, uh, Hogansville?

EDNA NEIL: Yeah, well, it wasn't only Hogansville they -- they came from several areas around here. They were out -- they were outsiders. They were not the people that worked here -- were not the ones that done the most of the picketing. And they, uh, they did lock the gate, didn't they?

BUDD NEIL: Yeah, they locked the gates. You couldn't get in.

EDNA NEIL: And, uh, didn't allow people to get into work. Well, that caused people to lose a day's work. And at that time, they could ill afford it. So, uh, they, uh -- they called on the National Guard -- the mill employers, I think -- called on the National Guard, and they came down here and rounded up those people and took 'em to Fort Mac and put 'em behind a barbed-wire fence.

JOE NEIL: (inaudible)

BUDD NEIL: I wanted somebody who knowed more than I did to try to tell me how to do, and how not to do.

JOE NEIL: (inaudible) (laughter) It looks like it.

SCOTT NEIL: -- workers goin' --

BUDD NEIL: Well, they round 'em up and cart 'em up there.

EDNA NEIL: They don't -- they don't appear to be frightened. Most of 'em were smiling, like it was a holiday.

SCOTT NEIL: Well, they look like they've been set free. (laughter) (inaudible; overlapping dialogue)

EDNA NEIL: No I don't.

SCOTT NEIL: Rode hard and put up wet.

JOE NEIL: Does that look like somethin' you'd remember?

EDNA NEIL: Nuh-uh. I don't -- that house -- I don't even know where that house --

(inaudible; overlapping dialogue)

JOE NEIL: That's where it looks like, 'cause I recognize this part -- that little [garages part?] --

BUDD NEIL: That's the mill. That's where they run 'em up -- at the old mill -- at the --

JOE NEIL: I recognize that --

SCOTT NEIL: Is that over here?

JOE NEIL: No.

BUDD NEIL: No. Second to --

BRENDA NEIL: It's over right beside -- (inaudible; overlapping dialogue) that buildin' over there. (inaudible; overlapping dialogue)

EDNA NEIL: Now, uh, women didn't wear pants. These women have on pants. Women didn't wear pants in the mill at that time.

BUDD NEIL: They wasn't allowed to.

EDNA NEIL: They were not allowed to. They had a dress code, too, and you were not allowed to wear pants until World War II started and so many of the men went off to war, that they gave some of the women jobs that men had formerly run. Uh, and they got, uh -- they let us wear slacks.

JOE NEIL: And we noticed the other day, in a movie, um -- the movie we saw at the reunion -- uh, there was a black lady, uh, working in the mills, running a machine -- but black people didn't run machines in the south.

GEORGE STONEY: That must have somewhere --

BUDD NEIL: It must have been --

JOE NEIL: It was somewhere else.

GEORGE STONEY: Although we found one black woman in Hogansville who was a spinner. Uh, very exceptional. Yep.

JOE NEIL: They just -- they worked in, uh -- in the yard – in the opening room --

BUDD NEIL: The picker room.

JOE NEIL: Picker room.

BUDD NEIL: There's just a few working then.

GEORGE STONEY: Atlanta Journal.

EDNA NEIL: My mother and father probably read about it, 'cause both of them were literate people and we took the, um -- we took the paper, but like I said, all I probably read was funny paper back in those days.

JOE NEIL: Comin' straight off the train -- it was tore up --

BUDD NEIL: Yeah, probably. And it rolled -- just tore 'em up and just had 'em tied with strings --

EDNA NEIL: Strike Prisoners in cheerful mood.

GEORGE STONEY: Well, now -- as a young person, uh, who comes out of this background, what does this -- is this brand new stuff to you?

SCOTT NEIL: What? Um, I mean --

GEORGE STONEY: I mean, all this -- strike --

SCOTT NEIL: The striking stuff?

BUDD NEIL: You wasn't born then.

SCOTT NEIL: No, I didn't -- I mean, I didn't know nothing.

JOE NEIL: Now what you're saying, Scott -- you hadn't never heard Pop and them talk about it? Or --

SCOTT NEIL: About the strike and stuff?

JOE NEIL: Yeah -- uh, you didn't know --

SCOTT NEIL: Not really. I mean, I just always heard the funny stuff about, you know -- it'd come out from over at the mill -- just things that went on and how hard Pop had to work for -- for wages -- a nickel an hour -- I didn't --

JOE NEIL: This is news to me. I didn't -- I never heard of the strike. Pop never has talked about it.

EDNA NEIL: Pop has the strong Irish heritage in -- in most of his -- most of his stories are funny. (laughter) And he does --

JOE NEIL: Good sense of humor.

F2: Most of 'em are just straight out un-truths. (laughter)

SCOTT NEIL: 'Cause if he had said something about a strike, you'd of had somethin' funny to say along with it.

JOE NEIL: Yeah, it'd been a joke.

GEORGE STONEY: You know why it hasn't been talked up more?

EDNA NEIL: Because of the bitterness, I would think. Because, even today, I expect if you got talking about it a lot, it might stir up some old memories and some old animosities. You know, among people that are friends.

JOE NEIL: I was, uh, doing some, uh, air conditioning work for a guy, uh, that runs a local store here -- and a guy that had been retired for 20 years, I know -- he come up, and he -- the guy points to me, and he said, uh -- watched me fire 'em up -- he said, um, they say they're gonna have a union over here at the mill -- they're going, uh -- voting it in over at the mill -- well, you -- it's just like, uh, you know -- you could see the hair on the guy's neck stand up. He just raised all kinda cane. He said, every time he comes in here, I fire him up about the union. And, uh -- so, I mean, that's probably the reason.

EDNA NEIL: People talk and hate the union, I'm sure.

BUDD NEIL: Well, now, most of these people -- I say most of 'em -- lots of these people that was in that strike, they'd call us scabs -- and stuff like that -- 'cause we didn't all volunteer and come over to their side.

EDNA NEIL: In my -- we had some people come to our house that were our neighbors and our friends, and they told my daddy that, uh, if he didn't join -- he was just still thinking about it -- if he didn't join, he would be very sorry. And my daddy just reached back and got his shotgun, and he told 'em, look. You can talk to me about it and explain it to me. You can ask me if I like join-- but you don't tell me that I've got to join.

JOE NEIL: And he meant every word of it.

EDNA NEIL: And so -- you know, there was just a lot of controversy between the people.

BUDD NEIL: I felt like it was a man's privilege -- if he wanna join, he'd join. If he didn't, he didn't. It wasn't no way you could make him join 00:21:00if he didn't want to. And I didn't see where I'd benefit too much if I did join the one they had over here. Now, I wouldn't say it by the real union -- this wasn't no -- I wouldn't call this is a real union --

EDNA NEIL: A union is just as good as the officials that you elect to run it. I found that out because I worked under a union -- out at American [candy?] -- and I appreciated the benefits that they got me.

JOE NEIL: If they would've voted the union in and they took these privileges that, uh -- they took his benefits -- you know, you say you was making a nickel a hour, but -- you know -- it never dawned on me that, uh, whatever you was makin' -- back when -- when, uh, we was little -- the benefits we had and, uh, extra things they did for you, you was probably makin' 50 cents out of 'em.

BUDD NEIL: That's what I told --

JOE NEIL: And if they took this away from you, on account of a union -- and just 00:22:00paid you a straight nickel a hour -- or a dime a hour -- you're 40 cents in the hole.

EDNA NEIL: Even if they'd have paid us 50 cents -- paid him 50 cents a hour, and they took away the low rent and the free water and the free electricity --

JOE NEIL: And everything else they done for you --

EDNA NEIL: And all the other benefits they done for you, we still wouldn't have been as well off as we'd been with a nickel a hour and all the benefits that they gave us.

JOE NEIL: Because, I mean, you know, they sent effort after you in every aspect. I mean, from washing your car, to killing your hog. You know -- you didn't want for nothing.

EDNA NEIL: Freshening your cow and --

JOE NEIL: It didn't matter. You know? And, uh --

EDNA NEIL: The way they put that little boy in the Bible --

BUDD NEIL: What worried me so -- you know -- they tell 'em about what we gonna do and all -- and I said to myself, if they strike, I'll never make back what I lost -- you know -- if I had to stay honest -- (inaudible; overlapping dialogue)

EDNA NEIL: Like, if he had to stay out two, three months -- you know, while waiting for the strike to be settled -- he would never have regained the lost wages. And that probably kept a lot of people -- especially men with families 00:23:00-- from joining.

JOE NEIL: I can remember when we was small, Pop would say -- if we got somethin' for Christmas, he'd say it would take one year through the next to pay for it.

BUDD NEIL: It would. It'd take me one Christmas to the next Christmas to pay for their toys, you know.

JOE NEIL: And we got, uh, one or two things a piece -- you know -- they was small things.

EDNA NEIL: Not always. You know, that bicycle was like -- you take somebody making $12, $14 a week and you buy two bicycles for $59 a piece --

JOE NEIL: The bicycle was $59? And you could buy a car for $25?

EDNA NEIL: No, you couldn't. (laughter) (inaudible; overlapping dialogue) what kind of shape was it in?

JOE NEIL: That don't matter. It was a car and I drove it.

SCOTT NEIL: Bicycles wouldn't have cost that much then, 'cause you can get one now for $50 and --

EDNA NEIL: It was 50 bucks --

BUDD NEIL: Yeah, they was high then because -- especially around Christmas --

EDNA NEIL: Well, see, World War II was on -- and metal was scarce -- and 00:24:00everything that was made out of metal was twice as high as it normally would have been.

JOE NEIL: I remember when I wore the tire on -- out on it -- I went and got a big hose out of the -- out of the trash dump, and wrapped it around a wire and made me a tire.

SCOTT NEIL: The hose came from the mill, too, didn't it?

JOE NEIL: The hose come from the mill. (laughter) And if something broke on that bicycle, they'd have took it to the mill to have it welded. I mean, they did it for us. You know? I mean, they -- it didn't matter. They was seeing everything you needed.

EDNA NEIL: There was a lot of things short during World War II.

JOE NEIL: And I never realized, 'til -- that the benefits outweighed the money.

BUDD NEIL: They did. I told lots of people that. I said, if we had to pay the house rent and, uh, lights and water -- and all like that -- ain't no way we could --

SCOTT NEIL: Well, did you have to buy coal, too -- to heat with? Or did they supply that, too?

JOE NEIL: Oh, you had to buy that.

SCOTT NEIL: It came from the mill, though, didn't?

JOE NEIL: From the mill. They delivered it, put it up under your house -- at a cheap rate -- and on Christmas, they give you a little some.

BUDD NEIL: It's $7 and a half -- a ton -- and that's what you had to pay. And they'd take it out, maybe a $1 a week, from your check. You know? They wouldn't take it out all at one time. They'd take out part of it.

JOE NEIL: If your steps needed replacing, or your front porch, they'd come over and do it.

BUDD NEIL: They sure did.

F1: They painted inside and that?

JOE NEIL: They painted --

SCOTT NEIL: Other people in town, did they have electricity also?

EDNA NEIL: You mean -- everybody in the village had electricity -- (inaudible; overlapping dialogue)

SCOTT NEIL: But I mean, were y'all -- it wasn't like y'all were the only ones in town with lights?

EDNA NEIL: No, no. They had lights -- everybody had lights in Newnan.

JOE NEIL: 'Cept Carrol and them -- they didn't have lights --

SCOTT NEIL: That's what I'm saying. Momma didn't -- they didn't have lights down there, 'cause they didn't have power run that far.

EDNA NEIL: That was 'fore the [REA?] come in.

BUDD NEIL: When we moved here, uh, we did -- we'd go back to where we used to live sometimes at night -- my aunt, she lived down there -- we'd come home at night, and that mill would be lit up over yonder. You could see the light from 16 over yonder -- you could the men -- I thought that the prettiest sight in the world. Seeing all them lights lit up at night, you know?

JOE NEIL: A guy -- a guy made a statement Sunday -- I think -- it might have not been Sunday, but he -- he said that he never realized that the humming of that 00:26:00mill -- you know -- the mill, you could hear it -- it was loud -- I mean, you know -- there was a big hum, you know? And, uh, he said he never realized that that was the heartbeat of this community -- you know -- and -- and -- we -- it was. It was like a giant heart beating, you know? And that's what made this town.

SCOTT NEIL: I can remember hearing it hum.

EDNA NEIL: People used to get up by the mill whistle.

JOE NEIL: The horn would blow.

EDNA NEIL: When it was time to get up.

JOE NEIL: Even when it was time to eat, the horn would blow. You know?

BUDD NEIL: They used to blow a whistle over here every morning at 4:30 -- they'd blow a whistle at 4:30 and you was supposed to get up if you heard it -- and, uh, Mom would get up and cook breakfast every morning for us -- you know -- we'd eat breakfast and go to work. And we'd come home for lunch. They said, Sunday, we had 30 minutes for lunch, but that wasn't right. We had 45 minutes. We stopped off at 12:00, went back 15 to one -- that's when we went back to work. 'Cause I'd run all the way home, and eat my lunch, and run -- and go back to work.

JOE NEIL: How long was they so dead-set against you smokin' in the mill? I can't remember.

BUDD NEIL: Well, that was insurance. You couldn't -- wasn't allowed smoking in the mill, then. 'Cause the insurance company, uh, would raise they --

JOE NEIL: If they caught you --

BUDD NEIL: Yeah, you wasn't even supposed to smoke in the yard. You had throw your cigarette down way outside in the yard before you got to the mill.

GEORGE STONE: Yeah, but you could chew?

BUDD NEIL: Yeah, you could chew.

JOE NEIL: You better believe you could chew.

GEORGE STONEY: (laughs)

SCOTT NEIL: What, um -- what was the term, lint-head? What was that?

EDNA NEIL: Because, uh, they didn't have, uh, humidifiers and things that kept the lint down. And lint would just -- flying like snowflakes -- and it landed all in your head, and you'd comb your hair, and you'd get a handful of lint out of it. And people call you lint-head.

JOE NEIL: When you come outta the mills, it was like -- you know -- I can remember people at work -- during the mill -- that their eyebrows and all would be covered in it. They'd just be white-headed with it.

BUDD NEIL: (inaudible) the water boy used to be over here --

JOE NEIL: Uh, this guy said that, uh, he used to tote water from the spring. 00:28:00And he said, uh -- uh, go down and get a bucket -- two buckets of water from the spring, and he would take it up in the mill, and he'd set 'em on the table. And he said a woman come over with a (inaudible) and said she'd take half that bucket's -- squishing her mouth to rinse the stuff outta her mouth -- and take a little old bitty sip of water. He said he'd have to go back to the spring and get another bucket. (laughter)

EDNA NEIL: And see, that must have been back during the time my grandma was talking about.

BUDD: They didn't have runnin' water in the mill at that time, they had a spring.

EDNA NEIL: They didn't have running water in the mill, and -- you know -- sometimes said it was not good if they didn't have running water.

JOE NEIL: We didn't have fire extinguishers, that I can remember. When I was small, going in the mill, they had buckets hanging up as, uh -- full of water -- they'd throw buckets full of water.

BUDD NEIL: I'd fill those fire buckets up every Monday morning. A long time up to --

JOE NEIL: You had to change the water?

(inaudible; overlapping dialogue) (laughter)

BUDD NEIL: You just filled it up. You didn't change the water.

JOE NEIL: They had buckets of water hanging on the -- every post, you know? And I don't know what you'd done with a bucket with a electrical fire. Do you, Pop?

BUDD NEIL: I don't know what they'd have done with it, but, uh -- I remember one time -- (inaudible; overlapping dialogue) -- I remember one time over there, there was a deaf and dumb boy who worked over there -- you know -- and I went down there one day, and he come up through there -- he just, woosh woosh woosh woosh woosh! I didn't know what happened. I looked down there and the [pusher?] was on fire, and he was trying to tell us -- I reckon it was on fire -- he was getting out.

JOE NEIL: It was a -- it was a normal thing to have a fire.

BUDD NEIL: Yeah, you had lots of fires.

JOE NEIL: I was gonna say, those motors would fill up full of lint, and it was normal process to have a fire.

EDNA NEIL: Scott asked --

SCOTT NEIL: I wanna know if they had bathrooms.

EDNA NEIL: -- bathrooms.

BUDD NEIL: Yeah, they had bathrooms when I --

EDNA NEIL: But they had running water then, didn't they?

BUDD NEIL: Running water -- had running water and they had a place to wash your hands and everything.

EDNA NEIL: That's when Pop went to work, but long before that, they probably didn't.

BRENDA NEIL: Sent you home for lunch --

EDNA NEIL: First thing, they'd let you go --