I found this letter in T. C. Rozelle's archives. An anonymous resident of Sugar Land wrote Gus Ulrich, General Manager of Sugarland Industries, complaining about gamblers coming out to Sugar Land and fleecing men of their families' Christmas money. Essentially, Ulrich ran the day-to-day activities in the town, so he could take care of something like this. I've included his memo to the labor boss, Jim Guyer, requesting a discussion of the matter. I'm willing to bet they took care of the problem.
What you're seeing is the good & (potentially) bad aspects of life in a small company town. Employers felt no hesitation in taking care of problems like this. Of course, there were probably times they went a little too far. Who knows. People today would resent any type of corporate paternalism.
Here's the text of her letter as I read it:
Sugarland Dec 20/24
Capt. W. T. Eldridge
Dear Sir
I'm appealing to you, to give some of us ladies here in your little city some relief. We don't wish no one to loose their positions. But if you will close some of this gambling here, we would have a few dollars at home for Xmas. At Mr. Moores and the Depot and other places where all of our husbands and others are gambling, the gamblers who do nothing else come here Saturday and Sunday from Houston in crowds and take the money from those who work and we wives suffer. Please look in to it for some who hold responsible jobs are going to get in serious trouble. I don't no one to loose out here as they all have to work. Respectfully, a Wife to Employe here.
