The Decline of St. Louis

There was a progression associated with St. Louis.  People from less fortunate circumstances came to St. Louis to get jobs.  These jobs were in manufacturing enterprises that were numerous in St. Louis.  Whole families worked in the same company because the HR people knew that they were good workers.

They came from smaller towns in the region and even from foreign countries, because this was where the opportunities were.  As life progressed, some rose in the ranks of the company, or found better jobs in other companies.  They received higher wages and found a place in the newer developments, in the city at first and then in the county.

They left the older houses and neighborhoods behind as they were "movin' on up."  Their vacancies were filled by others who came to take the jobs that were opening because of promotions and turnover.  These newcomers came to reside in the houses that were more affordable in the older neighborhoods.

Then they moved on, and a new wave came in.  This cycle was repeating continuously until the jobs went away.  It could have been "globalization" as in the NAFTA, where jobs went to Mexico, China, and other parts of the world.  Manufacturing moved away.  The waves of people stopped coming for work. Now they came for welfare.

Complicit in this scenario are the demands of the workers via their unions.  Higher wages and labor cost made the decision to relocate manufacturing easy to make. Why would I incur the higher cost of labor in St. Louis when I could relocate the work to areas that had significantly lower cost? 

The situation was obscured by the higher paying jobs that the better educated workforce could perform.  The bar was set too high for the entry-level manufacturers.  Older, lower rent houses and areas went without tenants, were not maintained, and became uninhabitable.

At first the void was filled by the welfare seekers, but eventually they, too, vacated the area.  So, now there are about 25,000 vacant lots and houses, and a large number of others on which structures nearing collapse are located.  The stream of new occupants dwindled away.

Could it be possible that the President's tariffs are a way of turning the tide back to where manufacturing will once again be a "draw" for people to come to St. Louis, build or rehabilitate houses that are affordable for working people to get started up the ladder. I say St. Louis but it could be true for all the rust-belt cities in the country, especially those North and East of St. Louis.

Blast from the Past

Just now, sitting here in my recliner, working the AM Sudoku puzzle, into my mind flooded a memory.  It was 8500 Oriole Avenue, Saint Louis, in the early summer. A motorcycle policeman was sitting on his cycle, in the street, off to the side in the shade of our sycamore tree.  

He was big, in uniform, with the addition of black shiny, leather leg protectors that covered his legs from the knees to the ankles.  They had silver buckles on adjusting straps at the top and bottom.

Several of us kids, we were all little, maybe 4 or 5 years old, gathered in a bunch around him.  We may have been asking him questions.  I think we must have been intrigued with this apparition, which none of us had seen before.

He remained there a while, observing the intersection.  Then, probably due to a lack of action, he kick-started his motorcycle and left.  We were impressed.  That was 80 plus years later, never before recalled.