Glenwood did its part to collect scrap rubber

Tag : tire scrap
"Americans at home learned to make do with far less and tospend more for it. The sacrifices, however, often produced a senseof community and uplifted spirits among civilians who believedtheir savings - large and small - helped the fighting men."

- American History Desk Reference, New York Public Library, 1997



With the thousands of American troops leaving home to fight forliberty in Europe and the Pacific during World War II, those leftbehind were required to support the effort in other ways. One ofthe most striking and universal means to support the war wasthrough the conservation of resources.

Prior to Congress declaring war upon Japan in December 1941, theUnited States imported nearly three-quarters of all its rubber fromPacific nations. With this supply now eliminated, rubber became thefirst necessity to be rationed.

Glenwood Springs and Garfield County residents were notified of themandatory rationing of tires on Jan. 1, 1942. Because so muchrubber was needed for war use, the federal government's Office forEmergency Management set state quotas upon the number of tireswhich could be sold each month. Receiving the highest priority fortire replacement were vehicles used exclusively for medical, publicsafety, education, military, public works, farming, mining, andfood and fuel transportation. Tires used by the general public wereinspected and only considered for application for replacement ifthe tire could not be repaired or retreaded.

The conservation of rubber also created the conservation ofgasoline. Because it was almost impossible to get new tires for avehicle not dedicated for approved use, people began to reducetheir nonessential driving to prevent tire wear or damage. Moregasoline was thereby provided for the war effort.

Tire rationing, though, created a new breed of criminal. In April1942, Garfield County Sheriff Roy Terrell urged residents to takean inventory and description of every tire they owned. As theshortage of tires increased, so had the theft of tires fromvehicles.

A national drive to collect scrap rubber began in mid-June 1942.Every Garfield County resident was called to do his or herpatriotic duty by scouring barns, attics, yards and homes foruseable rubber. Tires, tubes and even hot water bottles could bring1 cent per pound when delivered to a gas station or car dealership.

J.V. Rose's automobile dealership at 901 Grand Ave. went a stepfurther in the rubber salvage campaign. For each day during thescrap rubber drive, Rose not only paid the 1 cent per pound forrubber, but also gave five gallons of gasoline to the personbringing in the most rubber to his dealership. Peter Tonso becameRose's first winner, alone bringing in 970 pounds. As the dayspassed, people gazed in amazement at the massive piles of rubberaccumulating at the garage and within the dealership's showroom.When the campaign ended in mid-July 1942, an estimated 75 tons ofscrap rubber had been collected throughout Garfield County, withabout 20 tons donated at J.V. Rose's garage.

No Fourth of July celebration was held in Glenwood Springs in 1942.With rubber, sugar and coffee rationing taking center stage, andthe rationing of food, gasoline, and other necessities on thehorizon, there was little room for frivolity with scarce resources.Instead, Glenwood Springs residents showed their patriotism throughdeeds, conserving to help themselves, their neighbors, the nationand the troops overseas.



Willa Kane is former archivist of and a current volunteer with theFrontier Historical Society and Museum. "Frontier Diary"is provided to the Post Independent by the museum, 1001 ColoradoAve., Glenwood Springs. Summer hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondaythrough Saturday. For more information, call 945-4448."Frontier Diary" appears the first Tuesday of everymonth.