Page 48 - Firehouse Pond

Smitty’s Market

Coralville, Iowa
DH

YOUNG SCRAPPY ENTREPRENEUR

I always worked. As a young boy growing up, I did lots of little itty-bitty

things. I was little myself, so people called me Butchy. Neighbors came over
to ask for Butchy. Maybe neighbors had a litter of kittens or puppies under
their house; I would crawl under their house to get the kittens or puppies, and

they would give me five cents or ten cents. I did it because I liked to help
people.

At that time people had to pump water to do laundry and they had to carry
buckets of coal. I had a route every Monday and Wednesday. I would carry
buckets wherever was needed water to drink and coal in the winter. I charged
little to maybe two to five cents a bucket. I just charged what people could

afford, or nothing if they couldn't afford anything.