Plastic

By Seymour Pierce

I lived at Broome and Montgomery Streets in the 20's, West Market Street in the 30's, Prince Street also in the 30's. (graduated Charlton in 1934 and South Side in 1938). In the 40's, before and after the service, lived at corner Belmont and Avon Avenues. After service, married and moved to South 13th Street near West Side Park.

I worked 50 years in the Newark Post Office, in many capacities. In the late 40's/early 50's ?? I delivered to the area near and in back of the old Mosque Theater on Broad Street. One of my stops was a small outfit on Camp Place, in a garage. I noticed a barrel of "all colors of marble sized items" a barrel full. I was told "this is PLASTIC". They were processing and pressing "belts " to be sold, probably for a quarter each.

To my knowledge, it was the FIRST "sighting " of what has become the most important material of our time..(The closest item at that time was celluloid, also made "down neck")