Mays department store (owned by J.W. Mays) distributes garments to needy people in Brooklyn, New York, during the Great Depression. People lined up outside the shop. Buildings in the area. Traffic on a street. Some people in the line are unruly and police work to restrain a woman. People get clothes.
A bank closing during the Great Depression in Chicago, Illinois. A board reads: 'Standard National Bank' outside building of the failed bank. Cars parked outside the building. A board on the entrance of the bank reads: 'For Rent. Edwin J Nelson'. A man entering the bank. Men seated at counters in the bank. Tellers sorting through paperwork, looking frustrated, and turning to reading newspapers and books instead.
Damage due to a dust storm in the Midwest United States during the dust bowl and the Great Depression. Farms and buildings are covered with dustbowl dust. Dust piled high up the side of a house. Men digging away dust with bare hands Cattle on a farm. Government workers arriving towards the cattle farm and passing dead cattle. They arrive to buy the cattle. They discuss amongst themselves.
The 73rd U.S. Congress ends its session in Washington DC, United States. Billions of dollars are voted for the operation of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs to aid the country during the Great Depression. Exterior view of the U.S. Capitol framed by trees. Wheat harvesting combines at work on a field. Scenes of men getting back to work. Men cutting down trees in logging operations as part of Works Progress Administration (WPA) or Civilian Conservation Corps work (CCC). A crowd of men walking into work on grounds of a plant of factory. Woman fills white cloth bags with coins. Men gathered at a stock or commodity exchange. A biplane aircraft taking off from a snow covered runway. A new ship being launched from skids at a shipyard. The ship underway. Women workers seated at a liquor distillery assembly line put covers on liquor bottle tops. Bartender pours draft beer into glasses in a bar (soon after end of prohibition) and serves patrons. Men and women gathered at a bar drinking alcohol. U.S. Congress in session and view of Speaker of the House, Henry Thomas Rainey, standing and using gavel at podium or dais.
Henry Ford is seen standing beside his Ford Quadricycle, outside of his Bagley Avenue workshop building. Next scene shows Ford seated in the quadricycle, the first vehicle he built. Henry Ford standing in discussion with another man and looking at the rear of a Ford vehicle, with Henry Ford pointing at part of the car. The two men then walk past a line of various Ford cars representing many model years, all parked in front of the then recently restored Clinton Inn (formerly Eagle Tavern) at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. Final scene shows Henry Ford again seated in his quadricycle.
After underexposed start, Harry Bennett, Head of Ford Motor Company Service Department (In light hat) and two women, and a friend (holding newspapers) greet another woman stepping from a house, carrying an overnight case. It is wintertime with snow on the ground. As the five begin to walk toward parked cars, Bennett picks up some snow and throws a snowball at his friend. View of them all standing by cars parked at the curb. One woman waves toward the camera. Next, Harry Bennett is seen standing by a gas station gas pump, while the station attendent cleans the rear window of his car. Abrupt scene change shows the car driving away past snow piled at roadside. Then it is seen (from a following car) speeding along a wet road. It veers off onto a snow-covered rural road still followed by the camera car. They travel through pine forest until Bennett turns into a driveway with trees bordering close on both sides. He parks and runs up to his log cabin house. Closeup of one of the women standing with snow background. Momentary glimpse of another woman.