In this day when so much of America’s business is in the hands of gigantic corporations, it is healthy to know that competition is sti II al ive .. One of America’s biggest industries is the manufacture and sale of automobiles. It would be alarming if That business were in the hands of a single corporation, such as General Motors, Ford or Chrysler — who together make 95% of our cars each of whom would I ike to have al I of it.<\/p>\n
The va I ue of the competi ti ve dri ve was never expressed better than by L. L. Co Ibert, pres i denT of the Ch rys fer Corporati on, in his statement before the Congressional CommiTTee on Anti-Trust and Monopoly in Washington last June. Mr. Colbert said:<\/p>\n
HCompeti ti on forces us to p I ace ma i n emphas is on putti ng the best poss i b Ie car and truck va I ues upon the market. To that compeTi’Ti on the automobile owner owes many improvemenTs — the high-compression engine, hydraulic brakes, the a II-stee I body, f I oaTi ng power, safety ri m whee Is, power dri ve and power steering. The steady stream of new things that have come and wi I I continue to come from Chrysler and other manufacturers is the clearest proof of the vitality of the industry_ No other industry is under the watchful eye of so many people with so lively an interest to quite the extent that we are. I urge that, in your commi ttee study of competit i ve rea Ii ti es, you gi ve fu II cons i derati on to susta i n i ng and promoti ng the forward momentum of the competi ti ve system. IT<\/p>\n
I n the course of hi s statement to the commi ttee rv1r. Co I bert made what will seem to most of us a utomobile owne rs an astound i ng staTement. He sa i d , !~The price of one of today’s cars is about $100 less than the price in 1924.” am not very good at figures, and the intricacies of bookkeeping addle the few brains I possess. So I am no judge of the accuracy of Mr. Colbert’s statement~ but 1’1 I tel I you on what he bases it and let you judge for yourself.<\/p>\n
Naturally Mr. Colbert used for his example the car he knows best, the Chrysler. He said that in 1924 the factory retai I price of the six-cylinder Chrysler was $1,595. The factory retail price today of the V-6 Windsor Deluxe four-door sedan, with all its new devices, is $2,947. On the basis that the 1955 dollar is worth no more than two-thirds of the 1924 dollar — and I think that estimate errs,\u00b7\u00b7if at all, on the conservative side — he figures that $800 of the present price is due to inflation. Then the 1924 car was subject to about $100 in taxes, whi Ie the present car is taxed at more than $700. Adding that $700 to the $800 for inflation, and subtracting the resulting $1,500 from the present price of $2,947, Mr. Colbert shows that the 1955 car starts at $1,447 in 1924 dollars, $148 less than the price of the 1924 car. There may be a gimmick in those figures. don’t know.<\/p>\n
Charles F. Hathaway had no easy time keeping his shirt factory going steadi Iy, even 35 years after he establ ished it. In 1879 so many of \\”‘ater~ vi lie’s clothing merchants had made agreements with other manufacturers to handle their shirts exclusively, that Hathaway took exceptional measures to see that his shirts were avai lable to retai I customers in the town where the shirts were made. In July, 1879 Hathaway placed in the Watervi lie Mail the following unusua I ad:<\/p>\n
‘Waterville shirts. The subscriber has long felt regret that a regard for the dealers here seemed to impose a restraint upon his giving the community in which his establishment is placed the benefit of buying any grades of shirts as cheaply as they could be sold in direct trade. But competition has introduced so many foreign shi rts, contrary to Watervi lie interests, that the time has come for a new departure. I propose, therefore, to make a grade of sh i rts to be specifically designated Hathaway Watervi fie Shirts, and retai I them at my estab Ii shment.<\/p>\n
“Fi n i shed, ready for use $1 .00.<\/p>\n
“Fi nished, except buttons, button holes and laundering $.75.<\/p>\n
fTFi ni shed, except laundering $ .85. “These shi rts wi II be of good style, size, make and quality, with such a union of cheapness and experience as to satisfy al I. This opportunity wi I I not only be favorable for students and citizens generally, but for visitors to Watervi lie, of which there are so many, charmed with its pleasant memories or noted attractions.<\/p>\n
f! In connecti on w j th the above, Hathaway’s Custom Sh i rts wi I I conti n ue a specialty, with the new scale of prices, according to quality at $2.50, $3.00, $3.50 and $4.00 per pair, and 5% discount on one-half dozen or more.<\/p>\n
‘~hi Ie we are so confident of giving the best satisfaction in our new departure, we never assume to delude anyone with the idea that, if you bring $4 in si Iver, we wi II give you for it $5 in gold. Gold for gold we promise and you may be sure of rece i vi ng it in va I ue \u2022 C. F. Hathaway. n<\/p>\n
In the same issue of the Watervi I le Mai I appeared a competing ad for King’s Shirts. The ad says: UKing’s Shirts. Give them a trial. The subscrJber, having had 12 years experience with C. F. Hathaway, in the manufacture of shirts has Taken rooms in Mathews Hall, Temple Street, and wi II continue his regular business, making a specialty of custom shirts and ladies underwear.f7<\/p>\n
Evidently King had broken with Hathaway who, by al I reports, was not easy to get along with, and had set up business for himself. He made shirTS in three qualities, which he designated as good, better, best. Unlaundered, he sold them in half dozen lots for $7.50, $8.25 and $9.00. Laundered, they went for $8.50, $9.50 and $10.50 for half a dozen. ..a’iwas undercutting Hathaway’s prices.<\/p>\n
For his best quality, Hathaway’s ad says his price was $4 a oair, less 5% in lots of half a dozen shirts. That means $12 less 60 cents, or a net of $11.40 tor S;X vt i,cfrnaway:s oeSTe For his rest quality, King charged $10.50 for six.<\/p>\n
Even at Hathaway’s higher price, $1.90 seems cheap enough for ~ shirt of the fines t qua I i Tv .<\/p>\n
Standards of modesty prevai ling 75 years ago are revealed in the final words of the Ki n\u00a7 ad. I t says, !fA I ady of expe r i ence wi I I be in attendance to rece i ve orders for I ad i es’ underwear.”<\/p>\n
Hathaway was not the only business man in this vicinity who was having trouble with competition in 1879. In another issue of the Watervi lie Mail for that year appears the ad of a Watervi lie baker;. uTo the Pub I i c: I n justice to myself and to the people of Watervi I Ie, whose patronage I have received since the opening of my new bakery, I think a word of explanation is cal led for in regard to the appearance on our streets of a baker’s wagon driven by Mr. Clark of Fa i rf i e I d” forme rl y of th i s P I ace. It is we II known that an agreement was made between Mr. Clark and myself, some time ago, and his recent soliciting of trade under various pretexts, and cal ling upon cards intended for my driver, has led to the deception of a few of my customers, and naturally to considerable questioning among the people generally_ Mr. Clark, of his own accord; made a proposition that he would not drive in Watervi I Ie, if I would not drive in Fairfield, to which proposition I have agreed and have strictly adhered. Mr. Clark has wi Ifully broken his agreement and commenced to drive and sell in Watervi lie. Simply stating the facts in the case, I leave the matter without further comment.<\/p>\n
A. C. Crockett. Y!<\/p>\n
Elsewhere in the same issue appears an ad by the man against whom Crockett complained, C. B. Clark. His ad says: HBrown bread and beans. C. B. Clark, late of Watervi lie, now of Fairfield .. respectfully informs his late patrons of Watervi lie that he wi II resume his former routes in this vi Ilage on Sunday :—–;’ next, for the sale of baked beans and brown bread, and wi I I continue to supply dai Iy through the week. Warm bread, biscuits, etc., as in times past. Hoping for a renewal of their patronage, he promises his efforts to give satisfaction.”<\/p>\n
In that same year of 1879 one of the Oakland churches was torn by theologica I controversy. The Watervi lie Mail for July 16 reported: “Rev. J. E. Clark, pastor of the Methodist Church in West Watervi lie tendered his resignation yesterday, the same to Take immediate effect. His reasons are that he cannot remain in a false posiTion; that he cannot believe in tOTal depravity, eternal misery or in the new birth as it is generally understood. Of course much holy horror is and wi I I be exp’ressed about his acti on. ThaT Mr. C I ark is honest none who know him wi II doubt; and that he has the man I i ness TO take a step that will shut him out from life-long associations wit I gain him only the abiding respect of al I candid and thinking people. Mr. Clark wi I I for The present remain in our vi II age.”<\/p>\n
Seventy-five years ago almost every Maine lake boasted of an excursion steamer. Highland Lake in my native town of Bridgton had a tiny steamer cal led !!The Lady of the Lake H, beh i nd wh i ch, for large parti es, she towed a barge called “The High land Laddie”. Of course, Messalonskee Lake, which is much larger than Bridgton’s Highland Lake, had its own steamer. In 1880 she was the nina”, which was often-chartered for Sunday School excursions and other picnic parties. She also made regular trips on Saturday and Sunday, leaving Oakland at 2 P.M. for the head of the lake, returning at 5 P.M., stopping both ways at the island. On both evenings she made a trip to the island only, leaving Oakland at six and returning at eight. Fare for the round trip to Belgrade Depot was 25 cents~ to the island alone 15 cents.<\/p>\n
By 1845 the people of Fairfield had become pretty tired of having to cross the river by ferry or go way down to Watervi lie to find a bridge. So Wi I ‘iam Bodfish and 29 others signed the fol lowing petition to the legislature:<\/p>\n
“To the Honorab Ie Senate and House of Representatives in Legis lature Assembled: Your petitioners, citizens of the towns of Fairfield in the county of Somerset and Sebasticook (Benton) in the county of Kennebec, respectfully state that an association of interest, from our relations in business, has within a few years past grown up between the citizens of the aforesaid towns, which centers at Kenda I Is Mi lis vi I I age on the west side of the Kennebec Ri ver. At certain seasons of the year, for a considerable length of time in the spring and fa II, there is no cross i ng of the ri ver for man or beast, except at Waterville, a distance of nearly four miles south, or at S(Sowhegan, 14 miles north.<\/p>\n
At certain seasons this puts your petitioners to much trouble, inconvenience’and expense. Owing to the want of suitable, safe and convenient faci lities for crossing said river, the business relations between the citizens of Fairfield and Sebasticook, GI inton and Canaan, are much embarassed. Your Detitioners therefore pray you to grant them a charter to erect a bri dge across the Kennebec River at Kendal Is Mi lis vi Ilage, under such I imitations and restrictions, and with such privi leges, powers and rates of toll as you in your wisdom may th ink proper.<\/p>\n
That is how Fairfield got its first Kennebec bridge.<\/p>\n
You wi I I recal I that I once reported that the old road to Norridgewock, a part of the post road from Portland to Solon, went out over what we cal I the county road from Watervi lie, past the si te of the present Thayer Hosp i ta I, out by the HO,Imes farm, over the Marston bridge, on through Ten Lots to Norridge- wock. A notice in the Waterville Union in 1848 shows that those old roads were\u00a0 often bu i I t as the resu It of an aucti on. The noti ce in the Un i on sa i d: “Noti ce to road makers. On the 15th of June at 2 P.M., at the dwelling house of Thomas B. Marston in Watervi lie, wi II be sold the making of all that part of the Norridgewock road that lies between the Marston Bridge and the Fairfield line.<\/p>\n
Samue I 000 Ii tt Ie and JOhnson Wi Iii ams, Se lectmen of Watervi lie. ff<\/p>\n
Three advertisements of 1847 show goods and services not avai lable today, as well as the persistence of purchase by barter, not for cash. The first of these ads was Edwin Dunbar’s, who had a tin ware factory nearby opposite the post office of that time, down on lower Main Street. He offered for sale a general assortment of tin ware and air-tight stoves, at honest prices for cash or in exchange for old iron and rags.<\/p>\n
The second ad announces, along with the sale of trunks and valises: the fol lowing services: “Tanning of I ight stock and currying done as usual. Band leather, cushion skins, and thorough-braces prepared on order.”<\/p>\n
The third ad told the public that Stevens and Clark had on hand a large and wei I selected stock of Italian and New York marble, Harvard and English slate, and would be constantly receiving additions to their stock. They added: if We have fu I I conf i dence to be I i eve that we can sat is fy customers if they can be satisfied anywhere in New England. We are pleased to accept country produce, I umber, etc. in payment.”<\/p>\n
Let’s close tonight with a story about the old timers’ satisfaction with what they had. In the long ago days when bananas first came to Maine stores, a farmer from out Litchfield way came into a Ha11ONe11 store just as the proprietor finished hanging a bunch of bananas. “What’s them things?!! asked the farmer. “They’re bananas, Jeff. Want to try one?” “No”, replied Jeff, ttl reckon not. I’ve got too many tastes right now That I can’t satisfy. I ain’t a imi ng to take on no more.”<\/p>\n
And withouT taking on any more tonight, we’l I say good night for old times’ sake.<\/p>\n
Year: 1955<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Read the script for “Little Talks” program #280, broadcast on November 20, 1955<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":405,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[755,35296],"tags":[],"builder_content":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7563"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/405"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7563"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7563\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}