Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-02-03
Alfred Dodge Of Dolgeville.
what one Man Has bone Toward soIv-
ting some Of the Pulling social and
Isconomic AmestInms OF the DIV.

what one Man Has bone Toward Suiv-
ing some Of the Pulling Social and
Economic Questions Of the nay.
one of the notable careers which our
American institutions and the spirit Of
our American life have made possible is
that of Alfred Dodge, who is today the
largest felt and felt shoe manufacturer in
the world. and one of the leading manu-
facturers and dealers in piano materials in
the country. Mr. Dodge is q German, born
I in ChemintZ. oaNOny. bon ISIS Iu due
time he was apprenticed to- q firm of piano
manufacturers and learned the trade thor
oughly. Before reaching the age OF 20 he
came 10 this country to live and began work
for "a piano concern BOZ New York. His
4 knowledge of the business showed him
the superiority of some of the European
material used n piano making. and he inn
ported and sold hammer leather and wire
in a small way. He soon came TO see
what an opening existed for the manutac-
ture OF hammer felt IN this country, and DO
was through his grasp of the situation i'm
this respect that the foundation of his flu
. ture success was laid. He organized
small company to begin the manufacture
of this felt, but his partners got frightened
and deserted him and left him with the
whole venture on his hands and no capital
TO carry 10 on with. His grit was equal to
the occasion. however and the result of il
all was that in 1874 he went up to Brack-
ett's Bridge, in Herkimer county, y. Y,
where he bought an old tannery plant and
a big tract OF forest land. The buildings
he adapted to their new work as well as
possible, and in a comparatively small way
he set to work. The place began TO pros
per, its populatiOn-less than 200 at the
start-begau to grow. and i'm 1851. by the
/ universal wish of the inhabitants, then
grown 10 number 1900. It's name was
changed 20 Dolgevile
The reduction of the tariff by Congress
/ in 1888 gave the village a setback. Dodge
/ thought he would have to abandon the
manufacture OF piano felt. He could no
/ longer compete with his foreign competi-
tors. Net there were his feit-makers,
many OF whom owned their own homes.
and had invested their all in the place.
Then the geniu, OF the man showed itself.
He invented new Industry-the mauuiac-
ture Of felt shoes. Ii was a complete sue
cess. and II was through this fact that AL
fred Dodge felt shoes nave become known
and worn the country over. AT tine pres
ent day his felt business amount, TO one
million dollars yearly and his business as
an importer 20 another million.
Mr. Dodge is a stauch protectOnist. and
staiwart supporter OF the Mchlnley law.
Through It's operation he mas been able To-
raise the wages of his felt makers y. per
cent, while reducing the working hours
from 10 TO ~. He believes strongly in the
possibility of an eight-hour day under the
protection policy lie mas literally built
up the village of Dolgeville, opened roads.
started a newspaper. introduced the cleo
trio light. contributed 5000 10 an $4,000
schoolhouse helped his workmen build
and own their own homes and given them
! a magnificent park OF several hundred
acres fCf Uncir own use. He has establish
/ ed system of what he calls the eco
monte distribution OF earnings on plan
peculiarly his own. and nearly $780,
600 has already been distributed among
his workmen 10y this means and through a
system of life insurance and sick and ben
eit funds which ne has also devised. Ey-
/ cry year public meeting is held when the
workmen and other citizens come together
and Mr.. Dodge makes an address and there
Is distribution OF the accrued funds with
/ a detailed statement OF the operation of
the several benefit systems
Though not himself a churchman Mr..
/ I)olge gives Literally TO the building and
support OF churches, and is strenuous
advocate of bread and liberal system OF
education as the surest way TO make good
workmeu and wel-equipped men and
women in every walk OF life. Although
now only 4j Years old he seems TO have
/ done as much as any other man toward
solving some of tine veXed problems con-
nected with our manufacturing and labor
/ systems
The Z4th annual reunion of Mr.. Dodge
employees was held al Doigeyille last Satur-
/ day night. In his speech Oh the occasion
/ Mr.. Dodge spoke of the past year as the
most successful ID his FIRMS history