Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-11
Augusta Market as II Was. and As II Is.

AS | often hear farmers complain Of
| the low prices for their produce. my
| thoughts go back To my earlier expert
ence and recollections Of the market
and prices. | can well remember Au-
gusta 60 years ago. When a boy Of II
years | used to 60 To market with such
articles as eggs. butter ana potatoes
and ! remember well some of the old
time traders. Right around the corner
# Market square was Deacon John
Means. a leading grocer Of that day.
while on Water street near the present
site Of Hotel North. North. Stafford <
Rust catered to the wants Of their GUS
toners. At little later day Jonathan
Hedge ana Longfelow < Sanborn were
among the prominent grocers. who used
to buy my little stock; ana l will give
the farmers of today a few of the
prices. | have sold potatoes in Au-
gusta market for ten cents per hushol:
and in the month Of June. 1852. ! hauled
load TO Gardiner and sold them for Il
cents, and | think these prices We're
about an average while butter would
sell for about the same price per pound
and eggs at six or eight cents per
dozen; but the farmer lived then ana
was more satisfied with his lot than he
is today. His little load of produce at
the prices of that time would buy per-
haps a S much Of such things as was
necessary in his family. as he could
set with the same load today The
staple articles were tea, coffee. Goldfish.
rum. molasses and tobacco The tea.
coffee and tobacco were worth about
25 cents per pound. while the rum anG
molaSscs We're worth about so cents per
gallon: SO ii will be seen that there
has been corresponding increase In
prices of produce and the articles of
exchange, and while that condition of
things lasts the farmer should not com
rlain, but if he wants more money for
his crops he should increase the de-
mand for them by building up the city
| know the grange is doing a good
work and would not say a word to dis
parage the organization: but when
they establish a store for their own
benefit and buy their supply of goods
in Portland or Boston; while they sci!
all their farm produce in a home city
for their money to buy with. where is
the home trader coming in? and there
is a class of men who follow peddlng
in all the streets of our small cities. a
house to house canvass in the back
streets which ruins trade and helps no
one but themselves The purchasers
get no better articles or at any less
Price than they could buy in the mar
ket while it spoils the trade for the
man who takes his goods direct to the
trader who should have it and have
the privilege of supplying his patrons
There is no class who are independent
OF the other classes. The farmer is as
dependent on the trader as the trader
on him. 'All are parts of one great
whole. and when we recognize that
fact and all work together for the
good of the whole great body, we shall
see a better state of things: but the
Maine agriculturist must remember
that our small cities have large terri
tories to draw their supplies from and
that prices will rule low for a genera
ton to come, and the only remedy is to
build up the city, and by so doing in
crease the demand for your goods H
Il. Smiley in Maine Farmer.