Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-04-02
DUNHAM BROTHERS.
A SUCCESSFUL FIRM OF OXFORD
COUNTY BOYS.

A SUCCESSFUL FIRM OF OXFORD
COUNTY BOYS.
Brattleboro (vt) correspondence Of Spring
field Republican.
BRATTLEBoRo, VT, Friday, Feb. Is.
The pleasant custom adopted by Dun
ham Bros. of holding an annual schoo
: for their statesmen and other employees TO
instruction in methods of selling anC
handling their goods, as we'll as to receive
suggestions from men in the field, wa!
emphasized by the presence Of an appre
ciative company at an excellent dinner
given by the firm at the Brooks House
last night. Fifty covers were laid in the
psrlor of the hotel, where the company
of statesmen, with the Office force, young
men and women, were enjoyably enter
tanned. Included in the party were mem.
bers of the firm and number Of invited
guests. together with NJ. V. BIGGER,
president of the Mishawaka Ond
wooden manufacturing company, a Wig
orous and successful antitrust establish
ment. Charles w. Durham presided at
the dinner aud George L. Durham acted
as POSTMASTER. He called on various
statesmen for remarks appropriate to their
duties. This brought out many witty
and instructive little speeches which
we're highly enjoyed. Mr.. BIGGER gave
the story of his humble start in life, the
| fight of his firm with the unreasonable
and destructive trust, with its threats of
absolute annihilation, and closed with an
appeal to the statesmen, promising them
there should be no surrender to the
trust, notwithstanding its threatened re-
duction of % per cent on rubber goods.
The superiority of the Mishawaka ball
band" with the perseverance and hustle
of a conscientious army of statesmen.
would prove too much for the trust to
withstand.
There are few more interesting or
novel records in connection with the
growth of BrattleborO's industries than
that furnished in the development Of the
wholesale and retail boot and shoe es-
Establishment of Durham Bros. So few
large jobbing houses are found outside
the important commercial centres that it
must be admitted that the elements con-
tributing to the prosperity of this firm
must have been something more than
ordinary, and that brain and persistent
push are the factors in the results at
tanned. From a humble beginning,
when the two brothers started in with
out experience, relying wholly upon
their personal ability to achieve success,
they showed an intuitive sense of bust
ness principles. This, with true New
England self-reliance, made their career
81 I'm ho,,
came to Brattleboro July l, 1885. They
bought of Henry Simonds his retail shoe
store, which had been established fifty
wears before, and which had always been
conservative little business. George
l.. Durham resigned the principalship
of the classical department of the Port
land high school on coming here, his
brother, Charles, having also been sue
cessful teacher in his native state. Their
parents, Samuel w. and Rachel An
drews Durham, had always lived in
Paris, Maine, where they reared six boys |
and one girl. The Durham brothers |
taught school there, George l.. being a |
graduate Of Colby University in the
class of 1882 When they began business
here the annual sales scarcely exceeded |
IS, 900. The two brothers did their own
work in the store without the aid Of
clerks, which the business would hardly
warrant at the outset. They adopted the
safe principle of cash payments for all
goods bought, which Immediately gave
the firm strength and standing with the
iobbers, which advantage the firm was
always willing in turn to share with Gus
toners. They soon established agencies
at Wilmington, VT, and at Mount Her
mon and Northfield, Mass. These, in
their way, finally led to the establish
ment of the wholesale trade.
Six years ago, when the business had
reached proportions Of $4,000 yearly
sales, the firm opened another large re-
tail store at Bellows Falls, at which a
Younger brother, Lyndon Durham, was
made member of the firm, he also being
a graduate Of Colby university and
public school teacher, who had more re-
Gently, however, been engaged in the
shoe business at Lewiston, Maine. The
increased sales by reason of the bust
ness of the second store gave the firm
still further advantages, in their pur-
chases, and they were able to buy ut
obbers' prices, which at once brought
them into prominence with other large
shoe dealers. But in order to become rec
ognized as jobbers, and reap the benefits
Of iobbers' prices, the firm found 1t nee
essary to employ a travelling salesman.
The proprietOrs before this had gone out
among their customers to solicit orders.
The business had now grown to such
as to fully warrant more
decided advancement. TO the Brattle-
boro store was added another adjoining
store in Hooker block, which was done
largely for the purpose Of adding to the
retail wholesale department. This,
then, was the beginning Of their whole
sale department, which increased with
each succeeding year.
From time to time within the past five
years additional statesmen have been en-
gagged, and the growing business has OF
course required enlargements in many
ways, till the firm is now occupying
nearly one-half of the large Hooker
block. Besides, the firm is occupying
five stores in Milestone and Vinton
blocks for storage purposes. Last July
the question arose as to whether the
firm should seek larger local quarters or
remove luelT SuSCSssiui anu Sio"ih6
business to Springfield or to Boston.
The influence which finally determined
their continuance in Brattleboro was
the fact that two brothers had married
here, Mrs. Charles w. Durham being the
daughter Of ID. Stewart Pratt, and Mrs.
George l.. Durham, the elder daughter
of Mr.. and Mrs. n. |. Hawley, all prom
inently identified with Brattleboro's
social and commercial interests. Finally
\ brick addition, so by GO feet, to the
rear of Hooker block was decided on,
with six stories, which has just been
The firm is now located in one Of the
most commodious and thoroughly equip
ped establishments in New England.
Two hydraulic elevators are provided,
running from the basement to the top
floors, the block being heated through
out by steam, and is also lighted
by electricity. The wholesale office,
80 by 16, occupies the entire east side OF
the street floor. The main office Is at
trsctively fitted up, with fireplace, and
with its oak furniture, presents an invit-
ing and buslness-like appearance. This
n m a;thor cido hu tun priva q L