The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-10-21
LEST WE FORGET.
Trouble Among the Pioneer Mer-
chants.
FOURTH ARTICLE.

That two of a trade can never agree
though not an absolute truism, is an
axiom of great age and common accep-
tance. At least the saying was as well
known when Honesdale was in its swad-
ding clothes as at present, and compe-
tition between the village merchants of
the thirties of the last century as keen
as in the first decade of this.
For many years most of the mercan-
tile establishments of this place were
what were known as "canal stores"
mainly dealing in supplies for the boats
and boat crews navigating the Del. and
Hud. canal. They were located along
the basin below Eighth street for the
most part, with their fronts opening on
Main street and rear doors on Basin
street, or what was more generally call
ed "the towpath," in the heyday of
boating. Ship chambers goods-ropes,
pitch, oakum, candles and oil ; hay and
oats for the horses and pork, ham,
corn-beef, mackerel, Goldfish, potatoes,
bread, pie, flour, molasses and kindred
homely fare for the captain, bowsman
and driver, were the principal articles
of trade, and through their sale, and
the interests many merchants had in the
actual running of the crafts themselves,
a number of very considerable fortunes
were acquired by those who embarked
in the business.
Among those who engaged in this lu-
crative trade was Joseph Belcher Wal
ton, who came to Honesdale from
Cooperstown, n. V, where he had serv-
ed as sheriff, in the fall of 1929, and took
charge of the collectors office of the ID.
K ii. Canal Co., as its first local incum-
bent. He was prominently identified
with Grace, Episcopal, church from its
organization in 1882 until his death in
1913, and was in every sense of the word
1 worthy and highly esteemed citizen.
lie was exceedingly popular with the
ooatmen, and the personal liking they
lad for HIM, coupled with natural de-
;iie to stand well with the collector,
,fh whom their main dealings were
!ad, attracted the bulk of their pat
'"nage to his store, and consequently his
mercantile operations grew to large and
profitable proportions. This, it may be
inferred, stirred up the proverbial jeal-
juses OF others in the same line, and
although Mr.. Walton's general popular
ty was such as to prevent any open or
!ctive hostility, there were frequent
riticisms as to the propriety of his using
lis official position to promote his per-
s1nal interests inanother branch OF trade
where all competitors were entitled to
like chances of success. In support of
ibis contention it was urged that aside
from the principle of ethics involved,
the Pennsylvania Legislature had evil
iently recognized the propriety of ex-
Guiding company agents from interfer-
ing with any other business than such
as pertained to their special calling, by
providing in the Act of April l, 1925,
"that it is not lawful to engage in bank
ing or manufacturing, directly or indi-
rectly, within the jurisdiction of the
State"
After Mr.. Walton's death, the latent
opposition to company stores, or mer-
camille operations by corporation agents
or employees, became more aggressive
and outspoken. What had been toler-
ated out OF regard for him, was, if pos
Sible, to be suppressed by absolute pro-
hbition in the future and the agita-
tinn just then commencing over the TAX
ing over by the State of that portion of
the works OF the Company located in
Pennsylvania, soon reached the point of
demands for supplementary legislation
to remedy the incidental ills complained
OF. Accordingly petitions were drawn
up and circulated among the residents
Of Honesdale, Prompton, Canaan, Beth
any, Mount Pleasant and other towns
principally among the merchants-ad-
dressed to the Legislature OF the State
as follows
To the Honorable the Senate and
House of Representatives of Pennsyl-