The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-06-19
W0OLW0RTH, THE
MERCHANT PRINCE
CHING FAITHFULLY TO GREAT
IDEA.
Millions From Dimes
Had the Longest Chain of Stores
Erected the Tallest Building-Nas
Once a Laborer on a Farm.
Orchard Spillane in Commerce ana
Finance)

Orchard Spillane in Commerce anu
Finance.)
# has been printed that Frank W.
woolworth left fortune of s6o,ooV'-
600 To have amassed such sum
as the result of retail in articles SELL
ing for or 10 cents is the most eA
traordinary achievement in merchan-
dising history.
Stewart Marshal Field, Altman
Wannamaker and others we term our
merchant princes followed the beaten
lines and broadened them. Wool
worth did something new. He made
little things big, small prohts I'M
mense. He glorifed the cent. his
career. his fortune, his buildings the
most majestic in America, II not III
the world, typify the power OF the
smallest coin the country knows. his
success illustrates. better than does
that of any other man in America 1he
onnortunities there are in things con-
sidered small when touched oy the
alchemy of genius, which is notnlns
hut having the right idea and Keep
ing at it until you work it out.
Woolworth was genius ana YET
what was his idea?
Simply if a store speclailzeo III
selling at ) cents all the goods II
bond,ed the time saved in making
sales and in making change would
be sufficient to reduce the overhead
charge greatly, and that people
would buy more of what seemed IKE
bargains than they would ordinarily
It was not his idea in the sense
that he originated it. The idea was
that of another person, but II tooA
hold Of him and he kept it before
him always. He was only poor
country boy. He had labored on
farm. and when he sought ]oo IN
country store, he had to work several
months for nothing for the privilege
~ getting employed. He was grown
mon when he embarked on his nrst
store enterprise. 1t was 1a1luie.
That did not daunt him. he trlea
again. This time he succeeded. ou'
ba found the cent store IDEA was
not wholly sound. Not until ne
changed to 5 and 10 cent trauins
Aid he make real headway. Later
he sold some articles for more tnan ina,
10 cents, but e5 per cent. or possibly
90 nor cent of his trade was in .
and 10 cent items.
In the light of the huge success he
made of his business it is ooo 10
1oorn that in various instances par
ticularly in the earlier stages OF MS
enterprise. Woolworth stores talleu
to succeed. 1t was not until ne hau
trials enough to test his patience u
the limit that he began to get luii
reward. When proht came ois ~
came extraordinarily big.
Mr.. Woolworth wasn't a man 81
narticularly fine sensibilities' anu he
was asked one day how it happeneu
that he got the ambition to oulo
such a. structure, and particularly
.ucb beautiful structure.
81 built that magnificent af1alr
when I was a boy" he said MY
fo,ls we're poor and we lived IN d
Vow small house. Back of our house
thore we're stone piles and starleu
:. h,,i,d house of my own. After
VOC making lot of money as
narcbant wanted to build some
+hine bigger than any other mei-
chant had: The Woolworth ouiiu1ne
is the result. ,o,,+
A story that is little known aoout
Uoo,vorth has to do with HIS ni''
sov &C merchant in Pennsylvania
IT, mt every dollar he had IN the
-4ror,d and he didn't have many lnto
his stock, his fixtures and MS rent'
uis opening day was circus day. lne
streets we're crowded, but NOBODY
came into the store. The parade was
= bigger attraction. But along III
tho late afternoon there was a suouen
change. After the circus the people
seemed to find particular attractlon
in the new store that had just open.
ed When he counted his caso tna'
night he found his total sales exceed
ed his early forecast. Later III NE
be said that first day was inc ihoS'
trying of his life.
One thing the death OF MT "oo'
worth may clear up is the mystery u
the City Park of Watertown' NJ l.
The park was built, and year al'ei
wear the bills for its maintenance
have gone to banking house IN Ne"