Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-04-09

dirty for me to do. But l was a duh
scholar. Before the six months were
up l was discouraged. l thought 1t
was impossible for me ever to learn
the business. Still l went on.
The last six months of that year
l got 81 a week. The second year
l got $3.50 a week. for the first six
months and $5 week for the last
six months. The next two years
got $6 a week. And out of this l
paid for my board, washing and
clothes, and saved q little.
In the fall of 1875 1 applied for
a position with another dry goods
firm. 1 had the cheek to ask for $40
a week, and was astonished when
they hired me at that salary as sales
man-in November. 1875. But this
firm judged Il man by the results he
produced. l was not a good sales
man. l was sharply criticised. My
salary was reduced to IS a week.
was so discouraged at my inability to
sell as much as other clerks that L
fell ill with fever and nervous pros
tration. 1 had to go home to the
farm for year to get well.
In June, 1887, l went to Moore
Il Smiths in Watertown in salary
of $40 week. After a year my SAL
ary was cut to $3.50 a week, because
the firm was not making money and
could not afford to pay me the larg-
er salary, so l was told. In the mean
time L had married and was support
ing my wife and baby, and paying
$40 month rent. At the end of
1878 l had saved $50.
In September, 1873, one day
Moore & Smith fixed up a little coun-
ter, three feet wide and five feet
long, and on it were placed shop
worn goods with few new things to
brighten it and a simple sign was
put up-'Any article on this counter
cents. Success was instantaneous
The counter was enlarged. In a
little while half the store was devot-
ed to this line of goods. Other firms
followed our lead, and Moore &
smith began to wholesale this class
or goods to other merchants and did
what was thought to be a tremend-
Gus business.
January, 1879, 1 announced to Mr..
Moore that l would like to open a
hve cent store and 1 asked if he
would sell me the stock on credit.
had only $50. He said he would.
providing l could get my fathers S
name on a note for $500. | did get
my tather's Endorsement. and l Sc
lected 1922 worth of goods, and then
struck out to find a location.
After a long search, on February
-, 1873, L opened my store in Utica.
y. u agreeing to pay $50 a month
rent-and l had hard time convinc-
ing that landlord that 1 would be
apie 10 Keep on paying that rent.
At lrst the business was a sue
cess. but later it dwindled to nothing
L 10 81 n
ana the balance ! shipped to Lam
caster. Pa, and there 1 opened n
new store on June 81, 1879, with a
total stock worth S40O. l was worth
net. 1925. y" - WI ILL
The first day's>sales amounted to
sI2I.64. l imm ediately telegraphed
moore q Smith at Watertown TO
ouphcate the stock. 1 felt sure that
at last L had my opportunity.
opened second store in Har-
rlsourg, Pa, in July of that wear.
On December %, 1879, I completed
an inventory of my two stores and
round that 1 was worth $500 net
all my notes and debts having been
Palu' from that beginning we have
gone on upward to the present"
Mr.. Woolworth is remembered nv
many Harrisburgers who came in
contact with him in early davs as
rugged Yankee type of man. NOT
very communicative with strangers
out genial enough with close friends,
Energy was his first name and he
gave the impression of having a
dennlte mission in life which moth
ing could defect him from succeed
ing in. His last years were snent
mostly at his home, a splendid man
sion in Fifth avenue.