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Eagle Archives, Aug. 1, 1939: North Street lined two deep with automobiles and carriages when first Dollar Day in Pittsfield was held 25 years ago | History

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Harry K. Thaw was being tried for murder and the Germans were retreating before superior forces of the Russian Imperial Army on the Dniester, as Pittsfield merchants prepared for their first Dollar Day community sale event, held 24 years ago on June 25, 1915. The 25th annual sale will take place Thursday.

Some other news events were the repulsion of the Carranza forces by Zapata’s defense troops at Mexico City, the conference between Mayor Faulkner and the State Civil Service Commission at Boston, concerning the appointment of a police chief, with Frank H. Baker of Dalton and Acting Chief Hudner as the principal candidates, and the failure of the new air whistle at Central Fire Station to be heard on the outskirts of the city.

Eagle editorials commended the Licensing Board for limited Sunday ice cream licenses to holders of common victualer’s privileges, after 37 had applied for authority to sell; Secretary Joe Tumulty’s faithfulness to the President and the Democratic party in the national crisis, when he might have sought personal popularity and prestige.

The first Dollar Day attracted shoppers to the downtown section as early at 7:30, an hour before the stores were to open and, later on, North Street was lined two deep with carriages and automobiles between the Hotel Wendell and the bridge. Merchants voted the day “an unqualified success” — for shoppers, many of whom got desired items at below cost. The slogan was “Spend a dollar — save a dollar.”

Motorists could get a plain or belted linen duster, or a motor veil and yard of Oriental lace for a dollar. Ladies were offered three corset covers, an ostrich plume in emerald, old rose or wisteria shade, or a silk-ruffle underskirt at the day’s rate of one bean. Possessing these desirables, a woman could purchase a silk pongee parasol. Her swain’s lowest denominated banknote would purchase three dozen carnations or 200 sweet peas. One dollar was sufficient down payment for a Victrola, grafonola or kitchen cabinet. In short, it was a day, according to the Board of Trade, when “the greatest purchasing power ever given to the American dollar” would result.

Theatre-goers at that time got their cinema and vaudeville entertainment as such houses as the Spa, Majestic, Lyric and Grand, while the surviving Union Square was running one of Charlie Chaplin’s earliest comedies.

This Story in History is selected from the archives by Jeannie Maschino, The Berkshire Eagle.



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