Conclusion
Interview Part 2: Old Forge Hardware’s Moses Cohen When questioned about his success, Mr. Cohen said “My aim was never to see how much I could get for my products or material, but to work hard with the wholesalers to see how cheaply I could buy in order to give the benefit to my customers.
“This has proved so in the growth of our business. We are getting orders from city people after quoting our prices to them.”
The reporter now addressed the business rivalry in early Old Forge and Mr. Cohen’s acumen.
“Business jealousy entered largely in Mr. Cohen’s struggle for a place in the sun, and in each instance he demonstrated his own ability to forge ahead and outwit ones who would put him out of business.
“One name mentioned prominently by Mr. Cohen is that of Samuel Garmon, who owned the Barker Block for several years.
“Garmon, according to Mr. Cohen, tried to get another hardware store started in Old Forge. He advertised in Utica papers that his vacant store was just suited for a hardware store.
“Some of Mr. Cohen’s employees were interested in running such a store and upon hearing of the plan Mr. Cohen arranged it for his faithful clerk, William Tracy, to take over the store.
“To silence some rumors that Cohen himself was behind the scheme Mr. Tracy had some shovels and hardware shipped in the vacant store in the name of William Tracy & Company.
“After a long lease had been obtained, the store acquired indirectly by Mr. Cohen was turned into a grocery store and run by Mr. Tracy, with the backing of his employer.
“To take the place of Mr. Tracy as bookkeeper and clerk in the hardware store, Mr. Cohen sent for John Barker whose wife now (1923) conducts that grocery store at Old Forge.
“Mrs. Barker for a time owned stock in the hardware store but later left.
“Another attempt to get opposition to Cohen’s hardware store was when (1911) Mr. Garmon moved the old wooden schoolhouse, the first schoolhouse in Old Forge, next to Cohen’s Block, and leased it to some Syracusans who ran a hardware store there a short time.
“They went into bankruptcy and by buying them out, Mr. Cohen made money. (The 1922 fire started in this building.)
“Mr. Cohen wanted to purchase the Barker Block which Garmon owned. It was worth then about $5000, but Mr. Cohen was willing to pay $6000 for it.
“He induced a Utica merchant to make the purchase for him and after several conferences a figure of $4500 was set.
“This man appeared with two certified checks, one for $4000 and the other for $500.
“When Mr. Garmon was told this man intended to start a store in opposition to Cohen, Garmon sold the property for $4000, without letting his tenant, Mr. Barker, know about the deal.
“Garmon died soon after (1913) the deal was put through.”
Mr. Cohen’s words reveal much about his personality and business vision.
To give good value to his customers, he worked to get the best prices from his suppliers.
To obtain store space, he worked within the system against the roadblocks intended to stop him.
As a village resident who watched Moses Cohen’s initial entry into Old Forge Village behind a worn horse and wagon carrying his worldly goods, “That nag won’t have the strength to pull him out of town.”
Mr. Cohen was not planning to leave.
–
Sources: “Moses Cohen: Peddler to Capitalist” by William Wessels, Utica Daily Press 1923 article, Utica Observer Dispatch article, May 13 1922, and articles from the Utica Observer and Richfield Springs Mercury available on fultonhistory.com. Photos and Moses Cohen file information courtesy of the Town of Webb Historical Association.
