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This month’s
cover story by Pam Droog highlights the anniversaries of nine business
centenarians and calls attention to the scores of other RCGA member
companies that have already reached this milestone. These 100-plus
year old companies emphasize the business heritage of St. Louis.
To really appreciate the accomplishments of these companies and
their abilities to adapt to the changing times, let’s take a look
at some statistics. In 1903:
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average life expectancy in the United States was 47.
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The average American worker earned $200 to $400 a year.
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Only 8 percent of homes had a telephone. A three-minute
call from Denver to New York City cost $11.
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A competent accountant could expect to earn $2,000 per
year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian $1,500
to $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000
per year.
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There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S. and only 144 miles
of paved roads.
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The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
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Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more
heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4
million residents, California was only the 21st most populous
state in the Union.
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The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
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The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents an hour.
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More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place
at home.
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Ninety percent of all American physicians had no college
education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many
of which were condemned in the press and by the government
as “substandard.”
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Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were 14 cents a dozen.
Coffee cost 15 cents a pound.
- The
five leading causes of death in the U.S. were:
1.
Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke |
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The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New
Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska hadn’t been admitted to
the Union yet.
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The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was 30.
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One in 10 American adults couldn’t read or write.
Only six percent of all Americans had graduated from high
school.
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Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over
the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist,
“Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to
the mind, regulates the stomach and the bowels, and is,
in fact, a perfect guardian of health.”
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There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire
nation.
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Well, times
have changed. And those that have survived deserve to be proud of
their achievements. We, in turn, appreciate the contribution these
companies have made to the region as businesses and as corporate
citizens.
RICHARD C.D. FLEMING
President and Chief Executive Officer
St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association
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