In the days before the invention of mass transit and the automobile, most small communities of 100 or more often had their own small general store. These were a vital necessity for these small settlements, as travel to neighboring towns and cities could be long and treacherous. A trip to one of the larger towns such as St. Stephen, St. George or St. Andrews and back by horse might have been possible within a single day. But, the key word is might. It depended heavily on how close you were, the weather and the condition of the roadways. And a trip to Saint John and back was likely a multi-day trip. Household staple items, supplies and groceries needed to be procured, nonetheless.
Believe it or not, in my research I was actually able to find a price list of goods sold at the general store in Beaver Harbour from 1872.
1 barrel Flour (196 pounds)…….. 8.25
1 gal. Molasses….….. .50
1 lb. Tea………….…… .50
1 lb. Sugar………..…… .12
1 doz. Eggs……………. .14
14 lb. Butter…………..3.64
1 lb. Rice………..…….. .08
¼ lb. Pepper……..…… .08
¼ lb. Mustard………… .10
½ lb. Dates………….… .10
1 bushel Potatoes….. .57
19 lb. Pork……………. 2.97
1 gal. Kerosene……… .40
1 Lamp Burner…..…… .25
1 File………… .11
4 Bowls………….. .24
1 Fig Tobacco…..….. .05
l lb. Soap…………….… .10
1 Broom………..………. .40
1 Knife………..…….…. .20
4 yds. Cotton……..…. .36
1 pr. Mittens……….…. .30
Prices sure have changed in the last 154 years!
