The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 8, 1903

Price of Shaves Has Gone Up

Climbs 5 Cents in Ladder of Prices as Result of Meeting of Barbers’ Union

New Rate Card Formulated

No Charge Will be Made by Barbers for Neck Shaves Under New Price System

Hereafter the Fort Dodge citizen who takes pleasure in reclining in the barber chair, while deft fingers remove the hirsute growth which adorn his manly cheeks, will pay fifteen cents for that privilege, instead of ten cents, as has been his custom heretofore. To counterbalance the increase in the price of shaves, the tariff on the neck shave is taken off, and the customer can have one when desired, without cost.

This is the most important action taken by the barbers union at their meeting on Tuesday evening, at which a new rate card was formulated. The new prices go into effect just as soon as the rate cards are printed.

The barbers also decided to close at 11 o’clock on Saturday night hereafter.

“The barbers raised the price of shaves because everything else has gone up,” said one of the barbers today. “It costs us more to live, and we have not been taking in any more than we did in the days when things were cheap.”

The prices as published on the new card, which was issued today, are as follows: