Charlie Taylor: The story of America’s first A&P.

By Bobn Fritz

On a hot Saturday night Charlie Taylor stopped by to gas with the boys down at the bicycle shop. It was June 1901, Dayton, Ohio and, as they came to be known to Charlie, the boys were Orville and Wilbur Wright.

The automobile had started its ascendancy and bicycle prices were falling; a custom-made bike was down to about $20. But a good repairman/machinist was needed for the shop, so an offer of employment was made and accepted. The Wrights had been increasingly involved in the attempt to fly and needed someone to mind the store when they were at Kitty Hawk. Thirty cents per hour for a 60-hour week was a nickel raise, which doesn’t sound like much, but 20% is substantial by most anyone’s measure. …

Electronic Subscribers: Click Here for the Full Story

Non-Subscribers: Click Here to Subscribe

Pay Per View ($7.50)