| > | | | | the safes, both against fire and brute force entry. |
| Free trade is thriving on the internet, but commercial | | | | One of these tests took place in April of 1860, both |
| and industry competition is nothing new. In the mid | | | | Price and Milner showed up with safes to include in the |
| 1800’s, rivalry between the Milner and Price | | | | test. As a public test, anyone could try to test the |
| safe companies reached a climax with a tragic ending. | | | | safes. One man, Mr. Freestone, did not like Price, so he |
| In today’s world, sometimes marketing seems | | | | showed up that day with a large quantity of gun |
| to get vicious as companies try to out do their | | | | powder to test a safe. When he tried to place his |
| competitors, or stores as they try to outsell other | | | | charge in the lock of the Price safe, he discovered |
| retailers. But a lot of marketing strategies have | | | | that the lock would not hold the amount of gunpowder |
| changed with the internet. Not only do stores have to | | | | that he expected,and he was unsuccessful. |
| compete locally, but also nationally and often globally. | | | | Milner’s safe was then prepared (by Prices |
| They compete against large internet companies, and | | | | men), and the door was blown right off its hinges. |
| companies that can appear large online, but may be | | | | Milner had boasted a double patent |
| home run businesses. It is a new competitiveness in | | | | gunpowder-proof solid lock, but within seven |
| today’s market that has drastically changed the | | | | minutes a hole was drilled through the door plate, and |
| way the public shops. This is obvious with many items | | | | the powder was poured through the hole to where the |
| today, especially smaller ones, but what about large, | | | | movement of the main bolts were located. His safe |
| heavy items, such as gun safes? Yes, even these are | | | | didn’t stand a chance! |
| available online, gun safes discount prices, and | | | | Milner then tried to do the same to Price’s safe. |
| sometimes with free shipping. After all, isn’t that | | | | But met with failure when they tried to drill or find any |
| one of the main concerns about ordering a heavy | | | | other way to dislodge the spindle so they could placer |
| items online - the shipping charge? Now, regardless of | | | | a full charge of gunpowder. Considering the trial over |
| apparently devious marketing practices of today, they | | | | and a success, Price and his men left. But Milner was |
| do not compare with many underhanded tactics used | | | | not to be outdone, he was determined to blow up a |
| 150 years ago. | | | | Price safe that day. Milner had his men bring in an older |
| In the 1850’s there were two rival safe | | | | style safe. Though only five years old, it did not |
| manufacturers, Thomas Milner and George Price, | | | | incorporate the improvements of the newer safe, and |
| whose relationship was akin to that of the Hatfields | | | | the lock had been packed with an excessive amount |
| and McCoy’s . It all got started when Price | | | | of gunpowder. The safe was blown into bits. The |
| published George Price's Treatise on Fire and | | | | crowd had only been expecting an explosion similar to |
| Thief-Proof Depositories and Locks and Keys, a | | | | what they had seen before, so no extra precautions |
| 1,000 page book in 1856 (sounds like thrilling reading!). | | | | were taken for the larger amount of powder. Pieces |
| The book included many testimonials of the results of | | | | of the safe flew into the crowd and a young boy was |
| fire tests conducted by his rival, Thomas Milner, along | | | | killed. |
| with the heavy suggestion that these testimonials of | | | | Though full of remorse for what happened, Milner and |
| the fire resisting attributes of Milner’s safes | | | | Price continued in the their bitter rivalry, their attitudes |
| were nothing but lies. But despite this, Price was using | | | | unchanged. |
| Milner’s technology of a fire resisting compound | | | | Today similar rivalries may be around, but through |
| in his own safes (allowable since the patent had | | | | lessons of history, common sense and protection of |
| expired). | | | | modern law, the public is more protected. Plus, we |
| At first, things started out mildly. Milner displayed in his | | | | mostly benefit from industry competition, it is one of |
| window a mint condition Milner safe, with a totally | | | | the blessings of capitalism and free trade and it is |
| mutilated Price safe next to it. But then things | | | | brought to our door step with the internet. |
| escalated to a series of challenges of public testing of | | | | |