ity nn Wage en en ¢ MN PIS SM aN Sh dD J ( SAVE IN R76 6 SF BAGS STK Cys ERNGSS ye oa NUS (Sa Oye. a7 To oe eG AVaitG A a oe vee ey LY i A DY fai acy we ly ; LC SD i Rg KX NOS BE Atk ah IDA Be as Bs SE ne Pec bit Is % 1, Z Aa 10 / MeN (GAA EK AC CaS ey ETS geo (OTN vey See > ee RR CeCe Soa ve aes Oe D e@ PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY (Oe ee TRADESMAN COMPANY, PUBLISHERS e WAS 2 SOPDSOs Sm SSR SSS DO Volume XIV. GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1896. Number 693 qoooomoooaanONNNDS Sigs Sereeeroorcceeceeeesessecsccoooooocossoe tay Q Sa ee ey ae © GX —— UCU eee oe 3 OJO%p Yoro ‘ A Safe Cracker oS a o °o 2° o ° °o °o ° O° ° In your store oD ONE o ° NE °o combining healthful e 0JO¢o “ : BOKo a properties with de- _ sae licious flavor will wae a win trade. ° 9 9 ojOeG oa o o 95) 9 °o 0 —=nnt ee Dx o o 9 a 0JOPrm ° 0 Oe 2 9 e Nos ° 0 OJ9"5 © Sears’ Saltine Wafers 2 x x 2 9 s oar ~ 2 are 7 [ ° ao WF : . <. Oro Daintily crisp oro 9 Finely salted o Ps prea Strictly pure ojoe4 ° Particularly fine ° < and : 9 OjJOr%5 OJOr5 oO ot o o a » T ~ ~ ee Lead in every respect. ep 3 - A BOoco ‘ : : Oro eo We wish all the greatest prosperity for 1897. 6 °o ° ofOK0 oKo : e 0}025 e OKro RED o GRAND RAPIDS. ‘ x The Lamo Glove and flitten Co. PERRI, GH, U. 8. A. MANUFACTURERS OF HIGH GRADE GLOVES AND MITTENS Made from Pure American and Australian Wools and the Finest Quality of SiJks. Se This Company controls a large number of the latest and best inventions of MR. 1. W. Lams, the original inventor of the Lamb Knitting Machine, and all our goods are made under his personal supervision. Merchants will consult their own interests by examining these goods before placing their orders. We can sell you ANY erm mL Snedicor & Hathaway PRICE LIME OR CEMENT. 80 to 89 W. Woodbridge St., Detroit, Manufacturers for Michigan Trade. DRIVING SHOES, S. A. MORMAN & CO., men’s AND BOYS’ GRAIN SHOES. 19 Lyon St., Grand Rapids, Mich. , C. E. Smith Shoe Co., Agts. for Mich., O. and Ind. Why are the. . Manitowoc 2 Lakeside Peas Better than ever? Because they are grown, handpicked and packed by an experienced force. They have thus become a “Standard of Excellence.” Sold by... WORDEN GROCER CO. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. POOOLOO FS OOOOH HOS $91999O660000060009000000 99990 HOO0O00000090O00 09000000606000000600000000 SOOO OOO HOO OOOOOOS 09:0900060006066669000660666660000660060000 POOOSOOOS SO O9OS0O00 eee POL $9909 99900950 F 096600000 000060060900000000000000 3 090000000 ? o@ ae ® ° ¢ 9OOOOOOSS 6090909990000 F 69666660 566600006 e OO OOd 0Ooe For only one cent you can have an expert examine YOUR LEAKY roof and tell you why it leaks and how much it will cost to ‘stop that hole.”” We have had 28 years’ experience in this busi- ness, and are reliable and responsible. We have men traveling all the time and can send them to you on short notice. All kinds of roofs put on and repaired by H. M. REYNOLDS & SON, GRAND RAPIDS OFFICE, CAMPAU & LOUIS. DETROIT OFFICE, FOOT OF THIRD STREET. Parisian Flour Lemon & Wheeler Company, SOLE AGENTS. Parisian Flour. INO] UBISLIB ' Parisian Flour SUBSTITUTE COFFEE Cc. H. STRUEBE, Sandusky, Ohio, Agent for Ohio. Indiana and Michigan. Established 1780. Walter Baker & Co, £10. Dorchester, Mass. The Oldest and Largest Manufacturers of y PURE, HIGH GRADE COCOAS AND -|)oHocoLATES. A on this Continent. -_ No Chemicals are used in Tradé-Mark. their manufaciures. Their Breakfast Cocoa is absolutely pure, delicious, nutritious, and costs less than one cent a cup. Their Premium No. 1 Chocolate, put — > in Blue Wrappers and Yellow Labels, is the plain chocolate in the market for family use. Their German Sweet Chocolate is food to eat and good to drink. It is palatable, nutri- tious, and healthful; a great favorite with children. Buyers should ask for and be sure that they et the genuine goods. The above trade-mark is on every package. Walter Baker & Co. Ltd., Dorchester, Mass. Astrvernerverenpverserverververvoreerversenververerserervernervnn verNTTES. P. Steketee & Sons, Wholesale Dry Goods, Grand Rapids, Mich. New stock coming in ready for January business. VIPNOPNO INNO N ENP HET NOPNTT NTT NTT NYP ALA AAO Travelers’ Time -Tables. 7, 1896 CHICAGO and West Wicsion R'y See to Chicago. .v. G@’d. Rapids ........0:3vaim 1:25pm +11:00pmr ic. Chicago. . ... . 3:0Upm 6:50pm + 6:30am Returning from Chicago. uv. Chicago............ 7:20am 5:0upm +i1:30pm ir. G’d Rapids....... : L: 26pm 10:30pm + 6:10am smokwaey via Waverly. Ly. G’d. Rapids.. . S:suam 1:25pm. 6: :25pm uc. G’d. Rapids: ...... 1U:lbum .... .. 10:30pm Manistee, Traverse City and Petoskey. iv. GO BRapids.....°... tam. 6:00pm «........ ar Manistee........... 12:05pm 10:25pm ........ Ar. Traverse City..... = — 1i:lupm ...... oe Ar. Charlevoix........ pm... .... esse eee Ar. Peioskey...... . >5pm Trains arrive from north at 1: O00p.m. and 9:50 p.m. PARLOR AND SLEEPING CARS. Chicago. Parlor cars on afternoon trains and sleepers on night trains. North. Parlor car for Traverse City leaves Grand Rapids 7:30am. ne from Detroit. UMMA AAA ANA bk dbh db AMA Abk AAA JNA db JNA Abb bk Jhb bk dbh dbkdbh bk db dbbMMINS | “Sve cae Otters week days only. EAs Wee eee eee ee ae DETROIT yuensiog & once ee A Sa oes Sy Voigt, Herpolsheimer & Co. as Wholesale + Dry Goods, Grand Rapids, Mich. Wee yD yA aww CTEM AA y Ed LA AAAAAAMAAAAG TRY HANSELMAN’S SUPERFINE GHOGOLATES FOR HOLIDAYS Order early and be in the push. Chocolate Nunkeys, Chocolate Cherries, Chocolate Montevidoes, Chocolate Brandy, Chocolate Clito, Chocolate Opera Drops, Chocolate She!] Bark, Chocolate Opera Caramels, Chocolate Nougat, Chocolate Peppermint, Chocolate Sour Orange, Chocolate Wintergreen, Chocolate Scur Lemon, Chocolate Raisins, Chocolate Marshmallow, Chocolate Extra Pralines Assorted, Chocolate Angelique, Chocolate Extra Vanillas, Chocolate Almonds, Chocolate Pineapple, Chocolate Filberts, Chocolate Hand Made Small, Chocolate Pecans, Chocolate Hand Made Large, Chocolate Walnuts, Chocolate Shoo Flies, Also a full line of Confections ° HANSELMAN CANDY Co., in all its branches. KALAMAZOO, MICH. — 5 AND7 PEARL STREET. | SES PP wap aa If you want to get The trade you want to get, You want {‘o get Your advertisement into the trade getter, For the Tradesman wants You to get the trade You want to get. Diver eat Hout Manufactured - MUSKEGON MILLING CO., Muskegon, Mich. Strictly | fillegan Gity Rotter Jl Straight Guard, Fairfield & Co. Flour... Our Brands: WHITE FOAM, GOLDEN ANCHOR, BELLE OF ALLEGAN, SNOW FLAKE. Our Specialties: BUCKWHEAT FLOUR, GRAHAM FLOUR, RYE FLOUR, BOLTED MEAL. ALLEGAN, [ICH. CHARLES MANZELMANN MANUFACTURER OF BROOMS AND WHISKS DETROIT, MICH. Ly. Detroit.. j 7:40am 1:10pm 6:00pm Ar. Grand Rapids fens “ja: 30pm 5:2upm 10:45pm Saginaw, Alma and St. Louis. Ly. G R7:WUam 4:20pm Ar. GK 11:55am 9:15pm To and from Lowell. Ly. Grand Rapids...... 7:10am 1:30pm 5:25pm ar. from Lowell. -12:30pm 5:20pm ....... THROUGH CAR SERVICE. Parlor cars on all trains between Grand Rap- ids and Detroit and between Graud Rapids and Saginaw. Trains run week days only. Gro. DEHaveEN, General Pass. Agent. T GRAND Kiceisant wiirsance bs Eastward. +No. 14 +No.16 +No.18 *No. 8 Ly. G’d Rapids.6:45am 10:10am 3:30pm 10:45pm Ar. Ionia...... 7:40am 11:i7am 4:34pm 12:30am Ar. St. Johns..6:25am 12:10pm 5:z3pm 1:57am Ar. Owosso....9:00am 1: ~~ 6:03pm 3:25pm Ar. E.Saginawl0:50am . : Ar. W.Bay C’y11:30am ........ 8:35pm 7:15am Ar. Flint...... 10:05am ........ 7:05pm 5:40am Ar. Pt. Huron.12:U5pm ........ 9:50pm 7:30pm Ar. Pontiac.. 10:53am 2:57pm 8:25pm 6:10am Ar. Detroit...11:50am 3:55pm 9:25pm 8:05am Westward. for G’d Haven and Intermediate — For G’d Haven and Iutermediate P: aan For G’d Haven and Intermediate Pts. 5:12pm +Daily except Sunday. *Daily. Trains arrive from the east, 6:35a.m., 12:45p.m., 5:U7p.m.. 9:55 p.m. ‘rains arrive from the west, 1u:05a.m., 3:22p.m., 10:15p.m. Eastward—No. 14 has Wagner parlorcar. No. 18 parlor car. Westward—No. 11 parlor car. No. la Wagner parlor car. E. H. Hueues, A. G. P. & T. A., Chicago. BEN. FLETCHER, Trav. Pass. Agt., Jas. CAMPBELL, City Pass. Agent, No. 23 Monroe St. GRAND Rapids & tases iomesed : Northern Div. Leave Arrive Trav. C’y, Petoskey & Mack...t 7:45am ¢ 5:15pm Trav. C’y, Petoskey & Mack...¢ 2:15pm t+ 6:30am OTRO! ees a es + 5:25pm tlii:ivam Train. leaving at 7:45 a.m. has parlor car to Petoskey and Mackinaw. Train leaving at 2:15 p.m. has sleeping car to Petoskey and Mackinaw. Southern Div. Leave Arrive CORONA ee ols see icee + 7:luam + 8:25pm Bt Wayie. 555 5 oss ee + 2:00pm ¢ f:55pm Cincinnati -* 7:00pm * 7:25am 7:10a.m. train has parlor car to Cincinnati. 7:00p.m. train has sleeping car to Cincinnati. Muskegon Trains. GOING WEST. Ly G’d Rapids.......... 17:35am 1:00pm +5:40pm Ar Muskegon... 9:Wam 2:10pm 7:05pm GOING East. Ly Muskegon.. -- 8:10am +11:45am +4:00pm ArG’d Rapids. 9:3vam 12:55pm 56:20pm tExcept Sunday. cibally. A. ALMQUIST, # LocKwoop, Ticket Agt.Un. Sta. Gen. Pass. & Tkt. Agt. Every Merchant Who uses the Tradesman Company's COUPON BOOKS, does so with @ sense of security and profit, for he knows he fs avoiding logs and annoy ance. te TRADESMAN COMPANY, Grand Rapids yer reveomcaman epee ences Receeemen at a Tea an Kf eee se Dep CP iin p) ) n ) eu Yc = (FR at 5 a WS DESMAN Volume XIV. The Michigan Trust Go.. Grand Rapids, Mich. Acts as Executor, Administrator, Guardian, Trustee. Send for copy of our pamphlet, ‘Laws of the State of Michigan on Descent and Distribution of Property.” Commercial Gredit GO., Limited) ESTABLISHED 1886. Reports and Collections. 411-412-413 Widdicomb Bldg, Grand Rapids. ooe 9OO0O0000000000 3 pa tTHE 3 FIRE$ r INS. 3 7? CO. ¢ @ @ Prompt, Conservative, Safe. . 4 J.W.CHAMPLIN, Pres. W. FRED McBatn, See. rd LE BEea ees ee hee eee ees The...... PREFERRED BANKERS LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY wef MICHIGAN Incorporated by 100 Michigan Bankers. Pays all death claims promptly and in full. This Company sold Two and One-half Millions of In- surance in Michigan in 1895, and is being ad- mitted into seven of the Northwestern States at this time. The most desirable plan before the people. Sound and Cheap. Home office, DETROIT, Michigan. KOLB OOM Established nearly one-half a century. Wholesale Clothing Mts, Rochester, W. Y. All mail orders promptly attended to, or write our Michigen Agent, William Connor, Box 346, Marshall, Mich., who will show you our entire line of samples. He will be at Sweet’s Hotel, Grand Rapids, from Saturday, Jan. 2, until Monday evening, Jan. 4. PCOOODOOQOGODQOOQOOD®DOOQOQOOOOS CITIZENS TELEPHONE COMPANY 89-91 CAMPAU ST. State Line Connections are furnished by this company to over sixty towns, among which are the fol- lowing lines: Muskegon, Berlin, Conklin, Ravenna and Moorland, by full copper metallic. Holland, Vriesland, Zeeland, Hudson- ville and Jenisonville by copper wire. Allegan, South Haven, Saugatuck, Ganges. Lansing, Grand Ledge, Lake Odessa, Hastings. Ionia, Saranac, Lowell, Ada, Cascade. St. Louis, St. Johns, Alma, Ithaca, ete. Good Service at Reasonable Rates. DOOQDOOQOQOOQDS CHQOODOOOOQOQOOOOOO QOOOOOO® Save Trouble Tradesman Goupons Save Losses Save Doilars GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1896. GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Written for the TRADESMAN. This is emphatically the land where they abound, prosper (for a time) and vanish, to be succeeded by others of equal magnitude, often more alluring by reason of a certain mental mirage akin to the atmospheric phenomenon so commonly observed on the Western plains. They are mostly prominent as connected with political and business matters. There are few among our in- telligent millions who have not at some time been more or less inclined to in- dulge them. The year just departing has witnessed the contention of differing political ele- ments in a wide field of active discus- sion. The test of the ballot-box has only resulted in a temporary truce. Each partisan still maintains his belief and expectation. One is sure that the busi- ness miilennium is near at hand, since his side has triumphed. The other has as firm an expectation that the future will show this victory to be fruitless in restoring prosperity and he can see in it no thoroughfare to that desired con- dition until his own pet theory shall be- come a practical controlling National policy. It would be wiser for either party indulging great expectations to reflect that this is a great country—too great to be saved or ruined in one or two cal- endar years. A review of history, show- ing the effects of changes in National policies, and also the panics that have periodically caused business stagnation, will tend to moderate extreme opinions or undue expectations. It is true we have had hard times for several years, which have been felt all over the country. Yet no one can truly say that it has equally affected every lo- cality. The largest business and man- ufacturing centers were the first to re- ceive the shock of adverse fortune. It has always been so in the past. I well remember that the panic of 1873—pre- Cipitated, as it was, by over speculation of the Napoleon of finance—did, not reach the country dealers until long after it had become an old story. It was only when the farmers began to be sen- sible of a lessening of income, and, lit- tle by little, reduced the volume of purchases, that the dealer who depended directly on their trade actually ac- cepted the panic as having duly ar- rived. So, to-day, we may view the business prospects that show actual signs of im- provement in a conservative temper of mind as we compare the present with the past. One may well acknowledge that the first few evidences of renewed industry do not assure universal pros- perity in the near future, since ‘‘one swallow does not make a summer.’’ Our interests as a people are closely united and reciprocal; but, as this is a large country, it takes time for pros- perity to travel through it to distribute the favors so long needed. Neither mistakes of policy nor shrewd strokes of enterprise can mar or make, to any great extent, the productive capacity of a people separated, as we are, by many degrees of longitude and latitude. The laboring classes of our manufacturing centers are, of course, sure to feel the first bounding impulse of renewed busi- ness health. Confidence restored and capital actively employed are decided. steps toward prosperous’ conditions. Yet too much eagerness of a convales- cing patient to resume the normal func- tions of a healthy system sometimes end in a relapse which proves serious if not fatal. This is not considered the age of miracles and so, while sure that we are on an upward grade in the direction of better times, we must admit that Na- ture, our necessary ally, takes 365 days to make even one visible step in ad- vance. As our farming population, whose prosperity depends on Nature’s kindly bounties, must wait her slow but majestic movement before they can ex- pect to share her favors, the order to advance cannot be complied with all along the line. It may take two or more of Nature’s steps to bring the farmer well up with the procession. The country dealer may, therefore, possess his soul in patience. Too much hurry makes worry, and worry oftener makes waste than wealth. If we, as a people, get to the top of the hill Diffi- culty by the time the sun gilds the dawn of 1900, we shall do as well as any busi- ness man can reasonably expect. We may not all get there at the same time. So let none of the lucky ones in his joy loosen a rock that may, perchance, fall and hinder the ascent of those who are belated. It is well to mark progress as fast as made; but to count our chickens before they are hatched is not progress. When good times come again we, per- haps, will not recognize them as true to sample once enjoyed, since we now have free intercourse with other nations, and commerce has developed new condi- tions that will not allow the former statu quo. Good and bad times have come and gone heretofore. While enjoying the one or enduring the other, time, in its remorseless revolutions, has changed rel- ative positions until we can never find perfect duplicates of either. The fluc- tuations of business may yet so order that the millionaire of to-day may be the peanut vender of to-morrow. The newsboy of 1890 may become, at the end of this century, by sheer merit,a railroad president, or a king of commerce at the head of a metropolitan department store. Whatever we do or expect, therefore, let us moderate our expectations of an immediate prosperous future as an anomaly inconsistent with natural law. Let us try and convince ourselves how true were the lessons taught in early life. Whether gleaned in the field of active business or gained from books, the latter embody the results of experi- ence, which is the foundation of both wisdom and wealth. S. P. WHITMARSH. eg A petition to Congress is being circu- lated in Portsmouth, N. H., asking an appropriation to rebuild the war vessel Constitution. The ship is now guarded by three keepers, who are kept busy at the pumps to prevent the vessel from sinking. Number 693 A Premium on Slowness. Correspondence Trade Magazine. In a grocery store not very long ago I chanced to overhear two conversations which may prove suggestive to more than one of the readers of this journal. | may say, in parenthesis, that business kept me there and that it was impos- sible not to hear. ‘‘Well,’’ said a newcomer whose ap- pearance indicated a farmer, ‘‘I’ve come to pay my bill; how much do I ywe?”’ , = A full half-hour spent over the ledger and in disputes concerning some of the entries made there resulted in a bill of $28.75 ‘‘T suppose that’s all right,’’ com- mented the farmer, ‘‘but you’ll have to make it even money.’’ ‘Really, now,’’ protested the mer- chant, *‘I can’t afford it. I’ve done all that I can already, and these are hard times, you know.’’ “That's all right,’’ was the rejoinder, ‘‘but I’ve been trading with you for a long while, and you ought to be easy on your old customers. Here's $28; just give me a receipt in full.’’ ‘Well, as it is you, I'll do it,’’ and the receipt was given as the money changed hands. Then, as the farmer was leaving, he continued: ‘‘Here, let’s celebrate. Have a cigar?’’ and I noticed that the choicest box was pro- duced. Not two minutes afterward another man came in, and with business direct- ness purchased a bill of goods. **How much is it?’’ he asked. ‘‘ Eleven dollars and twenty cents. ’’ The check was given and, with a courteous ‘‘good day,’’ the gentleman departed. Both were regular customers. One man, having bought $28.75 in two or three months, was given seventy- five cents and a cigar for paying his bill, and nothing was said of interest. The other, who bought $11.20 in one order and paid cash, was permitted to pay. Certainly the former received a handsome permium for running a bill. Nearly any man would be rather glad to run a bill if such inducements were held out tohim. If I were a cash customer of that store, I would either cease cash payments or go where cash was an ob- ject. aD New Plan to Stop Sampling. A new plan to prevent sampling has been adopted by several merchants of Portland, Ore. A fish dealer there runs a wire up through his counter and shoves it into a huge block of fish, and then labels it ‘‘Electric Fish.’’ Any- one curious enough to touch the fish with his fingers receives a very per- ceptible shock, which convinces him that the fish is correctly labeled. A local dealer in pickles, who has a dozen varieties on display in pans set on top of the different casks, has a wire run- ning along with a branch of copper wire into each pan, and charges the pickes so that any one who puts a finger into the pan to sample a pickle gets a smart shock. Nobody has ever tried to sample the goods a second time. ——~»>#~—_____ ‘Propose to Abolish Christmas Gifts. The bakers of San Francisco have passed iron-bound resolutions against the giving of Christmas cakes to cus- tomers hereafter. One baker stated that it cost him from $400 to $500 this year and that the presents usually gave dis- satisfaction, as the customers generally found fault with the size or quality of the cakes. ———_>0 > ____ We never realize how much we are capable of enduring until the test comes, Seep Aig) ARP SNA AE BPMs he sanesla aint fabio. Cinsaond sh otc ante i aA © tl tt adie lk RoR pa ih nat el pentane nals! Vc Ss ta ae aeaenb Pred Hi wS preteen Getting the People Circular Advertising. The day of the cheap handbill is past. There are yet some who have not learned the utter worthlessness of the print- paper productions which used to be thrust upon the attention on the streets, at doorways, in hotel lobbies— anywhere that the distributers might find access—and occasionally enterprise is still represented in this manner; but to most the fact has become patent that such advertising is utterly worthless— that the instances where favorable atten- tion is gained are more than counter- balanced by those where the impression conveyed is one. of disagreeable intru- sion, fatal to favorable results. Thus there has grown a prejudice against this class of advertising which, unfortunate- ly, is made to include all circulars. Now, as a matter of fact, there are circulars and circulars. And there are many ways of using circulars. The day of the cheap handbill is past; and the day of the obtrusive thrusting of ad- vertising matter on attention is also past, or is rapidly passing. It is a matter of observation with every busi- ness that there is still a large use of circulars in advertising, if indeed there is not an increasing use. But the circulars of to-day and the manner of their use are far removed from the handbill. It is also a significant fact that the most systematic and persistent use is by the most experienced con- cerns, especially those manufacturing or dealing in particular lines. Instead of the unsavory smelling and worse looking sheet whose standard of merit was legibility, the circular of to- day is a work of art. It may be printed on a single side of a slip of paper, or on a larger sheet; it may be a_ booklet or a folder, or other attractive or per- haps novel form, but it is the exponent of careful, painstaking work in_ both matter and style of execution. If the houses using such matter cannot com- mand in their own force the experience and special qualifications for the prepa- ration of this kind of advertising, they obtain the assistance of those making it a specialty. The art of preparing this sort of work has grown rapidly during the past few years and most of the first- class printing concerns doing such work have specialists for the artistic and lit- erary designing and for illustrating. There are also many specialists ina few of the principal cities who are suc- cessful in widely advertising them- selves, some of whom are doubtlessly reliable and honest; but there are many others who are pretentious and emperic —who claim that they are the ones, and the only ones, who are competent to di- rect in all advertising work, charging fancy prices and volunteering advice with an assurance often successful in the securing of a large clientage. In most cases the work could be better done by those nearer the field of opera- tion, and so cognizant of the particular needs, and at rates more nearly com- mensurate with the service. The use of well-prepared circulars is growing in many lines of trade. Many manufactures send a circular to all pos- sible customers every month; and the fact that they continue to do this year after year indicates that it is profitable. In other lines a quarterly issue is con- sidered sufficient. Of course, it is need- less to say that these are in conjunction with a proper system of newspaper ad- vertising. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN But, while the circular may be espe- cially effective in particular lines, there are few, if any, where trade is consid- erable, where they are not valuable. Every dealer should find in what way he can most economically and effectively distribute something in this line, and should put a special sum into the prepa- ration cf such circulars at such frequent intervals as to have them fresh and _ at- tractive, and should use every suitable opportunity to bring them to the notice of present and possible customers. There are many ways where the ex- pense will be nothing—in correspond- ‘ence, invoices, etc. But there should also be a judicious expenditure of post- age to reach those not already in the list of customers. There is an effectiveness in such attention on account of the per- sonal recognition which in many cases would be lost by any general mode of advertising. W. N. FULLER. OH New Scheme to Sell Cigars. The advertisement of an enterprising Southern dealer has been the means of raising an interesting question involv- ing a nice construction of the internal revenue laws. The advertisement ap- pears in a daily newspaper and suggests to the customer the convenience and economy of leaving the purchased box of cigars with the dealer, who wili de- liver one or more cigars when called for, the feature of the scheme being the claim that the customer ‘‘won’t smoke half as many’’ as if he himself acted as the custodian of the box. The Collector incloses a copy of the advertisement to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, with the statement that, although it does not appear to be in conflict with the regulations, it would seem to suggest more than is evidenced on its face, and at least raises the ques- tion whether the dealer or the customer should be held responsible for the de- struction of the stamp when the box is emptied. The Commissioner has ruled that, under the circumstances presented, the dealer becomes the bailee, who re- tains possession of the cigars, and who has a qualified property in the box suffi- cient to render him responsible for a compliance with the internal revenue laws in destroying the stamp when the contents are exhausted. 8 Business Men United for the Com- mon Welfare. From the Vermontville Echo. The Vermontville Business Men’s As- sociation met at the council rooms Dec. 16 and listened to the reading of letters presented by Secretary Snell and J. N. Hawkins encouraging to prospects for a flouring mill. Permanent organization was perfected by the election of the following officers: President—Hon. H. G. Barber. Vice-President—C. E. Hammond. Secretary and Treasurer—C. S. Snell. "Executive Committee—Frank J. Esta- brook and J. N. Hawkins. Any person desirous to promote the improvement of Vermontville and do all in his power to induce the erection of mills, factories, stores and other im- provements may become a member of the Association by signing his name _ to the constitution and by-laws. Especial efforts will first be directed to the re- pairing of the flour mill or the erection of a new one, as may be thought best, said mill to be provided with the latest improvec machinery for manufacturing first-class flour. Surely no place in the ountry is more in need of a good flour mill than is Vermontville, and if a mill will pay in any locality it will surely pay here, as we are in the midst of a fine wheat-raising country, with no good mill in the county nearer than Sunfield or Eaton Rapids and in Barry county at Nashville. There is no doubt that a mill that can make good flour will prove a good paying investment in this vil- lage. Let us all put a shoulder to the wheel and make it move. Some Sensible Sample Advertisements. The Tradesman commends the follow- ing sample advertisements as possessing merit of unusual order and strong draw- ing power: PARARBRIEDSHRPO Iw Our January Linen Sale offers more than an opportu- nity to see and admire an ex- traordinary display of fine linens; it gives every house- keeper in this city a chance é to supply her jinen needs ata quarter, and insome instances a third less than regular prices. That’s because we have had this sale in view for ‘many a day;” and every time an unusual linen offer- ing came to our notice we se- cured it for the benefit of our customers. How well we have succeeded in our effort to excel al our previous linen sales we'll leave the public to judge. Certain it is, if there’s a thing you need in linens it is an extravagance to over- lock this sale These prices should convince you. EBL EP ELAS IIIS TF Close Your Eyes... To quality and the world is full | of cyxeap things But with your eyes wide open the real good things are few and far between. When we buy our goods we look sharp for quality and workman- ship. If they are right we see © Q about the price; if not, 19 cents on the dollar won't tempt us to buy, for we havear putation at stake. If you buy anything here, it’s right; no matter how little you pay for it, it’s right. 2 oO 09900900 0000600606500 000 The Doctor Scolded the Women. ¢ “All those who have rubbers on to- night ! old up their hands,” said a r lecturing physician to his New @ @ York audience recently. O:.ly a @ ra few of the great crowd held up @ o their hands, and then the doctor @ guve the women several pieces of his mind for bei g out on a wet night without rubbers. We bave all the good kinds of overshoes for both women and children. Lowest prices rule. 3 e POOOSOOO 00000600 04060000 ® a ee | Good Resolutions. ! The day best fitted of all the year | Ht for the making of good resolutions | i is near at hand | iH New Year's Day will afford you || a splendid opportunity to resolve || | never again to wear ill-fitting || | shoes; never again to buy a shoe that does not give you its cost in wear; never again to risk buying of a dealer of whose shoes and | whose principles you know nothing. 1} Resolve to pin your faith to | Blank & Co —they who have been il tried and tested—they whose shoes you need not doubt SS re (e) Success or Failure=—— : of a mercantile business is in the question of profits. If goods are con- stantly sold below cost, failure is sure to come; if prices are marked way up, the people will not come but once, and trade is light. Tootigh or too low prices means failure. Just where the turning point is between too high and too low prices, is hard to determine. In marking our goods we have gone low instead of high. When we were in doubt where the turning point was, we gave the public the benefit of the doubt, and so we Can seil the stock cheaper. —— easily prove this by trading wit © @ © G@D DOOQDOOOQOOQOQQOQQOOQOOQOO© 90-0-0-0-0-00-0-0-0-0-00-0-0-000000-0-0-0; Oo Two Hundred Cent Dollars.... will be common in Blankville during the next two weeks— that is,if the pesple test the value of their dollars at our store, for every dollar speut here during our January sale will buy so many goods the pur- chaser will be surprised. We can't tell you a quarter of what vy you ought to know about the sale in this ad, but if you come to the store you won't more than step inside the door before you will begin to see more bar- gains than we could tell you about in a full page of this paper. Read this list of prices just to prepare yourself in a measure, fur what you will see vy when you visit the store. They won't more than give youahint, however, of what we are doing atour January sale. 00-0-0-0-00-0-0-0-0-0 < 9000-0-0-:0000-00000000 < 00-0-0-0-0-00-0-0-0-0-0 0-0-0-00-0-0-0-0-00-006 a © To Start .... : as e & the New Year = e we will place on sale to-day sev- a eral lots of shoes of various sorts, @ e in broken sives shoes that have a been among the best of the sea- @ e son’s sellers—shvoes that we have ™ a retailed regularly at from #250to @ e #3.50—at one price, $2.49, while @ a the lots last. e e We invite you to this New @ a Year’s feast. Will you come ? e @ a SOROROROHOROROROROROHONOBO > Lo 4 te te > Oy bh 4 yO ty bn bn A tn bn Ln Li bb br ee ee eb be be bo by bo bo bo bp he th bo he bi bi hi bi de hi hi be > > s$ % z > $ Trouser 3 Q $ 3 U $ 2 p * ¢e $ 2 $ 2 An extra pair of trousers is a > 2 good thing to have around the 2 2 house, for trousers need a rest as 2 2 well as man. You undoubtedly 2 2 have noticed huw “tired” looking 2 3 some trousers are that you meet 2 4 on the street— perhaps yours ap- 2 2 peer the same. Anyway, that suit 2 2 wi'l be greatly enhanced by anew 2 g pair bought at ourestablishment. 2 - > ae GUO UOC OE VOC OOOV EEUU EUV > 2._____ Free Advertising Opportunities. Correspondence Printers’ Ink, If I were a storekeeper I would never allow a package to leave my store with- out an advertisement inside of it—some- thing for the shopper to read when he or she gets home—a card, circular, booklet or something—and I would change the matter of it every month, every week, or oftener if I could. Is it generally known that people don’t care about carrying parcels that have advertisements on the outside? Is it not becoming generally known that the shrewdest shopkeepers now order their wrapping clerks to reverse the packing paper so that the name and ad- dress of the store is inside instead of out? Knowing that the parcel is going right into the home, is it not a good oppor- tunity for the enterprising merchant to introduce his advertising free of cost? A neat circular or booklet would fill the bill nicely. Failure to put advertising matter in consumers’ parcels is_ lost opportunity. Wrappers for parcels and designs for package labels are usually inartistic in effect and barren of much information. Even those who persist in advertising on bags and wrappers ought to have bet- ter matter thereon, and change it often- er. That kind of advertising should be more than a_ business card, and first- class in its preparation, because it costs nothing to place or distribute. But, whatever advertising there may be on the outside of a wrapper or package, there is always ample room to store away on the inside of it plenty of read- able and serviceable advertising matter. And the wonder is that more merchants do not avail themselves of these free ad- vertising opportunities. The only smoke the insurance agents are not afraid of 1s that of the S. C. W. 5c Cigar. Best on earth—sold by all jobbers. . Bicycles News and Gossip Concerning Wheels and Bicycle Supplies. There is a demand on the part of a considerable number of riders for gear cases, and some of the manufacturers have made up their minds to meet it, if possible. Hitherto any suggestion of the kind has been received with little favor in this country. In England, on the other hand, gear cases are in gen- eral use, and the same is true of mud guards, which are seldom seen on this side of the water. The principal rea- son for this difference is doubtless to be looked for in the differing climatic con- ditions. In England it rains on the slightest provocation, and a long period of fine weather is exceedingly rare. English riders accordingly have to be prepared for rain and mud, and equip themselves with means of protection against both—with rubber coats or cloaks in one case, and mud guards and gear cases in the other. Mud guards were furnished with American road wheels two or three years ago pretty generally but one is rarely noticed on a man's bi- cycle now. Gear cases are even rarer, but, nevertheless, an effort is now being made to meet whatever demand may exist. se ie There is something new in electric lamps, and a patent has been taken out on it. It is supplied with electricity produced by a generator attached to the rear fork, with an armature revolved by a band running from a grooved wheel on the rear hub. The inventor contends that when going at a moderate speed a light of normal candle-power is pro- duced, and, of course, the higher the speed the greater the light. The ad- vantage of this lamp over other electric lamps is that the weight of the battery is got rid of. The weight of the ap- paratus for the new affair is not given, but apparently it cannot be very great. Only a bulb would be needed on the head of the wheel, connected with the generator by a fine wire. a The principal item of cost in turning out a new model each year is that en- tirely new patterns are required, and to a considerable extent new machinery. The manufacturers have felt this keen- ly, and in one case at least a method of utilizing the patterns of the previous year has been hit upon. Bicycles of the pattern of the ‘96 wheels are to be put on the market the coming year, and sold at $75, as against the standard price of $100 for the model of ’97. They will be, so it is said, new wheels, and first-rate in every particular, save that they are not up to date. This is one of the ways in which the demand for lower-priced bicycles will be met. x + + Something was heard a number of times early in the year about a_ leather tire that was to be superior to tires of rubber and sold for a lower price. Nothing has yet come of these promises. The leather tire is not yet on the mar- ket, and there is no prospect that it will soon, if ever, make its appearance. The concern which was going to turn out the tires in large quantities has got into financial difficulties, and its affairs are likely to stay tied up. Some of its promoters believe as firmly as ever in the feasibility of making tires of sole leather, properly moulded. A man hav- ing many years’ experience in handling leather said to the writer, however, that it would be impossible to make a leather MICHIGAN TRADESMAN tire that would answer the purpose. ‘‘The trouble,’’ he remarked, ‘‘ would be in keeping the leather in condition after it once got wet. It would be cer- tain to get hard and crack. I have never heard of any preparation that would prevent this. See how the thing works practically. For shafting which is under cover, leather belting is used, but for outs:de work you will find rub- ber belting used almost every time. If a leather belt cannot be so treated that it will stand the weather, no mose can a leather tire. There need be no fear that anything will supplant rubber for that use.’’ The fact is that in the leather tires proposed some time ago only the outside, or ‘‘shoe,’’ was to be of leather ; within this was a rubber inner tube to hold the air. Another drawback to the leather tire, therefore, would be the firm hold which the single-tube tire has taken on the great majority of riders. Single-tube tires are so well made and can be so easily repaired that the field for the double-tube variety is steadily narrowing. * ok Ox An inquiry is made in the L. A. W. Bulletin for a description of skirt that will permit the wearer to ride a dia- mond-frame wheel. Perhaps a combi- nation of skirt and trousers which has recently been patented will meet the wants of the fair inquirer. The account given of this nondescript garment Says that ‘‘the rear portion is so made that it may for a part-of the distance from the waistband down be readily opened and, when the opening is closed an apron covers the skirt opening so as to give the appearance of an ordinary walking skirt.’’ If this description is not com- plete it is not the fault of the present writer. He has not seen the garment and has no desire to see it. ae ae A novelty in bicycles has been got up in Germany. It called the Eiffel tandem. The rear seat is at the ordi- nary height from the ground; the other rider is perched aloft some twenty feet, reaching his elevated position by a sort of ladder, presumably after the man_ in the rear has got the vehicle under way. There must be considerable difficulty in keeping the machine balanced. Such a vehicle can have no practical use, al- though it is suggested that the rider up aloft is in a position to keep a good lookout. is +) * The growing vogue of the wooden handle-bar suggests that a novel bar was put on the market this last year, which met with a small degree of favor. It was a steel bar of the adjustable type, covered over the entire surface with a preparation of cork, so that it could be grasped by the hand equally well at any point. It was believed that it would contribute to ease of riding, as the po- sition of the hands might be frequently changed without bringing them in con- tact with metal at any time. It did not go, however, and is now pointed to mainly as a curiosity. Many will doubt- less accept the wooden bar as an ad- vance on the steel one, but must riders will admit that there is still room for improvement in the grips, and _ that, if it can be found, material should be put into them that will absorb the vibra- tions more than the average grip does, and prevent the tired feeling that fre- quently assails the palm of the hand and ball of the thumb after several hours’ riding. ee * It is agreed on all hands that there wili be a greater demand for tandems next year than ever before. This year the demand exceeded the supply, and the makers were unable to catch up with it until late in the season. There are some new 1896 tandems in the market now that can be bought at a reduction from the regular price, but the number of them is not large. Perhaps the greatest run on tandems for 1897 will be on the com- bination style—that is, a diamond frame and loop frame combined. One tandem shown the present year had a double) : : : ; r , | policemen’s buttons, firemen’s buttons loop frame, and was designed for two women riders in ordinary costume. There are evident difficulties in mak- ing such a machine strong enough to stand the wear and tear to which it must be subjected. Me te The bicycle manufacturers have been unusually prompt in getting their 1897 models on exhibition. Not only are many of them already to be seen, but some of the makers have been ready to fill orders for the last few days, and announced that their new machines could be procured in time for Christmas presents. = + £ If one could examine a bicycle of the kind most popular six or eight years ago, he would have a realizing sense of the improvements that have been made. The easiest way is to turn back toa magazine or paper of half a dozen years ago, and look at the illustrated adver- tisements. Of course, pneumatic tires were then undreamed of, and the latest ideas in frames at that not remote day will bring a smile to the lips of those who keep abreast with what is going on in the cycling world of to-day. The glowing language of the advertisements accompanying the cuts also has a_tend- ency to excite mirth. One cannot help wondering, though, if it is possible for the next half-dozen years to show as marked improvements as have been made since 1890. a a The consumption of sherry and port in England has decreased in the last seventeen years from 11,000,000 gallons per year to 4,700,000, while tea shows an increase of 6,000,000 pounds during the same period, and light wines of nearly 2,000,000 gallons. Facts About Buttons. Everybody is aware of the button craze now sweeping over the country, but few know that buttons are a com- paratively modern invention. This is the age of buttons, says the New York Journal. We are slaves of buttons. Buttons ot high and low degree, ornamental but- tons, useful buttons, campaign buttons, bicycle buttons, club buttons, official buttons, military buttons, navy buttons, all kinds of buttons, not forgetting the evasive, elusive collar button, furnish proof of the assertion. The people of the United States un- button 1, 400,000,000 buttons every night, when they get ready to go to bed, and the next morning they rebutton the same I, 400,000,000 buttons, unless a few million have been lost in the struggle. Then other millions of buttons must be sewed on. In the fourteenth century there were buttons—but no buttonholes—and_ there wasn’t a button factory in England until the close of the seventeenth century. This button was purely ornamental, for, lacking a buttonhole, it couldn’t make itself useful, and the question arises how our ancestors managed to keep respectably covered. Of course, when a knight appeared in mail, there could have been no ap- prehension as to the stability of his covering, for it was composed of iron and riveted on, but how did a High- lander keep his kilt in place? Was it firmly skewered with a bog-thorn for a safety pin? The Romans were circum- spect in this regard. Yards and yards of material employed in their togas were wrapped and entwined about the wearers. Two hundred years ago there were not as many buttons in the whole world as one will find to-day in the smallest ‘‘notion’’ store. Each one of these but- tons was made by hand. It was not un- til 1745 that any considerable manufac- tory was established. In that year the famous Soho works were opened at Bir- mingham, England, where steel but- tons were made of such beauty and finish as to command a price of $700 a gross, or $5 each. On the accession of George III. gilt buttons became fashionable, and the price varied from a few shillings a dozen to $100 apiece, depending on the char- acter of the work and the depth of the purchaser’s pocket. The first button factory in the United States was established in 1848. J. A. MURPHY, General Manager. FLOWERS, MAY & MOLONEY, Counsel. The Michigan Mercantile Agency SPECIAL REPORTS. LAW AND COLLECTIONS. Represented in every city and county in the United States and Canada. Main Office: Room 1102, Majestic Building, Detroit, Mich. N. B—Promptness guaranteed in every way. ica l Our facilities are unsurpassed for prompt and efficient service. handled until collected. ilitie and references furnished on application. All claims systematically and persistently Terms W| e cordially al each olherdn iT Ts | familiar fone And we Se Pratt 232. 897: Greeting! the thousands of satisfied Clipper riders, to the hun- dreds of Clipper dealers, we wish you one and all a prosperous year; we thank you heartily and sincerely for the many kind words you have said in our behalf. your patronage, and while we have done our best to give you what you have paid us for, we realize that without your trade we would not be in existence as an organization. intend to reciprocate by offering a line of Clipper bicycles from which you may select that which best suits your requirements, at a price as low as consistent with good material, well paid labor, and a fair maker's profit. business will be the building of Business Bicycles which will be considered good business to sell or ride. We appreciate We Our MADE aY } e vie (an fRems (Fae be tae ear be yh ath, a ttn cae Suaeeaoeiih aaeatonen: teak etd hain tick oem fens haael wih eis Deeded cantare ne 4 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Around the State Movements of Merchants. Eaton Rapids—C. H. Cowan has as- signed his grocery stock to Wm. H. Per- rine. Bay City—Tenny & Raymond succeed P. W. Gardiner in the furniture busi- ness. Unionville—Kolb & Gever succeed Durkee & Kolb in the hardware and im- plement business. Hillsdale—W. W. Donaghy succeeds Donaghy & Co. in the furniture and undertaking business. Henderson—Dr. S. Ludlum has sold his drug stock to Dr. Lumby, the trans- fer to take place Jan. 1. Benton Harbor—Judson E. Rice suc- ceeds Loomis & Rice in the picture frame and wall paper business, Chesaning—The Union Supply Co. succeeds Fred H. Blakesley in the mu- sical instrument and sewing machine business. Muliiken—Lawrence & West have completed a cold storage warehouse and will shortly embark in the egg and produce business. Armada—Partch & Castle, dealers in agricultural implements, buggies and carts, have dissolved. The business is continued by Chas. H. Castle. lonia—Bible & Thompson have sold their grocery stock to Amphlett, San- derson & Co., who will continue the business at the same location. Cadillac—Leslie & Co. have decided to discontinue the sale of dry goods, continuing the grocery business in con- nection with their new timber enter- prise. Kalamazoo—Day Bros. have sold their drug stock to C. W. Cook, formerly en- gaged in the retail drug trade in Grand Rapids, but for the last three years head clerk for Geo. McDonald, of this city. Mr. Cook will continue the busi- ness at the same location. Detroit—Frank Inglis has sold his drug stock to his clerk, Christian Purtscher. Mr. Purtscher has enjoyed the reputation for some years of being one of the best, if not the very best, drug clerk in the city. Mr. Inglis will go into the manufacturing business. Detroit—Articles of association have been filed with the Register of Deeds by the Andrew T. Gray Co., Limited. The concern has a paid up capital of $9,500, and is to exist for twenty years. The co-partners are C. E. Letts, Charles F. Osborne, A. T. Gray, John P. Terns and Charles A. DeLong. The company will deal in ice and ice apparatus. Manistee —Judge McMahon has issued an order directing C. W. Conat, as- signee of Karlson & Forsberg, to dis- pose of their shoe stock at wholesale or retail, whichever he may deem more advantageous to the creditors. The Judge issued arother order directing the assignee to permit the assignors to first claim and select their lawful ex- emption of $250 each. Plainwell—Geo. G. Starr, who has been identified with the drug trade of this place both as clerk and_ proprietor since 1880, died Dec. 19,as the result of an operation for appendicitis performed Dec. 12. Deceased first entered the em- ploy of the late Morrison Bailey, where he held the position of clerk and assist- ant until the fall of 1888. Deceased and A. L. Thompson then purchased the stock of Mr. Bailey and began business for themselves. This partnership con- tinued for about two years, when Mr. Thompson desired to sell his interest. [t was bought by the Arnold brothers— Levi and George—who became silent partners in the firm, leaving the entire management of the business to the junior partner. In 1892 deceased bought out their interests and had since carried on the business independently. Hewas an energetic young man and a prosperous one, whose death is sincerely regretted by the entire community. Manufacturing Matters. Holland—W. A. Holley, head miller at the Walsh-De Roo Roller Mills, is having patterns made for an improved grain scale of his own invention. Albion—C. A. Barber, formerly of Montague, and his brother have estab- lished a factory here for the purpose of manufacturing a stove polish known as the Russian Stove Enamel. Manton—Williams Bros. are running their last block factory here day and night, keeping four machines con- stantly in operation. They have lately opened a branch factory at Mesick, where two machines are kept busy ten hours a day. —_—____~2~»--_— Cash Transactions Only Recommended. The Tradesman feels called upon to caution its patrons in regard to Charles F. Dickinson, who has sent out a large number of letters and circulars during the past week soliciting shipments of butter and eggs and quoting prices on eggs considerably higher than the mar- ket will legitimately warrant. Mr. Dickinson purports to do business at 27 East Fulton street, which is not a busi- ness place at all, but a private boarding house, where he and his wife reside. Mr. Dickinson is a young man about 27 years old and recently came here from Chicago, previous to which he claims to have lived in New York City, where he asserts he was employed by A. L. & J. J. Reynolds and also by Matthews & Willard. He recently made a_ small deposit in the Old National Bank, but does not claim to be possessed of any means in addition to this sum. His let- ter heads bear the name of the Old National Bank as _ reference, but the officers of that institution assert that such use of the name is entirely unau- thorized. The Tradesman has made diligent effort to interview Mr. Dick- inson, without result, and, pending further investigation, the patrons of the Tradesman are advised to deal with Mr. Dickinson on a spot cash basis only. He may be all right, and his in- tentions may be honorable, but some of his methods cause the Tradesman to re- gard him with suspicion. —_—_» 2. ____ A. J. Dayton has sold his drug stock to Wm. Barth and Theo. H. Weskey, who will continue the business under the style of Barth & Weskey. The part- ners are enterprising young gentlemen, who confidently expect to achieve suc- cess in their vocation. ——_>-2 + ____ The grocery business carried on at 825 South Division street for a number of years, under the style of Geo. H. Cobb & Co., will be continued in the future by Geo. H. Cobb at the same lo- cation. Hy ea Harmelink Bros. (Benjamin and Henry) succeed Archie David in the grocery business at 300 South Division street. ——-> > ___. All traveling men do not agree on the silver and gold question, but they all agree that the S. C. W. is the best nickel cigar on earth. Unfortunate Experience of a Clare Mercantile House. Clare, Dec. 28—On or about July 8, 1895, the firm of Mason & Boyd bought a bill of fruits from a gentleman by the name of Eill, who claimed to bea member of the firm known as the Sagi- naw Fruit and Produce Co., successors to O’Donald & Co., he agreeing to de- liver the goods and collect for same. The same Mr. Hill sold four or five firms in Clare, making the same state- ment to all; also stating that his house intended to run a car once a_ week through Clare and could save merchants the freight at least, which was some inducement to merchants to buy goods guaranteed to be Ar. On the rth of July the said Hill hired a dray at his own expense and delivered the goods to each merchant, having receipted at the freight office and paid the freight; but, on examination, the goods were found to be very poor and some of the mer- chants even refused to accept them. Mr. Hill went from place to place and made some reductions and delivered the Invoices to each, collecting and re- ceipting in full, excepting one firm, Mason & Boyd being one of the firms that paid. A short time afterward a draft was made on them by the Sagi- naw Fruit & Produce Co. for the amount of their bill, $11.65, which they refused, on the ground that it was paid as agreed and they held a receipted invoice; be- sides, the check was returned to them through the bank in the proper way, endorsed by the ‘‘Saginaw Fruit and Produce Co., per Hill.”’ The Saginaw house thereupon com- menced suit against Mason & Boyd in Saginaw county for their claim in full. The case came off Monday, Dec. 21, in the Circuit Court in Saginaw. Mason & Boyd wanted to show that Mr. Hill made the delivery of the goods himself and also of invoices for same, but the Court fositively refused to permit such evidence to be introduced and instructed the jury in O’Donald’s favor, as Mr. O’Donald claimed to be the Saginaw Fruit and Produce Co. himself, so that Mason & Boyd are compelled to pay heavy costs and the bill again. The business men of Clare are con- siderably put out over the matter and talk of discontinuing business in the Saginaw Valley,as they don’t know how soon some one else may turn on them for bills paid, and don’t consider the chances for justice very good in that county. Mr. O’Donald claimed that he em- ployed Mr. Hill on first sight and knew nothing as to his antecedents. It ap- pears as if it is about time business men should try and call a halt on such chi- canery, and courts should try and _pro- tect the merchants from such treatment, instead of encouraging business houses to engage total strangers and sending them out to ‘‘do up’’ the merchants of the country and get done up themselves, and then fall back on the merchant through some pretense and make him stand the loss that is unjust. JAMES F. TatTMAn. —_——_+0<-—___ How Grape Fruit Has Grown in Pub- lic Favor. Within five years grape fruit has be- come firmly established in favor in the larger cities, and the demand is con- stantly growing, yet there are many grocers who scarcely know it when they see it. Grape fruit is the largest and most handsome citrus fruit grown, many specimens attaining the size of the Japan melon, so well known. It is nearer the color of a lemon than it is that of an orange, but its outer cover- ing is as smooth as satin and its keep- ing quality remarkable. The meat is solid and the flavor is tart, but beware of the snowy-white inside covering, for that is as aloes. For use in kidney troubles and in _ fevers, physicians highly prize grape fruit, and formerly many patients went to Florida in order to make use of it. Now the trip is un- necessary, for that purpose at least, as the grape fruit comes to the patient and others. The best early fruit comes from Nas- sau and Jamaica, but some very fine Floridas arrived a few days ago. It is more plentiful this year than last, be- cause the West India growers were un- prepared for the American demand for it last year. Until after the Florida freeze they had not hoped to compete with the Florida growers, but this sea- son they were all ready and sent their choicest fruit here. The grape fruit really is an improved sort of shaddock. The name grape fruit is given to the improved sort be- cause of the habit of growth on the tree. They hang in bunches of three or four, and little circular marks on the skin show the point of contact, and do not indicate decay as many persons think they do. Following the West Indies fruit comes that from Florida, and_ lastly California sends her quota of it, but the latter is not so good as the rule. The season thus extends from October to February or March. oO How a Chicago Manager Treats Light- Fingered Clerks. ‘*No greater mistake could be made than to impose the heaviest penalty for any petty thieving that may take place among the clerks,’’ said the manager of a large State street store in Chi- cago. ‘‘ The evil is not eradicated, the store is not benefited by such a course, and the culprit, even if not of a vicious nature, after enduring the shame of ex- posure, is likely to drift or be driven into the great class of felons. A wiser course for the store manager to take, when a case of stealing by an employe comes to his notice, is to severely repri- mand, pointing out the dangers of such practice, and then, instead of turning the guilty one over to the law, send him or her back to work with the injunction to make the best of opportunities by honest effort, and with the assurance that the matter will be kept strictly secret. The chances are ten to one that that clerk will in the future prove to be one of the best in the store, so thorough- ly will he realize his indiscretion and so thankful will he be for his escape from punishment. ‘‘T speak from experience, and will cite one of a dozen or more specific cases that I have had to deal with, and that will go to prove what I have said. The head of the cutlery department once called my attention to a box of pen knives from which two had evi- dently been taken, as a broken box never comes from the factory or store- room. All the circumstances led to the suspicion of a stock boy, and being confronted with the charge, he con- fessed. I knew the boy to be of good parentage, and was satisfied upon his own statement that this was his first offense. That lad will never forget the lecture I gave him. He was sent back to work, and nothing more was said about it. For a time he was watched, and the department head was soon con- vinced that there was no danger of a repetition of the act. The boy worked to redeem himself in our eyes, and in doing that he worked himself up to be one of the most valuable and trusted clerks in the store. ‘It would no doubt have been less bother to have discharged him, and many others who, like him, have de- parted from their naturally honest in- stincts, but I prefer the more lenient treatment of such cases—I even believe it is better business policy.’’ ———> 2. ___ It is very generally conceded that the Peninsular Trust Co. has made a ten strike in securing the services of Judge Perkins, who will hereafter devote his entire time and attention to that institu- tion, occupying the position of Treas- urer. Mr. Perkins has been identified with the Probate Court of Kent county for the past twenty years and probably has as wide an acquaintance among the people of the county as any man in the city. ——_>2.>__ We have photographed over 300 of the Michigan traveling men. Studio, 21 Canal street. proprietor. Grand Art T. F. Noble, MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 5 Grand Rapids Gossip The Fruit Market. Lemons—It is now possible to secure as many grades of stock as a dealer's needs may require and at prices in keeping with the quality. The importa- tions are regular and quite heavy, which has resulted in giving buyers the long end. There is no reason, however, why any dealer should anticipate his needs much in advance of the require- ments of regular business, as arrivals continue in usual quantities, and the certainty of continued low prices pre- cludes the possible hoom by speculative purchases. The mild weather which has characterized the winter so far has _ en- abled the carriers to transport the fruit to its destination safely, and frozen goods have been practically unknown. The present prices of local jobbers are low and are probably as near bed rock as they will be, so the retail trade need have no hesitancy in buying a two weeks’ or thirty days’ supply. Bananas—For some reason there has been a very limited demand for this va- riety of fruit for a few months past, and local commission men are at a loss to understand why it is so. During the peach season the demand has always been light, but it has usually revived again about October 15 and reached the regular volume by Christmas. This year, as above stated, has been an ex- ception and no one seems to care much whether they have bananas or not. As a result of this feeling, carload ship- ments to this market have been very few during the year now closing, and there is nothing to warrant a belief that much improvement over present condi- tions will be noticeable before the ad- vent of warm settled weather. There is too much risk to be assumed in or- dering carloads where there is any un- certainty as to the possibility of dis- posing of them quickly. The local Ital- ian retailers buy a car and divide it among themselves and are thus enabled to secure the benefit of lowest prices and, through the medium of the retail demand, derive a fair profit, without running much chance of loss. It will probably be a long time before compet- ing fruit dealers of this city conceive the idea that they are ‘‘kings’’ in the business and order as_ indiscriminately as they were wont to do two or three years ago. At that time a few importers fell into the habit of making ccnsign- ments and those who bought outright found it ‘‘hard sledding’’ to meet this competition. The result was a demor- alization of that which, under proper methods, would have proven a remuner- ative business. The importers referred to have since ‘‘dropped their bundle,’’ as might have been expected, and the distributing agents have learned wisdom and now exercise due caution in the handling of such perishable commodi- ties. Oranges—There has been a most de- cided decline in the price of this fruit during the past week. They ruled high up to and including the holiday de- mand, but since Christmas the market has broken and holders are disposed to treat prospective purchases most leni- ently. California Seedlings are being pushed forth rapidly and find ready sale at the reduced figures. The fruit is well colored and in a very short time the now pronounced acidity will have been entirely overcome and the real California orange, in all its palatable- ness, will be displayed by every vendor of fruit from one end of the country to he other, and at prices which will ap- peal, without denial, to the pocketbook of every passer-by. The Navel—free from seeds and representing the real cream of the California orchards—is coming forward slowly, but the quantity will soon be larger and adequate to the demand. The foreign fruit, such as Messinas and Valencias, is entering the New York, Boston and Philadelphia markets in abundance and is being sold very cheap, in order to compete with the home grown fruit. One car of the Valencias has been brought to this mar- ket, but sales are contined almost en- tirely to the street vendors and such trade as finds it incumbent to herald price rather than value in order to at- tract purchasers. As the hoped-for bet- ter times gradually appear, the people will use fruit in greater quantities and the orange trade will net substantial re- turns to the dealers at large and bring smiles of gratification to the growers. Foreign Nuts—Now that the holiday demand is over, there is a perceptible loosening of the rigidity which charac- terized asking prices during the fore part of December. This applies espe- cially to filberts, Brazils, pecans and French walnuts, but the easier tone is in evidence all along the line from A to Z. Sales will be slower for some time and purchases will be made in small amounts, while sellers will be inclined to shade prices from list quotations. Black walnuts and butternuts are in good supply and are being quoted at 5cc per bu. Dates—Are also lower, owing to larger arrivals and a curtailment of de- mand, Figs—Continue to sell freely at un- changed prices. The quality is ex- ceptionally good. —___e2—.___ Statements Based on Misinformation. The Grand Rapids Herald recently interviewed an individual who is de- scribed as a ‘‘well-known business man who has made something of a study of municipal legislation and who has served in the State Legislature’’ on the much- mooted subject of the Poor Commission. This gentleman objects to the employ- ment of Mr. Le Baron as investigator for the Commission, on the ground that he ‘‘received his education, so to speak, in the employ of the Commercial Credit Co.,’’ which institution is charged with indiscriminately blacklist- ing people who are unfortunate—all of which goes to show that the gentleman is discussing a subject of which he has no knowledge whatever. The Commer- cial Credit Co. furnishes information of an advisory character only. It gives its subscribers a history of each person applying for credit, when asked to do so in the regular course of business, per- mitting the enquirer to form his own conclusions as _ to the character and re- sponsibility of the applicant, based on an accurate knowledge of his record as disclosed in his dealings with other merchants. There is a vast amount of misinformation rampant in the land on the subject of commercial agencies, and the Tradesman commends such igno- ramuses as the gentleman quoted by the Herald to a careful study of the agency system before indulging in such un- warranted and_ indiscriminate con- demnation. —____» 4-2 The Hazeltine & Perkins Drug Co. has the order for the drug stock of Bug- bee & Roxburg, who have arranged to open a new Store at Traverse City early in January. The Grocery Market. Sugar—The European markets have seen some fluctuations during the week, both upward and downward, which have netted about the ruling figure. Foreign refined seems to be slightly stronger. The domestic raw market is unchanged, being quiet, with no demand. The Trust is at present buying no raw sugars to speak of, having sufficient on hand to last some little time. The consump- tive demand for sugar is very small, as is usual at this season. No increase in trade can be looked for prior to the late spring. Teas—Everything seems to be held firmly, and those of the trade who wish to buy are compelled to pay full prices. A circular from China, received during the week, states that the combined ex- portation of country green teas to both America and England would this year not exceed last year’s exportation to America alone. Some teas are selling, probably only about half the ordinary trade during other months. Prices show no particular change over last week. The most conservative of the trade now expect prices to go no higher, even though a considerable volume of business should ensue toward the last of January. Provisions—The provision trade has been characterized by a moderate vol ume of current business and quietude in speculative operations. The changes in range of prices of leading articles have not been striking. There is much of interest manifested in the question of probable supply of hogs to be marketed in the next two or three months and later. The sources of supply cover so great an area, and the changes that oc- cur from time to time in the tendency to increase and to decrease the raising of such stock, thereby shifting the basis of larger supplies, render it difficult to compass the question with any de- gree of certainty. The large corn crop of 1895 served to stimulate interest in production of hogs, and the marketings for the eight months ending Nov. 1 were without precedent in numbers. With another large crop in sight, low prices were looked forward to by packers and others, and, as a result of this in- fluence, with also fear of losses from maladies, the marketing prior to No- vember was especially large, apparently closely up to the limit of marketable stock. The supply since October has not been as large as the trade has counted on, and prices have not been as low as looked for. It is now evident that the first two inonths of the winter season will show more than half a mil- lion short in the packing—but this may be made up in the subsequent two months. Molasses—Only a fair trade is being done in molasses. The supplies are quite fair, and the scarcity in finer grades is less apparent at present, ow- ing to the small demand. The price of the lower grades of New Orleans has, in New Orleans, declined 2c per gallon. Advices from that section give the im- pression that after the first of the year, when the demand should increase, prices on finer grades will advance. Rice—As reported last week, more or less business is being done by the fore- handed in the securing of stock against possible advance in January. Advices from the South note free purchasing along the Atlantic Coast, but almost painful quiet in New Orleans. Cables from abroad note drooping tendency, but unfortunately this welcome news for buyers is limited to stuff that enters in- to manufactures and does not pertain to styles suitable for the United States. Fine grades are firm, and unless all signs fail,are likely to harden and grad- ually advance until new crop can be reached. ———~> 0 2». The Grain Market. Wheat has been advancing siowly but steadily since our last report and we are enabled to record an advance of 2c_ per bushel. Trade is very sluggish and the hand-to-mouth method is pursued. Had there not been so many large Chicago bank failures, also the failure of a large Illinois miller, we probably would have been able to record a much larger ad- vance. The world’s shipments were unusually small, being 3,784,000 bush- els, of which the American continent contributed 2,115,000 bushels. The vis- ible decreased 720,000 bushels. From the above standpoint we may expect to see higher prices. We do not think there will be much trading until after January 15, up to which time we do not expect to see much change in prices. The deliveries from farmers are merely nominal and we can see nothing to_ in- crease them to any great extent unt! after harvest. There is no change whatever in the price of coarse grains, nor may we ex- pect to see any for some time, as specu- lators are not in a mood to trade in an article which is overabundant. The same is true of rye. The receipts during the week were rather moderate, being 34 cars of wheat, 6 cars of oats, 1 of rye, but no corn. Millers are paying 87c for wheat. C. G. A. Vorer. LI Flour and Feed. The past week has been a very quiet one in the flour and feed market, such as might be expected during the holiday season. The situation, however, is daily becoming stronger. Foreigners are steadily buying both wheat and flour at the advanced prices and have already taken and chartered vessel room for about all we can spare until another crop is harvested. The sharp advance of about 4o per cent. in the price of wheat and flour has not checked buying orders from abroad, as many supposed would be the case, and the question now is (if the demand continues) how much higher prices holders of cash wheat will demand. The outlook is certainly very strong and prices will, no doubt, be well maintained, with an upward tend- ency. Bran is 5o0c per ton lower for the week. Feed and meal are steady, with but little demand. Wm. N. Rowe. ——~o-0 Purely Personal. W. A. Stebbins, formerly of this city, is now Secretary and Treasurer of the Lubroleine Oil Co., of Baltimore. J. H. Hagy, for a dozen years in charge of the sundry department of the Hazeltine & Perkins Drug Co., but for the past four years engaged in the retail shoe business on Canal street, has re- turned to the employ of the old house in his former capacity. Sn ak tie a Oyster Prices Advancing. In the East oyster prices are surely and steadily advancing, but during this week F, J. Dettenthaler, of Grand Rap- ids, will bill those famous Anchor brand oysters at the same old prices. He ex- pects to profit all right during the sea- son because of the immense quantities sold. —__»-2 No advance on Gillies New York teas. Phone Visner, 1589. bs cesta chsie ek MARR TUM weet iain 6 soe 6 Fito! RA htseacn liven aa teciaptcadav mr bableeant Mis Bechtel, che A WRN a Sas aed Re ee ee kat Ral dbish eho Soy. ou AEA Ce MICHIGAN TRADESMAN GOTHAM GOSSIP. News from the Metropolis---Index to the Market. Special Correspondence. New York, Dec. 26—Christmas com- ing on Friday leaves us with a market record here of only four days, and prac- tically but three. During that time we have had an unchanged market and a steady volume of trade with jobbers generally. This trade, however, is of a holiday nature largely, and to speak of a ‘‘ great trade revival’’ is to talk of something that does not exist. In fact, the reports of Dun and Bradstreet are anything but encouraging. They tell of failures and shut-downs and, in fact, are distinctly unfavorable. Coffee has remained pretty well sus- tained and as a better state of affairs is cabled as existing at primary points, it is hoped this may be reflected here. The merry war between the sugar and coffee men is regarded with interest by some and indifference by others. On the street former prices still prevail. The sugar market is almost without change either for raw or refined. The demand has been only for enongh to carry the purchaser over until the end of the year and, of course, the supply is sufficiently large to prevent any delay in filling orders. Teas are about as dull as at any time on record. Prices are all things tor all teas. The auction sales attracted few buyers, who seemed to take only a_ per- functory interest in affairs. The demand for rice has been quite satisfactory for the few working days and orders have come to hand from quite an extended section of the coun- try. Prices are steadily maintained on the former basis and dealers generally have had a satisfactory year. In spices absolutely nothing is doing. Dealers seem to have abandoned the street, and conditions that prevailed a week ago are in vogue now. Canned goods are very quiet. Al- though the demand _ has been nothing, prices have been extremely well main- tained and, altogether, the year goes out with a better condition generally than has prevailed for many months. Corn is said to be purchasable from jobbers at a lower rate than it can be obtained from the packers themselves, as jobbers are anxious to dispose of the accumulation on hand, and which they obtained some time ago at rates below those prevalent now. Lemons and oranges, bananas, pine- apples and that line of fruits generally known as foreign green have been mov- ing in a moderate manner,and probably the year will close with what will seem to be a slump after what we have had in the way of holiday trade. Prices of lemons are very low, even for this time of year. Dried fruits are moving slowly and at what seem to be unprofitable rates. For the very finest grades there has been a rather good movement. but the week was too short to obtain much of an estimate as to the general volume of trade going on. Butter is firm and the cold wave has had the effect of establishing a rate 1@2c higher than a week ago. Eggs are scarce and fetch almost any price. It is practically impossible to find any stock worthy the name of fresh, and almost any price is paid for such goods. The cheese market has been fairly active and for fancy September make the demand was especially good, both for export and home use. Prices are firm and likely to remain so tor some time. The store windows this year are more than ever before decorated with living exhibits that illustrate in one way or another the wares to be had inside. These human decorations invariably at- tract large crowds, and are evidently a good advertisement for the shop-keep- ers. One that keeps the largest crowds in front of it is composed of four young girls playing a new game, and they do it with so much evident enjoyment that the people watching from the side- walk enjoy themselves sympathetically. Farther down Broadway a window ina clothing store is fitted up as a room, and in this a man walks about brushing his hair, adjusting his scarf, and oc- casionally taking off and putting on his coat. This does not interest passers-by so much as the four girls in the win- dow up town, but it attracts always a fair crowd. Evidently there is more variety in a few of these living figures than in all the most dazzling displays that have been arranged. It is usually a difficult thing for the buyers of the big department stores to foresee what one article above all others wiil prove the most popular with small boys who have reached the age when they may claim the privilege of notify- ing their parents in advance what they expect for Christmas presents. High rubber boots have been the favorite in Brooklyn this last week, and the strong demand for this special article found most of the stores unprepared. ‘‘We sold out our entire stock of boys’ rubber boots,’’ said one manager, ‘‘and when we attempted to renew it we found that every other department store in town had had the same experience. Appar- ently every boy in Brooklyn had sug- gested that such a present would be ac- ceptable. Last year we were caught in the same way on small stationary en- gines. Until Christmas week we are in the dark as to what will be the popular article of the holiday business, but I don't think that we have ever been so badly fooled as we were this year on rubber boots.’’ The men who manu- facture cheap novelties for street vend- ers have sold quantities of stained clay images of Li Hung Chang this last week. Park Row, Ann, Fulton, and Vesey streets have been lined with venders who have exhibited these im- ages as their most popular novelty. In one of the down-town streets now fallen from its estate as the residence of fashionable people is a small gro- cery store in the basement of one of the old-fashioned dwelling houses that are to be seen on either side of the street. Most of the houses about it are given up to boarders and lodgers, and scarcely one of them retains the old-time claim to exclusiveness and fashion. In the window of the little grocery store are some mouldy packages of spaghetti, dusty cans of sardines, and jars of olives that have evidently long waited in vain for purchasers. Apparently, few purchasers ever enter the shop, and those of the neighbors who have taken the time to think about the matter won- der why it is that there is so little ap- pearance of business about the place. But seldom during the daytime does the little door with an Italian name painted on it swing to and fro to admit custom- ers or anybody else. During the day- light hours the place is dull. Few of the neighbors notice this, because the boarders and the lodgers are workers who leave their homes early and are not, as a rule, away from them late at night. But sometimes belated passers are sur- prised at what looks like an appearance of unusual enterprise on the part of the grocery's foreign proprietor. Hansoms then stand near or in front of the little shop, and a light burns dimly behind the drawn blinds’ The street is dark save for the light that comes from a hotel not far distant, and when smartly dressed women issue from the grocery and step into the waiting vehicles, it surprises even more the passers-by. But these things happen always at night, when the rest of the houses in the region are asleep, and the neighbors see noth- ing in the little store to surprise them beyond the fact that it has so few cus- tomers and still exists on its stock of spaghetti, sardines and olives. ————>_2>______ Propose to Blacklist Dishonest Deal- ers. The orange packers and fruit growers of Southern California have held a meeting to consider the question of the shipment of their crops, and so _ control the markets that all business must be done on an f. o. b. basis—the only proper method of selling fruit. Deal- ers rejecting oranges without just cause are to be practically blacklisted. BEANS We are in the market daily for BEANS, POTATOES, ONIONS, carlots. Send large samples beans with best price you can furnish carlots or less. MOSELEY BROS., WHOLESALE SEEDS, BEANS, POTATOES, 26-28-30-32 OTTAWA ST., GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. DYDLDOPOHGPLGIS|OGHHSPH!GHH 9OOSPOHGOHH!GOOHGOHOGHOOOHESHOY @ ONIONS * APPLES * ONIONS : @ © $ SQUASH, CABBAGE, CIDER, ETC., in car lots or less. S © @ 8 Sorrespon your orders tome. HENRY J. VINKEMULDER, § ® GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. © ® We are a mail order Fruit and Produce House and can save you money. ® 500 900000009000000000000000 201010100OHOONHOOOOOOS ® 9900000 0000000000000006 90000000 0000000000000000 J. M. DRYSDALE & CO. WHOLESALE FRUITS AND PRODUCE, SAGINAW, E. S., MICH. : Fancy Catawba and Malaga Grapes, Oranges, Lemons, Bananas, Figs, Dates, Nuts, Cider, everything in our line for Holidays. 99000000 90000006 90000000060000000000000000000000 SWEET POTATOES, CAPE COD CRANBERRIES, SPANISH ONIONS, ORANGES, LEMONS. BUNTING & CO., 20 & 22 OTTAWA STREET, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. HAPPY * NEW | YEAR | TRADE WINNERS You need these times. ‘‘Upper Crust’? Mincemeat will call everybody in town to your store. Just try it. Sup- plied by all first-class jobbers. MEADER & KNUTTEL, Mfrs, Wholesale Foreign and Domestic Fruit and Vegetables OYSTERS The only exclusive Wholesale (yster Dealers in Grand Rapids. Prompt attention given to Mail and Wire Orders. See our quotations in: Price Current. ALLERTON & HAGGSTROM, 127 Louis St. PODOOOQOOO®© HNODOOOOODOOOODOOOOOOGQHOOOOOQOOQOOOOOOOOOOOOS ANCHOR BRAND OYSTERS Prompt attention given telegraph and mail orders. See quotations in price current. @ F. J. DETTENTHALER, Grand Rapids, Mich. —=——~a me © MOO©QOQOQOQOOOQOQ©OQ©OQOQO©QODQODOODOSO© DODDOODOE QDOODOOOOOODOOOO) a hAbbbb bbb bob hdr dn ist FUEGV OO V OS OS OV VVVUD You will find FANCY GOODS in Nuts, Figs, Honey, Grapes, Lemons, Oranges, Cran- berries, Spanish Onions, Sweet Potatoes at STILES & PHILLIPS, 9 N. IONIA ST., GRAND RAPIDS, Both Telephones 10. \P&B a VNC WSL DOODOOQOQDOOQO®QDOOE OOO [erat area aera MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 7 A Pineapple wee and What Came of It. ‘There, girls,’’ said Peg as she laid an apoplectic parcel on the dining room table, ‘“‘there is probably the finest pine- apple cheese on the isle of Manhattan !’’ ‘Pineapple cheese?’’ a chorus of dis- may and derision arose; ‘‘why pine- apple? Why not Brie or Camembert or-—’’ ‘‘Oh, I know,’’ said Peg loftily, ‘‘that you swells,’’ with a bitter em- phasis on the word, ‘‘affect all kinds of evil-smelling cheeses with your after- dinner coffee, but as I am plain and democratic in my tastes, I buy pine- apple cheese wherewith to regale myself when I come in, worn, jaded and faint with hunger after my day’s toil.’’ Then she hung up her sailor, cut off the head of her pineapple cheese, ~ scooped out a chunk and proceeded to eat it like a piece of cake. we three jeered. As Peg stood there greedily devouring her cheese, she did not look much like a girl whose heart was broken. She was plump, rosy and sturdy. She curled her hair. She was as different as_pos- sible from the accepted type of love- lorn maiden wasting away to a prema- ture grave from disappointed love. Yet we girls knew all about the dreadful quarrel Peg had with Jack Sheppard--a quarrel that broke off her engagement and sent Peg out into the world to seek a career. We four girls, Grace, Eleanore, Mar- garet, otherwise Peg, and the writer, have a tiny little box of a flat uptown where we play at housekeeping. We live in a chafing dish and the fire es- cape is our refrigerator. Every week or so we are visited by a big good-na- tured officer, who tries to look stern when he states he will surely be obliged to arrest us if we do not keep our fire escape Clear of bird cages, vegetables, fruit and flower pots. Then there ensues a spasm of tidying up, the plants and birds are arranged in the ‘‘drawing room,’’ as we call the tiny reception room, the vegetables are stored in the kitchen closet and the fruit is heaped ostentatiously on the sideboard. But someway, gradually, demoralization again creeps upon us, the fire escape allures and beckons us and flaunts its attractions as a storehouse before, us and we again succumb to its fascinations. Therefore we were not greatly sur- prised when Peg, after satisfying her healthy young appetite, proceeded to place her cheese just outside the win- dow upon the fire escape. ‘*Peg, you are crowding the refrigera- tor,’’ objected Grace. ‘“‘Do you want a call Flynn?’’ asked Eleanore. Dan Flynn, it may be remarked in passing, is the policeman who _ period- ically cleans out our refrigerator. ‘*Dan Flynn won't see it to-night,’’ said Peg calmly, ‘‘and I may eat the rest of it for breakfast.’’ This silenced us; there really was no argument to that proposition. We adjourned to the drawing room and while Grace prepared an article on ‘*How to Turn the Back Breadths of an Old Silk Skirt’’ for a ladies’ magazine, and Eleanore ran ever the new song she was to introduce in her next role, | gossiped with Peg about the newcomers who that day had taken the flat under us Meantime from Dan ‘“*There can’t be any women,’’ I re- marked, ‘‘for there wasn’t a rocking chair, a piano or a sewing machine, and there were whole cases of stuff inciden- tal to the accursed sex carried in.’’ It is by this term we are accustomed to speak of men in Peg’s presence. We feel it to be due to her. ‘Then there were rifles and walking sticks and clubs galore,’’ I continued, ‘‘a whole arsenal. I counted all sorts of weapons excepting a gatling gun. Can they be social highwaymen, do you think?’’ ‘‘All men,’’ said Peg oracularly, ‘‘are in a measure social highwaymen. Very likely this is an organized band of cut-throats. The details assuredly are suspicious. Grace, you know the chief of police, I believe.’’ ‘“‘T interviewed him once,’’ drowsily came from Grace, who had just arrived at the sponging and pressing stage of her article. ‘‘Very well, you know him, then,’’ said Peg severely. ‘‘I think you should call on him and ask him to look up these creatures and see whether four unprotected women are safe in living so near them.”’ ‘“Woulda’t Dan Flynn do as well as the chief?’’ asked Eleanore lazily hum- ming over the last bar of her song. ‘You see, Peg, the head of the depart- ment is a rather busy man, and as Dan Flynn is on our visiting list, it might be quite as convenient, mightn’t it?’’ But Peg made no answer to this idle banter. She sat engrossed in deep thought. Her blue eyes grew larger and dreamier. We all watched her with un- disguised admiration. She was so abominably pretty. I made sure that she was wandering through the maze of memory with her lost love, and ventured to rouse her, hoping she would rehearse some ro- mantic chapter for one’s delectation. ‘“Peg,’’ I asked softly, ‘‘of what, dear, are you thinking?’’ ‘*I was wondering,’’ said she with a little start, ‘‘whether these miscreants below us would steal my pineapple cheese. ’’ In the middle of the night we were aroused by a fearful crash in the kitchen. Grace, Eleanore and I rushed frantically about, confident that burglars were upon us. After scrambling for matches some minutes, with cold chills running down our spines, we at last got a light, only to discover Peg wandering about in her nightgown, looking very sheepish and nursing a broken head. ““I got up to see if the pineapple cheese was safe,’’ she explained, ‘‘and fell over the clotheshorse, which some driveling imbecile had left directly in my path.’’ We got her to bed, where she re- mained a day or so in company with vinegar and brown paper, smelling salts and cologne. Meantime the rest of us often met our new neighbors on the stairs. They certainly did not look like criminals. On the contrary, they were decidedly prepossessing in appearance. But Peg persisted in believing them to be house- breakers, and to have special designs upon her pet cheese, as the eagle glance of Dan Flynn had not yet fallen upon it. One afternoon, Peg, being quite re- covered from her fall and dressed in her most becoming tea gown, sat reading a reprehensible novel, occasionally look- ing up to state the financial loss her ill- ness had been, to say nothing of her loss to the artistic world, for Peg did nice little black and white sketches for some of the newspapers. Suddenly she threw down her novel with a sigh. ‘‘Judith, I’m hungry,’’ she announced; ‘“‘I think I'll have a whack at that pineapple cheese. A _ bit of biscuit, a glass of milk, and that cheese will save my life. pick in the kitchen. She dragged me into the kitchen, and telling me to get the milk and _ biscuit, leaned half way out the window to reach the cheese, which stood cheek by jowl upon the fire escape with Eleanore’s parrot. Come on, we'll At that moment a man’s voice floated up through the soft summer air. ‘*Look at that fire escape, Harry. | tell you it’s an outrage the way some people crowd their fire escapes. Looks like a tenement. Why in the mischief don’t they have a refrigerator? I'l bet my head there’s an old maid _ upstairs. A poll parrot and a pineapple cheese! Well, I’m blessed. ’’ I never could tell how it happened. Whether Peg’s nerves were yet shaky from her illness or from rage at the im- pertinence of the critic below stairs, I cannot say, but as she took up the cheese it slipped from her hands, shot through the opening and went down whack, bang on the head of the man, who, leaning from the window, was looking up to condenin the condition of our decidedly disreputable fire escape. There was a horrified exclamation from Peg, a muttering as of distant thunder from below, a sweet, imploring, ‘‘Ob! I beg your pardon,’’ and Peg came _ in through the window, her pretty face as red as fire and tears standing in the big blue eyes. ‘“The beast!'’ she wailed, ‘‘did you hear him? And _ ice 4o cents a pound. As if we could help being poor. An old maid, indeed! I'll show him. And my cheese, my _ beautiful pineapple cheese. Don’t talk to me, Judith, I could kill him. I wish it had knocked his bandsome, wicked head right off his shoulders.’’ And to my great amaze- ment, pretty Peg sat down on a kitchen chair and wailed aloud. ‘‘As if he hadn’t made me trouble enough,’’ she sobbed, ‘‘to come here to live, and dog my footsteps, and call me an old maid, and steal my cheese.’’ ‘*Who, Peg, who?’’ I cried, almost shaking her in my excitement. ‘*Who? Why, who could it be but that abominable, detestable Jack Sheppard, dear oid thing. No, no, Judith, I don't mean that. I hate him; I despise him. A man has indeed sunk very low when he steals the bread out of his former sweetheart’s mouth. ’”’ ‘*But Peg, dear, it wasn’t bread, and he didn’t steal it. You dropped it, you know.’’ |} ing from the drawing room. | through the halt-drawn portieres, | saw ‘*Well, he made me drop it with his nasty sneers about an old maid. [| won- der, does he think he’s the only man in the world? Anyway the parrot is Eleanore’s, and if you are my friend, Judith Faversham, you will make it your business to let him know that fact before you are a day older.’’ In the midst of this fusilade of wounded pride and dismay, there came a pull at the bell. 1 opened the door There stood Policeman Dan Flynn. ‘*T must trouble yez, Miss,’’ he said gravely, ‘‘to take in the chaase and the burrud. It don’t look proper at all, and I’m surprised that leddies like yez will persist in settin’ the laws at de- fiance. ’’ But Peg was before him like a whirl- wind. ‘‘We’ll take in Polly,’’ she cried, ‘‘and as for the cheese, it’s already been taken in.’’ ‘*Not foive minutes since,’’ said the officer reproachfully, ‘‘wid my own eyes did I see that chaase flaunting itself on your fire escape!’’ **Well, you go look on the fire escape below,’’ laughed Peg _hystericaily. ‘*‘The men who live downstairs, it seems, have not enough to eat or to do—’’ purposely raising her voice. ‘*They’ve got my cheese, Mr. Flynn, and it’s a case of highway robbery, and I think I wiil go around to the station- house and get a warrant or something.’’ Policeman Flynn looked at Peg in amazement. As for myself, I could nox speak for laughter. And, to cap the climax, at this moment up the stairs came a handsome fellow with a wicked gleam in his eyes, and bearing ona silver platter the remains of Peg’s pineapple cheese. ‘*Mr. Sheppard’s compliments to Miss Seymour,’’ he said, ‘‘and he has sent home her cheese. He begs she will count the pieces and see whether they are all here.’’ With a scarlet face, Peg shut the door upon Policeman Flynn and the young man, leaving the latter to explain the situation as best he could to the officer. A burst of suppressed laughter from the hall told us that an amusing and satisfactory explanation was being sup- plied. **Never,’’ said Peg, stamping a small foot, ‘‘never will I recognize that des- picable person, Jack Sheppard! I call you to witness, Judith, what I say!’’ Then she retreated to her bedroom and shut the door on the tragedy of her life Next day I came home early. As I let myself in at the side door, I was startled by a low murmur of voices com- Glancing ’ Peg in close conference with one of the miscreants from below stairs. ‘‘T don’t want to take the bread from your mouth, sweetheart,’’ he was say- ing, ‘‘nor yet the cheese. I will be sat- isfied with the kisses.’’ And then he helped himself. COUGH DROPS. 100 PER CENT. PROFIT TO DEALERS Satisfaction guaranteed to consumer. A. E. BROOKS & CO, “RED STAR” OF PURE LOAF SUGAR. 5 and 7 S. lonia St., Grand Rapids, Mich. HEN FRUIT —-— Is always seasonable. Eggs “just laid” get the very highest market price with me. Write me R. HIRT, JR., Market St., Detroit. COMMISSION M. R. ALDEN ll ff EXSLUSIVELY 98 S. DIVISION ST., GRAND RAPIDS. inde 2 ee wae ie ean ke SMA Dita dicssicernsccant annnadinainhiee ve Pali the Mp dmahaiaitie Bk i Ostet Nhe Avasnalrsthtledotdh RoR SOAS RON atte Se OR aM Ree ae Cs Bee MICHIGAN TRADESMAN N4RADESMAN Cae Devoted to the Best Interests of Business Men Published at the New Blodgett Building, Grand Rapids, by the TRADESMAN COMPANY ONE DOLLAR A YEAR, Payable in Advance. ADVERTISING RATES ON APPLICATION. Communications invited from practical business men. Correspondents must give their full names and addresses, not necessarily for pub- lication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Subscribers may have the mailing address of their papers changed as often as desired. No paper discontinued, except at the option of the proprietor, until all arrearages are paid. Sample copies sent free to any address. Entered at the Grand Rapids Post Office as Second Class mail matter. When writing to any of our Advertisers, please say that you saw the advertisement in the Michigan Tradesman. E. A. STOWE, Eprror. WEDNESDAY, - - - DECEMBER 30, 1896. RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION IN 1896. There is probably no interest so sen- sitive to financial disturbances as the railroads; hence it should cause no sur- prise that the records of railway con- struction for 1896 should show no _ in- crease; in fact, it is very gratifying that no large decrease has been demon- strated. The Railway Age, a journal which is an accepted authority on rail- way matters, has just published its usual annual compilation of railway construction during the year. Accord- ing to its figures, the amount of new track laid during the period under re- view amounted to 1802 miles, or exactly the same mileage as that built during the preceding year. While, therefore, no progress was made, there was no go- ing backward, a fact which, as already stated, should be considered highly sat- isfactory under the circumstances. When the year opened, the financial outlook was favorably regarded and it was generally believed that railway building would show greater activity than it experienced for some years pre- vious to the present season. As a mat- ter of fact,enough construction was pro- jected to warrant the belief that at least 2,500 miles of track would be built. Everybody is familiar with the strin- gency in financial matters which was precipitated by the presidential cam- paign and the silver agitation. To this cause, the Railway Age says, must be attributed the falling off of actual con- Struction from earlier expectations. “‘When we recall,’’ adds that journal, ‘the conditions of distrust and fear that overshadowed the country for the greater part of the year, the wonder is that men could be found willing to ad- vance in such times the $25,000,000 or $30,000,000 which the construction of even that mileage involved. In several cases the work in progress was stopped by failure to obtain the funds which had been provided, and the completion of the unfinished lines will probably stand to the credit of the coming year. For ten years past railway building has steadily diminished, decreasing from 13,000 miles in 1887 to 1,800 miles in 1896. Of course, it was not to be ex- pected that track-laying would be kept up for any length of time at the rate experienced in 1887, because the large mileage laid in that and the years im- mediately preceding and following filled, for the time being, the wants of the country in the way of the development of transportation facilities. A gradually diminishing scale of activity from the high-pressure stage of 1887 was, there- fore, to be looked for. The small mile age built during the past three years, however, the total being practically the same for each, unquestionably reflects the unfavorable which have existed, rather than a lack of demand for further railway extension. There is no doubt, for instance, that much more track would have been laid during the year just closing had the money been forthcoming, it being well known that considerable work actually commenced had to be stopped, owing to the difficulty experienced in financing new ventures, The construction of track, though small during the year, was very well distributed over the country. Out of forty nine states and territories, thirty- eight share in the mileage built. Some States, however, report but a very trifling amount, several being credited with only a single mile of new track. California heads the list, with 186 miles, and Louisiana comes second, with 154 miles. The Suuth received a good proportion of the new track built, 550 miles being credited to the states usually called Southern States. The total mileage of the United States is now a little more than 182,800 miles. CHANGES IN EXPORT TRADE. According to the statistical report of the Treasury Department for the first ten months of this year, the favorable conditions of the export and import trade still continue. The report shows a steady increase in the former, with a corresponding falling off in the latter. Some of the items of the report are of much interest. The increase in ex- ports, as compared with the corres- ponding period of last year, was 21 per cent. and the decrease in imports was IS per cent. Of the seventeen leading items of im- port only three show an increase: sugar, chemicals and drugs, and fruits and nuts. The most important gain was in sugar-——-over $26,000,000. Of the $8o,- 000, 000 total of this commodity $26,000, - ooo represents beet sugar, which is nearly five times the value of the imports in 1895. The increase was principally from Germany. The increase in the imports of cane sugar was from Hawaii, East Indies and all the sugar-producing countries of the globe except Cuba, from which the decline was to less than one-third the imports of the preceding year, or $10,000,000, against $34,000, - ooo. This 1s a sufficient commentary on the effect of the Cuban war on_ her American commerce. The next largest item of import is coffee, which declined $18,000,000. Manufactures of wool declined $19,000, - 000 and the raw material $12,000,000. Hides and skins declined over one- half, or $18,000,000, The import of tobacco tell off from $14,700,000 to $10,700,000, on account of the Cuban Situation. It is notable that, instead of importing flaxseed in large quantities, as has been usual, the United States has become an exporter. The most prominent increase in ex- ports has been in breadstuffs—g4o, 000, - coo—and cotton — $25,000,000— though the list showing increase is a long one. Perhaps the most significant increase is that in iron and steel and their manu- factures. These increased $10,000,000. Among the items is that of bicycles— $3,080,000, against $158,000 for 1895. financial conditions GENERAL TRADE SITUATION. Holiday week is generally a time when there is little to be said about trade. Travelers are usually off the road and the work of rounding up the year's business by inventory, etc., and of mak- ing preparation fcr the future takes precedence of the consideration of cur- rent trade. The general outlook is with- out material change. There is some disappointment over the volume of busi- ness during December, but this is on the part of those who are expecting too sudden a bound to prosperous condi- tions. Since the iron combinations have gotten out of the way there seems to be a natural movement of the prices in that branch of trade in the right direc- tion. As a consequence of the break- up, Bessemer pig declined to $10.50 at Pittsburg, but has recovered so that sales have been made at$11. Billets de- clined to $15 at Pittsburg, and sold heavily ai that price, 300,000 tons hav- ing changed.hands. Rails are quoted firm at $25, the new price. A sale of 2,000 tons of sheet bars is reported at Pittsburg for export to England and there is further movement in the same direction from the Southern furnaces. While the movement of wheat has been duller on account of the holiday season, prices have been more than maintained during the week, scoring a positive advance. The movements in the price of this cereal are so slight from day to day that it would seem as though it had settled upon about the natural basis, which is likely to be maintained. Other grains are firm, in sympathy with wheat. Exports of the latter have declined, while the move- ment of corn continues heavy. The wool market has pretty well lost its activity, as manufacturers are slow in buying, on account of the continued lack of demand for the finished prod- ucts. Cotton is lower and, while the price of prints is unchanged, the de- mand is very unsatisfactory. Hidesare higher again. The loud talk in the Senate on the Cuban situation naturally affected the stock market, but the recovery was prompt. The bank failures in the West and Northwest are of little significance in the general situation, as they are de- pendent on local causes, Failures are 32 less than last week, or B27. A HEALTHY REVIVAL. While dissatisfaction is still expressed by many that there is not a decided boom in trade, most are coming to rec- ognize the fact that there is a substan- tial, healthy revival all along the line. Of course, it naturally followed that, in the first rush after the settlement of the political controversies, there should be some enterprises which presumed upon the ‘‘good time coming’’ to too great an extent, and that such enterprises should be pushed by the addition of large forces to an unwarranted extent, which would make reaction and disap- pointment inevitable. But it is remark- able that these circumstances have de- veloped in so few instances. Not only have most of the factories which thus seemed to be presuming too much been kept in operation, but there has been a general] addition to the working forces all over the country, but in such small numbers as to excite little notice. Their aggregate is very large, and the fact of the steady growth of these is more as- suring than the more showy announce- ments of great undertakings. Many seemed to expect that all the conditions of heaithy demand and _ con- sumption would be immediately man- ifest in all lines of trade. They did not take into consideration that at the time of the beginning of the revival it was too late for general fall and winter trade to materialize to any great extent. There was scarcely preparation for it on the part of the merchants themselves; and, as to the consumers, what could be ex- pected from those who were just begin- ning work after long periods of idle- ness? There was an accumulation of pressing debt—rent and other claims as well as those of the merchants—which stood in the way of liberal buying. Then it seemed decidedly pleasant to feel a little money in the hand and there was a greater reluctance to part with it than if it had been an accustomed sensation. After the long deprivation money as- sumed a greater value; and it will be some time before people are educated up to the normal liberality of buying. In fact, the lesson of this deprivation will produce a healthier economy and a greater care as to credits, which, while tending to conservatism in trade, will eventually lead to better conditions. In view of these circumstances, the general reports as to the recent holiday trade are decidedly encouraging. From every locality. statements are to the effect that, while there seemed to be manifested a greater economy as to the amount of purchases, there was a great- er trade as to the number than ever be- fore. In view of all the conditions, this is as favorable a showing as could be hoped for. . In many ways the generally improv- ing conditions are becoming evident. One indication is found in the improv- ing business of savings banks and other depositories of money. There is re- ported a decided increase in deposits almost everywhere, which shows that the people are getting money. While, to the suffering lines of trade, the in- crease in its use may seem to be slow, it is no less sure that it is marked by a healthy conservatism. As was predicted, the wave of feeling which swept over the country on account of the death of Maceo has quickly re- ceded. The activity manifested by Congress and the apparent opposition of the administration at one time seemed likely to lead to interesting complications. Swayed by the impulse of feeling, the course of the Attorney- General in pronouncing so positively against the proposed action of the Sen- ate in favor of the Cubans was almost universally criticised; but calmer thought is leading many to believe that be is nearly right in his position and in the positiveness of its assertion as far as Cuban independence is concerned. The recognition of the belligerency of the struggling Cubans would be a vastly different matter from the recognition of a government which has no manifest existence. Such a recognition should have been accorded at the time it was authorized by Congress last spring. It was the apparent reluctance to thus re- gard the reasonable wishes of Congress and the people which makes them im- patient in matters of a more radical na- ture now. It is probable that the recog- nition of belligerency would soon result in the materialization of a government which would make the question of the recognition of independence a reason- able one. _ There are many systems of book-keep- ing in vogue. None in use can be re- garded as perfect unless the book-keep- er is honest. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN THE REAL MEANING OF DEBT. It is a common, but false, notion that a country or community in which there is a great deal of borrowing of money by the people is a country plunged in distress, because its people are in debt. When people who are engaged in busi- ness, or in conducting industries, bor- row money actively, it is a sign that they are carrying on extensive opera- tions. They can get money because they have the credit necessary, which means that they have property, either in the form of securities, or merchan- dise, or real estate, which they can pledge tor the loans. They can_profit- ably use the money in extending their business, and so they borrow it where it is to be had, and money is always to be had on good security. The Baltimore Sun, which has been delving in the records of the census, brings out some figures of the compara- tive indebtedness of the people of the several states. The records show that in New York City alone there are more mortgage debts and debtors than in half a dozen states of the Union. The lat- est available census returns show that the mortgage debts on farms and homes in New York State amount to more than double those on all the Southern States from Maryland to Texas, although the population of these states is four times as great as that of the Empire State. The mortgage indebtedness of New York exceeds by $60,000,000 that of all the states and territories west of the Missouri River. The four typical Northern and Eastern States commonly spoken of as the creditor States—New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Jersey—owe more than $60,000,000 of mortgage debts in excess of the simi- lar debts owed by the seven Central States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Mich- igan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. There are six States in which the mortgage indebtedness of the people is above $100, 000,o00o—namely, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa and Massachusetts. These six States con- tain only one-third of the total popula- tion of the United States, but their peo- ple owe more than one-half of the grand total of all the mortgage debts of the country. The Southern States, all added together, with a population of 22,000,- ooo, have a total mortgage indebtedness of $171,000,000. The single State of Pennsylvania, with only one-quarter of the population, owes $211,000,000 on mortgages. The single State of Illinois, with only one-fifth of the population, owes $177,000,000, which is $6,000,000 more than the aggregate of the fifteen Southern States. Now, what does all this mean? Do the figures show that New York, New England and Pennsylvania are about to be plunged into bankruptcy? Not a bit of it. Those are States in which there is the greatest amount of money to the head of population. Those are States in which the people have the most money in the savings banks. They are States in which there is the vastest commerce, the most extensive manufac- turing and the greatest business activ- ity. The business community uses im- mense amounts of money, and _ necessa- rily much of it is borrowed. When no- body who can put up the required secu- rity wants to borrow money, it shows that business is terribly dull and times are bad. When the banks and capital- ists are busy lending money, it shows that business is active and times are good. Taking mortgages does not mean ruin and poverty, but growth and expansion. It is only when they are foreclosed and sold out at sheriff’s sale, as the result of stagnation and poor business, that the mortgages have any sinister character. CENTRAL AMERICAN FEDERATION After a reasonable delay for investiga- tion and consideration, the President has finally recognized the union of the republics of Nicaragua, Honduras and Salvador, under the name of the Greater Republic of Central America, and has received the credentials of the accredited diplomatic representative of that con- federation. In receiving the new Min- ister and Envoy Extraordinary, Mr. Cleveland declares that the recognition accorded the Greater Republic of Cen- tral America must in no way relieve any of the former Central American re- publics composing the union from the obligations they may have contracted to the United States. This formal recognition makes it clear that, in the opinion of the admin- istration at Washington, the new confed- eration of Central American republics promises to be permanent. It is true that Guatemala and Costa Rica, two of the Central American republics, have not agreed to join the union, a fact which makes the confederation a very much less important combination than it would be did it include all the States. Guatemala alone has a greater pcpula- tion than all the other republics com- bined. It is believed, however, that the success of the combination of Hon- duras, Nicaragua and Salvador will ul- timately bring about a general confed- eration upon some equitable basis. Costa Rica could readily join the union without sacrificing anything and without having any claim to precedence over the other republics; but in the case of Guatemala, her large population compared with the other republics should entitle her toa larger represen- tation in the federal administration than the other States are accorded. Here is where the difficulty lies, as the smaller States are not prepared to accord Guatemala any greater recognition than they themselves receive. The people of the United States would hail with satisfaction the consolidation into one strong State of the five Central American republics. Such a federation would, in all probability, put an end to the constant revolutions, as well as_in- ternational wars, which now stand in the way of the proper development of the many resources of that part of the world. This country does a large trade with Central America, but the traffic would undoubtedly be much larger were the conditions existing there more peaceable. Were matters as well ordered in Central America as they are in Mex- ico, there is not the least doubt but that considerable American capital would seek investment there in developing the valuable resources of the country. Railways would be built and industrial enterprises inaugurated, so that in a few years the Central American States, in- stead of being poverty-stricken and feeble as they now are, would be rich and prosperous, as well as much more important politically from an_ inter- national standpoint. It is proposed that a college for fire- men be established in New York. In such an institution men could receive a course of instruction in scientific fire- fighting by the most approved methods. The project is being advocated by a number of prominent business men. War Spirit of the American People. The American people, made up of the most adventurous and enterprising rep- resentatives of the master races upon the earth, should be, by virtue of de- scent, as they are in fact, among the most restless, active, rash and venture- some of this planet’s inhabitants. Among the peculiarities of the Amer- ican feople is a passion for conflict, com- bat, battle, and they have never allowed more than three decades to elapse be- tween the close of one great national war and the commencement of another, while innumerable lesser struggles were almost constantly sandwiched between the greater. Before the war of the Revolution, which forged the thirteen original colo- nies into a nation, there had been con- tinual warfare with the French on the northern confines, and with the wild Indians who inhabited the greater part of the continent. From the close of the Revolution to the beginning of the war of 1812-15 with England, barely twenty- nine years elapsed. From that last war with England to the war with Mexico there was a period of thirty-one years, filled up, as was the period of alleged peace previous to it, with incessant con- flicts with the Indians, besides the war with Algiers in 1815. From the war with Mexico, which terminated in 1848, to the great civil war of 1861-65, the period was very short, but that was filled up with the bloody conflicts in Kansas and with the Indians. Since the close of the civil war, a long period of comparative peace has followed. The Indians have been wholly subdued, and, with the exception of the railroad riots in 1894, the American people have had no opportunity to in- dulge their passion for bloodshed and violence, save in the limited way of an occasional lynching bee. Thus it comes about that, since the close of the great conflict between the states, nearly thirty- two years have passed away, the longest intermission of peace ever known in this country. It is evident that characteristic un- rest of the American people and their love of battle have had but little oppor- tunity in the past three decades for any gratification or indulgence, and the sit- uation seems to be getting quite unen- durable, and, _ therefore, the Cuban trouble is apparently about to furnish an opportunity for an outrush of the pent- up National desire for war. But the American people are not wholiy united in this. It is a remarkable fact that the peo- ple of this country never have been united in any foreign war. In the first revolutionary struggle there was a large and active Tory population, which not only gave sympathy and money to resist the movement for independence, but took part in the war on the British side and fought against the patriots who were struggling for liberty. In the second war against Great Brit- ain there was so much opposition to it in New England that Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island refused to furnish troops, and on the 15 of De- cember, 1814, there assembled at Hart- ford a convention of twenty-six dele- gates from the New England States to devise means to end the war, without regard to the other states of the Union. But for the fact that negotiations for peace had already commerced between the nations, the treaty being concluded nine days after the assembling of the convention, there was much reason to believe that New England was medita- ting secession and intended to put it into execution. The Mexican war was extremely unpopular, particularly with the Whig party, which was then promi- nent in American politics. There never was but one war in this country which brought out its full fight- ing strength, and that was the terrible conflict between the sections, from 1861 to 1865. The people were able then to glut their desire for battle in slaughter- ing each other, and that conflict cost more lives and more money than did all the other wars of the Republic taken together. The American people have never at any other time displayed so much prowess or so thoroughly exhibited their fighting qualities as they did in the civil war, and all the circumstances warrant the conclusion that they never at any other time so heartily appreciated their opportunities for waging a san- guinary warfare as when they were fighting each other. It is a fact, as has been seen, that in every war with foreign countries the American people have not only shown no unanimity, but they have been seriously divided. The same sort of divided sentiment exists to-day as regards the proposed interference by the United States with the war in Cuba. It is probable that there is a majority of the American people in favor of a war with Spain, but the minority opposed to it is also very formidable. There is one circumstance, however, which has not been, perhaps, sufficient- ly considered. As is well known to those who are egging on the war feel- ing, the United States has only a small naval establishment compared with its immense coast line which must be de- fended, and which has not a modern fort or a modern gun in position for its protection. Under these circumstances it would be entirely possible for an enemy’s warship to cruise off the many thousand miles of coast line and bom- bard the towns and cities thus left un- protected. Of ccurse, no army could land and penetrate into the country, and the damage done by the enemy would be confined to the country along the coasts, chiefly of the Atlantic and Gulf waters. In this way the grudge which the West seems to entertain for the East could, if its people were brutal and unnatural enough to indulge such feelings, be satisfied by seeing the coast cities of the East thoroughly humiliated by having to pay heavy contributions or suffer bombardment. It is not likely that any such feeling as has been suggested exists in this country, although the American people have shown that they love to fight each other best of all; but it is certain that the people are hopelessly divided on the subject of desiring a war with Spain, and it will be most interesting to see what Congress will do as to inter- ference in behalf of Cuba. RADIX. ED Experiments at the Philadelphia mint with pure nickel for the 5 cent piece have proved that that metal is too hard for the purpose. Further experiments are to be carried on with various alloys. The pure nickel coins are said to wear very well, according to the Swiss and Austrian mint officials. A good suggestion comes once ina while from the Coal City. The public library of Pittsburg has what is called a ‘‘city day.’’ The object of this is to have the city officials visit the institu- tion in a body and learn something about how it is being worked. Sisk nance pie thei bene arial ok tala bdo dae 3s IEA bo NE see eS aa EL LORE ODOM MLE eae or EA ah 10 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN TRIALS WITH A TRUNK. Wife of a Traveling Man Tells of Her Experiences. Girls, should one of you ever be so fortunate or unfortunate as tu marry a traveling man, never, under any cir- cumstances, permit yourself to be in- duced to use his trunk in making a journey. Be warned in time. It would be bet- ter by far to tie your belongings up into a hundred and one bundles than to at- tempt it, for no matter how good a man you may think your husband, his trunk will have imbibed all the wickedness of the traveling man in general, and will do the most unheard-of things. At the very moment you are congratulating yourself on its strength and durability, it is liable to go off on a tear with your best bonnet; Its very age gives it anair of respectability, which is entirely mis- leading, and pasted over as it is with express companies’ cards, covered with scratches, and with tags flying, it looks *“experienced.’’ And so it is. Such a one was my husband’s. I thought, as I looked at it musingly, how long it bad been his companion, how many miles it had traveled with him, voyaging the ocean to London, to Paris, to Australia, several other points and home again. I regarded it with tender affection and awe. 0, the thought! So when, in our early married life, my husband decided that he could get alung with a smaller trunk, and sug- gested that I keep the old one in my possession and send him such articles out of it as he might need from time to time, saying that in case I wished to make a trip I might take it, my heart bounded witb joy. **Now,’’ thought I, ‘‘I shail have a trunk big enough; and besides, what woman, | would like to know, does not delight in being thought an ‘experi- enced’ traveler, and what is more destructive of such an impression than a small new-looking trunk?’’ I was wild with delight, and woman- like, at once set about planning a trip in order to take that trunk. And I took ot But ever since there has been a lurk- ing suspicion in my mind as to the honesty of my husband’s intentions in making the suggestion. Perhaps, though, he did not realize what a know- ing old trunk it was, nor what a close observer of his doings it had been, or he would not have trusted it to me. But it was a wicked old thing. Why, even the key was imbued with its own- er’s spirit and had a trick of leaving itself at home. Well, I made the start in good order. First I visited a small suburban town, consisting of dry goods and grocery Store, postoffice and depot, all under one roof, and a platform without boards. When my trunk was dumped on the ground amidst a crowd of gaping natives, it assumed an air of supreme disgust and contempt that filled me with pride, but it showed nothing of its true dispo- sition. It was loaded into a two-wheeled cart and taken to the home of my en- tertainer, where, though it still retained this ‘‘air,’’ it kept within bounds and allowed me to enjoy myself to my heart’s content. It was only when I had reached the country house of an aunt, five miles from any stationat all, that the trouble began. While there, my husband wrote me to meet him at the town of Thornburg, some fifty miles distant, for a few days’ visit, ‘‘and bring the trunk,’’ was his last instruction. Now, I never could understand what demon possessed that trunk to want to stay in the country— whether the deep quiet which pervaded the place lulled its usual activity into a state of rest, or whether it simply scorned to be moved by a small boy of 12 years who was the only male about the place; at any rate it obstinately re- fused to be brought out of the best front chamber up Stairs, and temptingly whispered to me that I might put such articles of my husband’s as | thought he might need in a valise, and take them to him. I took them, his best suit, as I thought, and various other ar- ticles. I congratulated myself on my forethought, and set out blithely. Upon my arrival at Thornburg I was met by my husband, whose first words, after kissing me, were: ‘‘Where’s your trunk, dear?’’ “*It’s there,’’ I said, startled. ‘‘Where?’’ jiooking about the plat- form. ‘‘Why, at my aunt’s,’’ I answered trembling. ‘‘But,’’ I added quickly, seeing a frown gather in his eyes, ‘‘I've brought your things in a valise.’’ Nothing more was said until we reached the hotel, when he wished to see what I had brought. I confess it was with considerable misgivings that I began to unpack that valise, which was greatly increased when I saw the wrinkied condition of the ‘‘best suit,’’ but a laugh from my husband caused me to look up, and seeing him con- vulsed, | asked him what was the mat- ter. ‘“Why,’’ said he, ‘‘here it is the dead of winter and you have brought me my summer suit!’’ He teased me unmercifully during my stay and his parting injunction was to ‘always keep the trunk with you.’’ I returned to my aunt’s, and after concluding my visit with her, decided to stop over Saturday and Sunday with a cousin, who resided in the village of St. Jeans, but a few miles distant, and then proceed to the home of another relative in the adjoining town of Percy- ville. ‘‘And now,’’ began this wily old schemer of a trunk, as soon as it be- came cognizant of my plans, ‘‘what is the use of dumping me off at St. Jeans and dragging me through the place for but a twodays’ stay? Why not send me on to Percyville? My former master— with a peculiar intonation—will not be up over Sunday, and you might as well let me go on.”’ 1 was struck by its tone, but as yet I was all unsuspicious of it, or its former master either, and indeed, as the latter had already written me that he would not be up over Sunday, even though it was Christmas Day, | readily consented to let the old trunk go on to Percyville, while I stopped at St. Jeans, arriving there about Io o’clock Saturday morn- ing. But my serenity was short-lived, for after tea came a telegram from my hus- band saying that he would be up Sun- day morning. I went to the depot to meet him, and his very first inquiry was for the trunk. I explained to him that I had let it go on and why— “*Good heavens!’’ he exclaimed, ‘ we are ruined, ruined for all time! The ‘house’ has telegraphed me to come in. There is to be a meeting of the stock- holders on Tuesday and I am to lay be- fore them advertising matter and plans for the extension of the business next year, and everything is in that trunk. Is there no way we can get to it?’’ But alas! inquiry developed the fact that there was no train out of St. Jeans until the next day. It was snowing heavily and bitterly cold, and to reach Percyville otherwise than by rail was entirely out of the question. Nothing could be done but submit to the in- evitable and wait until the next day. The next day we started for Percyville on the first train out, reaching there about 2 o’clock in the afternoon, my husband, however, going on to New York. After hastily greeting my relatives, I flew at that trunk, got out all the adver- tising matter, plans, etc., that it con- tained, made them into a package, and rushed off to the postoffice, where, to my horror and dismay, I was informed that there was no mail out until 1 o'clock the following afternoon; but by dili- gently questioning the uncommunica- tive, obstinate little postmaster, I learned that, by taking the evening train to Leander, I could there have my package placed aboard the eastbound mail which came through about mid- night. I did so, and it was with a feel- ing of intense relief that I returned to my friends at Percyville. After spending a delightful season with them, during which a great deal of oO ° O40 o ° 0104,0 190%, 0 PONG o °o ° ° °o Ofo0 Sfeo Of, oO o ° o °o ° ° ° ° ° °o CO ADJ, ° °o o oo °o o °o ° ° oOfs,o0 lof, o LODALS oo Sf So oo °o R ° bore and will be a trade winner for you. We grind only the choicest grade of No. 1 Hard 9° ojo 9450 ° o °o o 0° co 0° °o ° °o 0° 19070 O° o 0 oN ° 2 KRIOOOOOOOOOOOOoOs ° ° Ebeling’s Best KXAX Oréam oF Wheat Minnesota Patent Floursare strong, sharp and granular— flours that will please each and every customer you have Gro ° ow ° ° °o o °o o ° CRG o Or¢m Minnesota Wheat, and manufacture a superior Spring —— Wheat Flour for family or bakery use. o}9K0 Our prices are the lowest, quality considered, and if you are wanting a high grade Spring Wheat Flour that has merit do not hesitate to write us promptly. Jon #. Ebeling, Green Bay, Wis. We invite correspondence. Samples cheerfully sent. Oro ° > ° o ° ° q (:] a ° o Gro a 3 9 ENCIR ICRI OO °o 2 a o a a ou 6 oe o a ‘aw a a a a °o SO Fo o °o °o ‘oo J O° A0Ino ° ° °o ° ° °o ° o ° ° ° ° ° ° ox a 3 ° Solo OF COURSE WE’RE BUSY ohhh hh Poh ohp But not so busy that we cannot give prompt attention to every letter of in- quiry, every letter asking for quotations, and every order that is received, whether for one barrel of flour or ten carloads of mixed goods. _ We have a Western Union operator in our office and direct line to Chicago. We are posted on the markets and we will be glad to keep you posted. We will advise you to the best of our ability if you write or wire. We have a long distance “Phone.” | We have every modern appliance for doing business quick. e are constantly improving all along the line. We have competent men watching every detail. We buy and grind only No. 1 wheat. We are selling more “LILY WHITE FLOUR” than ever before. Is it any wonder? VALLEY CITY MILLING CO., GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. sport had been indulged in at my ex- pense concerning the trunk, of which I had now conceived a_ perfect nervous terror, I decided to return home, my husband having written me that he would be at home in a few days. I packed my trunk, but after doing so my nervous dread of it was so great that I was impelled to take out of it again my most precious valuables and put them into a small valise, remarking as I did so, that ‘‘there is no telling what the old thing will do next.’’ I bade my relatives good-bye, and as the carriage started my cousin Esther laughingly called out to me, ‘‘Keep an eye on that trunk.’’ Arriving at the station, my trunk was placed upon the platform beside—lo and behold—another one just like it in size, age, color, scratches, cards, tags and all, its perfect twin. I could scarcely ‘tell them apart myself, except by their positions, mine lying to the south of the other. “*Dick,’’ said I to my _ escort, hand- ing him my _ pocketbook, ‘‘get my ticket, please, and I’ll watch these trunks, ’’ for I knew that if one traveling man’s trunk was bad, two were worse. Dick soon returned with the ticket and I watched the baggageman as he fastened the check securely to my trunk I stood on the platform a few mo- ments, regarding the trunks curiously, wondering whether the other one ever gave its owner, who was impatiently pacing back and forth, such trouble as mine gave me. The train soon came in, and the last I saw of the two trunks, as I stepped onto the platform, was that they were being put aboard the cars. “‘Surely,’’ said I to myself, as the train moved out, ‘‘it is all right this time.’’ Three hours later I arrived at the station where I was to change cars for home. After getting my ticket I went around to the baggage room with a feel- ing of complacence and confidence to have my trunk rechecked, when—did | hear aright, or did my ears deceive me? —the baggagemaster coolly but politely informed me that it was not there. ‘*Ves, it is,’’ I insisted, but with sink- ing heart, for a hasty glance at the few trunks in the small room convinced me that mine was not among them. I collapsed completely at this, the tears starting. to my eyes, though the baggagemaster assured me that it would come, perhaps on the next train. But I was inconsolable. I thought of that other traveling man’s. trunk, “and shrewdly suspected that the two had gone off on a tear together. I went on home disconsolately, dread- ing the hour when my husband would arrive. He came in about midnight, and again came that fatal question, ‘*“Where’s the trunk, dear?’’ as he passed into the dressing room. I was trembling violently but I made no answer. I pulled the bedclothes over my head and pretended not to hear. ‘‘Where’s the trunk, Natalie?’’ as he came back. ‘‘Indeed, Paul,’’ I answered desper- ately, ‘‘I could not help it, the old vil- lain got away.’’ My husband laughed heartily, which reassured me, and I was soon telling him all the trouble which I had had with his trunk. ‘‘Well,’’ said be kindly, ‘‘never mind, there’s no damage done this time. It will come along all right.”’ And so it did. Two days later, about 4 o’clock in the afternoon, it came in. It was as cool, as calm and as uncon- cerned as though it werethe best be- haved trunk in the world and hadn't given me oceans of trouble. It hada few more scratches and one ear hung loose, otherwise it seemed none the worse for its tear. } ‘Where have you been, you old sin- ner!'’ I wrathfully exclaimed, to which it never answered a word, but wickedly winked its loose ear. LEDA HASTINGS. —____-* 6 -e Now that the smoke of the campaign bas cleared away, you will see more smoke from the S. C. W. You do not need silver or gold, but only a nickel to get the S. C, W. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN I The Big Merchant and the Little Tradesman. W. A. Lewis in Fame. _ There was once a prince of bluest lineage who was very poor; but as time passed, his industry, frugality and persistence won him an immense for- tune, which he utilized in the construc- tion of a magnificent castle that was the admiration of the world. ‘I’ve done well,’’ he said to himself, ‘‘ I’ve engaged in business, won renown, filled my purse and have erected this mammoth castle which towers above everything else. Moreover it makes my present position, as well as my future, safe and impregnable; it denotes my strength, awes people and prevents my being besieged.’’’ And he chuckled to himself and was very well satisfied. It happened that the land all around the castle was occupied by hundreds of bright, clever rodents that beheld the walls of the castle while they were building. **What will we do!’’ they exclaimed in concert. ‘‘That keeps us out of the kitchen and the pantry. We could avoid the servants, but those walls are to much for us.’’ Every night the rats emerged from their holes onto the lawn and looked up to the veranda, where the prince sat with his friends, eating, drinking and smoking. They heard him boast of his impenetrable surroundings, heard him narrate what a great man he was, heard him declare that nothing now could ruin him. Then thev slunk back into their holes and discussed the situation. One night a wise, cautious, deter- mined rat was making his way across the lawn when the prince spied him. ‘*Get out of here!’’ he shouted, hurl- ing an empty wine bottle at the rat. The rat dodged the bottle, sat up on his hind legs and replied: ‘“Why do you attack me? What have I done to you? I let you alone, I keep out of your castle, I get my living out- side your domain and I mind my own business. God’s green grass doesn’t belong to you. The air isn’t yours. The sun shines without your leave. You've got all you can do to mind your own affairs, without attempting to make evervbody else get off the earth!’’ The prince growled and bade his serv- ant bring him a kettle of hot water, which he dashed at the rat, who dodged it as he had dodged the bottle. ‘*T’ll set traps to catch you!'’ shouted the prince. ‘‘I’ll get cats and terriers and throw poisoned cheese around. You're a nuisance, and I despise you!"’ The rat disdained to reply, but smiled and slowly made off to his hole. There he gathered about him his fellows and narrated to them the treatment he had received. Fora long while the prince neither saw nor heard any rats, and con- cluded they had deserted the place, and he congratulated himself on being so powerful. But one morning, while he slept, the walls of his castle fell with a crash. He was hurled from his bed through an open window out to the lawn amidst a cloud of stone and mortar. As soon as he could sit up and rub his bruised head and look about, he beheld the same old rat sitting on a block of stone near by. ‘*You see,’’ said the rat, ‘‘it doesn’t do to ridicule and oppress and try to exterminate others. For days and nights, in our own quiet way, we've been undermining you, until your castle has tumbled down over your head. Learn to attend to your own business, to grant others some rights and priv- ileges, for the smallest and most insig- nificant creatures have some_ power. Now you may thank your lucky stars you weren’t killed; but we'll see if you've gained anything by abusing and maltreating your weaker neighbors,’’ SEE cin sie aa W. C. Coleman, a_ wealthy negro ot Concord, N. C., has decided to build and equip a cotton mill in Concord for the double object of teaching and giv- ing employment to negroes.. He_ be- lieves that negroes can be employed as cotton mill operatives satisfactorily to the mill owners and greatly to the pe- cuniary advantage of the negroes them- selves, Largest Assortment FIR IRIIN INI IIN III IINIINIIN III III IN INN Lowest Prices... FIR TIN TIN TIN TIN IN TIN IIR IN IINIIN IN SIN IBN IBN IN IBN SIN IGN IN TIN No matter what may be your requirements in the line of printing, there is an establishment in Grand Rapids which can meet your requirements. The establishment is known as the Tradesman Company DRBRBRRBRRDBRREBRRRRARBRRRRRERDRIDINR and it is located in one of the finest office buildings in the city, the . NN 5 Z Z Z . SS AN SS New Blodgett Building occupying two floors, each 66 x 132 feet in dimensions, which is the largest floor space utilized by any printing establish- ment in Western Michigan. Why deal with establishments which have not the necessary assortment or experience to turn out first-class work when the same money will buy full- count, full-weight, artistic work? Remember we have the Largest Floor Space Best Equipment Most Complete Facilities idl AN NoaR ed Ralbaiemieowdadis nocd hice aaa ob leer isis tena ste wiabedh ee ae wee Hg Beaty ahs a tPA uae tad TT AAey I2 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN JANE CRAGIN. Mr. Huxley Scores Another Point with Himself. Written for the TRaDESMAN. The bearing of the Milltown store- keeper, as he left the Walker mansion after his call, was that of a man who has done a disagreeable duty and is thankful that it is over. If he had not conquered the enemy, he felt that, as Matters now stood, there would be some hesitation to renew the engagement, which was all he cared for; and, that point settled, he turned his attention to the next development in this interest- ing case. As he passed the Neely gate he saw Sid evidently intending to make a call; but the sore spot in Cy’s feelings was not yet healed and he passed him with barely a nod. Once in the office, with his feet on his desk and one of his strongest cigars in full blast, he went over in silence the call he had just made. Laughed a little as he recalled the jarring he had evidently given the old lady, and then, after a silence which seemed painful even to himself, he said: ‘‘After all, I don’t know but that woman is right. Somehow the beginning of the whole business wasn’t anything to be proud of. It didn't start right. Just for the sake of finding out what I might have known I couldn't find out in any such—well, slobbering is the idea and I guess the word’ll stand, here in the dark—way, I started in.”’ There was a long silence. The cigar glowed and the office grew scant of oxygen. There was a getting up, and a pacing back and forth, and a. sound now and then very like a sigh. ‘‘T just can’t put myself in Jane’s place,’’ he said at last; ‘‘and there is no need of it anyway. The whole thing makes me sick. Just getting that pack of letters, to say nothing about the silly stuff that I furnished ‘em, just makes me disgusted with myself; and_ that’s the way Jane felt. As Mrs. Walker said, Jane saw right through it and—by thun- der! I'll bet a thousand dollars that that old woman got a hint from Jane Cragin about having that dinner! Yes, sir, that’s just what she did, confound her! I thought ‘twas mighty strange there was an Evans in the whole con- founded pack smart enough to take up and carry through anything like that. Yes, sir, that’s one of Jane's capers right straight through. No wonder it hurt so. It always does when it comes from her. She goes straight to the bone every time. Humph! Well! Now I’m sorry I didn’t give that old woman a worse going over than I did. I’m glad Jane did it, thcugh! There’s something like justice in that; and the harder she hits the more chance there is of—of—. I wonder what sort of a crowd that is out there. I fancy that Granny Walker made up that yarn about those fellows. I don’t believe Jane ever in the wide world—I don’t care if it was in the Garden of the Gods—jumped into that Smith’s—hang a Chicago lawyer, I say! —arms. That Walker fellow better send for his wife and not be bothering other folks about her; and as for that Day— O, d—n doctors, anyway! I'd like tosee him trying that little game of his of holding Jane at arm’s length and—I’ll bet anything that that is some of the trimming that that hateful old woman pinned on for the sake of telling the story! I wonder if I turned color when she said that horrid thing about Jane’s pulling up his muffler; but that was the capsheaf to the whole business when she said they didn’t count the number o’ times she fixed it coming home! And then the little cussed, tickled-to-death laugh she gave after she said it! That’s the time I wanted to strangle her; and, if I’d had a hold o’ that doctor’s muffler just then, I’d a twisted his durn neck off—yes, I would! Six feet and well proportioned! Well, I’m five feet ten, and almost a half, so he hasn't so much to brag of in that direction. I guess, though, I’m not up to him in the other matters—mere trifles. I never could get even mother to say that I’m handsome; and Old Lady Walker hit the nail on the head—and that’s why it hurt—when she said that I was a country gawk, and that, once Jane got her eyes on a man, that would be the last of Jane Cragin! Jane Day—damnation !”’ While he was thinking these things— and saying them—the cigar had gone out and, dashing the traitorous Havana to the floor, he lighted another and, like a moving Vesuvius, began an excited walk about the office. It was too small— he had to turn too often—and finding his way out between the counters, he strode up and down, up and down, when Sid, coming home late and seeing the moving light in the store, looked in and saw the proprietor walking his end- less round. Had it been daylight their eyes would have met through the glass panel. Once—cnly a few days ago—the boy would have rattled the door until he was let in; but now, with a little bit- terness in his heart, he turned away. For a moment Cy watched him, with an imprecation on his lips, and then, as if grappling with, and throwing from him, the devil that prompted the curse, he rushed to the door and, opening it, called out, ‘‘Sid, come in here.’’ ‘*Not by a jugful!’’ “*O, none o’ that, boy. We can't either of us afford it—I less than either. There!’’ turning the key; ‘‘now sit down where we can be comfortable, and listen to me. I’m starting in on this thing all over again and I want to start right. I didn’t treat you as I ought to have done, and I beg your pardon, Sid, with all my heart. I—’’ “*O, that’s all ri—’’ ‘‘Don’t stop me. It’s taken me hours to admit that I’ve been making a cussed fool of myself; but I have—I acknowl- edge it; and now, come what will, I’m going to have the satisfaction of know- ing that, if I get what I want, it will be honest and aboveboard, and because I’ve fought for it man fashion, asking no odds and taking no odds. You heard what Mrs. Walker said; and I tell you now I could have throttled you when I saw that twinkle creep into your eyes —about Jane’s never seeing any first- class men. I'm afraid she’s right. Anyway, I’m going on on that lead. I'm going to give her a chance to put me side by side with—er—them fellers we heard about at the dinner. And, if I can hold my own, well and good ; and, if I can’t’’—he probably swallowed some smoke, which strangled him, for he coughed and his voice was unsteady —‘‘if I can’t, I'll give up beat,and bear the beating like a man.”’ ‘‘What do you mean by letting Jane compare you with them?’’ ‘‘Just what I say—I’m going out there. You and Jim can run the store well enough for a week or two—longer if it’s necessary—and I’m going to Col- orado Springs. I’m _ going to see what there is in wnat Mrs. Walker said _ If I’m a ‘way-back,’ then I want to know it; if I’m only a little piece of a man, I want to know that, and, if I’m be- hind the others—especially that Dr. Day! then 1’m going to equal even Dr. Day, after I see what is needed and find out how to remedy the case. I know he is a physician, with the training that goes with the profession; I know he has money and position, if what that tor- menting old woman said is true, and I know that I can’t hold a candle to him in good looks, but, by hooky! I know that Jane Cragin has a warmer place in ber heart for me to-day than she has for any doctor! And, if I can only show her that I’m not the fool that I’ve given every sign of being, I’m pretty sure of keeping myself in that warm corner. I don’t mind telling you that the odds are all against me, in some respects; and I don’t mind saying that disgust isa mild term for the feeling that Jane has for me this minute; but she can’t feel half so strongly as I the utter contempt for the whole detestable business. And that’s the one little hope that I have to build on. Now, I’m going to begin to- morrow to straighten things so I can leave on Monday. 1’m simply going away ; and nobody is to know where I’m going but mother and you. Write to me once a week—you can write to me, if you wouldn’t to Jane!—about the business, and wire me if there's any trouble. I’m sorry, Sid, that I treated you so; but you'll forgive me, I_ know. Good night, or rather good morning ;’’ and with a hearty handshake they went home. RICHARD MALCOLM STRONG. —_—__> 0. —__ Another natural gas well has been completed at Lake Shore, Utah, which registers a pressure of 258 pounds, and 150,000 feet of gas from the new spouter is now being turned into the mains of Salt Lake City daily. OSE SOAP Is what you should advise your custom- ers. People who have used it say it is the BEST. CSS SS SEES SEAS ESSE ISAS SASS l { iN | ARMOUR’S /SOAP iY ISN SQ} 6 oz. cakes. in its use. OSES So) Z Ss ARMOUR’S WHITE: Absolutely pure snow white Floating Soap, 10 oz. and Nothing finer made. ARMOUR’S LAUNDRY: A guaranteed pure neutral Laundry Soap, 12 oz. oval cake, fits the hand. ARMOUR’S FAMILY: Best Soap made for all Family purposes, 16 oz. solid cake of Pure Soap. ARMOUR’S COMFORT: 12 oz. square cake pure Laundry Soap. There is comfort ARMOUR’S WOODCHUCK: 10 oz. Wrapped Cake Floating Laundry Soap. “It’s a wonder and a winner.” ARMOUR’S KITCHEN BROWN: A pound bar of good Scouring Soap. ARMOUR’S MOTTLED GERMAN: A Soap of wonderful cleansing and lasting properties. Cut in pound bars. ARMOUR’S WASHING POWDER: Superior to all washing compounds, elixirs, ete. It is the perfection of quick acting, labor saving “‘cleansers.”’ ARMOUR SOAP WORKS. chicago, ARMOUR & GO., Proprietors. 2 LASSEN KX SOI PIS OOS WAaaKes Four Kinds of Coupon Books Are manufactured by us and all sold on the same basis, irrespective of size, shape or denomination. Free samples on application. TRADESMAN COMPANY, Grand Rapids. eS (7o——oremcerenemaermnenin MICHIGAN TRADESMAN I3 A Column of Surprising Figures. Written for the TRADESMAN. An excellent article by John Gilmer Speed, published recently in the Ladies’ Home Journal, is brimful of startling Statistical information pertaining to America’s great commercial metropolis, New York City. The following figures are taken from the article in question: The writer states that New York is the most luxurious city in the world, and that vast expenditures are made on mere living, with an elegance and ab- sence of ostentation unknown in any of the capitals of Europe. The figures given apply to the old landmarks and not to the Greater New York of the fu- ture. With a population of 1,800,000 and a total aggregate wealth of $6,762, - 282,904, every man, woman and child would, if the wealth were equally dis- tributed, be the owner of $3,756.82, a showing not equaled by any city in the world. But this vast wealth is not, and never will be, equally distributed. The very rich, the rich, the prosperous, and the well-to-do, whose incomes range from $7,500 a year to any indefinite amount exceeding $100,000, constitute but 26,000 of the 1,800,000 of the pop- ulation. The comfortable class, or those having an income of from $5,000 to $7,500, are 1,000 less in numbers. Those in receipt of incomes ranging all the way from $2,500 to $5,000 number 50,000, and are put down as ‘‘the un- comfortable class,’’ because they ape the rich and cover a luxurious living without the requisite means of gratify- ing their desires. We now come to “‘the contented poor,’’ a mighty host with incomes less than $2,500. They have no aspirations to keep up with the rich in style of living, and they are much better off on less money, for there is no need for them to waste their sub- stance in show and pretense of luxury. Beneath this class is a substratum—' ‘the submerged poor,’’ as Mr. Speed terms them—those who, from various causes, are incapable of self-support. This class is too numerous in every large city, but the writer asserts that the pro- portionate number of this unfortunate class in New York does not keep pace with the growth of the city, although he says there are depths of poverty equaled only in London and that there are localities where the population is more dense than in any other city in the world. Now as to some of the items in New York’s expense account as given by this writer: The lawyers receive an- nually $20,400,000, and the physicians| g»— and surgeons $11,328,000 for their pro- fessional services. The clergymen re- ceive $3,000,000, and the brokers about $13,020, O00. The architects’ fees amount to $2,665,000, while the yearly expense of keeping the teeth of New York’s people in proper condition amounts to $1,600,000. Dressmakers’ bills foot up $2,772,000, and the tailors come in for $3,150,600. In these last two estimates the cost of materials is not included. ‘* Made to order’’ clothes cost the people of New York about $11,845,200, or but little more than their ‘‘doctor bills;’’ but the great mass wear ‘‘ready-made’’ clothing, and the annual cost of this is put down at $80,- 000,000. Add to the last two mentioned the $10,000,000 which is paid for furs, and we find the total aggregate cost of clothing to be $102,000, 000. We are told there are fifteen social clubs in New York, which altogether have 12, 500 “members, who_pay in an- nual dues” $750, 000, , besides house bills amounting to $1,500,000. Of course, there are hundreds of social clubs in the city besides these mentioned. The fifteen own real estate valued at $6,000, - ooo, and the interest on this, added to the sums mentioned, brings the annual expense up to $2,500,000, or $200 for each member. A $2 dinner would be considered a modest meal at any of New York's finest restaurants, and $600 for a dinner for twelve persons would not be looked upon as an unusual event. The New Yorkers have not only a taste for flowers and jewelry, but possess the means and inclination to gratify these tastes. For the former they pay $3, 500,000 —- $2,500,000 being ‘‘blown in’’ for cut flowers and $1,000,000 for growing plants—while their annual jewelry bills amount to $20,000,000. Car fares are small matters, yet they make a respectable showing for the year— $27,000,000, of which $12,000,000 goes to the elevated roads. This is for internal travel. What they spend in home travel outside the city the ingenu- ity of Mr. Speed was unable to deter- mine; but the amount spent in foreign travel was a matter quite easily deter- mined. Some 28,300 New Yorkers visit Europe each year, at an average in- dividual cost of $125 for the round trip. This makes a total of $3,537,500 for steamship tickets alone. That the ex- penses abroad of the average New Yorker do not fall short of $1,000 will not be disputed by those who have trav- eled extensively. This granted, the sum spent in Europe amounts to $31, - 837,500. Let us hope that this foreign drain on the resources of the city and country at large is offset by a broaden- ing of mind and a more generous un- derstanding on the part of those who dispense this last amount. The stomachs of New York are en- dowed with a capacity of storing away, during one short year, 4,691,464 barrels of malt liquor. This seems almost in- credible, for, if the guzzling of beer were equally distributed, every indi- vidual in the city, from the smallest babe to the oldest grandsire, would be compelled, in some miraculous manner, to get outside of more than two and a half barrels! At five cents a glass, the cost of this beverage would amount to 340, 366, 590.40; but, as it is not all sold at this rate, the annual cost is probably about $30,000,000. In addition to this moderate allowance for beer, $90, 000, 000 is spent for wine and spirits. There are 8,500 places where intoxicants are sold; and, carrying out the figures on a per capita basis, we find that every man, woman and child in New York spends, annually, $66.6624 for drink, or about 18 centsa day. The average for the whole country is given as only $13.74. New York supports twenty-five yacht clubs, which own about 2,000 yachts of various descriptions. These yachts cost about $20,000,000, and it costs another $20,000,000 to keep them in commis- sion. Some members of the New York Yacht Club spend $25,000 on their yachts during the season, while others keep their yachts in commission throughout the year at an annual cost of $100,000; but, taking all the yachts, large and small, the average annual sum spent on each is about $10,000. Fashionable New Yorkers spend more money on yachts than on horses. About 600 families pay $1,500,000 annually to the job-masters, who furnish two-horse carriages, with coachman and footman, at the rate of $300 a month. More than 1,000 other families keep up establish- ments of their own at an annual cost of at least $3,500,000. This brings up the total for private carriages to something like $5,000,000 and does not take into account the sum paid for cabs and driv- ing and saddle horses. If Mr. Speed's figures are correct, New York spends more money, annual- ly, on her churches than on her theaters and playhouses. The great city spends every year for ‘‘sweet Charity’s sake’’ $9,000,000, while her people and the Strangers within her gates spend only $5,900,000 on theaters, operas, concerts and music halls. The city officially gives something like $4,500,000 every year for the support of her charitable institutions, and this is supplemented by another $4,500,000 supplied by the churches, the societies and by individ- uals. The per capita expenditure on charity is about $5, a fact that makes New York the most charitable city in the world. About 67,000 New York families are said to be daily engaged in some work of benevolence. As _ before stated, New York pays her preachers $3,000,000 annually. Leaving interest on church property out of the question, it requires a further sum of $3,000,000 to meet current expenses; and thus we see that gay, luxurious, pleasure-loving New York pays every year at least $100,000 more for the support of her churches than she does for her stage amusements. ‘‘This,’’ says Mr. Speed, in his closing paragraph, ‘‘will, no doubt, surprise many ; but it is likely that this article is full of surprises, for the truth is pretty nearly always stranger than fiction.’’ Mr. Speed’s article is certainly full of surprises. It is a wonderful array of figures, and displays much _ ingenuity in arranging and presenting cold statis- tics in a manner that startles and inter- ests the reader. E. A. OWEN. > oo , Some active women who pride them- selves in housekeeping seem to forget that the object of keeping house is that human beings may be accommodated in it. Their sole idea seems to be this, that the house may be kept in a certain form and order; and to the perform- ance of the form and order they sacri- fice the comfort the house was estab- lished to secure. ———__>_0~2____ The lumbermen of the United States heid a convention last week at Cincin- nati of which the principal business was the securing of concert of action in urging upon Congress the need of plac- ing lumber upon the dutiable list, and of establishing reciprocity with southern countries. ee e e Sell “Old Country Soap” It is a big, pure, full weight, solid one pound bar (16 oz.) which retails for only 5ceuts. Get the price you can buy it at from your Wholesale Grocer or his Agent. (me trial and you will always keep it in stoc DOLL SOAP 100 Bars in Box, $2.50. This is a Cracker Jack to make a run on, and it will be a winuer for you both ways. Manufactured only by ALLEN B. WRISLEY CO., CHICAGO. COQOOQOQOOOOOOQOOOOOQOOQOOO LHLYOO© KEKXHOOOOOO© OOODOOQOQOOOQOOQOQOOO 250 238 slInverveneevenvereeneneenvevenveveneevenvenveneanenn tte “It's as good as Sapolio,” when they try to sell you Your own good sense will tell you that they are only apg to get you to aid their Oewariel: <¢ : : ae Who urges you to ee Sapolio? The manufacturers, by constant and judi- cious advertising, bring customers to your stores whose very presence creates a demand for other articles. = They all say 3 their experiments. -2 4 public? ri WLLbAAeaeAAeaaabhAaaebhaGakbAkkbbbbabkdbbaddddaddd = — Dp —_ —/_> — — Dp — Dp ——p an —~s an —_ — — ae —p * e . —_p Is it os the = —p an an — pp —p — Dp — Dp — wD So E : AP eh iW a a AI Bee MAS aA shai Vie 14 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN WHO LOSES THE MORE? Effect of Too Much Domination from Labor Agitators. Geo. E. B. Putnam in Boot and Shoe Recorder. This is an age of discontent. The contented man is as scarce as the hon- est one ever was in the time of Diog- enes. The uneasy spirit permeates the entire social and industrial system. It is no more noticeable in the humblest wage-earner than it is in the millionaire wage-payer. Each man, whatever he may have, wants more. You do and so do I. I want a great deal more. I probably always will. + + * This spirit is shown in the daily papers in the reports of labor disputes. The workmen are dissatisfied, and too many are prone to use the harshest measures first, then want conciliatory measures later. Now, brag is a good dog, but hold-fast is better. It is easier to say ‘‘strike’’ than to endure uncom- plainingly the evils which the strike will bring—the suffering, the penury, the anger and, frequently, the violence. + + *£ Only a week ago a firm which had for thirty or forty years done business in a Massachusetts town leased a_ factory elsewhere, and is now moving its ma- chinery to the new location. Do you know the reason why? It was because there was a plan to boycott people who worked in the factory. Here was a firm which for nearly two-score years had given employment to a large number of men and women in that town. They turned out 6,000 pairs of shoes a day. You know how many hands that means. You know about how many dollars a week in wages it means, also. - + + The firm posted a schedule of wages at its door. Every man and woman who wanted to work at those wages ac- cepted the schedule. If they were dis- satisfied, they need only say soand give up their jobs. A comparison of prices paid by this firm and _ those of other firms proved that they were as high as any and higher than many. But the labor people declared a boycott. In other words, they made it unpleasant (to say the least) for anybody who worked there who did not belong to their union. The result was that it in- terfered with the work of the factory, and the firm simply shut up the factory and went elsewhere. ee Now I don’t know that the firm will be any better off in the new location than they were in the old, but I do know that the workers in the old factory are a great deal worse off than they would have been had the firm stayed there. Some of them have been in that factory ever since they started out from school. They have bought houses there, and have no other homes. Now that the factory is likely to close, what are they to do? + = &£ In Lynn last July a strike was ordered against a shoe manufacturer. He im- mediately bought land in Boston and erected an immense factory. Now that he is all ready to move away from Lynn, the Board of Trade is trying to induce him to stay there, and the strik- ers have declared the strike off and are willing to return to work for the manu- facturer. Thus 400 hands have each lost six months’ wages, the manufacturer has been hampered in his business, and been to a heavy expense in building and moving into a new factory. But who has lost the more? The wage- earner or the wage-payer? “ + * Perhaps you may know the name of Loring A. Robertson, a multi-million- aire who died a few years ago in Brook- lyn. Here is an account of the closing of his tannery at Cold Spring. It is to the point, and the story will bear repe- tition. It was told by one who was as- sociated with Mr. Robertson in busi- ness and is doubtless true in every particular. cx * ‘“‘It was about ten years ago. The leather business was dull, and a good many Western establishments had shut down. One day a number of stalwart looking fellows called at the New York office and sent one of their number in to see Mr. Robertson. “We were work- ing in the West,’ he said, ‘but the tan- nery where we were employed _ shut down. There is nothing to do in that region, and we have come to you, as the largest tanner in this part of the country, for work.’ ‘‘Mr. Robertson went out and looked them over. ‘* *Call to-morrow,’ he said. The next day, bright and early, the men were there. They were taken into Mr. Robertson’s employ and sent to Cold Spring, where was located one of the half dozen tanneries owned and con- trolled by him. Ina few days a letter was received from the superintendent at that place, in which, speaking of the new men, he said that all except three or four refused to join the union. No attention was paid to this. A week later, in another letter, the superintend- ent urged that Mr. Robertson request the new men to join the union. * * * ‘* “They can join or not, just as they like,’ was the millionaire’s reply. An- other week passed. Mr. Robertson was informed that the men at Cold Spring demanded that the newcomers join the union. A grim smile was his only an- swer. The Cold Spring laborers held a meeting and their ultimatum was for- warded to their employer. It was in substance this: Unless the new men who refused to join the union are dis- charged, we will go onstrike. They set the day when the strike would be- gin. ‘* “Bring me the Cold Spring ac- count,’ said Mr. Robertson to his head book-keeper. Turning the pages rap- idly, he called the man who had brought him the message from his fellows. ‘* *Do you see that?’ he exclaimed. ‘For years I have been running the Cold Spring tannery at an annual loss of some $20,000, simply because I did not want to shut down the place where I learned my trade and discharge old em- ployes, some of whom worked at my side. Now you threaten to shut down the place; very well. The new men will not be compelled to join the union.’ Bie el oe ‘The man was frightened by his em- ployer’s demeanor and hastened back to Cold Spring to tell his fellows that they had made a mistake. ‘* ‘Notify the superintendent at Cold Spring,’ said Mr. Robertson to his sec- retary, ‘to send all the machinery, the hides and the leather to the Hornells- ville tannery.’ ‘*Summoning the man who had charge of his insurance business, Mr. Robert- son said: ‘* “As quickly as possible, cancel all policies on our Cold Spring property, the tannery, the houses, the schoal and the church.” The man looked at Mr. Robertson in surprise. ‘* *T mean what I say,’ this emphat- ically. Word came shortly from the Cold Spring superintendent that the machinery and the hides and the leather had all been removed. ‘* ‘Now,’ was the order, ‘send the men at Cold Spring tome. Notify the others that they are discharged and tell them to vacate their houses at once.’ A delegation came to New York and pleaded with Mr. Robertson to keep them and not to turn them from the only homes they had ever known. Their pleadings were in vain. Despairingly they returned and removed their few effects to the village. Once more sum- moning his insurance man, Mr. Robert- son inquired : ‘* “Have all the Cold Spring policies been cancelled?’ ‘* “They have.’ ‘*A final order was dispatched to the Cold Spring superintendent. ‘* “Burn all the buildings and _ report to me here.’ ‘‘Within a few hours, tannery, dwell- ing houses, school and church were smouldering ruins.’’ e * * That’s the story. There’s a moral attached. But it is so obvious that I think it is needless to repeat it here. Perhaps you remember a prominent shoe manufacturer in Lynn who gave up business a year or two ago rather than fill the orders he had at less than the goods would cost him. His is no_iso- lated case in regard to condition, but I can tell of a number of cases where manufacturers will run their factories on goods which will not bring what they cost to produce. They are not all actuated by philanthopic nor sentimen- tal motives, either. They have built up their trade, they have erected factories, they have found good workmen. They don’t want to lose their trade; they don’t like to lose their workmen, they prefer to have the machinery running rather than rusting. But few of them have the patience of Job. They won't those for whose benefit it is lighted heed stand too much dumination from labor |: agitators. ee The danger signal is swinging. Will it, or will they go right along in the way which they have been doing for years? I trust the signal will be effec- tual. ee eS usiness Advice. If you’re going to tell a story Tell it in a lucid way, So that folks whom you’re addressing Know exactly what you say. Do not ever let your meaning Be ambiguous or dull, If you wish your advertising Many customers to pull. If your aim is to be building Up a business very large, Just be certain that politeness Goverus salesmen in your charge. Let your customers be certain They'll always be treated well, Then you'll find them ever flocking To wherever goods you sell. And if you’d win reputation With the p-ople far and near, Give good value for their money— Let your statements be sincere. If these lessons you will practice Every day with might and main You are reasonably certain Fame and fortune to obtain! if you will send us your sizing-up orders on§. . .°. Tt) RUBBERS THE GOODYEAR GLOVE HIRTH, KRAUSE & CO., Grand Rapids, [lich. ITI AER You will get THE BEST made in the world. ** Rindge, Kalmbach & Co., 12, 14, 16 Pearl Street, Grand Rapids, Mich. Our Factory Lines are the Best Wearing Shoes on Earth. We carry the neatest, nobbiest and best lines of job- bing goods, all the latest styles, everything up to date. We are agents for the best and most perfect line of rubbers made—the Boston Rubber Shoe Co.’s goods. They are stars in fit and finish. New Century Toe—it is a beauty. You should see their o If you want the best goods of all kinds—best service and best treatment, place your orders with us. Our references are our customers of the last thirty years. Pr tr babababadnd Laan baba bu hn tn hn ba tn tr Mn Mn hn Mr hr tn Mr Mr hr Mr hr te he he te he bn tn hn tn tp te tp i tp i oe oo a Mail us your orders for GB look for quick returns from us. te bp Oy by bp bn tp bp bp be by by tp br bn bn br bo bn bn On bn bn in tn bn be be Or br GUC EU VUECTOCTOCTCTCCCTCOCOCCTCTCOTCOCCTCCCUCCC ODDO OOD TO OOF OOOO IST STSTTST TTT TESTIS SDS Grand Rapids Felt Boots Lumbermen’s Socks WALES-GOODYEAR AND CONNECTICUT RUBBERS We have them all or anything else you may need in a hurry, and HEROLD-BERTSCH SHOE CO., 5 AND 7 PEARL ST., GRAND RAPIDS. ba bn hn bn bn bn hr bn br bo hr br br hr ha hi Li hi hr hi hi Mr hi hi in i i i i a i i i i i he i i i i i i i i tp rvyvvvvevvVvvVTVvVVvVvVVvVVeVvVVTVTVTCTYTVTVTVCCUVY. POPP GV OVE FEE OOO TOE TOETFTSOOT WT OOOOv Vv OO OG ODO TOO TD ODD DOGG GG OOOSOIGGOSSOTT TOSCO STC TTT G MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 16 Some of the Essentials to Success in a Mercantile Career. Every boy has an ambition to suc- ceed, and generally has fixed ideas as to a choice of vocation. He usually hopes to reach a position in life some- what above that secured by his father, his aim being high or commonplace ac- cording to the source of his inspiration. These early preferences, however, rarely count for much, there being too large an element of chance in the final selection. ee The brilliant boy does not always make a successful man. On the con- trary, most of our leading merchants were not precocious in youth, but were more fortunate in being endowed with a fair share of ability and a wealth of common sense. The qualities so strik- ingly apparent in the successful man probably were not recognizable in youth. Environment and ideal are important factors in developing the individual. Home training has a great influence on the success of a young man. Honesty, frugality, self-respect, consideration for others, order, neatness, application and self-reliance cannot be inculcated too early into the heart and mind of the fu- ture merchant. + + © Given these qualities, then, how shall you, a young man on the threshold of a mercantile career, most surely win your way to the highest place commensurate with your ability? Be on hand prompt- ly at the opening hour. Do any work assigned to you, no matter how seem- ingly unimportant or menial, in an in- terested and painstaking manner. Go at it as though you were not afraid of it. Remember that dirt will not soil your manhood, though it may _ your hands. Study the best method of do- ing your work, asking questions if nec- essary. Become proficient, even in the most uncongerial labor, ‘giving ° your best thought to the task before you. Try to feel as much interest in your em- ployer’s business as though it were your own. Carefully observe the rules of the house. be respectful to superiors, courteous and agreeable to all, yet maintaining that dignity which comes from seriousness of purpose. When the task assigned to you is finished, ask for further orders or help another in his work. Though your wages be but 50 cents a day, remember your time is not your own. Be absolutely sure to carry out instructions. Let your superior feel that an order given to you may be dis- missed from his mind. * * * After you have been for some time employed at certain work study new methods of arrangement and dispatch, and when well worked out in your own mind modestly suggest the plans to your superior. You will find that it pays to think, to plan and to do. Cul- tivate the habit of thinking, and this training will so develop your mind as to make you of much more value to your employer. Keep your eyes and ears open. Do not meddle in other men's affairs, but be interested in everything that is for the welfare of the business. If your home training has been good you will not permit wastefulness in your own work, and if you have the right stuff in you it will hurt you to look upon the wanton waste of others. Be temper- ate in all things. You must become master of yourself before you can hope to master a business. Do not be dis- couraged if the head of your department does not treat you as your gentlemanly instincts tell you he should. Work on faithfully and honestly, and if some day you hold his position you can then show how a man may give orders and still be a gentleman. If. your employer fails to show that he appreciates your efforts or your ability, do not be disheartened, but push on doing your very best work. Real ability, plus application, is almost certain to force its own recognition. If you have it and your employer is not wise enough to see it another will. On the other hand, if your employer has shown his appreciation of your worth by an advance in position, do not let your energy or ambition wane. True ambi- tion is never satisfied and your promo- tion should but serve as a stimulus to higher purposes. ee |e The greatest good coming out of this faithful attention to detail is often no more apparent to the young man at the time than was the value of his studies in school. He perhaps gives his best thought to the business because he _ be- lieves it to be his duty to do so, but by so doing he becomes expert in these minor matters. All the time, too, he is taking a course in mind training that will be of incalculable value to him in after years. When the time comes that a man of this stamp is put in charge of others, he will be the more valuable to the firm and the more reasonable in his requirements from those under him for having had actual experience in the work which he is asking them to do. He will be such a pacemaker as will stimu- late his subordinates to their best efforts. ee Real success is never reached ata single bound. Your ideal merchant has won his position by the way of paths as rough and rugged as any that you will be called upon to tread. It isa right and honest purpose to aspire to be one of the owners of a business, and with this end in view you cannot com- mence too early to accumulate a capi- tal. Young men must learn to save just as they learn other lessons. If you can save but 50 cents a week let it be 50 cents, but save something ; and as time goes on and opportunity presents itself, you will be the stronger as a man and more valuable as an employe for hav- ing a bank account of your own. Bee |) ee A proper use of the evenings is of essential importance. Youth must have recreation and pleasure, and if not found in healthful, proper ways they will be sought in other directions. The young man who for the first time finds himself free from home influences and parental restraint must be of strong mind or temptation will master him at some point. The uncongenial air of a boarding house does not encourage a young man to spend his evenings there unless he has resources within himself. If, then, you aim to make the most of yourself, keep physically and morally strong. The gymnasium and the literary club are both open to you and will both help you. Contact with helpful society will broaden you. If you are not nat- urally fond of reading and study, make a practice of devoting a certain num- ber of hours a week tothis work. Thirty minutes a day given to study will ina few months have added so much to your store of information and taste for read- ing that you will never again look upon it as a work or hardship. The study of a foreign language in this manner will be found interesting and, once acquired, will add much to your culture and your capital. The results possible from the small but frequent savings in time or money will be equally surprising. Even if it were possible for a young man to follow a set of rules laid down by another, he would not reach the same place in the pathway of success. He would fall short or go farther, accord- ing to his natural limitations. But while it is not possible for every man to make a brilliant name for himself, yet by application and determination he can achieve a higher measure of success than another who, with the same natural ability, is content to float with the cur- rent. EDWARD B, BUTLER. oe A Coat That Won’t Leak. A peculiar coat has been invented in- tended to take the place of the ordinary waterproof, and in the wearing of it every man literally becomes a rain pipe. The features of this coat are two-fold. In the first place it is intended to pre- vent the rain from penetrating the front opening of the garment, and, secondly, if the rain should be driven or blown between the openings, a peculiar pipe- like arrangement is formed when the coat is buttoned, by means of which the water flows down from the coat, without wetting the wearer. The garment is made of heavy water- proof cloth. An opening at the middle of the neck extends diagonally down- ward, curving to a point almost under the right arm. The lower portion of this opening extends from that point to the bottom of the garment. This opening is made in a peculiar manner. Instead of fastening in the usual manner, the coat buttons on both the outside and inside of the opening. By this means, when the coat is buttoned one edge fits within the other, and it is practically impossible for the rain to penetrate it. If by any chance the storm should find an entrance, the overlapping edges of the opening are arranged in U_ shaped form, lined with rubber, making a reg- ular drain pipe which reaches from the neck of the wearer to the bottom of the garment. By this means the water finds a ready means of escape. To save the cloth from becoming heavy and soaked with the rain there is a sort of double upturned collar, which runs all around the neck, just like a house gutter, for the purpose of collecting rain and al- lowing it to run off. This double or secondary collar connects with the rub- ber-lined-with-pipe arrangement in the front. Around the body of the coat, just above the pockets, and like the collar leading into the rubber lined openings, is a raised welt slightly higher at the back than in front. The water which strikes the coat below the collar is led by this welt into the rubber-lined open- ing in front and so out, thus avoiding that which every man detests, namely, heavy rain-soaked coat edges. These coats can be worn on the street in wet weather if one so desires, but they are principally intended for driv- ing. ee We have cigars to burn. G. J. John- son Cigar Co., manufacturer of the S. C. W. §¢ Cigar. e e () : successors to REEDER BROS. SHOE CO. Michigan Agents for Lycoming and Keystone RUDDETS and Jobbers of specialties in Men’s and Women’s Shoes, Felt Boots, Lumbermen’s Socks. Lycoming Rubbers Lead all other Brands in Fit, Style and Wearing Qualities. Try them. orem ne | Pi ngree, gl? "NE [Eeres DO YOUR FEET SLIP? The ‘‘Neverslip’’ gives elasticity and €ase to every step taken by the wearer. It breaks the shock or jarring of the body when walking, and is particularly adapted to all who are obliged to be on their feet. None but the best of material used in their makeup. Every walking man should have at least a pair. This stamp appears on the Rubber of all our “Neverslip” Bicycle and Winter Shoes. sous wana Tp MLRMLLLA I OEE! jj, ET OD PINGREE & SMITH, Manufacturers. Duptcating Sates Books We carry in stock the following lines of Duplicating Sales Books, manufactured by the Carter- Crume Co.: J Pads Acme Gash Sales Book Nine Inch Duplicating Book Twelve Inch Duplicating Book We buy these goods in large quantities and are able to sell them at factory prices. Corres- pondence solicited. TRADESMAN COMPANY, GRAND RAPIDS. LUMBERMEN'S SUPPLIES-—— LARGEST STOCK AND LOWEST PRICES. WHOLESALE GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS F. C. Larsen, 61 Filer Street, Manistee, Mich. Telephone No. 91 I6 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Interesting Incidents Connected with the Purchase of Butter. Written for the TrapEsMAN. She is a little woman with dark hair and piercing black eyes. She usually makes pretty fair butter, and I did not think it necessary to examine it that particular time, as I sepposed I knew just what it was. So I weighed the basket in my accustomed easy and graceful manner, and had removed about a third of the rolls therefrom when I ran upon a snag. One of the pats looked as though it had been sprinkled with black pepper. I turned it over carefully and found two dark blotches on the bottom. The next roll also looked bad—very bad. A third was mashed in a little on one side, and it had the appearance of an unwashed po- tato. The others were in various and varied stages of decrepitude, and it made me tired to look at them. I was about to carry the basket back to its owner with the editorial chestnut that it was not available, when I thought of something else, sol called Mrs. Ebe- ling back to the butter room. ‘What do you suppose has happened to this butter?’’ I asked. ‘‘Why, I don’t know!’’ she replied in some surprise. ‘‘Is there anything wrong with it?’’ I pointed out a few of its most salient characteristics, and she pondered deep- ly over the matter. At length she said: ‘‘Why, it’s two churnin’s.’’ ‘‘T thought as much,’’ I replied. She seemed to think that would end the matter, and that I would take it without further parley, so when I told her that I could use the last churning, but that the first was not suitable to our requirements, she seemed deeply grieved, and said: ‘That butter is all right. I put it down ceilar an’ it’s kinder dark there an’ the children was playin’ there, an’ I suppose they knocked the basket over into the potato bin. That's mos’ likely how it happened. That won't hurt it none. ’’ I admitted that the butter was not in- jured in the least, but explained that it was nevertheless unsalable, and that | should be utterly unable to use it. ‘‘The’ wouldn’t nobody kick that, would the’?’’ ‘I’m afraid they might. People are getting so particular nowadays that they kick on most everything. ’’ ‘Well, all you have to do is to jest scrape them spots off.’’ ‘I know, but I am pretty busy just now, and I haven’t time. I tell you, though, you might scrape it off your- sell.” “I could if I was tohome. I’da done it if I’d a noticed it, but I didn’t. I guess you can see to it all right, though.’ But, being of an unusually hard and calloused nature, I declined to have anything more to do with it, and Mrs. Ebeling finally received back the un- desirable rolls, though she seemed un- able to see why folks wouldn’t ‘‘just as lief have them as any.”’ That was one of the most peculiar cases I ever saw. I had always thought her a very neat housekeeper, and the fact that her butter has, with this one exception, always appeared perfectly clean, must have been more a matter of chance than design. + + * I didn’t think so much about it then as I have since, for we were all very busy, and it came along naturally in the way of business, I felt sorry for the boy, for he was very poorly clad, and on the day was bitter cold. He had on a thin cotton waist, and I am sure that the wind cut him cruelly. He had some butter in a little basket—think per- haps four pounds of it—and he wanted to sell it. It looked like lard. Had that light, bread-doughy appearance that we so seldom see in butter nowadays, and that condemns it as quickly and as thoroughly as any one bad trait that but- ter can have. It was so bad that it was abominable. It was an atrocity in but- ter. It had been made in a hot kitchen and then allowed to stand around in the dust,and it looked as though poured in- to a pan while warm, after the manner of maple sugar. We told the boy as kindly as possible that we could not use it, and he went quietly away. After he had gone I be- gan to ask myself if we oughtn’t to have bought it. His folks were poor, as | well knew. They had many children, and doubtless the little things lacked proper and sufficient food for this cold weather. My conscience troubled me, and I kept an eye out for the boy, thinking I would buy his butter when he came back, and then make soap grease of it. Presently I saw him going toward home with his basket. ‘Hello, boy!’’ I called. ‘‘Did you sell the butter?’’ ‘“You bet!’’ he replied. ‘‘Jes’ see what all I got for it!’’ And coming over to where I stood, he showed me that his basket was half filled with tin watches, rubber doils, toy trumpets and a lot of those cheap wooden rattletraps Such as mankind erroneously regards as suitable Christ- mas gifts for poor children. ‘*Is that all?’’ I asked blankly. ““AllY’’ he repeated in amazement. ‘‘T should say 1t was. How much d’ you s’pose a feller ought ter git fer three pounds an’ a half o’ butter?’’ eee Those merchants who live in a coun- try where eggs are coin and butter is legal tender often run upon incidents aggravating in the extreme, but which, in the softening light of time, turn into comedies, and are recounted with gusto around the office stove on stormy even- ings when the pipe exhales its fragrant odor, and naught occurs to mar the har- mony of the occasion save the dull, sickening profanity of the oldest inhab- itant. GEORGE CRANDALL LEE. —_—_§e2—.___ Minneapolis Flour for Export. Flour has been sold recently by the Minneapolis mills to go to Australia and also to South Africa. This isa most unusual thing. It is also a fact that the mills on the Pacific Coast are booked several months ahead for all the flour they can ship to Asia. There is not an exporting country in the world that raised its usual surplus of wheat on last crop, and the above facts would indicate that India and Australia, which are generally large exporting countries, did not raise enough for their own consumption. i, Interesting Nut Experiment in Florida. A Florida fruit-grower has recently conducted a singular experiment in pecan culture by grafting upon hickory trees, the result being a small supply of the nuts at the end of three years from the time of grafting. As the pecan tree grown from the seed requires from nine to twelve years to come into bearing, the result of the experiment is im- portant. The Texas pecan crop this year is worth half a million dollars. —_—_2>0>__ Portland, which already possesses by far the best and largest park system of any city in Maine, has just bought over 200,000 square feet more for that pur- pose, eocccccocoooooosoooooooocosoooce DETROIT BRUSH WORKS : 30 and 32 Ash Street, Detroit, Mich. DDD Dia Dili te i lO tO ee ko rVvvvvvuvvewvvveVvCCrCTC" FF FFF VV VU UU UU OOCOS abr tata >> > 4 4 to ttn i i i hi i bi i by bb te tp a ee JESS “Everybody wants them.” “You should carry them in stock.” For sale JESS PPD IIIA Dp Da a ate ba lahat ite ttt Ot oi en eae one oo i JESS PLUG AND FINE CUT TOBACCO Puna ha tan br bn Mr bt bn tn i dp bp tp tp tp bp OPP PDD IDF IG only by MUSSELMAN GROCER C0, GRIND RAPIDS, MICH JESS —VVVVCVVYVVUCCC i i i et te | FU GVUUCUw Ne ee a a a ee rr ey ee er eee we ee ee we o If you want the best RED ALASKA SALMON Buy ea “Kodiak” We have just received a shipment of these new goods, formerly packed under brand Warren’s Red Alaska (which is now discon- tinued) and if you want the best send us your order. We have the agency for ‘‘Kodiak.”’ I. M. Clark Grocery Co. (Yes, we know how to spell “Kodiak”—an island near the coast of Alaska.) CommercialTravelers Michigan Knights of the Grip. President, S. E. Symons, Saginaw; Secretary Gro. F. OwEN, Grand Rapids; Treasurer, J. J Frost, Lansing. , Michigan Commercial Travelers’ Association. President, J. F. Cooper, Detroit; Secretary and Treasurer, D. Morris, Detroit. United Commercial Travelers of Michigan. Chancellor, H. U. Marks, Detroit; Secretary, EpwIn Hopson, Flint; Treasurer, Gro. A. Rrey- NOLDS, Saginaw. Michigan Commercial Travelers’ Mutual Acci- dent Association. President, A. F. PEAKE, Jackson: Secretary and Treasurer, Geo. F. Owen, Grand Rapids. Board of Directors—F. M. Tyrer, H. B. Farr- CHILD, GEO. F. OWEN, J. HENRY DawLeEy, GEO. J. HEINZELMAN, CHas. S. Ropinson. Lake Superior Commercial Travelers’ Club. President, W. C. Brown, Marquette; Secretary and Treasurer, A. F. Wixson, Marquette. Annual Report of Secretary Owen to the Knights of the Grip. Grand Rapids, Dec. 29—A_ year ago our total membership was 1818. During the year we have admitted 200 active members and 138 honorary members, making a total of 2,146. In the mean- time fifteen members have died and 140 have been stricken from the books, leav- ing a total of 1,99!—a net gain of 173. This is not as large an increase as last year, but last year it cost $1 to join, while this year it has cost $3 To call your attention to the fact that this is the worst year, in a business way, ever known would be repeating something of which you are all well aware. I would here say that thirty-seven who came in last December and paid $1 have never paid anything since. Assessment No. 1 for 1896 was ordered by your Board of Directors January 15, to close Feb. 15. From this assessment I received $3, 180. Assessment No. 2 was ordered June 15, to close July 15. From this assessment I received $3, 186. I received from assessment No. 3 of 1895, $4o. I have also received up to date on No. 3 of 1896 (the present assessment) $1, 390, making total receipts in the mortuary fund of $7,796, all of which I have re- mitted to Treasurer Frost and I hold his receipts therefor. I have drawn warrants for death claims, as follows: twelve No. 22, Beneficiary of Albert L. Field....... $ 500 No. 23, Beneficiary of James T. Avery...... 506 No 24, Beneficiary of Fred S. Clark......... 500 No. 25, Beneticiary of Wm. Tracey.......... 500 No. <6, Beneficiary of Wm. M Patton...... 500 No. 27, Beneficiary of J. B. Zink..... ....... 500 No. 28, Beneficiary of W. G. Hazelrigg...... 500 No. 29, Beneficiary of Geo. E. Dyer.......... 500 No. 30, Beneficiary of O. E. Cartwright...... 500 No. 31, Beneficiary of Waiter Saxby......... 500 No. 32, Beneficiary of Niel J. Browne. ..... 500 No. 33, Beneficiary of Geo M.Stone......... 500 Teeas,......e... «se eons - SO000 I would say here that there have been three deaths since our Board meeting on Nov. 21—Edward C. Keuthan, of Chi- cago; Daniel Loeb, of Toledo, and Carl A. Rensch, of Kalamazoo. We have sufficient cash in the Treasurer's hands to pay these claims. The thoughtful action of your Board in ordering Assess- ment No. 3 payable in December has placed your association in a position to pay these claims at once, and it does not leave a debt hanging over your heads for the new administration to take care of. I wish to express my thanks to you all for the prompt payment of your as- sessments. The amount to each is small, but this small donation has put many of our brothers’ widows and or- phans beyond want. The total receipts from dues and ap- plication fees during the year have been $1,569, all of which has been turned over to the Treasurer. The expenses of the Secretary's office have been as follows: PORCHES BCCONDE. .... 6... .5.....005....+6 2. #270 85 Mite proof gafe...............- aces oc sictie eal a 40 00 ol co en ak at 30 30 poreolare h SMAPY 793 40 Stationery and printing................... 350 47 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN This includes the certificates sent out, which are permanent and will not have to be furnished again. The engraved plate which had to be made to print them from was expensive but will last a lifetime. The expense of holding the meetings of the Board of Directors during the year was $150.46. This is the actual expenses of the members of the Board for railroad fares and hotel bills while in attendance. We have had five Board meetings. President Symons, Secretary Owen, Treasurer Frost, Directors Wood aud Palmer attended five meetings. Directors Peake and Tyler attended four, and Director Streat attended three. Our association to-day is in better standing than it has ever been. While we have not had as large an increase in the membership as we have in some years, yet raising the cost of admission to $3 certainly makes it more stable. Previous to this year a great many paid $1 to join during December for the pur- pose of attending our annual meeting, banquet and ball, and never intended, when they joined, to stay in or pay a single assessment. Our assessments were never paid as well as they have been this year, although the business depression has affected them all. 1 think there has never been a year when so few complaints from members have been received. The grievances as regards the railroads, the ’bus lines and the hotels have been very rare. There seems to be a general desire from all our members for an_ inter- changeable mileage book, and I think that your Railroad Committee should urge and insist that one should be is- sued--and at once. Another subject that seems to have deep and widespread interest is the time of holding our annual meetings. The general feeling seems to be that they should be held sometime during the summer months. The objection to holding them at this time of the year is that they can only be held in large cities, as in cold weather there must be large, warm halls. Again, it isat a sea- son when a great many of the boys are making changes or are not fully settled for their next year’s jobs. A great many are kept at home to help cheir firms in- voice. A great many are making their annual visits to distant friends, or their friends are making them the usual an- nual visits. It is the holiday time, when many of us are blowing in the last nickel for presents for our loved ones. It 1s a season when our usual parade must be made—sometimes in a_ blind- ing snowstorm. These are a few of the many objections I hear raised, whereas in the summer we could hold our meet- ings at any summer resort or in smaller cities. The weather would, ordinarily, be fine. The expense for halls, car- riages, etc., would not be necessary ; and there is no time during the sum- mer but that the boys could take a couple of days’ time without material injury to their business. Our attendance would be larger and, therefore, our social feature would be largely in- creased—which, in my estimation, is a very important feature of our Asso- ciation. I hope that there will be an expression here to-day that will give your Board an opportunity to meet your wishes in this matter. I wish to express my thanks to the Vice-Presidents and the several com- mittees for the loyal assistance they have given me in watching the interests of the association. I wish to express to President Symons nuy heartfelt thanks for the noble service he has given our organization. He has always been alert to everything that tended toward its prosperity. To Treasurer Frost words cannot express my feelings. He has been awake at all times to the financial wants of the association. To do busi ness with him is a pleasure, as his sys- tematic business methods are always right and tend to strengthen any organ- ization he may be connected with. To the Board of Directors I wish to express my thanks for their hearty co-operation in all matters. Their wise judgment and foresight have been to me a guid- ing star. In all of our business trans- actions of the last two years, their sound judgment and unselfish loyalty to our membership have created in me the most ardent admiration. Brothers, look well to the selection of your Board of Directors, for the life of your associa- tion is in their hands. While we, as members, may make mistakes and say and do things that would be detrimental to our growth and life, if you havea sound Board of Directors, your associa- tion will thrive and prosper; and I can proudly say to-day that the Michigan Knights of the Grip, asan organization, stands at the head of all traveling or- ganizations in America. One year ago {I requested and urged you not to remit currency to your Secre- tary. You have heeded well my re- quest, for to-day I am _ not getting to exceed 5 per cent. in cash. When I took the office, two years ago, at least 40 per cent. of the remittances was in currency. This takes a great responsi- bility from your Secretary and makes it much more secure for you. Continue the good work! Let me here call your attention to one of the amendments which has been placed before you by your Directors in regard to membership. It has been said to me that we are taking in members who are not commercial travelers. Your President and Secretary have to pass on the applications put in their hands. When a blank is properly written up and is endorsed by two of our members, what can they do but accept it? We may not be personally acquainted with the applicant and, after he is accepted and enrolled as a member, we find out that he is, in the strict sense, not eligible or worthy. Your President and myself have closely scrutinized every applica- tion coming into our hands, and have been obliged to refuse quite a number, although they were properly endorsed. We hope that this amendment will pass, as it wiil, in a measure, take the re- sponsibility from the hands of your two leading officers. Look well to the ap- plications that you endorse. We cannot be too careful. In conclusion, I wish to thank each and every member for the courteous treatment I have received at your hands. If I have erred, it has been the fault of the head and not of the heart. I have tried to conduct your matters in a prompt and businesslike manner; and on my good wife has a large part of the re- sponsibility fallen. GEo. F. OWEN, Sec’y. 9 Gripsack Brigade. Manley Jones (Lemon & Wheeler Company) is spending the holidays with his mother at Vernon. He is accompanied by his family. Will C. Church, for several years with Nelson, Baker & Co., of Detroit, has taken a position with Fairchild Bros. & Foster, of New York. A. W. Peck (Hazeltine & Perkins Drug Co.) has been spending the week in the house, assisting in the work of taking the annual inventory. C. H. Hinman, for the past two years with the Hazeltine & Perkins Drug Co., has engaged to cover Southwestern Michigan next year for Lord, Owen & Co., of Chicago. Dell T. Sutton, a traveling man re- siding in Detroit, recently slipped and fell on the ice in front of the Weddell House in Cleveland. He was taken to St. John’s Hospital, in that city, where it was found that he had sustained a fracture of the left leg and other in- juries, none of which will prove serious. St. Johns Republican: E. P. Wal- dron, who was tendered the appointment of Deputy State Treasurer, says he is not a candidate for any office, having enough private business to occupy his entire attention. Mr. Waldron would make a first-class official in any capac- ity, but has undoubtedly taken a wise course in determining to leave politics alone, so far as to office holding, and devote his energies to business. 17 At a meeting of the directors of the Michigan Commercial Travelers’ Mu- tual Accident Association, held last Sat- urday, Jas. N. Bradford was appointed a director, to take the place of Geo. F. Owen, who became a director ex-officio when he was elected Secretary of the organization. The election of Mr. Bradford is looked upon as a tribute to the active interest he has always mani- fested in the welfare of the association. At the annual meeting of the Michi- gan Commercial Travelers’ Association, held at Detroit last Thursday, Secretary Morris reported a decrease in the mem- bership from 565 to 550, but an increase in the cash balance from $11,365.17 to $19,706.35. S. H. Hart was elected President of the organization, which is a guarantee that the work will be pushed with much vigor during the coming year. Maj. R. W. Jacklin was endorsed for Adjutant-General, and a resolution was adopted pledging the members to work for the enactment of a law permitting the railroads to issue interchangeable mileage books. HOTEL BURKE G. R. & I. Eating House. CADILLAC, MICH. All modern conveniences. C. BURKE, Prop. W. 0. HOLDEN, Mgr. FREE CHECK ROOM EUROPEAN HOTEL. Entirely New. J.T. CONNOLLY, Pr prietor, Grand Rapids, 52 8. Ionia St., Opposite Union Depot. NEW REPUBLIC Reopened Nov. 25. FINEST HOTEL IN BAY CITY. Steam heat, Electric Bells and Lighting throughout. Rates, $159 to $2.00. Cor. Saginaw and Fourth Sts. GEO. H. SCHINDHETT, Prop Cutler House in New Hands. H. D. and F. H. Irish, formerly landlords at the New Livingston Hotel, at Grand Rapids, have leased the Cutler House, at Grand Haven, where they bespeak the cordial co-operation aud support of the traveling public. They will conduct the Cutler House as a strictly first-class house, giving every detail painstaking at- tention. Commercial House Iron Mountain, Mich. Lighted by Electricity, Heated by Steam. All modern conveniences. IRA A. BEAN, Prop. THE WIERENGO E. T. PENNOYER, Manager, MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN. Steam Heat, Electric light and bath rooms. Rates, $1.50 and $2.00 per day. BE GOOD to yourself while in Grand Rap- ids. Go to FRED MARSH for tonsorial work. 23 MONROE STREET. me Young men and women acquire the greatest inde- pendence and weaith by securing a course in either the Kusiness, Shorthand, English or Mechanical Draw- ing departments of the Detroit Business University, 11-19 Wilcox St., Detroit. W.F. Jewell, P. R. Spencer. $2 per day. Is MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Drugs-=Chemicals MICHIGAN STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY. Term expires Dee. 31, 1896 - Dec. 31, 1897 Dec. 31, 1898 - Dec. 31, 1899 Dec. 31, 1900 C. A. BueBEE, Traverse City S. E. PARKILL, Owosso” - F. W. R. Perry, Detroit : A. C. ScoUMACHER, Ann Arbor Gro. GunpRUM, Ionia - - - President, S. E. PARKILL, Owosso. Secretary, F. W. R. Perry, Detroit. Treasurer, GEo. GUNDRUM, Ionia, Coming Examination Sessions—Detroit, Jan. 5 and 6; Grand Rapids, March 2 and 3; Star Island (Detroit), June —; Upper Peninsula, Aug. —. MICHIGAN STATE PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. President, G. C. Pariurps, Armada. Secretary, B. ScoRoupER, Grand Rapids. Treasurer, CHas. Mann, Detroit. Executive Committee—A. H. WEBBER, Cadillac; H. G. Cotman, Kalamazoo; Gro. J. Warp, St. Cram; A. B. Srevens, Detroit: F. W. R. PERRY, Detroit. The Drug Market. Acids—No quotable change in any description, excepting oxalic, the com- bined manufacturers abroad having lowered the contract prices for deliver- ies next year, and hence the spot mar- ket is correspondingly lower. The ad- vance in carbolic is weil maintained. Balsams—Copaiba, market strong and prices tending upward, in consequence of good consuming demand and light stocks. Tolu, no change in values but there is an unsettled feeling. Fir is quiet but may be called fairly steady. Beans—Market very firm as to all varieties of vanilla and holders are not anxious sellers. Cocaine—Quiet. Cod Liver Oil—Since the reduction mentioned last week, the consuming de- mand has improved somewhat, owing, in part, to the colder weather. Cream Tartar—There is a firmer tone to the market, due to the advance in argols across the water. Essential Oils—Dead as to the general market, but an improvement in demand is confidently expected with the usher- ing in of 1897. Bay has declined. Cajeput has advanced. Gums—Campbhor, fair seasonable de- mand, at the reduced values alluded to in last week’s issue. American refiners are utterly at a loss to explain the posi- tion of crude in London, and are in a Micawber mood. Asafoetida, tendency of the market is upward. Juniper Berries—Steady. Leaves—No special changes to note in prices. All that can be said is that short buchu and senna are about the most active of anything in this depart- ment, but even these show little more animation than a last year’s bird’s-nest. Opium— Rather dull. Quinine—Steady. Roots—The recent advances in aco- nite, doggrass, culvers and German dandelion are being sustained. Seeds—Holders of foenugreek have put up values, on account of the limited supply. Coriander is in reasonably good request and firm. Sponges—The undertone of the mar- ket is firm, due to similar conditions at the various sources of supply. Sugar of Milk—Powdered is still ex- ceedingly scarce and the leading brand is firmly held. OO Who May Be Classed as Successful Merchants ? Written for the TRADESMAN. It is easier to follow the career of an unsuccessful dealer, and detect the mis- takes that have culminated in failure, than to explain why his neighbor who started with him in the race under sim- ilar conditions remains solvent; just as onlookers at chess can see the errors of the game more clearly than the strategic moves that lead to final triumph. In determining who are the successful ones and how they became such it is important to consider the meaning of the term success. For want of fixed definitions men are apt to differ widely in conclusions. If success in any enterprise involving the element of chance means the acqui- sition of immense wealth during a life- time and the handling of it down to posterity unimpaired, the names of very few mercantile men could be fairly enrolled. But if we measure the results of a life spent in trade by those achieved in other useful occupations, the number of successful ones is many times multiplied. Most men, upon start- ing in life, are content with moderate expectations. A home and family, with means to maintain them in comfort, and a reasonable accumulation for old age are all that the average man usually hopes for. Admitting the truth of these state- ments, we shall find among country dealers the successful ones largely in evidence. They may not all be gifted with shrewd business faculty, so nec- essary in the conduct of large commer- cial ventures. Their ambitions are usually scaled to moderate dimensions, according to each individual tempera- ment. You will see many-of this class marked high on the commercial record. Their credit is good, because seldom used and never abused. Their stocks are bought with judgment gained by ex- perience and knowledge of what is needed by customers, with the most of whom they are personally acquainted. If trade is dull, they possess their souls in patience, having no hank indebted- ness to force special sales at sacrifice of fair profit When times improve, they have the wherewithal to meet in- creased demand. And they intelligently watch the changing conditions of trade and adopt every new method that can be used to advantage. Always believing in and practicing the theory so tersely expressed by Micaw- ber, that an excess of outgo beyond income means misery, and that an ex- cess of income over outgo means happi- ness, they seldom find, in summing up each year’s business, a balance on the wrong side of the ledger. Panics that seriously affect wholesale houses and upset the plans of larger retail concerns in the great centers of trade spend their force before reaching them, or touch them with the least financial jar. Upon the stability and integrity of this class a large share of general com- mercial prosperity depends. Their conservatism, wisely adjusted to the varying conditions of supply and de- mand, helps many large producers and distributers to make fair margins of profit. Each town has several of such dealers, who have made a_ success in trade by applying the rules that should guide the managers of larger enter- prises. In short, whether recognized as such or not, they have a right to be classed in the list of successful mer- chants, because they use capital wisely, maintain a high standard of commer cial honor and work heartily for the best interests of the locality wherein their lot_may be cast. Their sons, being well trained to habits of industry and frugality, often gain positions of honor and profit in larger fields of mercantile competition. Thus, in summing up the answer to the first question, it appears that the successful merchant is the one who enters on his work intelligently and conducts his business by safe, economic meth- ods, with profit to himself and all con- cerned, whether his capital be great or small. And the best sphere for his growth and development is away from the large city where, free from its waste and worry, he can have better oppor- tunities to hold every advance that may be gained. PETER C. MEEK. The Drug Clerk. From the Pha maceutical Era. Some of the metropolitan papers have recently been giving a little editorial attention to the drug clerk. On the whole, there is little to object to in their utterances upon this subject. They find the drug clerk a hard-worked and poorly- paid individual, and they are to be sup- ported in their urging that some meas- ure be instituted whereby the hours of labor in the drug store may be lessened in number, and the clerk receive re- muneration more justly commensurate with the value of his services and the responsibility of his office. It is gratifying that these papers seem at last to have had their eyes opened, for they now state emphatically that the drug store is no longer the certain road to wealth that it was when paragraphers bunched the druggist with the plumber and the iceman as a practitioner of ex- tortion. The newspapers can do a good work if they will educate the public a little, to the effect that druggists are not extortionists; in fact, their business affords merely a bare living, and that the profits from the prescription branch, where special knowledge and skill are attained only through great expenditure of time, labor and money, are much lower in proportion than the profes- sional remuneration of lawyers and doc- tors, with which, however, it should stand upon the plane of equality. But while correcting this error to some extent, these papers are apt to fall into another in the other direction. For instance, one states that, with the lessen- ing of the profits of the calling, there has come a distinct deterioration in the character of the assistants hired to put up prescriptions, and that ‘‘ Benjamin Harrison’s theory that a cheap coat makes a cheap man may not be wholly tenable, but a cheap drug clerk is apt to have a hand in preparing a shroud.’’ Such a statement as this is one of opin- ion only, and there are no facts to back it up. On the contrary, the drug clerks of to-day are better educated and _ better qualified than ever before. Our colleges of pharmacy are raising their standards, giving better instruction, turning out better and more comfetent men. To be sure, the drug trade has fallen ~ evil days, but let us hope that some of the serious evils of which it com- plains may be ultimately, if not quickly, removed, and among these be included the very serious ones of poor pay and long hours of service for the drug clerk. CINSENC ROOT Highest price paid by — PECK BROS. GOVERNOR YATES. A Seed and Havana Cigar as nearly perfect as can be made. The filler is entirely long Havana of the finest quality—with seiected Sumatra Wrapper. Regalia Conchas, 4% inch, $58.00 M. 65.00 M. 70.00 M. All packed 50 in a box. We invite trial orders. Morrison, Plummer & G0. 200 TO’206 RANDOLPH’ST., CHICAGO. Rothschilds, Napoleons, 4% inch, 544 inch, Cider! Save your cider by using Geo. McDonald’s Cider Saver. harmless and does preserve the cider. any kind. manufactured by Does not change the natural taste or color of the cider. for preserving Grape Juice, Wine, Vinegar or Preserved Fruits. Cider! Absolutely safe and Contains no Salicylic Acid or poison of Equally good Originated and GEO McDONALD, order from Who esale Druggists. If they cannot supply you write to me direct. IWALAMAZOO.’ MICH. APA ADALAAAAAAAAAADAAAAADAALAAAAD vvv Vvvvvvvveyv vwvvvvew vvvv vvvvs THE JIM HAMMELL HAMMELL’S LITTLE DRUMMER AND_ HAMMELL’S CAPITAL CIGARS are made of the best imported stock. $ SS MICH. |Z ——. - : LUC ery ai Ad Meee MLE ee. tm gi dill rua i i 2 . and color card. w | Diamond Wall Finish Co., : v Grand Rapids, Mich. ey Sese5eSe575e25e25e5e25e2S5e "Sy EVETY HOUSEKEEDE! wants her walls to look bright and : pretty. She knows that Gypsine will produce this effect, and will have it. And the dealer who has uy it in stock is the one who is going to supply her, and make a good i thing for himself. Write for prices, c testimonials — — MICHIGAN TRADESMAN WHOLESALE PRICE CURRENT. Advanced—Fennugreek Seed. Declined—Oil Bay. Acidum Aceticum............ $8 s@s 10 Benzoicum, German 75@ 80 Beraee.. cs)... @ 15 Carbolicum ......... 27@ «339 Craicum 8. H@ 46 Hydrochlor......... 3@ 5 Nitrocum ........... 8@ 10 Oxalicum........... 10@ = 12 Phosphorium, dil... @ Salicylicum. ........ 45@ 50 Sulphuricum. ...... 1y4@ =65 ‘Tannicum .......... 1 40@ 1 60 Tartaricum.......... HG 36 Ammonia Aqua, 16 deg........ 4@ 6 Aqua, 20 deg........ 8 Carbonas...:.....-.- 12@ 14 Chloridum .......... R@ 14 Aniline Black... ... ...:.... 20@225 BrOWd .:..---.:..... 80@ 1 00 Hed... 45@ 50 aa 2 50@ 3 00 Bacce. Cubesee........ po.18 13@ 15 Juniperus........... 6@ 8 Xanthoxylum...... 2@ 38 Balsamum Copaiba. .. C 65 Pern. el ae ue @ 2 60 Terabin, Canada.... 40@ 45 Tolaten.............. GQ 7 Cortex Abies, Canadian.... 18 2 es 12 Cinchona Flava..... 18 Euonymus atropurp 30 Myrica Cerifera, po. 2 Prunus Virgini...... 12 Quillaia, gr’d....... 10 Sassafras......po. 18 12 Ulmus...po. 15, gr’d 15 Extractum Glycyrrhiza Glabra. U@ 2% Glycyrrhiza, po..... 22a 30 Hematox,15lb box. W@ _ 12 Hematox,1s........ 13@ 14 Hematox, &%s....... 14@ 15 Hematox, 48....... 16@ 17 Ferru Carbonate Precip... 15 Citrate and Quinia.. 2 Citrate Soluble...... 80 Ferrocyanidum Sol. 50 Solut. Chloride..... i Sulphate, com’l..... 2 Sulphate, com’l, by bbl, per cwt..... . 35 Sulphate, pure ..... 7 Flora Arnica _....-.._-.. 12@ 14 Anthemis........... 1I8@ 25 Matricaria .......... 2@ 30 Folia Barosma............. 15@ 20 Cassia Acutifol, Tin- mevyelly...... -...- 18@ 25 Cassia Acutifol,Alx. 25@ 30 Salvia officinalis, 4s Spe 66...... --.°. 12 20 Ura Crest... .. 8... s@ 10 Gummi Acacia, ist picked.. @ Acacia, 2d picked.. @ Acacia, 3d picked.. @ 3 Acacia, sifted sorts. @ 2 Acacia, po........... 60@ 80 Aloe, Barb. po.20@28 14@ 18 Aloe, Cape ....po. 15 @ 12 Aloe, Socotri..po. 40 @ 30 Ammoniac.......... 55@ ~=«60 Assafeetida....po.30 2@ % Benzoinum ......... 50@ 55 Catechu, Is.......... @ 18 Catechu, %s8......... @ 14 Catechu, \s......... @ 16 Camphore.... .... 50@ 55 Euphorbium..po. 35 @ 10 Galbanum........... @10 Gamboge po........ 6@Q 7 Guaiacum..... po. 35 Q@ Kino. ....... po. $4.00 @ 4 00 Mage oo @ 60 eyee......... po. 45 @ 40 Opii...po. 83.30@3.50 2 35@ 2 40 Snerag wl, 40 60 Shellac, bleached... 40@ 45 Tragacanth ......... 50@ 80 Herba Absinthium..oz. pkg 25 Eupatorium .oz. pkg 20 Lobelia...... oz. pkg 25 Majorum ....o0z. pkg 28 Mentha Pip..oz. pkg 23 Mentha Vir..oz. pkg 25 Rue oz. pkg 39 TanacetumV oz. pkg 22 Thymus, V..oz. pkg 25 : Magnesia. Calcined, Pat..... .. 55@ ~=s«C«GO Carbonate, Pat.. ... 20@ 22 Carbonate, K.&M.. 20@ 25 Carbonate, Jennings 35@ 36 Oleum Absinthium......... 3 25@ 3 50 Amygdale, Dule.... 30@ 50 Amygdalz, Amare . 8 00@ 8 25 Ae 2 20@ 2 30 Auranti Cortex..... 2 40@ 2 50 Bergamtit. 20... 2 25@ 2 30 Catipuy....... 0: ... 0@ Caryophylli......... 538@ 58 Cogan... 3@ 65 Chenopadii.......... @ 2 50 Cinnamonii......... 2 2@ 2 5C Qitronella. .... .... 40@ 45 Conium Mac........ 35@ Conpaina ..-) i b@ Cubebe. i D@ Exechthitos ........ 1 20@ Risen 1 20@ Gaultheria..... ..., 1 50@ Geranium, ounce... @ Gossippii,Sem. gal.. 50@ Hedeoma..... ...... 10@ SUMIPCES....... |. tf 50@ Lavendula ......._.. 90@, Epponis 1 30@ Mentha Piper...... 1 66@ Mentha Verid....... 2 F@ Morrhus, gal....... t 9@ Myrcig. 4 00@ Ove 15@, Picis Liquida. ..... 10@ Picis Liquida, gal... @ Hien 99@ Rosmarini.......... @ Rose, ounce........ 6 50@ Sucene 40@ Sabina). 9@ San 2 50@ SSSsafrag 3 58@ Sinapis, ess., ounce. @ ret 1 40@ Piya 3 aoe pyme, opt..... @ Theobromas ........ 156@ Potassium Bibarp....... ._. 15@ Bichromate _....... 1L3@ Bromide... 48@ Care 1I2@ Chlorate..po. 17@19e 16@ Cyanide... 50@ ledide 0. 2 9@ Potassa, Bitart, pure 274 Potassa, Bitart, com @ Potass Nitras, opt... 8@ Potass Nitras........ 1@ Prussiate:...... ||. 25 Sulphate po .. ..... 15@ Radix Aconitvm .... _._. 2 Ane Oo AnechaRa |... 1L2@ APIA OO........... @ Calamis 20@ Gentiana...... po 55 122@ Glychrrhiza...pv.15 16@ Hydrastis Canaden. @ Hydrastis Can., po.. @ 5@ Hellebore,Alba, po.. 1 Puia PO... Ipecae, po: Iris plox.... po35@38 cf1Gpa, pr... Maranta, \s........ Podophyllum, po.... need a Reelcug..... Rict Dy.,...... . Suiceia 35@ Sanguinaria...po. 25 @ Serpentaria ........ 30@ Semewe 40Q, Similax,officinalis H @ Saliax wo @ Berna... po.35 10@ Symplocarpus, Feeti- ans, po... @ Valeriana,Eng.po.30 @ Valeriana, German. 15@ Zingibera........... 12a Zimpiberj. ..... 25@ Semen Anisum....... po. 15 @ Apium (graveleons) 13@ Berea is... 41@ Carat... 2... . po.18 10@ Cardamon.... .... 1 3@ Coriandrum......... 8@, Cannabis Sativa.... 3%@ a ee D@ Chenopodium ...... 10@ Dipterix Odorate... 2 0@ Feniculum......... @ Foenugreek, po...... 7@ ro 2%@ Lini, grd....bb].2% 3%@ bepela 35@ Pharlaris Canarian. 34@ eee -- 4%4@ Sinapis Albu........ 7@ Sinapis Nigra....... 1@ Spiritus Frumenti, W. D. Co. 2 00@ Frumenti, D. F. R.. 2 00@ Bramenti...... .... 1 25¢ Juniperis Co. 0. T.. 1 65@ Juaniperis Co........ 1 75@ Saacharum N. E.... 1 9@ Spt. Vini Galli...... 1% fini Oporto... ...... 1s Vint Aibs. 1 23@ Sponges Florida sheeps’ wool eCariage........... 3 Nassau sheeps wool cee... Velvet extra sheeps’ wool, carriage..... Extra yellow sheeps’ wool. carriage.... Grass sheeps’ wool, Carriage Hard, for slate use.. Yellow Reef, for Slate use.......... I & OOHE8E888 © 08 GB EOS Syrups MORO. Auranti Cortes...... Miageper....... |... Ipecac... Ferri lod. ........... Rhet Arom........;. Smilax Officinalis... 5 Semmens... .... Betis... D0 the BD DO DO DS OD _ Td IW DO 65 a Sus SSSKSSSTSSLRUVSS 20 scilieCo....... .... @ 450 Volutan.......... @ 50 Eranus virg.. .._... @ 80 Tinctures Aconitum NapellisR 60 Aconitum Napellis F 50 MOCK 60 Aloes and Myrrh... 60 eee 50 Assafeetida ......... 50 Atrope Belladonna. 60 Auranti Cortex..... 50 Benzem. 60 Benzoin Co......... 50 Barosma | 50 Cantharides........ 75 Capsicum ........ 5 Cardamon........ 7 Cardamon Co.... . 75 Castor. 1 00 Catcehu. ....... 50 Cimehona. 50 Cinchona Co........ 60 Columba ....... |... 50 Cubena. 50 Cassia Acutifol..... 5 Cassia Acutifol Co 50 Digitalis = 50 Brot 5 Ferri Chloridum.... 3D Gentian... 50 Gentian Co.. ae 60 Guisea 50 Guiacaammon...... 60 Hyoscyamus........ 50 odie. 7 Iodine, colorless.... 75 Oe 50 Heneia 50 are 50 Nux Vomices.....__. 50 On en 7b Ovii, camphorated. 50 Opii, deodorized.... 1 50 Guasa 50 oo 50 Ries 50 Sanguinaria . ...... 50 SCEPCMISEI® ..... |... 50 Stromonium........ 60 Tolutan.... 2... us 60 Valerian ..... _— 50 Veratrum Veride... 50 AInetBer 20 Miscellaneous ‘Ether, Spts. Nit.3F 30@ 35 Aather, Spts. Nit.4F 31@ 38 Alamen 0 | SaaS Alumen,gro’d..po.y 3@ 4 ANBAEEO. 40@ 50 Antimoni, po....... 140 «5 AntimonietPotassT 55@ 60 AnUpVIIN 1.1... @ 1 40 Antifebrin.......... @ Argenti Nitras, oz .. @ 5 Arsenicum |... . -. M@ Balm Gilead Bud .. 38@ 40 Bismuth S.N_ ..._. 1 00@ 1 10 Calcium Chlor., 1s.. @ °° Calcium Chlor., %s. @ 10 Calcium Chlor., 4s. @ 2 Cantharides, Rus. po @ i Capsici Fructus, af. So Capsici Fructus, po. @ Capsici FructusB,po @ 15 Caryophyllus..po. 15 1@ 12 Carmine, No. 40..... @ 3 %5 Cera Alba,S.& F .. 50@ 55 Cera Flava... _. 40@ 42 Coceus of " @ Cassia Fructus...... @ 27 Centraria. |. @ 10 Cetaceum............ @ 4% Chloroform.......... 60@ 68 Chloroform, squibbs @ 135 Chloral Hyd Crst.... 1 15@ 1 30 Chondrus, 2.0... | 20Q@ 2% Cinchonidine,P.&W 20@ 25 Cinchonidine,Germ 1@ 2 Cocaine 0) 4 (5G 4 25 Corks, list, dis.pr.ct. 65 Creosotum. ......... Q@ x Creta. 2). bbl. 75 @ 2 Creta, prep.......... G@ & Creta, precip........ 9@ 11 Creta, Rubra........ @ & Crocta WG 55 Cudbear @ ~w Cupri Sulph......... @ 6 Dextrne 10@ 12 Kther Sulph....._... 5@ 9 Emery, all numbers @ 3 Emery, pe... |. @ «6 Brees: po.40 30@ 35 Flake White........ R@ 5 Gal @ B Gambier... |. se 9 Gelatin, Cooper.. .. @ 60 Gelatin, Freneh..... 35@ «60 Glassware, flint,box 60, 10&10 Less than box.... 60 Glue, brown........ @ k Gite, white... B@ 2 Giyecerina...... ._.. W@ 26 Grana Paradisi .... @ 6 Enotes, 2@ 55 Hydraag Chlor Mite @ i Hydraag Chlor Cor. @ & Hydraag Ox Rub’m. @ 8 Hydraag Ammoniati @ & HydraagUnguentum 45@ 55 Hydrargyrum....... @ @ Ichthyobolla, Am... 1 25@ 1 50 indice... 75>@ 1 00 Iodine, Resubi...... 3 80@ 3 90 ledoform............ @ 4 70 Lupuan oo. @ 2% Lycopodium ........ 50@ = 55 MAGIe 56@ Liquor Arsen et Hy- drarg lod... ..:. a 2 LiquorPotassArsinit 10@ 12 Magnesia, Sulph.... 2@ 3 Magnesia, Sulph,bb @ 1% Mannia,’§. Fi... 50@ 60) Menthol... .. @ 3 50 Morphia, S.P.& W... Morphia, S.N.Y.Q.& © Co... Moschus Canton.... Myristica, No. 1..... Nux Vomica. .. po.20 OS Sepia. 3... Pepsin Saac, H. & P. Ce Picis Liq. N.N.% gal. OO Picis Liq., quarts.... Picis Lig., pints. .... Pil Hydrarg...po. 80 Piper Nigra... po. 22 Piper Alba....po. 35 Pir Burgun........ 1 75@ 2 00 1 65@ 1 90 @ 40 65@ 80 10 18 _ Saeeesse © 60 Res 8 moo s Pilumbi Acet........ 1 12 Pulvis Ipecac et Opii | 10@ 1 20 Pyrethrum, boxes H. & P. BD. Co., doz. .. @123 Pyrethrum, pv...... 30@ =33 Giacaie s@ 10 Quinia, S. P.& W.. 27 32 Quinia,S.German.. 23@ 28 Quinta,NY........ sae 32 Rubia Tinctorum... 12@ 14 SaccharumLactis py 2@ 26 Sac 3 00@ 3 10 Sanguis Draconis... 50 Sago W......... 12@ 14 tne... OS Sapo, Go... .. @ 1 Siedlitz Mixture.... 20 @ 22 enapee @ is Singhs, Gps......... @ 3 Snuff, Maccaboy, De i... @ x Snuff,Scotch,DeVo a & 6 @ 8 Soda Boras, po 6 @ 8 Soda et Potass Tart 26@ «28 Seda, Carb... .._... 1%@ 2 Soda, Bi-Carb....... 3@ 5 Boe Aen........... 244 4 Soda, Sulphas....... @ 2 Spee. Cologne........ @ 2 6&0 Spts. Ether Co...... 50@ 5 Spts. Myrcia Dom... @ ? 00 Spts. Vini Rect. bbl. @ 2 39 Spts. Vini Rect. 4bbl @ 2 44 Spts. Vini Rect. 10gal @ 247 Spts. Vini Rect. 5gal @ 2 49 Less 5c gal. cash 10 dars. Strychnia, Crystal... 1 40@ 1 45 Sulphur, subl....... 24@ 3 Sulphur, Roll.... . 2@ 2% TWamarinds.......... oa Ww Teretenth Venice... 28@ 30 Theobroms....... . <2 © Wanita. |... 9 00@16 D9 Zinei Sulph......... 7@ 8 Oils BBL. GAL. Whale, winter....... 70 70 ard, xtra... .... 40 45 Eard, Net... |. 35 40 3 as ae Re us of Second-hand Linseed, pure raw.. 32 35 Linseed, boiled..... 34 a Neatsfoot,winterstr 65 7 Spirits Turpentine... 33 38 Paints BBL. LB. Red Venetian... .. 1% 2 @8 Ochre, yellow Mars. 1% 2 @4 Ochre, yellow Ber.. 1% 2 @3 Putty, commercial... 24 24%@3 Putty, strictly pure. 2% 2%@3 Vermilion, Prime Avmmerican.......... 13@ 15 Vermilion, English. 70@ 7% Green, Paris ........ 5B @O & Green, Peninsular... 13@ 16 Leng Geo. ......... 54@ 5% Lead, white........ 544@ 5% Whiting, white Span a «& Whiting, gilders’... @ 90 White, Paris Amer.. @ 1 00 Whiting, Paris Eng. em... @1 0 Universal Prepared. 1 00@ 1 15 Varnishes} No. 1 Turp Coach... 1 10@ 1 20 Extra Tore......... 1 60@ 1 7 Coach Body......... 2 A@ 306 No. tf Turp Furn.... 1 00@ 1 10 Extra Turk Damar.. 1 55@ 1 60 Jap. Dryer,No.lTurp 70¢ 75 (REECE Odds «~ Ends Drug Fixtures in good condition > DPM Two Sets Drug Drawers With Pulls and Labels 7 Six Show Cases Three feet to six feet 7 Scales, Wall Paper Trimmer, Sponge Baskets, Shelf Bot- tles, etc., etc. For sale cheap. PM. Drug Co., Hazeltine & Perkins Wholesale Druggists, —_— sees Grand Rapids, Mich. es ste Sce eee EES nS 33 re 3 20 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN GROCERY PRICE CURRENT’. The prices quoted in this list are for the trade only, dealers. possible to give quotations suitable for all conditions of erage prices for average conditions of purchase. Cash buyers or those of strong credit usually buy closer than those who have poor credit. Subscribers are earnestly requested to point out any errors or omissions, as it is our aim to make this feature of the greatest possible use to dealers. in such quantities as are usually purchased by retail They are prepared just before going to press and are an accurate index of the local market. It is im- purchase, and those below are given as representing av- =. AXLE GREASE. doz. gross a 5D 6 00 Castor Ol... ....._.. .. 60 7 00 Seaweed... oe 5 50 Prasers 9 00 IXL Golden, tin boxes 75 9 00 Mica... io oe 70 8 00 Parmson... ....... ...60 600 BAKING POWDER. Absolute. ‘a ibesmader..........._- 45 % ibeame@goer............ 85 [ cansGo........... 130 Acme. ¢ ib came SGos.........__. 45 .meamesas........... : ibeaneidez............ 1 oD Bulk Ht US So ala 10 EI Purity. a) tp Came per dGos......... ® a6 ib Cans per doz ........ 1 20 t ‘tbheane perdoz.._..... 2 60 Wibcans4dozcase.. .. 45 % lb cans 4 doz case.. .. 85 1b cans 2 doz case...... 1 60 Home. ig lbcans4dozcase...... 35 % Ib cans 4 doz case...... 5D lb cans 2 doz case...... Our Leader. “ipGim. 45 .— Pees... % [ Dem... BATH BRICK. Reeeereen 70 eae BLUING. 1 doz. Counter Boxes..... 12 doz. Cases, per gro.... BROOMS. i.e... Ho. 2 Carpet........ ae No stare... Bo. (carpe... ........ Parior Gem ..... Common Whisk.......... Fancy Whisk.. Warehouse. Star 40 lb boxes... Perens. kt. CANNED GOODS. Manitowoc Peas. Lakeside Marrowfat..... Lakeside E. J Lakeside, Cham. of Eng.. Lakeside, Gem, Ex. Sifted. 40 _- ag es ae Se CANDLES. Hotel 40 ib boxes....... .... 1 00 1 30 140 1 65 CLOTHES PINS. 5 gross boxes COCOA SHELLS. t bape Tess quantity... _... .. Pound packages......... CREAM TARTAR. Strictly Pure, wooden boxes. Strictly Pure, tin boxes... . COFFEE. Green. Rio. eee Oe ce ee 18 Pree 0 ae ooace ee Peabo Santos. ie. eg lS GEE SSO GSB 20 Frans ———s LL. 23 Mexican and Guatamala. s eee Se Fancy eee 24 Maracaibo. ree. eS a Java. oe 20 Private Growth ......... __ 27 ss... 28 Mocha. Eniintion . «=. 25 ATR ce Roasted. Clark Grocery Co.’s Brands Fifth Avenue..... .- oe Jewell’s Maracaibo.........30 Well’s Mocha and Java..... 26 Well’s Perfection Java..... 26 Saneaibo eee ee eee Valley City Maracaibo. ....20% itest Bieaq a leader Siem... LS Worden Grocer Co.'s Brands Quaker Mandehling Java..3! Quaker Mocha and Jaya... 29 Toko Mocha and Java......2% Quaker Golden Santos... .23 State House Blend ........ 22 Package. Below are given New York prices on package coffees, to which the wholesale dealer adds the local freight from New York to your shipping point, giving you credit on the invoice for the amount of freight buyer pays from the market in which he purchases to his shipping point, including weight of package. In 60 Ib. cases the list is 10¢ per 100 lbs. above the price in full cases. Azemeete: : 16 50 pemeey. 8 16 50 McLaughlin’s XXXX......16 50 Extract. Valley City % gross % Felix % gross...... t 15 Hummel’s foil % gross 8 Humme!’s tin % gross... 43 Kneipp Malt Coffee. 11b. packages, 50 lb. cases 9 11b. packages, 100 Ib. cases 9 CONDENSED MILK. 4 doz. in ease. CATSUP. Cas, «pn 4 25 Columbia, % pints..........2 50 CHEESE. gs @ 10% Suapey .............. Ox 103; (aeons City... @ 10 Gold Medal....... 10 ee @ 10% ee @ 10% Lenawee... .... LA eo Oakland County.... @ 10 Riverside. : @ 103 Bperce........ @ Ww rn ne 3 he te Springdale G 10% wea en en Oe os @ 9 | Gail Borden Eagle.... ....7 40 cow Sa ig me @ Crown : ae Leiden... .. @ 19 | Daisy 5B Limburger. . @ 15 ia. encima | 4 Bl Pineapple...... 0 @ Magnolia . ele a ——— @ » — eee ee Chicory. Bulk a Red ? CHOCOLATE. Walter Baker & Co.'s. German Sweet .. 22 Peon. ...... 3 Breakfast Cocna 42 | CLOTHES LINES. | Cotton, 40 ft, per doz.......1 00 Cotton, 50 ft, per doz....... 1 20} Cotton, 60 ft, per doz.......1 40 Cotton, 70 ft, per doz...... i 60 Cotton, 80 ft, per doz.......1 80 Jute, ft, per doz......... 80 Jute, 72 ft, per dos.......... 9 ' Peerless evaporated cream.5 75 COUPON BOOKS. Tradesman Grade. 50 books, any denom.. 100 books, any denom.. 500 books, any denom.. 1,000 books, any Genom.. Economic Grade. 50 books, any denom.. 100 books, any denom. 500:books, any denom.. a 1,000:books, any denom.. Universal Grade. 50 books, any denom.... 100 books, any denom.... 3 500 books, any denom.... 1,000 books, any denom.. Superior Grade. 50 books, any denom.... 109 books, any denom.... 500 books, any denom.... 1,000 bouks, any denom.... Coupon Pass Books, Can be made to represent any denomination from $10 down. mepeeks .- POOeens. 0 Hy pOOKS..........._...2 wae PeOKR.. os... ...... —oaoe..ltCi«C(#NCN Credit Checks. 500, any one denom’n... 1000, any one denom’n... 2900, any one denom’n... Steel paneh. -.-. sad oe -. £09 -. 2.00 -. 3 00 -. 62 --10 00 .-17 50 FARINACEOUS GOODS. Farina. Bem 3 Grits. Walsh-DeRoo Co.'s... ....2 25 Hominy. MTNOI ees 3.5 Flake, 50 1b. drums.......1 50 Lima Beans. Baek 2 3% Maccaroni and Vermicelli. Domestic, 10 lb. box. .... 60 Imported, 25 lb. box.. ...2 50 Pear! Barley. Common 1% Chescr 0 eS Beapite .. | 26 Peas. Green, Ba 90 Spit, perib....._. _.. 2% Rolled Oats. Rolled Avena, bbl... Monarch, bhi. ........ Monarch. % bbi.......... Private brands, bbl.... Private brands, %bbl..... 50 wiowiore ou mR Mares tis at ly SS 00) wm 3 DRIED FRUITS—DONMESTIC Apples. Wuindred cl ae Evaporated 50 1b boxes. @ 4 California Fruits. Sorte 10%@ Bilackberries........... Noctarines............ 6 @ POON T%@ 9 Pear... .....) @ Pitted Cherries........ Prunes... Raspberries............ California Prunes. 100-120 25 lb boxes....... 90-100 25 Ib boxes....... @ 5% 80 - 90 25 lb boxes....... 53 70 - 80 25 1b boxes....... @ 614 60 - 70 25 1b boxes.. .... @ 6% 50 - 60 25 Ib boxes....... @7% 40 - 50 25 Ib boxes....... @ 7% 30 - 40 25 1b boxes....... @ lq cent less in bags Raisins. London Layers 3 Crown. 1 60 London Layers 5 Crown. 250 ————-...... 3 59 Loose Muscatels2 Crown 5% Loose Museatels 3Crown 61% Loose Muscatels 4 Crown FOREIGN. Currants. Pawns pis... 2 Vostizzas 50 lb cases..... Cleaned, Puix ........... Cleaned, packages....... Peel. % -@ 4% -@ 4% @ 634 -@ 6% Citron American 101b bx @14 Lemon American 10 1b bx @i2 Orange American 101b bx @12 Raisins. Ondura 28 ib boxes...... Sultana 1 Crown........ Sultana 2Crown ...... Sultana s Crown........ Sultana 4 Crown........ Sultana 5 Crown........ Quaker, cases 20 Sago. ——Casa ss, tisatCtiss Mest india. ae Wheat. Cracked, bulk..........-.. $3 242 Ib packages...........2 40 e Fish. Cod. Georges cured......... @ 4 Georges genuine...... @4% Georges selected...... @5 Stripe or bricks. ..... 5 @8s Halibut. ete Ee 10 Meramec ss g | Herring. | Holland white hoops ke 60 | Holland white hoops bb]. 8 00 | Norwegian... ........_/. | Round 100 Yhs.......... .. 2 50 |mouna 2 the. ......... .. 1 30 a 14 Mackerel. ain... .. 11 50 No.1 Mis... ..... .... aoe Bo.t Wipe... Bae No2meie. .:.......... 8 ee moe 210s... 3 50 MoS Wie... 95 PanmwiyOhtps amity 10 ibe............ Sardines. Russian kegs..... ei oecte. 55 Stockiish. No. 1, 1001b. bales......... 10% No. 2, 100 1b. bales......... 8% rout. No. tsi... ee Hot ie. 2 20 Not oe 63 Bet Bite... 53 Whitefish. No.1 No.2 Fam ia... om 5s 76 4) lbs 280 2a fae ies... |. 80 73 35 oie... 67 61 31 Jennings . D.C. Vanilla --... 1 20 20k...... 1 50 40z.. .. 200 60s... . 3 00 h No. 8... Na. 10.” No. 27.1 25 im) No. 3'T.2 00 Bint No. 4T.2 40 WHE] D. C. Lemon ma 20Z.... %% i 3 0z......1 00 Wi 4o0z.. ...1 40 ik Sor... 200 | No. 8...2 40 1 No. 10...4 00 No. 2T. 80 Mi) No. 3'T.1 35 No. 47.150 Souders’. Oval bottle, with corkscrew. Best in the world for the money. Regular Grade Lemon. doz BOe....: v6) 2 Oz... 1 50 Regular Mans Vanilla. | doz OUDE Zor... 1 WD CLEGAN ies! 2 40 XX Grade Lemon. Zon... 1 402. .._.3 00 XX Grade Vanilla. i) 2oz 1s 402 3 0 GUNPOWDER. Rifle—Dupont’s. ere ee 4 00 Half Kegs..... ee Quarter Kegs...... seek ee ee 30 oS CONS. 18 Choke Bore—Dupont’s. Bers os ee me OPA 2 25 Quarter Hees... 1 25 Ei> cams. ae Eagle Duck—Dupont’s. Bere eee Ham Hers... ss. QuanerKeps....... |: 2% tbeans. 2 45 HERBS. Sage es ONS 15 INDIGO. Madras, 5 lb boxes........ 55 S. F..2.3 and 5 1b boxes.... 50 JELLY. 520 pels. 30 ie EO MAS 40 wOaD POUR. ee 60 LYE. Condensed, 2 doz .......... 1 20 Condensed, 4 doz........... 2 25 LICORICE. Pee 30 eeaeee 25 ee 14 Cee 10 MINCE MEAT. Ideal, 3 doz. in case.........2 25 Mince meat, 3 doz in case. .2 75 Pie Prep. 3 doz in case......2 75 MATCHES. Diamond Match Co.’s brands, No. 9 sniphur..-. 1 65 Anchor Farior..............1. 7 0.2 Home... ae Eupom Partor.... ..... 4 00 MOLASSES. Blackstrap. Sugar house............. .10@12 Cuba Baking. Ordinary... ............ 22g Porto Rico. Evite... 3. 6 20 Pane 30 New Orleans. Pele 18 Goo... Eel 22 Mxtraceod..... .. 24 Cee | a ee ee eee es) 30 Half-barrels 3c extra. PICKLES Medium. Barrels, 1,200 count..... .. 3 50 Half bbls, 600count...... || 2 95 Small. Barrels, 2,400 count........ 4 50 Half bbls, 1,200 count.... | 2 %5 PIPES, poms in Bea 1 70 lay, T. D. fullcount..... Con Ne. se 1 POTASH. 48 cans in case. Babbit@s. 20-2 i OO Penna Salt Co 3 00 RICE. Domestic. Carolina head.............. 644 Carolina Noto) 000 11 Caroling No.3 0 41% Broken 3 Imported. Japan, No.1... 5 Japan. No.2... . _ deve, Not 4% ee 5% SALERATUS. Packed 60 lbs. in box. Caurch’s 0 . a : Deiand’s ..... Dwight’s ..... Paviors 0 SAL SODA. Granulated, bbls........ -1 10 Granulated, 100 Ib cases..1 50 Lump bis. 1 Lump, 145]lb kegs...... 1. || 110 SEEDS. Bice 13 Canary, Smyrna........... 4 Caraway 10 Cardamon, Malabar ..... 80 Hemp, Russian........_. 4 Mixed Bird. 4% Mustard, white....... ___ 6% POOR 8 eee Cattle Bone....... 1.) 39 SNUFP, Scotch, in bladders......... 37 Maccaboy, in jars........... 35 French Rappee, in jars..... 43 SYRUPs. Corn. BORO 13 Hat bbls... 15 Pure Cane. eee ae 16 C08 20 Cnelee 25 SPICES. Whole Sifted. AMRBICS e 9 Jassia, China in mats...... i0 Cassia, Batavia in bund... 20 Cassia, Saigon in rolls...... 32 Cloves, Amboyna........... 15 Cloves, Zanzibar............ 9 Maec, Batavia. 60 Nutmess, fancy........ 60 Mutmers, No. t.... E0 Nutmegs, No. 2...... 6 Pepper, Singapore, black... 9 Pepper, Singapore, white... .12 Pepper, aiot... 10 Pure Ground in Bulk. Alspice ete Cassia, Batavia ..... . ... &. Cassia, Saigon... ......:..,.36 Cloves, Amboyna....... .. 20 Cloves, Zanzibar............ 15 Ginger, African... 15 Ginger, Cochin............ 30 Ginger, Jamaica............ 22 Mace, Batavia.... ......... 7 Mustard, Eng. and Trieste. .20 Mustard, Trieste............ 25 aimee. 40@, 0 Pepper, Sing., black ....10@14 Pepper, Sing., white....15@18 Pepper, Cayenne........ 17@20 eS 18 SODA. Bema 5% Hogs, fugligh.: 2...) co: 4% i easassarie MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 2l SALT. Diamond Crystal. Cases, 24 3-lb boxes.........1 60 Barrels, 1°0 3 Ib tees ..... 2% Barrels, 40 7 lbbags......2 50 Butter, 56tb bags........... 6 Butter, 20 14 1b bags. — 3 00 Butter, 280 1b bbls ... --.. oO Common Grades. WOSiIbsacks...._......... 2 6U 605-Ib sacks.... ..... _ 28 11-lb sacks...... te Worcester. 50 4 Ib. cartons. -.. 1.8 20 115 2%lb. sacks..... ao 60 5 Ib. Beek is 7 ee 3010 TG. sacks ........... 3 50 28 1b. timen sacks. ........... 32 36 1b, dimen sacks............ 60 Bulk in barreis.-........... 2 50 Warsaw. 56-lb dairy in drill bags..... 30 28-lb dairy in drill bags..... 15 Ashton. 56-lb dairy in iinen sacks... 60 Higgins. 56-lb dairy in linen sacks . 60 Solar Rock. SG1D seeks... .... 21 Common Fine. SaSmaw - 0. 60 Maniniee 2 a STARCH. Kingsford’s Corn. 40 I-lb packages............ 20 1 Ib packages... ......... 644 Kingsford’s Silver Gloss. 40 Lib packages. ......... 6% GID boxes ........ 7 Diamond. 64 10e packages _. oo 2) 00 128 5¢ packages ..... .5 00 32 10¢ and 64 5¢ packages. 5 00 Common Corn. Mib yoxen 5 40-Th boxes... ... _-. Common ins. {-lb packages ie. 4% 3-lb = Be §-lb packages i ee 0 and 50 1b boxes 00) 2 Barrels ... 3, oo SOAP. Laundry. Armour’s Brands. Arnours Wamily.......... 20 Armours Lautdry........ 3 25 Armour s Comfort 1. 3 80 Armour’s White, 100s...... 6 25 Armour s Whit ; 50s....... 320 Armour’s Woodehuck ... Armour’s Kite: en Brown. 2 2 Armour’s Mottled — rman 2 40 Single DOk =. lt. 5 box lots, delivered. ......2 80 10 box lots. delivered. .....2 7% Jas. 8S. Kirk & Co.’s Brands. American Family, wrp’d...3 33 American Family, plain....3 27 Lautz Bros. & Co.’s Brands. BOM 2 85 Cotten On... 1 26 os... ——:....... ............ 3 70 Henry Passolt’s Brand Single b ia. ule oe 5 box lots, delivered... ...2 80 10 box lots, delivered....... 275 QBhey lote delivered 2 65 Simple bes oc 3 00 5 box lot, delivered........ 2 95 10 box lot, delivered. ......2 45 25 box lot, delivered........ 2% Allen B. Wrisley’s Brands. Old Country, 80 1-lb. bars...3 15 Good Cheer, 60 1-lb. bars....2 35 Uno, 100 34-lb. bars.......... 2 80 Doll. 100 10-oz. bars......... 2 25 Scouring. Sapolio, kitchen, 3 doz ..... 2 40 Sapolio, hand, 3doz........ 2 40 SUGAR. Below are given New York prices on sugars, to which the wholesale dealer adds the local freight from New York to your shipping point, giving you credit on the invoice for the amount of freight buyer pays from the market in which he purchases to his shipping point, including 20 pounds for the weight of the barrel. Cet Eoat «2 @ DOMEAO 4 87 CUBGS oo 4 62 Powdered 4 &2 XXXX Powdered......... 4 75 Mould AC. .4 62 Granulated in bbls. . ..4 37 Granulated in bags... ..437 Pine Granulated -...... 437 Extra Fine Granulated..... 4 50 Extra Coarse Granulated...4 50 Diamond Confec. A........4 37 Confec. Standard A......... 4 25 Ne fe 4 00 NO 4 00 No. No. : Ne oo 3 87 Ne Go 3 81 Net 3 @ NO 8 3 69 tn A 3 62 Ne 0 3 56 Me. il. 3 50 TABLE SAUCES. Lea & Perrin’s, large... . 475 Lea & Perrin’s, small. -2 40 Haliorw., ‘are =. SS Halford small. ... oe Salad Dressing, large. 4 55 Salad Dressing, small..... ..2 65 TOBACCOS. Cigars. G. J. semen s brand ~ $64 oe H. & P. Drug Co.’s ae (SUMO 35 00 Clark Grocery Co.’s brand. New Brick 0 35 00 VINEGAR. Leroux Cider... 8k. 10 Robinson's Cider, 40 grain....10 Robinson’s Cider, 50 grain. ..12 WICKING. ho. pereroes.... .......... 25 No. 1, pereross.............. 30 NO 2 pereross... ..-... 40 NGO. perstoss... 0 ® Fish and Oysters Fresh Fish. Per lb. Whitefish)... ..... 9 vom 8 Pisce USs8. ......... 10 Paro ............: 15 Ciscoes or Herring... 4 oo lt Live Lobster....... 18 Boiled Lobster...... 20 oo ...... 10 Haddock -:......... 8 No. 1 Piekerel...... 8 Pre. 2.2... smoked White...... Red Snapper. . Col River Salmon.. Mackerel Oysters in Cans. KH. Cogats........ " QPPBOHAPDH + PPHHPDONHNSHHOHNSDAH SDS Wr. J. D. Selects. -.... 27 proce... ...... 22 F.J. D. Standards... a AmeHOIS:-.. 2.00... 18 iandards... ... 16 PAVOrne ............ 14 apes ® in oak Counts. Re lf Extra Selects... 1 60 Beleets 2... . 8... 1 40 Mediums............ if Baltimore Standards 95 Clams |... 25 Shell Gaiie. Oysters, per 100....... 1 25@1 50 Clams, per 100....... 90@I1 00 Allerton & Haggstrom quote a: foll ws: Bulk Per gal “PF. Gh. Standard ....... 1 10 OE 00 Trneeees. «soi. ce a, 1 46 Extra Select. i my. Come... CC. 1 2 “In Cans Pavorlies... ......... -- a8 Plain Staudard.,....... ..... 16 B. W. P. Standard ... P. & B. Standard Best... eee 20 Pisty Seleet cs. lk, 22 OO 30 N. Y. Counts co oe Snell Goods Large Rockaway, per 100...1 25 Medium Rockaway per 1 0..1 00 Blue Point, per 100 ......... 1 00 Clams, Little Neck...... 90@1 00 Candies. Stick Candy. bbls. pails Seandard. ......... .. 54@ 7 Standard H.H.. ... Asx%@ 7 Standard — . Ss QZ. Cut Loaf.. <2. | @56@ Obs cases Hutra Ho... @ 8% Boston Cream...... @ 8% — ae Competition. . hl @ 6 StamGam ... @ 6% Rear Ll. @7 omserve...... .... @7 Boyar. @ 7% os... ........ @ Brogen ...._.... @8 Cut Loaf... @s Bnelish Rock....... @ 8 Kindergarten....... @ 8% Freneh Cream...... @9 Dandy Pan...... . @10 Valley Cream.. .... @13 Fancy —In Bulk. Lozenges, plain..... @ 8% Lozenges, printed.. @ 8% Choe. Drops. ....... ll @l4 Choe. Monumentals @12% Gum Drops......... ®5 Moss Iogs......... a 7% Soeur Drope.......... @ Ske Imperials . @® Sie Fancy—In 5 Ib. Boxes. Lemon Drops....... @50 Sour Prope......... @50 Peppermint Drops. @60 Chocolate Drops... O65 H. M. Choe. Drops.. Ot Gam Diops......... O35 Licorice Drops. . O75 A. B. Licorice Drops DW) Lozenges, plain. Dad Lozenges, printed. DEO fmperiais: B60 Motteca. BES . Cream Bar.......... @-0 Molasses Bar .... @50 Hand Made Creams. 80 @90 Plain Creams....... 60 @s0 Decorated Creams. . @9 Serie ROGK...... | @60 Burnt Almonds..... 1s @ Wintergreen Berries @5d Caramels. No. 1 wrapped, 2 Ib. boxes. @30 No. ee: 3 Ib. Pewen - |... @45 No. Sed 2 Ib. boxes (2. ........ Fresh Meats. oa Carcass . 8 @T Fore quarters... ec 4 @6 Hind quarters........ 6 GT Eeins No. 3........... 8 @l2 ie _* @9 mows 54@ 6% Chucks... ....... 4@5 Pistes @ 4 Pork. DPYEssOG@ 0.6... 334@ 444 Poms 64@ SHOUIOCTS, @ 434 beat bard. @ 5% Mutton. Carcass... 2 @E Spring Lambs.. -- 6%@ 7% Veal. Careass is 54@ 7 Crackers. The N. Y. Biscuit Co. quotes as follows: Butter. Neymourxae ............ 6 Seymour XXX, 31b. carton 6% Mamily SR. 6 Family XXX,31b carton.. 6% Salted XXX.. 6 Salted XXX, 3 1b carton. 6% Soda. Soda XXX ... 644 Soda XXX, 3 Ib earton.. 6% Soda, City. ec 7% Aemaryrotte. i co 10 Long Island Wafers....... li L. I. Wafers, 1 Ibearton .. 12 Oyster. Square Oyster, XXXN...:... 6 Sq. Oys. XXX, 1 Ib carton. 7 Farina Oyster, XXX... 6 'T GOODS—Boxes. ASS 11% Bent’s Cold Water......... 13 Belle Rose........ aoe 8 Cocoanut = Seago ice es Coffee Cakes. . i Frosted Honey.. 2 Graham Crackers ......... Ginger Snaps, XXX round. 7 Ginger Snaps, XXX city... 7 a Snps, XXX homemade 7 Gin. Snps,XXX scalloped... 7 Ginger Vanilla... 2... |. 8 Imperials . oe Jumples, Honey. Se 11 Molusses Cakes............ 8 Marshmallow ............. 15 Marshmallow Creams..... 16 Pretzels, hand made ..... 844 Pretzelettes, Little German 6% Muear Cake... pe Beart LUMen wk... 7% Sears’ Zephyrette.. ..... ..10 Vanilla Square........ . Vanitia Wafers .......... 4 Peeanm Wafers... ... ...... 16 Brust Cofiee...... 10 Mixed Picnic. ..... 10% Cream Jumbles ............ 11% Boston Ginger a Chimmie Fadden . : Pineapple Glace............ : 16 Boted :(.. to | Granulated 2 06 Feed and Millstuffs. St. Car Feed. screened .... 11 50 No. 1 Corn and Oats....... 11 00 Not Meeq -s- 50 50 Unbolted Corn Meal....... 10 50 Winter Wheat Bran.. . 9 00 Winter Wheat ; Middlings... "10 00 Grains and Feedstuffs | Wheat. Wheat... 1. 87 Winter Wheat Flour. Local Brands. Patents 5 25 necona Pateng..... |... 4 35 ReeeAG 4 55 Clear.. dynes seen ae Graham. eee a Backwheat 000010.) 28 Ne ee 3 00 — to usual eash dis- count Flour in bbls., ditional. Ww arden Grocer Co.'s Brand. 25¢ per bbl. ad- Quaker, ‘gs. .. £6 Quaker, 4s. . 46 Quaker, %s. 4 65 een Wheat Flour. Olney & Judson ’s Brand. Cerca 4S... 3d 00 Ceresota, 48. ........5... 2, 49 COVGROta Ma 4 $85 Ball-Barnhart-Putman’s Brand. Grand Republic, \s.. -50 Grand Republie, 4s.. ..... 4 90 Grand Republic, %s........ 4 80 Worden Grocer Co.’s Brand, Laurel, - eee ec. 4 90 Laurel, - «o@ Laurel, ae Lemon & Ww beeen < Co.’s Brand. Parisian, \s..... 5 00 Parisian, 46...... 4 v0 Parisian ce 4 80 Screenings. . eee. ce. & OO The O. E_ sini Mill Co quotes as follows: New Corn. Can lots. ee Less than car lots......... 25 Oats. Car lots. .. oe Carlots, clipped... ... 2s Less than car lots......... 25 Hay. No. 1 Timothycarlots...... 10 50 No. 1 Timothy, ton lots ...11 00 Fruits. Oranges. Fancy Seedlings Mexicans 150-176-200 @3 50 Cal. Seedlings. . ie Strictly choice 360s.. @3 25 @2 7 Strictly choice 300s.. @3 00 Fancy 360s.. Lae @3 25 Ex.Fancy S008) 60). @3 50 Bananas. A definite price is hard to name, as it varies according to size of bunch and quality of fruit. Medium bunches...1 25 @I1 50 Large bunches......1 7 @2 00 Foreign Dried Fruits. “= Choice Layers oe @10 Figs, New Smyrna i a aR @13 Figs, Naturals in 30 Ib. ba, Ore... ...... @i7 Dates, Fards in 10 1b boxes . @8 Dates, Fards in 601b Cases .... @6 Dates, Persians, GM. , 60 Ib cases, new @ 6% Dates, Sairs 60 Ib cases @ 5% Nuts. | Almonds, Tarragona. . @i3 | Almonds, Ivaca....... @i | Almonds, California, soft shelled........ @13 Biase new... ....... @ 7% Pilberts _..... 12... @10 Wainuts, Grenobles @13 Walnuts, Calif No. 1 @l0 Walnuts, soft shelled Cal. @13 Table Nuts, fancy.... @l12 Table Nuts, choice... @10 Pecans, Med... ... @10 Pecans, Ex. Large.... @l12 Pecans, Jumbos...... @l4 Hickory Nuts per bu., Ohio, new. ..... @2 00 Cocoanuts, full sacks @4 00 Butternuts per bu.. @ 60 Black Walnuts per bu @ 60 Peanuts. Fancy, H. P., Game Coeeks.......2.. aes @ 4% Fancy, H. P., Flags moeeted. @7 Choice, H. P., Extras. @ 1% Choice, H. P., Extras, Roasted ............ @ 5% | Bellies |... ___Provisions. - Swift, & Company quo follows: Barreled Pork. Mess Back . oa Clear back ... Short cut. Dry Salt — Pee Extra shorts....... Smoked Tents. Hams, 12 lb average.. Hams, 14 lb ave Hams, 16 1b ave Hams, 20 lb average... Ham dried beef.......... Shoulders (N. Y. cut). . Becou, Clear si ‘titi! California hams... ... Boneless hams... Cooked ham.... Lards,. Compound. .............. mene. 55 1b Tubs.......advance 80 1b Tubs...... advance 50lb Tins........advance ib Patis....... advance 10 ib Pails....... advance 5 Ib Pails.......advance 3 Ib Pails. . advance Sausages. Dologna ....... Liver. ..... Frankfort. Pork . Blood | Tongue . Head chees Beef. Extra Mess..... Boneless Rump.. igs Feet. eae Ip Ibe... .. lg bbls, 80 ae oo Tripe. Kits ists.) 1% bbls, 40 Ibs.... % bbls, 80 lbs.. Casings. Pork . Beef rounds. Beef middies........ eo Butterine. Rolls, dairy.... Solid, dairy.. Rolls, creamery Solid, creamery .. Canned Meats. Comed beef, 2 Ib...... Corned beef, it Ib... Roast beef, 2 Ib... Fottied ham, ““s....... Potted ham, ‘s.... Déviledham, Ws....... Deviledham, \s.... Petted tongue a i. Potte d tongue * In Tierces. yo _ Crockery and Tr ote as| Glassware. a ~ een eee 8 00 | AKRON STONEWARE. 8 73 | Butters, 5 90] 14 pal, per doz.......... 50 5 50) 1to6gal., pergal........ 5% fo, Seal per eal 6% ‘ 2 Meal pergal....... .. 6% 9 00} 12 gal.., per gal..... OSG 15 gal. meat-tubs, per gal. 8 5 |20 gal. meat-tubs, per gal.. 8 | I 5 | 29 gal. meat-tubs, per gal.. 10 44 | 30 gal. meat-tubs, per gal.. 10 Churns. 9% | 2 to 6 gal., per gal........ 5% bi Churn Dashers, per doz... 85 hi | Milkpans. a ; 10% 1% gal. flat or rd. bot.,doz. 60 dy 1 gal. Hat or rd. bot., each 5% cl Fine Glazed Milkpans. hi | ¥¢ gal. flat or rd. beer doz. 65 10% 1 gal. flatorrd. bot.,each 5% | Stewpans. 43, | 4 gal. fireproof, bail, doz. 85 514 | 1 gal. fireproof, bail, doz.1 10 re | Jugs. +1 4 gal., per doz............ 40 4 gil per dog Stic Oe | aE, perga.....|.. 6% % | Tomato Jugs. } % gal., per doz.. 70 1 ie ch a a 5 | Corks for % gal., perdoz.. 29 6 | Corks for 1 gal, per doz.. 30 644 Preserve Jars and Covers. 5” 4% gal., stone cover, doz... 7% 9 1 gal., stone cover, doz...1 00 Se | Sealing Wax. | 5 lbs. in package, per Ib.. 2 eu LAMP BURNERS. ve i No. 0 Sun...... ee ae ~ | No, 1 San ‘ Diese a: | oe LO, 2 ee | Tubular. . ' . = 1 5u | Security, No. 1. oo. 65 2 OO | Security Noe 0 ee | | Nunes |... —. o- oo Arctic... a. 115 Z 3 | | LAMP CHIMNEYS—Common. 2 ue Per box of 6 doz. | | No. @ Sun.... .. be | No. 1 Sun. 1 88 | No. 2 Sun 2 70 First ‘Quality. | 1 Se. 0 San, —— top, 8% | maepres and labeled.... 2 10 8 No. | Sun, cri top, 13 wrap ‘ped and label ed... 22 124% | No. 2 Sun, crimp top, wrapped and labeled 3 25 > oe XXX Flint. 200 |No. 0 Sun, crimp top, 80 wrapped and labeled.... 2 55 100 | No. 1 Sun, crimp top, 60 wrapped and labeled. 2 75 1 00 No. 2 Sun, crimp top, 60 wrapped and labeled.... 3 74 1 00 CHIMNEYS—Pearl Top. | | | | { =| No.1 | | { | | | | | Sun, wrapped and | abeled... 3 70 Hides and Pelts. i No. 2 Sun, ‘wrapped. ‘and i he One ga ce labeled.... 4 70 Perkins & He Ss pay as fol- | No. 2 — Ww rapped ‘and r lows: i labe sled... 4 8 ch Hides. No.2 Sun, “Small “Bulb,” Green ............ 2 for Globe Lamps......... 90 Part cured... oo big Moll Cured... ..... bg La Bastie. Ey Barrels. Eocene . XXX W.W.Mich.Halt W W Michican........ High Test Headlight. . DS. Gas.............. Deo. Napens .......... Cyiindece....._........20 Bune... ............1 Black, winter......... No. 1 Sun. plain bulb, per doz Hm. Migs. green........ . 5 c a. 12 ie cee .........6 @ | No. 2 Sun, plain’ bulb, per Calfskins, green...... 54@ doa .... 1 50 Calfskins, cured..... 64a }NoOIC rimp, per ae 1s Deaconskins .........2% @30 | No. 2 Crimp, per doz.. _1 Pelts. oe i Rochester. U Lambs //...)..... |. 25@ 50| No. t, Lime (Ge doz)...... 3 50 Cid’ Wool... 10@ 75 | No. 2, Lime (70¢ doz).. .. 4 06 Furs No. 2, Flint (80e doz)...... 4 70 a 30@ 1 10] Electric. GOON. .-....--..-.. “x 10! No. 2, Lime (70¢ doz) ..... 4 00 oo — @ No. 2, Flint (80e doz)... . 4 40 Red Fox...... ....... 80@12 OIL CANS. Doz. Gray Fox... 30@ 0 1 gal tin cans with spout.. 1 6U Cross Mom ...........2 5 @ 5 CO) 1 ga al galy iron with spout. 1 75 Taaer........ J 50 | 2 gal galv iron with spout. 3 00 a wud............ 2@ 30) 3 gal ge ulv iron with spout. 4 0v Cat. Mouse... ...... ia +0} 5 gal ga lv iron with spout. 5 00 Wisher... ............8 OO 3 @| 5 gal galv iron with ee 6 U0 ‘2... ..1 0@ 2 | Sgal Tilting cans..... . 9 00 Martin, Dark. .-1 00@ 2 50 | 5 gal galv iron Nacefus _ a. OO | ae Yellow . — : ool Pump Cans, woe 110@ 2 0012 8% il Rapid steady stream. 9 00 Bee i ""'» goals (9 | 2 Sal Eureka non ‘overflow 10 50 a Vance oon ‘ | 3 gal Home Rule.. e100) SU Ce ee 0U@ 6 00 | o- | o gal Home Hule.... -..... 12 00 Deerskin, dry. per - 156@ 25 | 5 gal Pirate King. 9 50 Jeerskin,gr’n, perlb. 10@ 12% | * sn aah ae gh ee r Wool.” | LANTERNS. Washed . _|. -10 @i6 | No. 6 Tubular..... -- 425 Unwashed . @ic | Noa. 18 Tabular... ...... 6 50 Misceilaneous. | No. 13 Tubular Dash. 6 36 Tallow . a 2 @3 | Ne. 1 Tub., giasefount.... 7 00 Grease Butter. _.1 @2 (Ree Tubular, side lamp. 14 0C Switches ae 14@ 2 | No. 3 Street Lamp oe a 3% Ginseng......_.. WGQ2 TF LANTERN GLOBES. =| No. 0 Tubular, cases 1 doz. each, box 10 centr.... |No.0T ubular, cases 2 doz. | deh bom icone... ... 45 | No.0 Tubular, bbls 5 doz. Givi | eaen, DoE a. + o @ 8% |} No.0 Tubular, bull’s eye, @8 | cases1 doz. each. @7 LAMP WICKS @ 9 | No. 0 per gross. a @ 8% | No.1 Der erces,... ...... 25 @as | Neo. 2vergrom............ s6 D21 NG, Sper arose... 58 @ 9 Mammoth per doz........ ._ MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Hardware The Hardware Market. General trade during the holiday sea- son is always quiet, especially between the two holidays. The majority of mer- chants at the present time are busy with their inventory, and as this is the case with almost all branches of trade, there are but few people looking around to see where they can buy goods. This condition has its effect upon the re- tailer and follows on into the jobber, as well as the manufacturer. The indi- cation to place orders for advance ship- ments is not as marked as the jobber might wish, as in many cases it is hard to convince the retail buyer that there is a chance of an advance. We believe, however, that goods in many lines are as low as they will be, and the dealer who is in shape to anticipate his wants and not deprive himself of securing the cash discount will not make a mistake in anticipating his wants in a moderate way. Wire Nails—During the past week the volume of business in nails has been quite moderate, as the trade are limit- ing their purchases to early require- ments. As is usually the case in win- ter, the demand for nails decreases, and dealers, being aware of this fact, are supplying their trade from their stock on hand and only replenishing it when absolutely necessary. There is but lit- tle change to note in price on wire nails and there does not seem to be any indi- cation of their being higher for the present. The low price on the raw ma- terial and the open market now prevail- ing will prevent an advance as long as this condition exists. Barbed Wire—There is no change to note in this commodity and, while some orders are being taken for future ship- ments, such orders are not coming in with as much freedom as formerly. There is no change to note in price, al- though the general tone of the market is weaker. Rope—The demand for rope is light and the prices remain stationary. We quote sisal rope at 6c per pound and manilla at 8@oc. Window Glass—There has been a general resumption of the window glass factories. It is estimated that by the first of the year about 1,400 pots will be in operation. It is reported that no ad- vance in prices will be made by manu- facturers before the middle of January, beyond which time no glass will be sold by members of the Manufacturers’ As- sociation. The prices with the jobbers in this locality are from 70 and 5 to 70 and 1!0 per cent., according to the quantity wanted. Skates—Owing to the cold weather which has prevailed largely in Michi- gan, the demand for skates has been unprecedented. Stocks in jobbers’ hands have been broken and it has been difficult in many cases to get prompt shipments from factory. Notwithstand- ing this shortage, there has been no change in prices, jobbers and manufac- turers continuing the low prices which have been prevailing up to the present time. a The Workmen Live in Their Work. The poets have always compared the movement of time to the flowing of a stream, a rivulet or a river—something forever passing away, yet never ex- hausted. When one questions closely the aptness of the simile it isclear that time is taken as synonymous with hu- man life, the course of history, but not as co-terminous with the biography of any individual being inthis world. The individual life is symbolized in poetry by the successive seasons of the chang- ing year—the springtime’s hope and promise, the summer’s complete ex- pression of vital energy, the autumn’s golden harvests, and the winter’s sum- mons to fireside communings. Your life and your neighbor's life are but as flowers that bloom in their season; the life of your family began in pre-historic ages and will be indefinitely continued. The community and the corporations which are its creatures are types of this permanence in evanescence. Towns, cities, metropolitan masses of houses and multitudes of working and idle peo- ple spring up, grow and dwindle. They have their day, so to speak; but it is a long day, and in the perspective of the individual human life it is seemingly illimitable. There are dead and buried cities whose streets rang in unrecorded centuries to the roar of commerce and the tumult of civic. strife; but their greatness was the product of the hunger, the unrest and the aspiration of united generations, and the end of their far- reaching power must have appeared in- conceivably remote to any single ob- server of their growth. Time flowed through their streets, bearing away one man’s fortune, while it added to an- other's wealth, sweeping by with the debris of the past while it left still, ap- parently secure, the foundations of a constantly rising civilization. Nothing that Macaulay wrote has so caught the fancy of his wide world of readers as his picture of the future New Zealand- er, seated on a crumbling arch of Lon- don Bridge and musing over the silent ruins of that city of cities on the Thames. But men no longer believe in the possibility of another dismantled and abandoned Baalbec or Thebes. Modern conquerors are too wise to pil- lage and raze a great metropolis to the ground. The opulent cities of the pres- ent age reach after trade and control the routes of commerce. They are no longer left stranded by the discovery of new lands and the diversion of enter- prise. As the intellect of man enables him to adapt himself to every climate, and to recover and increase the fertility of his outworn fields, the commanding commercial genius of a New York ora London traverses all the highways of the seas and makes itself at home in_ every mart. These mighty emporiums copy each other's improvements, appropriate each other’s inventions, and printing forbids that they should ever lose any useful art. In old and quiet country villages the changing lapse of time is less evident. Those apart from the crowded routes of trade and traffic are dependent upon local an neighborhood patronage. They grow or they dwindle slowly; but in them also the generations succeed each other, and in the graveyard The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep. The old church, the old schvol-house, and other venerable buildings of brick or stone strike the common mind, en- ter into the common consciousness, as enduring features of the landscape. One does not think of them as subject to decay, and hardly even as the fabri- cations of human hands. But the town has, nevertheless, its man-made history, and its preachers, its teachers and other leaders have given it an atmos- phere which enters into all its life. Every community, whether great or small, the village as well as the metrop- olis, wears some individual expression which vivid intellects and strong wills have impressed upon it. It is true only in a sense unintended by the poet that the individual withers while the world is more and more. ‘‘The workmen die, the work goes on,’’ is, indeed, a true saying ; but it is true only in a limited sense. The workmen live in their work, and time cannot carry off with its wrecks the influence of true words and noble deeds. FRANK STOWELL. LELEEEEEEE EEE EET E TTT ETS A special line of medium price Cook Stoves Pp hepa oh oh ah ah opahapup WB op apupahahauh opihababupeb | PPh Ph ehehahehepahapapad, Write for prices. FOStGr, St6VENS & 60. Grand Rapids. PPS hho oh ohehehehahuhabap * teerreeerrrrrrrr rrr pesy A large number of hardware dealers handle THE O10 LINE FEED GUTTERS OHIO PONY CUTTER Fig. 783. No. 1114. Made by SILVER MAN’PF’G CO., Salem, Ohio, This cutter is for hand use only, and is a strong, light-running machine. It is adapted to cutting Hay, Straw and Corn-fodder, and is suitable for parties keeping from one to four or five animals. There is only one size, and is made so it can be knocked down and packed forshipment, thus securing lower freight rate. Has one 1114 inch knife, and by very simple changes makes four lengths of cut. We also have a full line of larger machines, both for hand or power. Write for catalogue and prices. ADAMS & HART, General Agents, Grand Rapids. vane: 8 He nee I canes. | IWibininehin titat MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 23 Tribute to the Traveler.* He travels and expatiates; as the bee from flower to flower, so he from land to land: The manners, customs, policies of all Pay contribution to the store he gleans. The sentiment seems appropriate and applicable to the commercial traveler, but it is one thing to ‘‘expatiate’’ to a poor defenseless merchant when you have him in a corner, and another be- fore a large audience which has you at its mercy. My friend Stowe publishes a ‘‘yaller- covered’’ paper up in Grand Rapids, called the Michigan Tradesman. In his *‘Gripsack Brigade’’ column a short time ago he took occasion to say that a serious mistake had been made in the preparation of this program, and that ‘there is only one subject on which Mr. Blake 1s thoroughly posted, and that is a topic on which he 1s admirably fitted to talk, both by association and experi- ence—the simple topic of girls.’ Now, the topic is all right enough. It is a beautiful one, yet who but Stowe, of the Tradesman, would dare call **girls’’ a‘‘simple’’ topic? I will not ex- patiate on that subject, as | know I could not do it justice, but I would like to inform my editorial friend that girls are not only not simple, but he will find —when he attains to my ‘‘experience’’— that they are both compound and com- plex. The trouble is that Brother Stowe is envious because I have four nice girls and he has only one—boy. The boy isn’t to blame, however, and if he grows up a good boy, I may let him have one of my girls later on—that is, if he promises never to become an edi- tor or, hardly ever, a commercial trav- eler. That reminds me that ‘*The Traveler’ is the topic assigned me and, as it apparently is not confined solely to the commercial traveler, I might mention that ‘there are others.’’ No doubt the most welcome of all is the traveling paymaster. He is beloved —not alone for his charming personality, but especially for his intrinsic value. The missionary who travels to the an- tipodes to convert the heathen ts also beloved, but in his case not at all for his intrinsic value, but for his well fed personality. Then there is the travel- ing correspondent, who throws his search light into all the dark places of the world. He knows no fear; crime flees before him; he is the beacon light of knowledge and ‘‘the manners, customs, policies of all pay contribution to the store he gleans.”’ The world is better for such travelers as Christopher Columbus, Sir John Franklin, John C. Fremont, Doctor Livingstone, Paul Du Chaillu; and there are women travelers of whom we speak in veneration, such as Clara Bar- ton, who has but recently borne the glorious badge of the Red Cross into the blood-drenched homes of wounded and tortured Armenia and applied her balm of Gilead to suffering humanity there. Travelers, as a rule, are good Samaritans. Their contact with the world makes them broad gauged and sympathetic. I might refer in detail to the different kinds of travelers who ap- pear to my mind, and recite their pe- culiarities, but as it is a subject of much magnitude—and I am gratefully cognizant of the fact that my time is limited—I_ will confine my remarks more closely to the brand known as ‘*commercial travelers,’’ and I might say, by way of preamble, that the rela- tions between the firm and its traveling representative should be of such a cor- dial nature as to attain the best results for the benefit of both. Dean Hodges, of Cambridge, says that no man has a greater provocation to distrust the Christianity of the busi- ness world than the commercial traveler. His reputation for honorable dealing is his best capital, yet sometimes he puts aside his scruples—thinks, perhaps, that he has a foolish and misleading con- science—and_ is tempted to prevaricate. Of course, this is the exception rather than the rule, for with fourteen years’ experience on the road _ in telling the truth —and otherwise—I can safely say that ‘‘ Honesty is the best policy,’’ and I have often observed that the average *Response by W. F. Blake at annual banquet Michigan nights of the Grip. knight of the grip (present company excepted, of course) has acquired a habit of telling the exact truth that amounts almost to a disease. I have found that the traveling man is looked upon generally as a sort of privileged character. The clerks inthe retail stores are inclined to envy him. They observe that he dresses well, stops at the best hotels (when there are any best), rides on the cars and, apparently, has nothing to do but pull out his order book, copy off the fat list of wants re- served especially for him, treat the pro- prietor, the clerks and himself to good cigars, tell a good story and say good- bye for thirty days. They think the course of his life is smooth and easy—a sort of ball-bearing, pneumatic-tire life, as it were—and their ambition is to ob- tain a position on the road where they, too, may find life one continual round of pleasure. ‘I’ve noticed—more'’n likely so have you— That things don’t happen as you want ’em to.’ They have not read between the oes and discovered that only the few suc- ceed; that the life they have to lead takes. them away from their homes for days and nights, away from their fam- ilies and away from their—best girls; that even the best hotels are, in some places, hovels; that their beds are not always beds of down, and that, more often than otherwise, their four-course dinners consist of ram, lamb, sheep and mutton. They do not see (in their dreams) the long, cold, wet and muddy drives through swamps or woods ten miles to an interior store, only to find the buyer has gone fishing and ‘‘didn't leave word about an order.’’ Perhaps you pass the day without an order, and, therefore, the night without sleep ina cold, nervous sweat. Business has been bad for some time and you are dread- ing the receipt of a letter from the house, even though you are short of cash. At last, however, it arrives and it tells you to brace up and not get the blues. Your employer is a sort of mind reader, had read your discouragement between the lines of your last communi- cation to the house and, being a fair man, . inclined to do all he can to aid you. You find enclosed a draft for an- other month's expenses, and then you don’t feel so much like committing suicide. The sun shines again and *‘all the clouds about our house are in the dark bosom of the ocean _buried.’’ The traveling man’s life is full of ups and downs, but there are many sunny spots or it would be unbearable. 1 might expatiate on his many vir- tues, but the innate modesty of our clan forbids me. As to his shortcomings— ‘Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”’ i have not said a word about that in- vasion of our ranks by the lady traveler, but I assure you we are willing to em- brace her also. I have met none but who are an honor to the profession and should be welcomed to it, for the influ- ence of a good woman sheds luster and dignity and gentleness wherever she goes. There was a time when the commer- cial traveler occupied but a smal! space on this firmament of ours; when his reputation was not very savory; when he thought it necessary to indulge i in the use of intoxicating liquors with his cus- tomer in order to get him mellowed up to the buying point, and when to be known as a commercial traveler (or drummer) was synonymous with losing caste in society. But time changes all things and from the days when **Sam Slick, the Yankee clock peddler,’’ trav- eled through New England and Nova Scotia, sold his wares and, as Judge Haliburton tells me, moulded public opinion, he has gone forth to battle and to conquer. Under the influence of his genial spirit the cares and _perplexities of the business world surrender. He is to-day a man of ideas; thoroughly up- to date; a disseminator of knowledge ; faithful to his employers and their in- terests, yet a staunch friend to his cus- tomers; his heart full of charity for the afflicted, and a patriotic defender of his country. For he who's doomed o'er waves to roam, Or wander on a foreign strand, Will sigh whene’er he thinks of home, And better love his native land. Hardware Price Current. AUGURS AND BITS ee 70 Jennings SengIneG 25410 Jvenmingn, imitation ...... 0... 60&10 AXES First Quality, S. B. Bronze ................. 5 00 Hirst Quality, D. B. Bronze..............__. 9 50 First Quality. S. B.S. Steel...... .......... 550 Hitst Quality. D. B. Steel 10 50 BARROWS Beene $12 00 14 00 COG net 30 00 BOLTS Oe 60 Carriage — <1... ..... Ute 6a oe rw... lie 40410 BUCKETS Wel pam es BUTTS, CAST Cant tooce Pin, figured. ....... ........... 70 Wroeeht Narrow 75&10 BLOCKS Ordinary Tackle... ......... oo , 70 CROW BARS CastStece .- per lb 4 CAPS ee rm 65 eee oe “ber _ = Go... Cl ...... .per m 35 Meee perm 60 CARTRIDGES Rim Fire. i. Central Fire. es 2d: 5 CHISELS Mechee WMINGE 80 MOCMCS HIAMMNG i, Ll. 80 MocHes COMIC 80 BOGmes Siems 80 DRILLS Morse’s Bit Stocks . ee 60 Taper and Straight Shank........... 1... .50& 5 Morse’s Taper Shank.. lS ELBOWS Com. 4 picee,Gin. .... _......... doz. net 55 Commetee 12 PEC dis 40&10 EXPANSIVE BITS Clark’s small, $18 ; Ej Oe 3010 Ives’, 1, $18; 2, $24; Se 25 FILES—New List New American. |. 7O&10 NIGHEIAGM owe. 70 Heller s Horse Raspes... -60&10 GALVANIZED IRON Nos. 16 to 20; 22 and 24; 25 and 26; 27. ..... 28 List 12 13 14 15 s._.. 17 Discount, 75 GAUGES Stanley Rule and Level Co.’s............... 60&16 KNOBS—New List Door, mineral, jap. trimmings.... ......... 70 Door, porcelain, jap. trimmings............ 80 MATTOCKS Adze Eye... $16 00, dis 60&10 Hunt Eye... .815 00, dis 60&10 Ge .. 818 50, dis 20410 MILLS Coitec, Parkers Cavs.....................,.. 40 Coffee, P. S. & W. Mfg. Co.’s —"ageamana 40 Coffee, Landers, Ferry & Clark’ ee 40 Coffee, Enterprise ees ee eee t 30 MOLASSES GATES Siebbins Patter ce 60&10 Seen s Gomme 60&10 Enterprise, self-measuring ....... ae 30 NAILS Advance over base, on both Steel and Wire. SeOCl MONA WARG. | cle, tl. 1 70 Wire nails, Dane. es 1 80 mivcadvnee. 0 Base Wie 6 aavance...-.. oc. U5 Sagueice 10 Games 20 a... 30 MUVONeO ee oe, 45 ee 70 ee 50 Cosine io atvanee.... 8. 15 Casing Sadvance.............-.....---... 25 Costas Cadvatce 35 Poe eevee... C................, is re Cee... 38> Minish Gadvarnce....-................ oe 45 Dormer: & advance 85 PLANES Ono Poot Ces, faney..................... @50 Senet OMe 60 Sandusky Fool Co.'s, faney................. @50 Bench, first quality...... ee. @50 Stanley Rule and Level Co.’s wood......... 60 PANS Pry. Awe 2. ee 60£10&10 Common polished =. TW& 5 RIVETS ion and Tinned we 60 Copper Rivets and Burs..................... 60 PATENT PLANISHED IRON “A” Wood’s patent planished, Nos. 24 to 27 10 20 ‘*B” Wood’s patent planished, Nos. 25 to 27 9 Broken packages 4c per pound extra. HAMMERS Mexeeie & Cos new tist........ .....- dis 33% a dis 25 Yerkes & Plumb’s. ee 40&10 Mason’s Solid Cast Kteel 70 Biacksmith’s Solid Cast Steel Hand aoc gt 40&10 HOUSE FURNISHING GOODS Stamped Tin Ware. -hew list 75&10 Japanned Tin W me ea a 20&10 Granite Iran Ware................. new list 40&10 HOLLOW WARE roe. Bees i ee Spiders eee ak . 60810 HINGES ese (lake 8 28... dis 60&10 State. .per doz. net 2 50 WIRE GooDs Bright....... .. ea 80 Screw Eyes..... cee 80 Bone be bees 80 Gate Hooks and Eyes. . ia 80 LEVELS ~ Stanley Rule and Level Co.’s........ .. dis 70 : ROPES Sisal, 4% inch and = oes i. fo Manilla... .. S : 2 “SQUARES” Seccs SG NO 80 ary and Beyvom. | ee SHEET IRON i com. smooth. com. Noe 1000... ........... ae #2 40 Me mio |... 8... a 2 40 Nos, Hitoe............ 3. 2 60 Nea. 2 toe... ............. 3 oe 2 70 Pe _ow 2 80 No. 27 3 80 2 90 All sheets ‘No. 18 and ‘lighter, “over 30 inches wide not less than 2-10 extra. SAND PAPER List acct. 19, ’86. Loe.) ' SASH WEIGHTS BONG Bee per ton 20 00 TRAPS Steel, Game. . ' ' 60&10 Oneida Community, ‘New house's. 50 Oneida Community, Hawley & Norton's 8 T0&10&10 moure Coceer................... per doz 15 Mouse, delusion............ . per doz i 25 WIRE Bright Market.... oo Annealed Market...... ' Coppered Marmet.............. ‘Tinned Market.......... .. Coppered Spring Steel Barbed Fence, galvaniz Barbed Fence, painted. . =_— NAILS” aA Au Sable.. .. dis 40&1C Putnam. . eee 5 REE .. dis 10&10 WRENCHES Baxter’s Adjustable, nickeled ............. 30 tt'=jthituzaz ea. ee 50 Coe’s Patent Agricultural, Ww rought . so Coes Patent, matieabla..................... 80 MISCELLANEOUS bora Cazes 50 Pomps, Cieterm:........... ............. 80 Screws, New List.. ves) 85 Casters, Bed and Plate.. << «oe. OODLE ee Ermnpers, American... 8... 50 METALS—Zinc OG pit CARMA 614 Pervouse 8. 6% SOLDER Os ..... 12% The prices ‘of the many other qualities ‘of solder in the market indicated by private brands vary according to composition. TIN—Melyn Grade Heats IC, Chareoal............... oo Poe ee Cee... = te 5 7% 20x14 IX, Charcoal . _. 7 Each additional X on ‘this grade, 81. 25. ee Grade 10x14 IC, Charcoai . ease teveucen Om 14x20 IC, Charcoal . See i oe 10x14 IX, Creregar .............. i... ee ee 6 00 Each additional X on this grade, $1.50. ROOFING PLATES x27 IC, Charcoal, eam......-............. 14x20 IX, Charcoal, Dean el 20x28 IC, Charcoal, Dean.. . . 14x20 IC, Charcoal, Allaw ay Grade.) 14x20 IX, Charcoal, Allaway Gradc......... 20x28 1C, Charcoal, Allaway Grade........ 20x28 IX, Charcoal, Allaway Grade. . BOILER SIZE TIN PLATE. 14x56 IX, for No. 8 Boilers, | 14x56 IX. for No. 9 Boilers, ( Pet pound... Boumoan SSSSSEE _ © WM. 'BRUMMELER & SONS, GRAND RAPIDS, Pay the highest price in cash for MIXED RAGS, RUBBER BOOTS AND SHOES, OLD IRON AND METALS. for offer on “Any Old Thing.” Every Dollar Invested in Tradesman Com- ro COUPON BOOKS will yield handsome returns in saving book-keeping, be- sides the assurance that no charge is_ forgotten. Write Tradesman Company, GRAND RAPIDS. 24 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Looking Forward in the Grocery Busi- ness. Stroller in Grocery World. There’s a retail grocer up in Bucks County who has some pretty Startling ideas—ideas that are against his own interests in a good many ways. I was in his store one day last week, and he unloaded several of these ideas on me. I’m not going to tell this grocer’s name, or even where his store is, for every reader of the Grocery World would want to throw him off the earth. I expect if I were to tell who this grocer is, the trains up that way for several days after the paper appeared would be crowded with retail grocers with knives in their boots. The talk came about in this way: I was standing at the door of this grocer's store looking up the street, when a peddler came driving along. He had teas and coffees. ‘There goes a fellow I don’t suppose you have much use for,’’ I observed, as the peddler passed. ‘‘Oh, I don’t know,’’ said the grocer, rather indifferently. I looked around at him in consider- able surprise. Indifference toward the peddler was so different from what | had been accustomed to. “‘It’s what we're all coming to,’’ he said. . ‘“What do you mean?’’ ‘Well, I'll tell you. I’m a pretty young man, and I’ve studied the sub- ject a little, and I believe that inside of fifty years there won't be any jobbers or retailers either. That is, I mean re- tailers like myself.’’ I always did get rattled in the pres- ence of lunatics, so I moved a step nearer the door. ‘That's what we’re coming to,’’ re- peated the grocer, with great earnest- ness, ‘‘and if you live fifty years longer you'll see it. Why, the jobbers are on their last legs now,’’ he said, vehement- ly. “‘I’ll bet a consumer can go into any wholesale grocery store in Philadel- phia and buy goods. He'll have to buy a good-sized quantity, but he'll get the goods all thesame. You mark my words, the jobbers are doing this because they see the signs of the times.’ “My dear man,’’ I said, mildly, ‘“you're away off. The wholesale gro- cer that sells the consumer in Phila- delphia is the very rare exception, and not the rule at all. I’ve seen consumers who wanted to buy big stocks of goods turned down time after time, and | know what I'm talking about.’’ ‘Well, it’s all right,’’ he said, no- wise disconcerted. ‘‘You wait. You see if the jobber ain’t out of existence in fifty years. Why, all these manufac- turers are beginning to sell the retailers Straight. They have no use for the job- ber, because they can save his profit by selling us direct. What can the jobber do? Nothing!’’ ‘‘But you said that there wouldn't be any retailers in fifty years, either,’’ ‘“‘Well, I mean that, too,’’ he per- sisted. ‘‘I believe that the time is coming when the manufacturers will deal direct with the consumer by hav- ing, Say, their own wagons in every own. What will the retailers be able to do then? I could take a grocery wagon and go on the streets to-day, and I'd save 75 per cent. of my store ex- penses. Look at Armour! Don’t he have his retail places all over the coun- try? Even if there are regular retail Stores, in fifty years they'll be run by the manufacturers jointly; you see if they're not.’’ ‘“Phew!’’ I said; ‘‘if I were a retail grocer and felt like that, I believe I’d leave the business and get into some- thing else.’ ‘“Why would you?’’ he asked. ‘* Fifty years is a good while. I don’t expect to be alive when that time rolls around. And then I may be wrong,’’ he said, modestly. ‘*That’s so,’’ I said, hopefully. ‘‘I’ve looked pretty closely into the signs of the times,’’ he continued, ‘‘and if they mean anything, they mean that the middleman is not in it! And by middieman I mean every man who comes between the fountain head—the manufacturer — and the consumer. They'll deal directly with each other in fifty years or I’m a liar!’’ I looked at the man a minute in si- lence. ‘“How long have you had this?’’ I asked. ‘*Had what?’’ ‘*This delirium?’’ eHe laughed. ‘‘That’s all right,’’ he said, ‘“*you wait. You just wait fifty years.’’ ‘“My dear man,’'I said, ‘‘do you know of a manufacturer on this earth who is equal to the task, not only of at- tending to the many details of manufac- ture, but also of superintending the ac- tual selling of his goods all over the country? Why,it would be an utter im- possibility. No man or set of men could do it.’’ ‘‘Well—’’ began the grocer. ‘*Now, hold on,’’ I interjected, ‘‘I let you sing your little song; you let me sing mine, ‘There will always be middlemen,”’ I went on, ‘‘for the reason that the one man—the manufacturer—will never be able to do the work himself. There will always be retailers, too, because the jobber will never be able to do the work of selling the consumer as weil as the retailer. Both the jobber and the re- tailer are part of the great scheme of distribution, and you can’t dispense with either. ’’ “All right,’’ said the grocer. ‘‘ You just wait fifty years.’’ i Weil" Dsaid. “I'm perfectly will- ing to do that."’ 1 have forty-nine years, eleven months and twenty-one days more to wait. ——_—_ 6» __ Difference Between Cheese and Grind- stone. Veizey, Dec. 26—I was pleased to see the article on Mr. Truckee in your last week’s issue, but Mr. Raider has omit- ted one amusing incident in Mr. fruckee's book-keeping. At one time he sold a man one grindstone and one cheese. Afterward, on sending the bill for collection, he sent it for two cheese. Of course, the bill was disputed. On looking over his books he saw his mis- take and apologized by saying that he forgot to put the hole in the grindstone. W. J. Barnum. —_—_—_2+.____ Among the resolutions passed by the American Federation of Labor at its re- cent session at Cincinnati is one de- manding that all railway cars not carry- ing the mails shall be forbidden to dis- play signs indicating that they do so. That is to say, such cars must advertise whether they are under the protection of the Federal laws for the safety of the mail service, or simply those governing the relations of common property. If the resolution means anything, it means that such property must advertise the extent to which it is liable to the dep- redations of the riotous mobs of organ- ized labor in times of disturbance. The right way would be to extend the stricter provisions for the protection of all com- mon Carriers and manufacturing enter- prises as well. ~~ ——— Men and women have each their sphere in society. Woman may be fitted to fill man’s place, but man cannot fill woman's. So if woman enters man’s sphere there must remain in society a place unfilled, a work undone. / ———_ 2» >__ : _ Don’t get ashamed of your station in life! Don’t get ashamed of your busi- ness! Don’t get beyond your genera- tion! Don’t get too big for your clothes! Don’t get too proud for your purse! Baltimore proposes to copy the ancient Greeks and have a stadium, the greatest thing in the way of a carnival of sports ever held in America. It has been suggested that the carnival be held in 1898. —_—_22___ After Nov. 1, 1896, the retail Cigar dealers will give you a light every time you buy an S. C. W. 5c Cigar. This offer remains good until further notice. The Produce Market. Apples—Local dealers hold fruit at $1@1.25 per bbl. Beans—Handlers pay 40@s5o0c for country picked, holding city picked at 60@70c. The demand is fair but the market is featureless. Butter—Receipts continue to increase, in consequence of which the market_has eased off considerably. Fancy dairy still brings 12c, but factory creamery has de- clined to 2Ic. : Cabbage—4o@5oc per doz., according to size and quality. Celery—1sc per bunch. Cheese—The market has ruled very quiet during the week. Buyers are not apt to take in much cheese at this sea- son under any circumstances. Cider—$4 per bbl., including bbl. Cranberries—Dealers hold Cape Cods at $2 per bu. and $6 per bbl. Eggs—On account of liberal receipts —due to the prevalence of warmer weather—strictly fresh stock has de- clined to 18c, despite which, an alleged egg dealer has been sending out ietters to the trade offering to secure 20c. The Tradesman has frequently cautioned its readers to beware of any house which offers to pay above the market for any staple article, as such methods almost invariably stamp the dealer as fraudu- lent. Storage eggs are very quiet, and although the supply is quite small, there is sufficient stock available for the de- mand, and prices of this grade of eggs have not changed during the week, be- ing still held at 16c, with pickled stock at I5c. Grapes—Malagas bring $6 per keg of 65 lbs. gross. Honey—Scarce and higher, white clover having been marked up to 13¢, while dark buckwheat now fetches ric. Nuts—Ohio hickory, $1.50 per bu. Onions—Spanish are in fair demand, commanding $1.25 per bu. crate. Home grown continue to advance, local deal- ers having been offered 50@6oc for car- lot shipments during the past week. In a small way sales are made on the basis of 65c. These prices are for choice stock of good size. Inferior stock is sold as low as 35@4oc. Potatoes—The market is still very flat, with no present prospect of an im- provement until the seeding season opens up in the South. This begins the latter part of January, at which time the Tradesman contidently expects to see a marked improvement in values and a corresponding improvement in the demand. Squash—Hubbard is stronger, bring- ing $1.25 per 100 lbs. Sweet Potatoes—Genuine kiln-dried Jerseys are in good demand at $2.50 per b choice WANTS COLUMN. BUSINESS CHANCES. ko RENT—STORE ROOMS!! I AM BUILD- ing a brick block of four store rooms on the best corner in Carson City, Mich.; south front; two rooms are leased to merchants heie; wii) be ready for occupancy January 15, 1897; rooms are 21x13x90 feet, with cement basement sewer, water, toilet roms, electric lights, furnaces, 14-foot wide stone pavement, entire plate glass fronts with deep side lights, recess entrance, and fancy tiling; elegant new counters and shelving: rent only 325 per month; population, 2,000; one bank; another is needed and citizeus will sub- scribe; shoe store ulso wanted. Carson City, located on the Grand Trunk Railroad, is a splen- did town and surrounded by a superb farming community. Address John A. Gardner, Carson City, Montcalm Co., Mich. | {UK SALE—GUOD SET OF FIXTURES FOR grocery store, including $18 Enterprise cof- fee mill, show cases, Howe and Fairbank scales, lamps, oil tank, candy trays, cracker case, cheese safe. etc., etc. All modern and in good shape. Wil! be sold cheap for cash or bankable paper. Address No 168, care Michigan Trades- man - 168 C= BUY A GOOD WATER power flouring mill. No steam need ap- ply. Also a good drug stock from $3,000 to (00. N. H. Winans, Tower Block, Grand tapids. 166 rP.O EXCHANGE—FOUR VILLAGE LOTS IN good town near Grand Rapids for furniture stock. Will pay cash for the difference, if necessary. Address G, care Michigan Trades- man. 170 OR SALE—FINEST MEAT MARKET IN Grand Rapids, having established trade among best people. Don’t apply uuless you have $2.000 ready cash. Good reasons for sel!- ing. Address No. 163, care Michigan Trades- man. 163 ILL PAY CASH FOR CLEAN STOCK GRO- cries. State in first letter price, sales and rent. W.J. Henwood, Niles, Mich. 169 OR SALE—A GOOD DRUG AND NOPION store in Elkhart county, Indiana. No pharmacy law. T. P. Stiles, Millersburg, Ind. 164 EW HOUSE, SPLENDID Lo« ‘ATION AND rented to desirable tenant. Will trade for stock of goods in any live town of 2,000 or over. Address Lock Box 2, Lowell, Mich. 158 UBBER STAMPS AND RUBBER TYPE. Will J. Weller, Muskegon, Mich. 160 RUG STOCK FOR SALE—THE BEsT LO- cated suburban store in Kalamazoo, Michi- gan. Stock is clean; rent low. Address Havel- tine & Perkins Drug Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. 138 OR SALE AT A BARGAIN THE WAT- rous’ drug stock and fixtures, located at Newaygo. Best location and stock in the town. Enquire of Hazeltine & Perkins Drug Co.. Grand Rapids, Mich. : OR SALE—IMPRUVED 8 ACRE FARM IN Oceana county; or would exchange for merchandise. Address 380 Jefferson Avenue, Muskegon. 110 YOR EXCHANGE—TWO FINE IMPROVED farms for stock of merchandise; splendid location. Address No. 73, care Michigan Trades- man. G3 MISCELLANEOUS. y ANTED—POSITION AS STENOGRAPHER and book-keeper by young man who has had several months’ experience in mereantile lines. Ss#lary not material at first, advertiser being actuated by desire to secure an opportu- nity to identify him-elf with an establishment in which there is a chance to advance. Address No. 167, care Michigan Tradesman. 167 ANTED—SITUATION BY REGISTERED druggist, fourteen years’ experience and sober. P. H. G., care Michigan Tradesman. 162 WANTED — PUsITION AS TRAVELING " salesman by man of twenty years’ expe- rience. Best of references. E. H. Madison avenue, Grand Rapids. W AXTED—SITUATION AS CLERK IN A clothing, shoe or general store by a young man of 25. Best references. Six years’ expe- rience. Address No. 145, care Michigan Trades- man. 145 \ JANTED TO CORRESPOND WITH SHIP. pers of butter and eggs and other season- able produce. R. Hirt,36 Market Street, Detroit. 951 ANTED—SEVERAL MICHIGAN CEN- tral mileage books. Address, stating nriea Vindey. para Michigon Teadacman Ro SOO OOOO OOOO OOOO OCOOOCS I Will Invest $100,000 in a hard or soft wood manufacturing business with some one having experi- euce and capable of assuming manage- ment in every detail of plant now in Ope ation, within 100 miles of Buffalo. Two lines of railroad, splendid shipping facilities easily accessible to forest lands of Pennsylvania. Private R R. switches, electric light plant and perfect equip- ment. Original cost nearly $300,009. Fifth largest in the United States.’ To some per-on who will organize a com- pany for manufacturing wood mantels, desks, bank and office furniture, ete., an exceptional opportunity. See letter on file with Grand Rapids Furniture Manufacturers’ Association. For further particulars address BLINN YATES, Agent, 640 Ellicot Square, Buffalo, N. Y. Poole, 475 159 | 1issanstsbitanitanininiadiiessids 090990 0000000000 00000000 00000000 : : LOLLHOOOOOS 9:09 HHOQDHHOOOOOE © ©) © @ © © © @) © © © @ © g SELL THESE © : CIGARS © © G EsccsscectlltlstStnoneos GOLUMBIAN TRANSFER COMPANY CARRIAGES, BAGGAGE AND FREIGHT WAGONS 1§ and 17 North Waterloo St., Telephone 381-1 Grand Rapids. FREE TO F. A. M. An Engraving of the Hall of the Mysteries. also large Cataloy ue of Masonic books and goods with bot. ‘ tom prices. New filustrated History of , Freemaso: ry for Agents. Beware of the spurious Masonic books, REDDING &CO., blishers and Manufacturers of Masonic Goods, 212 Broadway, New York. COO® ss a yi Tong ilinunhe. eth SENS cog i Pig ats adie IN OUR 24 YEARS How much you have lost by not sending or- ders to us for our superior quality \ Noha | NASD = Use Toman Gounon BOOK Odi is POS PHDOOHOOE CELOOOOS $600000040060170000000600000000000+ PERKINS & HESS, c= Hides. Furs, Wool and Tallow ¢ Ga@aea CC enreevonennnrnnnvervensrnnennnnne rey vere rey rey We carry a stock of cake tallow for mill use. Nos. 122 and 124 Louis St.., - Grand Rapids. 4 PSOSS IOSD $6906066 90060665 666605646 $6666600660606660664 , OO $O22E200S86 ee ee Our celebrated E QS R Thin Butter Crackers | will be trade winners for the [ © 9 7 Christenson Baking Co., : Grand Rapids. POD POLO O OOH SOOO SOOS OOOOHHOS 90000000 6060000000000000 ROOFS AND FLOORS OF TRINIDAD PITCH LAKE ASPHALT Write for estimates and full information to Warren Chemical & Manufacturing Co., 81 Fulton St., New York, 94 Moffat Bid’g, Detroit. Offices also in CLEVELAND, CINCINNATI, TOLEDO, BUFFALO, UTICA, BOSTON and TORONTO. merchants who know them. PFO FV OV VVVUVUUST VG 000004 Sboab ho ho dbhboahhbdbibdo hata SbGbLbb4S BARCUS BROTHERS, [llanufacturers and Repairers, Muskegon. Sn..W,..W, .W, BW, . WB, WV. BW ~ -~ .wW, A, .Q, QB Bw eA. ea — >>. ° oe mau on ¢ | STANDARD O1L GO. DEALERS IN ILLUMINATING AND LUBRICATING NAPHTHA AND GASOLINES Office and Works, BUTTERWORTH AVE., GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Bulk works at Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Manistee, Cadillac, Big Rapids, Grand Haven, Traverse City, Ludington, Al- legan, Howard City, Petoskey and Reed City. Highest Price Paid for Empty Carbon and Gasoline Barrels. Y wi — LP. LP. Le . ma a’ TB’ ’ BW’ Ww’ @’ Q’ Qe Be’ ~ = = = ~~,’ or zl ieeseeneeseesenanamennenrtcalle UAL AA AAA mrynnyn ervnnery nny HOW IT nHO GROWN 1883 EZ 1885 1887 1889 1890 as 1891 1392 1893 ee 1894 eee 1895 1896 DUJMMMARIZED HISTORY: 1883 - - — Business Established 1885 —s = Special Machinery Introduced 1888 = Removal 10 Larger Quarters 1895 Removal 10 Still Larger Quarters 1896 Largest Coupon Book Plant in the Worl In which we ‘produce more Coupon Books than all the other manufactur- ers in the country combined. These facts speak louder than words and conclusively prove that our books must have been the best in the mar- ket for the past thirteen years in or- der to have secured this demand. TRADESMAN COMPANY, GRAND RAPIDS. Lt UN NNAA LUA MALLU MALU Mada dda adda dd UAL LdU AAA MdA AAA Nd UA ddd ddd L4NL44 Add A4G Abd AAA dMU UU UbU Add 444444444444 144.44 bb bd dd dials In Time of Peace Prepare for War Winter is coming and sleighs will be needed. We make a full line of Patent Delivery and @~P 6456 Slcldis. WRITE FOR PRICE LIST. The Belknap Wagon Co., Our New Hub Runner. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. SAR iCONSUMERS WANT IT. DON’T FAIL___-* : TO ORDER AT ONCE FROM YOUR JOBBER A QUANTITY OF | Borden’s I \ NG Peerless Brand Sf A % \Y Evaporated —— XN i ON WHICH YOU CAN MAKE A GOOD PROFIT. Prepared and guaranteed by the NEW YORK CONDENSED MILK CO., New York. 2 2 SOLD BY ALL THE LEADING WHOLESALE GROCERS. = = CS For QuoTaTIONS SEE PRICE COLUMNS. DD a a i SN Ja a a i will show you that there’s sound The Dayton Computing Scale . © THE MONEY WEIGHT SYSTEM of this scale avoids costly mis- takes, and the head-scratching, pencil-gnawing, nerve-nagging delays and uncertainties of figuring the value within the head or on paper, and ? permits the proprietor or his clerks to wait upon customers with greater rapidity on account of the confidence of being right. MAY WE SHOW YOU OUR SYSTEM OF SAVING YOU Money? If so, put your business address on blank below and mail to us. Name. City , State Business : , Date ("lt will cost you nothing to investigate our system. ides — is iain gt wee sek Ohio. \\