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GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1930

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Christmas Message

We who have ridden together through another twelve-
month of sunshine and rain, over rough and smooth, are
come again to journey's end, at the year’s finale. And
because it is good that men should pause sometimes in
the business of enterprise and hazard, to revive old mem-
ories and old inclinations, we count it among the boons of
Christmas that we are given the opportunity to send this
message to our friends.

Let us assure you, once and for all, that so long as our
present relations persevere, you are master of any service
or counsel, of any help or advice which we may give, and
of any use to which you may please to put them . We are
happy in the command of these resources only so long as
they may serve you—and what usage can be more grati-
fying than to employ them in giving satisfaction to our
own guildsmen?

Ours is a ripe and richly dowered craft, and we that serve
it, apprentice and master alike, may be glad of its honored
prestige in all the marts of the world. The bond which
holds us together may be a thing at which we look un-
moved a thousand times—but the spirit of the Great Feast
steals through the armor of the flesh and lurks about our
hearts and leaves us gentler and friendlier than ever before.

To distant friends, and near, we send this message, which.

for all its eternal simplicity, may never be bettered—

A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

(SN Feta

Public Reference Library,

   
 

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CREATE A DESIRE TO BUY

 

Customers will buy attractively displayed merchandise. Terrell
steel display shelving, tables, racks, counters and special fixtures will
give a p-ogressive appearance to your store and increase your sales.

Steel shelving equipment made by Terrell is not expensive—it soon
pays for itself in increased business.

— LET US HELP YOU MODERNIZE YOUR STORE —

TERRELL’S EQUIPMENT
COMPANY

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

 

I OT Oe OT” a ae

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.F. Mueller Company

Announces a 40c per case reduc-
tion from list, on all their package

products except Cooked Spaghetti,
and 5c ABC’s.

At this new low price we know you will ma-
terially increase your sales because of the
interest your customers will show in these
_ goods.

C. F. MUELLER COMPANY
NEW JERSEY

JERSEY CITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Profit to
YOU

by increasing turnover. When you sell
goods with an established price which
protects your margin of profit — then

rapid turnover makes you money. In

Baking
Powder

Same price for over 4() years

25 omen 25

(more than a pound and a half for a quarter )

pushing

with the icmuiateise quality and price
advertising behind it — with the price
plainly shown on the label — you can
increase turnover and get more profit

on your baking powder investment.

Millions of Pounds Used by Our

Government

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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OSS

GRAND HATIOS
PUBLIC LIBRARY

 

GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNE

SDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1930

Number 2465

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN
E. A. Stowe, Editor

PUBLISHED WEEKLY by Tradesman Company,
from its office the Barnhart Building, Grand Rapids.

UNLIKE ANY OTHER PAPER. Frank, free and
fearless for the good that we can do. Each issue com-
plete in itself.

 

DEVOTED TO the best interests of business men,

 

SUBSCRIPTION RATES are as follows: $3 per year,
if paid strictiy im advance. $4 per year if not paid
in advance. Canadian subscription, $4.04 per year,
payable invariably in advance. Sample copies 10 cents
each, Extra copies of current issues, 10 cents; issues a
month or more old, 15 cents; issues a year or more
ald, 25 cents; issues five years or more old 50 cents.

 

Entered September 23, 1883, at the Postoffice of Grand
Rapids as second class matter under Act of March
3, 1879.

 

JAMES M. GOLDING
Detroit Representative
507 Kerr Bldg.

PAWNS IN THE GAME.

 

 

Chain Store Circuits Ruin Home
Life.

If your local high school or col-
lege boys or girls who are sched-
uled to appear soon in _inter-
scholastic debates on the chain
store question want some fine
arguments against the chains, tell
them to read the article by Grace
Nies Fletcher in Scribner's maga-
zine.

It brings forth some very pro-
found objections to chain stores
which have hitherto been some-
what neglected.

Here is a portion of the article:

There is an instability in the
modern home which is not caused
by either of those battered bogies,
companionate marriage or di-
vorce. It is due to the inability of
young married people of the so-
called white collar class to stay in
one place long enough to send
down any roots. They are merely
pawns in the game of big busi-
ness.

It used to be only overalled la-
bor which was shifted from place
to place in the wake of industrial
booms. To-day the white collar
worker is in a similar state of flux.
Big business, gigantic chain store
circuits, catch him early, often at
the college door, and set him
down in whatever part of the
country seems to be needing new
blood.

If he is successful, in a few years
he is moved up to the next town.
He leaps from New York to San
Francisco, from Texas to Michi-
gan, as casually as his father
would have moved onto the next
street. And, of course, he trails
his family after him.

This uncertain manner of living
keeps the young business man in
a state of nervous tension. He is
continually meeting new people,
making new contacts, living on

the bright, hard surface of things.
Yet, although he does not send
down any real roots into the com-
munity life, he appears to “‘be-
long,’ for he and his family de-
velop a superficially standardized
method of living and conversation
as a sort of defense mechanism
against constant change.

This seems to be, strangely
enough, a completion of the circle
which has returned America to the
pioneering status from which it
started. The hope that America
would one day finish its pioneer-
ing and settle down to establish
a civilization and a culture now
seems to be endangered by the
newer complications of big busi-
ness.

The pioneering spirit which
overcame the hardships of nature
and the opposition of the Indians
to conquer the West has been
transmuted into a _ helter-skelter
pilgrimage to North, South, East
and West. The representatives of
this pilgrimage go, not from any
desire to conquer new lands, but
because they are ordered to go.

As a consequence those virtues
of family and community stability
which are said to make up the ra-
cial background of a Nation are
becoming as remote to-day as
they were in the time of our fore-
fathers.

“We've moved six times in the
last two years,’’ one woman told
me, in explaining her battle-scar-
red furniture. “I’ve got so I teach
the children their history and
geography from the car window
as we go along!”’

This ruthless shunting off of ex-
cess human baggage on the part
of big business may be a necessary
outgrowth of modern efficiency
methods. It is a sharp angle of
what a distinguished Frenchman
has called the American method
of treating men as “‘units of pro-
duction rather than human
beings.”

It may be we get cheaper type-
writers and motor cars this way.
But man, after all, is pre-eminent-
ly a human being, entangled in all
sorts of human relationships, and
not a piece of steel to be thrown
casually onto the scrap heap. In
social values the business man and
his family, in fact the community
itself, is paying a high price for
these “‘efficient’’? methods. Es-
pecially the modern child is pay-
ing.

It is all very well to quote
poetry about home being where
the heart is, but the ideal home
is a desirable place as well as a
state of mind. A place ample to

live and love and play; a place
to learn to mow lawns and to con-
trol your temper; a place.to come
back: to, not only physically, but
mentally; a_ stabilizing force
through the shifting years.

‘Home means nothing in my
young life,"” remarked the daugh-
ter of a chain store executive, who
was off at school being “‘finished.”’
“I was shifted from town to town
from the time | was old enough to
talk. When they sing ‘Home,
Sweet Home’ at school it always
makes me laugh, for I have to stop
an think where home is.”

Home in the old sense simply
doesn’t exist for such a child. How
can she feel any sentiment for
“the apartment house that I was
born in” or “‘the hotel that my
infancy knew?”

“But the real tragedy for the
child of the shifting executive is
that he seldom stays long enough
in one place to build up those

enduring friendships which are the ©

slow growth of years of playing,
studying, and quarreling together,
from the time of the first trousers
to the first dress suit. He travels
from school to school, aloof and
a little contemptuous of the chil-
dren who have never been out of
their home town. He is a pathetic
little alien who has lost his social
heritage.

Yet who can blame the modern
young executive for snatching as
he can and as fast as he can when
his only chance for family stabil-
ity, even for staying in a commun-
ity any length of time, lies in hav-
ing enough money to be inde-
pendent?

Bi,

No More Poison Alcohol.

It is to be hoped that the new de-
naturant, harmless though nauseating,
announced by Dr. Doran, will put an
end to the governmental poisoning of
industrial alcohol as he predicts. For
years the many protests against the
use of the deadly wood alcohol as a
denaturant have drawn the reply from
Government that no other
substance would serve the purpose.
They contended that some proposed
substitutes because of their odor and

chemists

,taste would render the industrial al-

cohol unfit for the use of certain in-
dustries, such as those making per-
fumes and flavoring extracts. Some
of these other substances also, they
said, would lend themselves too easily
to redistillation for illegal uses. Now,
if Dr. Doran is right—and he is known
as an expert chemist—the long-sought-
for denaturant, fulfilling both official
requirements, has been found. It is a
product of California petroleum, termed
alcotate, that will not kill or blind the

drinker, but it will temporarily make
him exceedingly sick. Before Prohibi-
tion it was the policy of this Govern-
ment, as it is of. many foreign gov-
ernments, to place wood alcohol in the
product designed for industrial use, but
then there was not the temptation there
now is to indulgence in bootlegged
beverages. Enforcement of the Prohi-
bition law should not include the poi-
soning of those who disregard it.
—_2s2e->_ —___
Rocketing Across the Sea.

Through force of circumstances we

have become reconciled to the fast pace
of modern life. We accept even air-
plane travel and the prospect of trans-
atlantic air mails. But this idea of
Dr. Fritz von Opel that within the
next two decades rocket flights be-
tween Berlin and New York will be
made in three hours is just a little too
much, :
It is impossible to-day to dismiss as
visionary and absurd any scientific
prophecy... The sad lot of those who
a few decades ago laughed boisterously
at airplanes is always before us. So
we cannot ignore von Opel’s rocket
experiments... Instead, we choose to re-
gard them as a menace. To a certain
point the annihilation of time and dis-
tance is romantic and inspiring. Beyond
that point it is terrifying. With Eu-
rope only three hours away the world
would be entirely too small a place in
which to be comfortable.

If we must have rockets, let their
use be rigorously restricted trips to the
moon. For those to whom the air-
plane is too slow a vehicle of trans-
portation, there would thus be a perfect
opportunity to indulge their passion
for speed. The rest of us would be left
in comparative peace and there would
be at least some question whether the
speeders would be able to rocket back
and disturb us any further.

For Quicker Service.

Most shoppers are rushed during the
Christmas season. This means that
they demand prompt service. The gro-
cer should see that he has sufficient
help.

One store speeded up service by pro-
viding customers with paper tablets on
which they could itemize what they
desired while waiting to order. These
lists were then given to the clerk, who

‘lost no time in filling the order. The

easier and pleasanter you can make it

for Christmas shoppers the more popu-

lar your store will be.
——__-22--2>____
Christmas Bonus.

One grocer, having installed the usu-
al window and displays in keeping with
the season, has offered a Christmas
bonus to his clerks in proportion to
their sales for the twenty selling days
previous to Christmas. The .plan is
working especially well.

 

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

December 17, 1930

 

CHAIN STORE SYSTEM.

 

Valid Reasons Why It Is Unamer-
_ ican.

In my humble opinon the greatest
evil of the foreign owned chain store
system is the blasted hopes of the
youths of our land that are always
found in the wake of the chain store
idea of doing business. You may not
notice it so much out here where, to
a great extent, public sentiments con-
trols the actions of the chains, but in
the great industrial centers of the East,
where these chains have already ob-
tained a monopoly and are to-day in
control of the business and _ political
life of those communities, thousands of
boys and girls from the Western states
flock to those cities, obtain employment
in the chain stores at practically noth-
ing per week, and in nearly every case
are sooner or later kicked out upon
society, usually within a year or two,
to make room for another cargo of
innocent victims. We do not have to
leave home to find examples of just
such treatment. I do not contend that
every chain store treats its employes
that way, but, taken as a whole, over
the country, by far the greater part of
the chains are heartless, so far as their
employes are concerned. Right here
in this city, at one time, forty-two men,
several of them the heads of families,
were discharged by one chain store
system at one time, and many of those
men were denied the commissions
promised to them by the operators of
those chains. We started out in Amer-
ica, with high hopes and strong hearts,
to organize here a government wherein
the right of the individual was supreme.
The fathers came to this continent,
which God Almighty had held back as
a haven of rest for an oppressed world,
because here they were offered a new
hope for the individual man, the
individual family, they were promised
the right of life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness. We had that in America
until the aftermath of the kaiser’s war
brought on this infernal idea of com-
bination and merger of wealth, this
chain store and chain gang idea of
doing business. If for no other reason
than the desire of our people to foster
this idea of individual independence,
every man, woman and child in Amer-
ica should line up as solid as the rock
of Gibralter behind an independent or-
ganization. Therein lies the only hope
of our boys and girls to that heritage
of opportunity promised them by the
founders of the Republic. We should
be more interested in developing better
citizens, in increasing opportunity for
the young men and women in America,
than we are in beating down the price
of Campbell’s soup a few cents, or in
making billionaires out of the already
wealthy industrial and chain store
barons of Wall Street.

Did you ever stop to think just how
many streets there are in America any-
way. Turn the map anyway you choose
and you will only find two streets.
Wall Street and Main Street. Main
Street typifies the individual and in-
dependent merchant. Wall Street is
the other extreme. It typifies the ma-
chine or slot machine idea of doing
business. When I think of Main

Street, there comes to my mind that
old picture in the old history book we
studied in school—that picture of the
log cabin in the then wilderness of
America, with the woman standing in
the doorway holding her babe, and a
few paces away was the man, the
father, with his musket in his hands,
ready to ward off the attack of hostile
Indians. I think they called that pic-
ture the “First Thanksgiving.” Main
Street to me means liberty—individ-
uality, the right to work out our God
given destiny as an American citizen.
Wall Street represents the opposite.
1 have often marveled at the wisdom
and far-sightedness of the industrial
barons and money grabbers who estab-
lished Wall Street, in also laying out
a few blocks away a section of New
York called the Bowery to take care
of and swallow up the wrecks made
by Wall Street. I once visited Monte
Carlo, the notorious gambling hall on
the Riveria of France. There leading
out from the main hall to the blue
Mediterranian is a long straight con-
crete walk that leads to a little bal-
cony. A place where the victim can
more easily and more privately: jump
into the sea after he has been fleeced
of all his wordly goods. These Shy-
locks are always very kind to their
victims. Certainly Wall Street is the
home of the monopoly, the combina-
tion, the chain idea of business—the
antithesis of the individual American
fireside.

I was born on Main Street—I love it.
As a boy I sold newspapers along
Main Street, later clerked in one of
those home-owned and owner operated
stores on Main Street, I have learned
to love that time worn thoroughfare.
But I am not afraid of Wall Street.
I spent several years studying Wall
Street and their way of doing business,
and after that study I have no hesi-
tancy in saying to you good people, if
you care nothing about your old home
town and the independent merchant
who through the dark days kept the
home fires burning for you, then for
the sake of your boys and girls, turn
back to the days when Main Street was
held in high esteem, because there and
there alone will you find the hope
for the youths of our day. I really be-
lieve the chains have wrecked the lives
of more young people, broken up more
happy homes by enticing the mother
into the machine in the hope of making
a few dollars and at the same time
forcing the father to work for practical-
ly nothing, than any other institution
of our generation.

But I want to speak briefly about
another evil of the chain stores. I
want to talk for a few moments to
the farmers, I am not an old and ex-
perienced farmer, nor a tiller of the
soil, nor a hard-handed son of toil;
but I know a little bit about farming.
I owned a farm once, and have found
from experience that it is difficult
enough to make the farm pay even un-
der the best conditions. A large part
of the trade of mail order house and
the chain store comes from the farm-
ers of this country. The mail order
houses have been converted recently
and married into the chain store family,
‘I don’t blame the farmers for trying

to buy where he thought he could get
better values; I blame the chains for
fooling the farmer. By filling his mail
box full of big catalogues and by now
filling the papers full of hot air about a
bunch of supposed wild bargains, they
have succeeded until recently in pull-
ing the wool over the farmers eyes.
Another reason the farmer traded with
the mail order house and the chains
was because the farmer usually pur-
chased a more staple class of goods
which the chains and mail order houses
claimed they could purchase in larger
lots. The farmer wasn’t inclined to-
wards the thrills and fancy styles de-
manded by the social climber. For
that reason he was enticed by the big
catalogue and the full page advertise-
ments of the chains—these dollars
promising to sell him cheaper than the

home town merchant who at that very .-

time was probably carrying a great
big grocery account for the farmer.
He didn’t know that the home town
merchant could sell him just as good
merchandise for the same money, and
give him credit and other services
along with it. In the old days the
roads were usually bad and by buying
from the mail order house, Uncle Sam
would act as delivery boy for the
chains and mail order houses and de-
liver the package to the farmer’s door.
Good roads and better cars have elim-
inated that argument of the mail order
houses and when business got bad,
they jumped over the fence into the
chain bull pen. Naturally some of the
farmers followed them,

Personally I don’t believe anybody
is trying to give me something for
nothing. When I see an advertise-
ment where some chain store, or any
other store, for that matter, is offer-
ing a big reduction on some staple
article in mid-season, I go the other
way. Neither do I believe the chains
can sell cheaper than the independent
merchant. But for the sake of argu-
ment let us suppose that the farmer
could actually save a few cents by trad-
ing with the chain stores. There is
another and more important side of
the story that the farmer should con-
sider. When the farmer jis aiding
the chain. stores in driving the inde-
pendent merchant out of business, the
chain store management is busy in
some other state trying to put the
independent farmer out of business.
America might live if all the merchants
were put out of business, but America
could not long survive if the farms
were destroyed or industrialized.
William Jennings Bryan once said:
“Destroy your cities and leave your
farms, and the cities will spring up
again like magic, but destroy your
farms and your cities will wither and
die away like the snow beneath the
rays of the noonday sun.”

In some localities 60 per cent. of the
people who dwell on the farms are
tenants and tenancy is on the in-
crease. What is the cause of this con-
dition? In the old days the farmer sold
his produce, his butter, eggs and milk
to the independent merchant. He
was paid the market price for that
produce, no tricks about it, Every
farmer figured on paying the running
expenses of the farm out of the butter

and egg money. When the chains came
along, they immediately started a pol-
icy of price cutting to put the inde-
pendents out of business. For instance,
on Saturday they would advertise eggs
at 18 cents per dozen when they were
paying the farmer 22 cents for those
eggs. A sort of business like some of
those dollar days that last three days.
That sounded all right, but the inde-
pendent merchant had to cut the price
of eggs to 18 cents to meet competition,
as a result of which the price of eggs
was set illegally at 18 cents and neither
the farmer nor the merchant nor the
chain made any money.

This chain store proposition is a lot
bigger than just buying a pair of $5
breeches for $4.98. It strikes at the

‘very fundamentals of our business life,

No phase of industry is safe from the
chains. Just so sure as we permit the
chain store to dominate, just so sure
will its bro-in-law, the chain bank, and
the chain farm come along and knock
the props out from under another class
of our citizens. How long would it
take the banks to get control of the
farms if chain banking were to become
universal. Why not chain stores? You
know as well as I do that if it were
not for the fact that the bankers in the
small towns wanted to see their town

and country develop, they could at this’

moment foreclose on thousands of
acres of farm land and put hundreds
of farmers out in the road, the same
as some foreign loan companies have
done the people in some of our towns.

The farmers had better be asking
themselves this question: Is the inde-
pendent farm doomed? I noticed in the
paper the other day—only last week
—where Mr. Penney is planning to
start some chain farms. He already
has chain stores and chain dairies, and
now he proposes to start some chain
farms. I know it is not going to help
my business to talk about such things,
but I had rather sacrifice a few pen-
nies in business than to sit idly by and
see this chain idea fastened forever
upon my people. Henry ford recently
gave out an interview about his fool
industrial farm. Under his plan, and
the plan of others who would esablish
the chain farm, the farm will be more
or less of a side line to an industrial
plant with the farm work done in two
months out of ten. It is also planned
for the farming to be done by large
corporations with the individual simply
a share holder and a laborer. Dr. Wm.
E. Dodd, of the University of Chicago,
has observed that such a system would
call for day workers and week workers
and share tenants. Machinery and im-
proved farm methods are yearly boost-
ing the Nation’s yield of farm prod-
ucts, causing overproduction and tight-
ening the market. Under the chain
farm, the individual farmer would only
be a clog in the industrial system, re-
duced to the status of a mere peasant.

It is therefore important that the
farmer interest himself on the side of
the independent merchant. When the
merchant prospers,
have a market for his products. I really
believe the farmer should investigate
these wild bargains that are daily ad-
vertised by the chains, and then before
he buys he should also go down to the

the farmer will .

 

 

V

 
 
  
  
   
  
  
  
   
   
   
  
   
 
 
 
   
   
 
   
   
  
 
   
   
   

 

 

‘between the

‘December 17, 1930

old independent merchant and investi-
gate his prices. I really believe he will
find the prices about the same, and
when it comes to service no one con-
tends that the chain can compete with
the independent merchant.

It is amazing how much punish-
ment the American people will stand.
A few years ago the independent mer-
chant was selling us groceries on cred-
it, delivering the goods to our door,
and now we see men and women run-
rung around in chain stores like a
bunch of monkeys, with a basket on
their arm, digging around in a pile of
potatoes, waiting on themselves and
paying just the same as they did when
the clerks waited on them,

I read a letter in the magazine Time
the other day that to my mind best

described the age in which we are liv- ~

ing. This hurry, scurry, bargain hunt-
ing age, this chain store age. It seems
a man had published a love story in
Time. Some woman out West read the
story and she didn’t like it, wrote a
letter to the magazine. She said, “Who
is this man, writing such love stories?
He isn’t old enough to know anything
about life or love. To me the average
woman’s autobiography could be writ-
ten in four words—teething, marriage,
hell, death.” That is an extreme de-
scriptien, but we should devote more
time and study towards making the
home happy, rather than making a
delivery boy out of the wife and moth-
er. This chain store idea, especially
the chain grocery system, with all its
cattle chutes and trick adding ma-
chines, have certainly thrown a monkey
wrench into the happiness of the
homes. I believe we should try the
independent store. Go down and take
more time, take advantage of the credit
and delivery and other personal ser-
vices by the independents: and see if
that don’t offset any bargain claims of
the chains.

Now briefly, what is the remedy for
such a condition? There are two reme-
dies that present themselves to me off

hand. First, proper legislation, state
and National. Write your representa-
tive. Write your congressman, That

is what he is there for. Sooner or later
every representative in the state legis-
lature and every congressman will have
to take a stand on the chain store prob-
lem. He might just as well face the
matter now as further down the creek.
I haven’t time to discuss that remedy,
but it offers relief. Curb the chains by
legislation.

Another remedy, and to my mind a
better one, is a plan of co-operation
independent merchants,
between the independent farmers, be-
tween the independents in all classes.
In union there is strength. If I were
an independent merchant, I would ger
out and organize the other merchants,
get me up a local co-operative buying
organization and go after those chains
good and proper. In Washington,
D. C., the chain drug stores were cut-
ting prices and trying to force the
independent drug stores out of busi-
ness. The independents formed what
is known as the Washington Wholesale
Drug Exchange, a sort of buying or-
ganization; established a warehouse,
and to-day it is one of the strongest

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN z

retail and wholesale organizations in
Washington. That organization alone
enabled the independent druggist to

survive and furnish employment for ©

hundreds of men at fair wages. The
‘citizens of this town and county, farm-
ers, merchants, professional men, lab-
orers, all should get behind the inde-
pendent merchant and help fight the
battle of Main Street against Wall
‘Street, the battle of the independents
against the chain,

oe? >_____

Christmas Greens.

Christmas without holly loses one of
its oldest and most precious affiliations.
Christmas without ground pine wreaths
is Christmas without one of its most
beautiful decorations. Christmas with-
out a Christmas tree is worse than
“Hamlet” without Hamlet. And yet
holly is rapidly disappearing, ground
pine is being exterminated and the
woods are being combed for Christmas
trees with but little thought to the
future. What is to be done?

To buy living holly instead of cut
branches. To have the ground pine
wreaths “treated” so that they will last
for several seasons. To use either liv-
ing Christmas trees or those which
come from forests where they are cut
in the process of thinning the stand
of trees. Rapid as has been the de-
struction of the holly, the effects: have
not been as disastrous as in the case
of the ground pine. The Christmas
tree situation is rendered less critical
by the propagation of trees for this
purpose, and by Government super-
vision of cutting where this operation
improves the forest by eliminating
species that are too crowded.

The American holly readily repro-
duces itself when given a fair chance.
Not so the ground pine, however,
which not only is usually badly injured
in the process of picking, but which is
slow to germinate even under the best
of conditions. If the present demand
for these two continues, they will be
virtually wiped out within a few years,
Fortunately the living holly has all the
charms of the cut, and the “treated”
wreaths preserve their beauty for the
next season. Living Christmas trees
can be planted in the spring, or nursed
through as an indoor plant until the
following Christmas.

So
Making an Impression.

“May I help you?” has been found
to be an ideal expression for initiating
sales and stimulating the cordial good
will, according to an up-to-date grocer
in Conoord.

“Tt is par excellence for summing up
all the well meaning of the clerk,
whether the customer calls merely to
change a bill, ask a question, requires
information or advice, or needs assist-
ance of any sort whatsoever. A per-
son does not always come into the gro-
cery to buy, and the too eager attitude
to sell does not create the most favor-
able impression. But people do like *
to feel that in the grocery store, there
is a member of the force on duty, ready
with a pleasant smile or cheerful ex-
pression, and the honeyed words, ‘May
I help you?”

ee a ae

Set a high mark for’ yourself, then

reach it.

 

 

   
  
 
   

   
     

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What Is
Your Disposition?

Men of thoughtful disposition give serious
thought to the disposition of their prop-
erty. With their family's best interests in
mind they frequently reach this conclusion:

Property left in the form of Trust Funds
assures proper investment of principal
and certain income for certain persons.

For the thoughtful man this greatly sim-
plifies the "ways and means" of lifetime
tamily protection.

We see a fast growing interest in this
method of leaving property among Grand
Rapids business men.

Anyone of the Officers in our Trust Depart-
ment will be glad to tell you more about it.

The MICHIGAN TRUST Co.
Grand Rapids

THE FIRST TRUST COMPANY IN MICHIGAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pee eee

4

MOVEMENTS OF MERCHANTS.

Flint—Michigan Coal Distributors,
Inc., 2349 Lapeer street, has changed
its name to the Consumers Coal. .&
Coke Co. ; :

Detroit—Gayman’s Wholesale Gro-
cery Co., 1734 West Jefferson avenue,
has changed its name to the Gayman-
Rudell Grocery Co.

Detroit—Thomas & Forsyth, dealers
in men’s apparel, have opened a hew
store in the United Artists building,
160 Bagley avenue.

Tecumseh—The Tecumseh Supply
Co. has sold its stock and business to
J. P. Mills, who will continue the busi-
ness under the same style.

Pontiac—The Rosenthal-Blumrosen
Co., 48 North Saginaw street, dealer
in women’s wear, has increased its
capital stcok from $40,000 to $70,000.

Lowell—R. D. Stocking, jeweler and
radio dealer, has filed a trust mortgage
in favor of his creditors and his entire
stock is being closed out at ‘special
sale.

Muskegon Heights—Creditors in the
bankruptcy case of Carl R. Olson,
dealer in clothing and men’s furnish-
ings, have been paid a dividend of 5
per cent.

Bridgman — The Bridgman State
Bank has been closed by order of the
State Banking Commission. Frozen
assets are given as the cause of the
bank’s difficulties.

Detroit—The Mason Beef Co., 3632
Linden avenue, has been incorporated
to conduct a meat business with a cap-

ital stock of $15,000, $12,000 being sub--

scribed and $8,000 paid in.
East Detroit—Geml’s Creamery Co.,
“ 239 South Gratiot avenue, has been in-
corporated with a capital stock of $50,-
000, $10,350 of which has been sub-
scribed and $2,500 paid in in cash.
Flint—O. H. Burlew, owner of the
Home of Quality Groceries & Meats,
1508 West Second street, has sold the
stock to Hyman Siegel, who will con-
tinue the business at the same location.

Lansing — The Reliable Fuel Co.,*

1909 Turner street, has been incorpo-
rated to deal in fuel of all kinds with
a capital stock of $10,000, $1,000 of
which has been subscribed and paid in.

Kalamazoo—The Michigan Furni-
ture Bargain House, Inc., 137 East
Water street, has been incorporated
with a capital stock of $10,000, $5,000
of which has been subscribed and paid
in,

Kaleva—The Golden Co-Operative
Creamery Co. has merged its business
into a stock company under the same
style with a capital stock of $30,000,
$6,320 being subscribed and paid in in
cash.

Detroit—The Bonar Grocery Co.,
19024 Grand River avenue, has been
incorporated to deal in groceries, meats
and vegetables, with a capital stock of
$6,000, all subscribed and paid in in
cash.

Detroit—The Schoenfeld -Co., 158
East Jefferson avenue, has been in-
corporated to deal in men’s, boys’ and
children’s apparel, with a capital stock
of $75,000, $1,000 being subscribed and
paid in.

Otsego—The Kalamazoo Ice & Fuel
Co. has sold its interest in the Otsego
Ice & Fuel Co., to J. E. Harper, of

 

eee a PSR TT

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

Plainwell. J. C. Renwick and J. E.
Harper are now sole owners of the
business. :

Traverse City—Hansen & Shumsky,
Inc., has been incorporated to deal in
autos, auto accessories and parts, with
a capital stock of $5,000, all of which
has been subscribed and $1,000 paid
in in cash.

North Branch—J. C. Mathes and
Harold Lewis have leased the Ellis
store building and are equipping it
with modern refrigeration, fixtures,
etc., and will engage in the meat busi-
ness Dec. 20.

Dearborn—The Rader & Berg Lum-
ber Co., 13111 West Warren avenue,
has been incorporated with a capital
stock of 1,000 shares at $20 a share,
$10,000 being subscribed and $7,500
paid in in cash.

Monroe—The Monroe Merchandise
Co., 103 Front street, has been incor-
porated to deal in haberdashery, cloth-
ing and shoes, with a capital stock of
$25,000, $10,000 being subscribed and
paid in in cash.

Detroit—The Sylvania-Detroit Co.,
169 West Jefferson avenue, has been
incorporated to deal in eleétrical goods
of all kinds, lamps, radio, etc., with a
capital stock of $25,000, $1,000 being
subscribed and paid in.

Detroit—The B. B. B. Corporation,
4-114 General Motors building, has
been incorporated to deal in automo-
biles with a capital stock of 1,000
shares at $1 a share, $1,000 being sub-
scribed and paid in in cash.

Ludington—Frank Bradl, veteran
hardware dealer, died at his home, 216

_East Melendy street, Dec. 13, follow-

ing a stroke of apoplexy. Mr. Bradl

established his hardware business on

Dowland street, 27 years ago.
Detroit—The Christian Corporation,

*1010 Ford building, has been incorpo-

rated to manufacture and sell safety
razors, etc., with a capital stock of
60,000 shares at $1 a share, $1,000
being subscribed and paid in.

Detroit—Michigan Farmers’ Dairy,
6729-31 Strong avenue, has been in-
corporated to manufacture and deal in
milk and dairy products with a capital
stock of $20,000, $10,000 being sub-
scribed and $3,000 paid in in cash.

Mt. Clemens—The Lakeside Ice &
Coal Co., 26 Pine street, has merged
its business into a stock company under
the style of the Lakeside Fuel & Sup-
ply Co., with a capital stock of $50,000,
all subscribed and paid in in property.

Detroit—Rice & Ash, wholesale deal-
ers in clothing at 142 West Jefferson
avenue, have merged the business into
a stock company under the style of
Rice & Ash, Inc., with a capital stock
of $1,000, all subscribed and paid in in
cash.

Detroit—The Meyer Products Co.,
1744 Howard street, manufacturer and
dealer in non-alcoholic beverages, has
merged the business into a stock com-
pany under the same style with a cap-
ital stock of $10,000, all subscribed and
paid in in property.

Battle Creek—The Battle Creek Ex-
tract Co., 55 East State street, manu-
facturer and dealer in flavorings and
soda fountain supplies, has been incor-
porated with a capital stock of 10,000

shares at $1 a share, $9,000 being sub-
scribed and $1,000 paid in.
Detroit—An involuntary petition in
bankruptcy has been filed in U. S. Dis-
trict Court here against Harry and
Maxwell Niman, individually and co-
operatively doing business as Niman
Bros., retail furnishing goods, by At-
torneys Bryant, Lincoln, Miller &
Bevan, representing Frank & Meyer
Neckwear Co., $606; Dixie Mills Co.,
$112; S. B. Lairds Co., $161.
Detroit—The Union Trust Co. has
now on hand from the sales of mer-
chandise and collection of accounts for
the defunct National Grocer Co.
enough cash to liquidate the bank and
mercantile indebtedness of the late cor-
poration. The bank indebtedness is
$1,150,000 and the merchandise indebt-

edness is $450,000. These obligations.

will be paid in a few days, when a
movement .will be started by the pre-
ferred stockholders to take the re-
mainder of the estate out of the hands
of the trust company and turn it over
to a committee of preferred stcokhold-
ers, who will nurse the real estate
holdings—which amount to about $800,-
000—until the market improves. As
the preferred stock issue outstanding
approximates $1,500,000 it is thought
that fully 50 per cent. can be realized
from the sale of these properties if the
expense of administration can be elim-
inated. It is reported that John Cot-
ter, who has charge of the estate for
the trust company, has expressed him-
self as favorable to this proposition.
Ed. Kuisenga is still drawing $19,000
yearly salary. He is now devoting his
time to the sale of the fixtures formerly
owned by the house,

 

Manufacturing Matters.

Detroit—The Nicro Plating Co., 6060
Townsend avenue, has been incorpo-
rated with a capital stock of $10,000,
all subscribed and paid in in cash.

Port Huron—The Mueller Stream-
liie Copper Pipe & Fittings Corp.,
1925 Lapeer avenue, has been incor-
porated with a capital stock of 5,000
shares at $1 a share, $1,000 being sub-
scribed and paid in.

Detroit—The Ozonide Corporation,
7642 Woodward avenue, has been in-
corporated to manufacture and deal in
ozonide and oxidizing products with
an authorized capital stock of 250,000
shares at $1 a share, of which $124,200
has been subscribed and paid in.

Battle Creek—Full operations have
been resumed at the Battle Creek plant
of the Oliver Farm Equipment Co.,
following the resumption last week of
full operations at the tractor plant of
the company in Charles ‘City, Iowa.
The Oliver company recently under-
went refinancing.

- Big Rapids—Fred Benedict has pur-
chased the Binney Machine Works of
its owner, Rupert. F. Binney and will
continue the business under his own
name. Mr. Benedict has also purchased

the Anderson Vise Co, of Grand Rap- .

ids and will manufacture a patented
vise adapted to manuel training and
pattern making work.

Lansing—An effort is being made by
a group of stockholders of the New
Way Motor Co., headed by. W. H.
Newbrough, founder of the company,

December 17, 1930

to take the concern out of receivership
and put it back on a production basis.
‘The stockholders fear that they will
lose their entire. investment if the
single ibid for the property so far sub-
mitted to the Ingham county circuit
court is accepted. The bid is for $75,-
000 and Mr. Newbrough claims the
New Way properties have been assess-
ed for $300,000. A refinancing pro-
posal is understood to ibe under con-
sideration. A final shearing on the
matter of selling the property is sched-
uled for Dec. 24 in Ingham court.

———_—_ > -__—-
Essential Features of the Grocery
Staples.

Sugar—Jobbers hold cane granulated
at 5.40 and beet granulated at 5.20c.

Tea—With the condition of the de-
mand due to the holiday season tea
has been marking time during the past
week. Prices show no change since
the last report, ‘but everything in this
country which is of value is steady.
In primary markets both Indias and
Ceylons have been a shade easier dur-
ing the week.

iCoffee—The market for ‘Rio and
Santos futures, green and in a large
way, started the week very dull and
easy, but later developed some little
firmness. The price of actual Rio and
Santos shows no particular change for
the week. Trade believe the firmness
which appeared about the middle of
the week will be largely temporary, as
there is still an enormous over-supply
in Brazil to be reckoned with. Mild
coffees show a shade decline since the
last report, due almost entirely to the
Brazilian situation. Rio is locally
scarce and would be lower if that were
not true, even though futures are
slightly firmer. Jobbing market on
roasted coffee is about the same.

Canned Fruits—Are in a good posi-
tion on the Coast. Sliced peaches are
short and firm, but there appears to
be an adequate supply of halves. Pine-
apple operators express confidente in
the market, and have no doubt as to
their ability to dispose of the record
pack this season. Apricots are closely
held in most grades, while pears are
inclined to fluctuate.

Canned Vegetables—-Western cor.
is. shaded by some factors,’ while low
prices on Golden Bantam and Crosby
still come from factors in Maine and
New York. Peas are easy so far as
standards and extra standards go.
Price cutting, however, appears to be
less common than it has been, and
there is more of a tendency now to
store for the few weeks remaining un-
til expected developments take place.

Dried Fruits—The dried fruit market
continues steady, with indications for
firmer prices on some items now in
short supply. It appears that 30-40s
prunes in Oregon are showing addi-
tional strength, owing to the shortage
of the size in the California crop and
an advance to the basis of 7c, ‘Coast,
is a development expected shortly. The
French prune crop is still estimated at
about 18,000 tons, a large percentage
of which runs. to smaller sizes. Pro-
ducers. in that country are seeking to
have import duties raised to check
American and European competition
in the home market. Yugo-slavia’s
exportable surplus is light, running
only about two-thirds of last year’s

 

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December 17, 1930

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

 

which ‘was also. relatively. small. The
trend in raisins has been, of course,
toward ‘higher ‘prices, but a lack of
confidence by ‘Coast operators in this
and other items has tended to keep the
market ‘easy. With practically all in-
dependent raisin growers out’ of the
way now, however, and the pool in
control of the situation the general
feeling is that this situation wil be
exploited as far as possible. There is
a feeling that choice bulk Thompsons
will ‘be on the basis of 5c per pound,
Coast, or perhaps fractionally higher,
in the near future. Reports from
abroad are to the effect that the pro-
duction of Mediterranean raisins is
about 20 per cent. under last year, but
this reduction is largely compensated
for by a higher quality, which leaves
a large percentage of raisins for ex-
port. In this connection the 40,000
ton crop of Smyrna raisins, practically
all of which will tbe sent to foreign
markets, allows a greater supply for
this purpose than the production of
52,000 tons last year. With Greek cur-
rants showing an increase of 22,000
tons, or 15 per cent., this year, the
total of raisins and currants to be sold
is 20,000 tons greater than last year.

Canned Fish — ‘Continues
much feature.

Beans and Peas—The only firm
thing in the dried bean market is red
kidneys, which have made a further
advance during the week. California
limas on the other hand have dropped
at least 25 cents and most of the other
lines are also weak and shading down-
ward. Dried peas are neglected and
easy.

‘Cheese—There has been a moderate
demand for cheese this week at steady
and unchanged prices.

Nuts—A shortage of practically al!
varieties of shelled nuts from. abroad
is reported by jobbers. Exotic shelled
walnuts. are offered only spzringly by
several producing countries in the
Balkans and Manchurians are more
closely held by operators in ‘China. The
condition appears to be more than

without

acute, since cables from shippers indi-_

cate that there will be no stocks for
export in the spring. French she'‘lers,
of course, are practically off the mar-
ket, and are rapidly cleaning up what
little remains of their short production
this season. The filbert market con-
tinues very firm, ‘with futures being
quoted on a higher tbasis than past
shipments. Such a situation is taken
here to indicate that the possibility of
price declines after
year is slim. The strength exhibited
by the Levant has given other primary
markets ‘confidence in their ability to
sell the remainder of their filberts be-
fore the new crop season. Spanish
shelled almonds are still in a good
position. Stocks on the spot are light
and demand has been good all season.
The fluctuation of the peseta has more
or less made for uncertain price ranges,

‘but interest has been sustained in the

market, nevertheless. Brazil nuts have
been all but cleaned up here. California
almonds enjoyed a good season and
were used in many new channels,
while domestic walnuts sold well, al-
though the growers’ association still
has a surplus of the higher grades to
dispose of.

Pickles—The feature of the pickle

the first of the’

market continues to tbe the scarcity of
large, genuine dills, from 800 count
and over. Grading of the late crop
yielded only a comparatively sma‘l
percentage of large sizes, most of the
crops running to bloaters. . There are
good supplies of smaller sizes, how-
ever, but. buying continues below the
seasonal scale. Prices are unchanged.

Rice—The situation in primary mar-
kets has been strengthened to a de-
gree by the action of growers in hold-
ing for higher prices. Rice millers re-
fuse to consider such demands, and the
result has been a sharp drop in pro-
duction. Many mills in Louisiana,
Texas and Arkansas, the three large
producing states, have closed. Long
grain rices, on the other hand, continue
very firm. The supply is light and
there is a steady demand for these
varieties.

Sauerkraut—There appears to be
little or no demand for bulk sauerkraut,
but canned kraut has shown a better
trend of late. The low prices which
it brings makes it a very desirable item
for retailers to put forward as a special.

Syrup and Molasses—Sugar syrup is
du'l and rather cheap. As dull as it is,
however, it is a little better than it was
a short time ago. Sales of compound
syrup are also quite poor with ur-
changed prices. Molasses unchanged
with fair demand.

Vinegar—Except for a fairly small
volume moving for replacement vine-
gar is inactive at the present time.
Cooler weather has. failed to bring
about the degree of improvement hoped
for but better conditions are looked
for after the first of the year.

——_++<-__

ReRview of the Produce Market.

Apples—Current quotations are as
follows:

Spies, A-Grade 2.2200 0. $2.25
Spies, Commercial 2. 1.50
Spies Haney. 2202 oi et 3.25
Baldwins, A Grade ____-________ 2.00
Baldwins, Commercial __________ 1:25
McIntosh, A Grade ____________ 2.50
McIntosh, Commercial _________ 1.50
Snows, A> Grade 2.02 2.25
Snows, Commercial _________- ro
Wagners, A Grade _____________ 1.50
Wagners, Commercial __________ 1.00
Wealthys, A. Grade ____________ 1.50
Wealthys, Commercial _________ 1.10
Banana, A Grade _____ Soe 1.75
Banana, © Grade 222230 2 1.25
Delicious, A Grade ______-________ 2.50
Delicious, (C Grade _____________ 1.75
N. W. Greenings, A Grade _____ 1.50
N. W. Greenings, C Grade ______ 1.00
R. I. Greenings, A Grade _.____ 2.50
R. I. Greenings, C Grade ______ 1.50
Grimes Golden, A Grade _-_____ 2.00
Grimes Golden, C Grade _______ 1.00
Hubbardstons, A Grade ________ 1.75
Hubbardstons, C Grade _______- 1.25
Jonathans, A Grade __________-_ 2.25
Jonathans, C Grade ____________ 1.25
Kings, A Grade 0 2 2.25
Shiawassee, A Grade ______ hes 2.00
Shiawassee, C Grade ___________ 1.25
Talman Sweets, A Grade _______ 2.00.
Talman Sweets, C Grade _______ 1.25
Wolf Rivers, 3 in. up, Bakers ___ 1.50
Wolf Rivers, C Grade ________._ 1.00
Pippins, 20-0z. 3%4 in. min. ____ 1.75
Pippins, C Grade _______....__- 1.25
‘Cooking Apples, all varieties _... .75

Bananas—6@6%c per Ib,

-Butter— The market has had a
rather weak time since the last report
and it shows declines of about 3c. De-

_mand is rather poor and outside mar-

kets are feeling rather weak. Jobbers

hold 1 Ib. plain wrapped prints at 3lc °

and 65 lb. tubs at 30c for extras and
29c for firsts.

Cabbage—85c per bu.

Carrots—85c per bu.

Cauliflower—$2 per crate of 12 to
16 home grown.

Celery—40@60c per bunch for home
grown. :

Cocoanuts—80c per doz. or $6 per
bag.

Cranberries—Late Howes, $3.75 per
% bbl.

Cucumbers—No. 1 hot house, $1.75
per doz. :

Dried Beans—Michigan jobbers are
quoting as follows:

@. Fi. Pea Beans 22 2 $4.65
Light Red Kidney __________-.__ 7.50
Dare Red Kidney 7.25

Eggs—The market is still flat as a
pancake. Jobbers pay 25c for No. 1
tresh andel8c for pullet eggs. Cold
storage operators offer their supplies
on the following basis:

XX candled in cartons __________ 23c
Dew Candied: 2 20c
M candied 2002 17c
(Ciceke ei 15c
Grapefruit—Marsh Seedless from
Texas is sold as follows:
5 ea ee $4.75
C4 4.50
OF eee 4.25
SOs ee 4.00
Extra fancy sells as follows:
OA ee $3.50
WOW 2 ee 3.50
Meee a 3.50
SOe ee a 3.75
OG oe ea es eS 3.25
Choice is held as follows:
OA oe $3.29
Oe ee 3.25
70 oe eee 3.25
OO) 2 ee ee 3.25
Ge ee a eee 3.00
Grapes—$1.75 for Calif. Emperors in
30 Ib. lugs.
Green Onions—60c for Shalots.
Lettuce — In good demand on the

following basis:

Imperial Valley, 4s, per crate ____$5.00

Imperial Valley, 5s, per crate ____ 5.00

Hot house leaf, in 10 lb. baskets __ 60c
Lemons—To-day’s quotations are as

follows:

DOO Sunkist 2 $6.75
SOC Semkist 2 6.75
oot Red Ball 2 8) 5.75
500 Red Ball 5.75

Limes—$1.75 per box.

Nuts — Michigan Black Walnuts,
$1.50 per bu.; Hickory, $2 per bu.

Oranges—Fancy Sunkist California
Navels are now sold as follows:

Oe $6.75
| eee eR ae ae re 6.00
Oe 5.50
A 4.75
Oe 4.25
Oe 3.75
BO 3.75
Le EER ae aire cae 325

Floridas extra fancy are held as fol-
lows:
126 Po eb ore ee

1 es MS ee 3.06

5
PAG. oe 3.00
20 ee 3.00
ZUG: te a es ~ 3.00
ee Fe a 2.75
ASS S80 el ee
SAG 8 2.75

- Onions—Spanish from Spain, $1.75
per crate; home grown ee in’ 100
Ib. sacks, $1.

Parsley—50c per doz. bunches.

Pears—Anjous, $1.50; Duchess, $1.50.

Peppers — Green, 50c per doz. for
California,

Potatoes—Home grown, $1.10 per
bu.; Wisconsin, $2.25 per 100 Ib. sack;
Idaho, $2.50 per 100 Ib. sack; 90c _per
25 Ib. sack,

Poultry—Wilson & Company pay as
follows:

Barly Sprijgs 20c
Heavy fowle 2 18c
Paent fowla 2 14c
Pinched
Geese) a 12¢
SOMNGYS 5 20@25c

Spinach—$1.25 per bu.

Squash—Hubbard, $3.50 per 100 Ibs.

Sweet Potatoes—Indiana, $2.85 per
bu.

Tomatoes—$1.25 for 6 Ib. container,
hot house. ;

Turnips—$1.25 per bu. for new.

Veal Calvés — Wilson & Company
pay as follows:

Raney 2 a llc
COG oe 9c
Medi: 3 8c
FeO 8c
2-2 ______

War-Debt Payments.

The financial depression has given
rise to a flock of rumors that something
will be done to ease the burden of war-
debt payments due the United States.
It may be that the debtor governments
are contemplating taking advantage of
a provision in the debt agreements per-
mitting a reduction of annual pay-
ments. But thus far, apparently, noth-
ing definite has been decided, and the
White House has seen fit for the sec-
ond time to deny that any action is
under consideration except the applica-
tion of these payments for reduction
of taxes,

It would be regrettable to change the
custom of putting all war-debt pay-
ments into the sinking fund. For, while
the law does not require the interest
to be used in this way, it is obviously
much better for the debtor nations to
feel that their payments go toward
paying for the war than that they go
into the general expense fund of the
United States. The method is also a
safeguard against extravagance.

—_»~+~-__
Gift Appeal.

A marketman in Southern Michigan
is featuring this week a special gift for
each order amounting to five dollars or
more. He has enlisted the co-operation
of his wholesale for a special price on
several items and these he uses as gifts.
The plan has worked extremely well
and shows a good profit. Usually the
customer who spends at least five dol-
lars can be induced to make other pur-
chases as well. The customer in having
her choice of several gifts will be more
apt to buy the required quota than
when one gift is offered,

 

 

PLEA FOR THE OLD PEOPLE.

Give Christmas Joy To the De-
serving Poor.

Christmas! No one can escape
it. For the glittering shop ‘win-
dows, the flaunting banners of
red ribbons, the Christmas greens,
the toys and the flashing fruits of
the Christmas trees that have sud-
denly bourgeoned in every con-
ceivable richness or ornament, all
say quite plainly, “‘Christmas is
here.’’ Christmas]—the word al-
ready glows with the soft light of
candles and sparkles with the
flickering of Yule logs, lighted on
the hearths of family reunions—
that is, it does for you to whom
the season means gayety, abund-
ance and the warmth of love and
friendship.

But Christmas passes by some
homes. ere are narrow sstair-
ways up which no Christmas pack,
however small, has gone; there
are dark rooms where the early
winter twilight this year will bring
no gleam of red candles, where
there will be no Christmas feast
and where the Christmas hearth
—alas!—will be cold and cheer-
less. For these are the homes of
old couples, whom not only
Christmas but life itself passes by,
leaving them helpless, clinging
anxiously together in this last bit
of shadowed pathway on the long
journey.

Of course, old folks like these
do know that Christmas does not
belong to them. They know that
it is for chilrden—stockings, and
Santa Claus, and candles of gift-
laden trees; and for rich people,
too, who have holly and mistletoe
in their windows, and Christmas
parties at the long table, and crisp
packages tied in shining ribbons.
Christmas does not belong to old
couples, and they know it. They
do not listen for the expressman
or the mail carrier or wonder why
some of the joy of the season does
not come to them; they are pa-
tient and resigned, but they do
crave one gift—the boon of con-
tinued companionship with their
comrade of the long years.

For that is all that is left of life
for these stricken old people now
—companionship of the one who
has climbed the hill with them,
who remembers the long way and
makes the present bearable by
sympathy and affection. More

an hunger or cold, more than
sickness or actual suffering do
they dread this haunting spectre
of separation. True, in some in-
stitution the food would be more
nourishing, the room warmer, the
care of the old comrade and the
responsibility of keeping the home
taken away from the feeble hus-
band ‘or wife; but why try to live
then, when life would be empty
and loneliness would strike an icy
breath to the very heart?

Old people do not make friends
easily; that is for youth and its
gayety. Old people, especially
when suffering and frail, shrink

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

from new faces and fear strangers.
That is it—fear—it lurks every-
where for these old people; not
fear of anything that may.come to
them in their tiny, dark rooms,
where there may not be fire or
much food and little cheer, but

to expect be the favored ones, so
that the words ‘“home’”’ and insti-
tution’’ just mean separation to
these helpless, pathetic old folks
—strange places, no accustomed
hand to minister to the stricken
one, no ready sympathy or the

 

Mel Trotter

fear that some relentless hand may
separate them and turn resigna-
tion into anguish.

Charitable organizations do
strive to keep old couples togeth-

er, and there are homes for them,.

but the demand is so much greater
than the supply that it is hopeless

skill of long experience to bring
comfort and relief.
It was all to have been so dif-
ferent. In those hard years of
struggle, when the chilrden were
little and so much. strength and
courage were needed to keep the
home together, when the little sum

.

December 17, 1930

of savings grew so slowly, and al-
ways by deprivation and sacrifice,
then there was the thought that
later the children would put their
shoulders to the wheel and bur-
dens would be lighter for their
help. But children have not lived
as long as parents, or in many
cases, they have such large fami-
lies themselves that little can be
spared for the old home. So the
savings of years melt away in
these new times, with their bewil-
dering prices and strange condi-
tions. And when these savings are
gone there is no possibility of
earning more; that is the real
tragedy.

Unemployment— it has a new
meaning for these old folks. It
means that the trembling hands
are no longer skilful enough to be
wanted, that the old brain is too
slow, that feebleness is set aside
for strength. Yet many of these
couples still try to earn a little
to save their homes; an old wife
works in a candy factory, an old
husband is a porter in a store, or
dim eyes bend over sewing, for it
is something to feel that one is not
too old or feeble to earn a little;
that one is not yet thrown aside
as useless after so long and busy a
life.

But even with a little from a
son or daughter here, a bit from
some charity there, it will not
quite do—there is rent for the
tiny home; there must be food
and warm clothes—where is it to
come from? Will you let these old
people sit in the gloomy chill of
their poor homes on Christmas
Day and start in terror lest some
of the steps that they hear on the
stairs may be the sound of ap-
proaching separation? Can you
find the light and merriment of
your own well-cared for home
without a shadow when you think
how this fear of absence is creep-
ing in on the pitiful old people?
Such a little goes so long a way,
too. So small an investment means

home- and happiness and relief _

from fear through another year.
The Tradesman is again mak-
ing its customary Christmas ap-
peal for an old couples’ fund
which will prevent separation of
these aged people who have so
short a time remain together be-
fore the last great separation. This
work has been conducted so suc-
cessfully by Mel Trotter during
the past thirty-one years that the
Tradesman feels no hesitation in
stating that he can do more with
a dollar or ten dollars or a hun-
dred dollars than any other man
on earth or organization in exist-
ence. Let your contribution be
liberal, that your joy may be the
more complete. Of course, all that
has been said in behalf of the old
people applies with equal force to
the children who are the especial

wards of Mel Trotter at Christmas.

time.
No man likes to work for a boss who
is afraid to give orders,

 

 

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December 17, 1930

IN THE REALM OF RASCALITY.

 

Questionable Schemes - Which Are
Under Suspicion.

Albion, Dec. 15—In regard to the
Modern Package Co., I gave them an
order which was to amount to around
$36. They made up a large amount of
sacks and shipped them on. No in-
voice came for about a month. When
it finally came they had me charged
with $246.13. I don’t know how this
will come out, but I shall never pay
more than $36. H. Christensen.

The fact that the Modern Package
Co. sends on the goods, but refrains
from mailing the invoice for a month
Or more is prima facia evidence of
crookedness. The shipper evidently
pursues this policy in the expectation

‘that the consignee will open the ship-

ment and begin using the goods, which
act would render him liable for the
payment of the entire shipment at the
billed price.

 

Typewriter ribbons made and sold
by a corporation will no longer be
labeled with the word “silk” in con-
junction with the word “fibre” so as
to imply that the ribbons are made of
silk, according to a stipulation between
the manufacturer and the Federal
Trade Commission. ‘The corporation
also agreed to cease and desist from
use of the word “silk” either independ-
ently *or in conjunction with other
words so as to mislead buyers into be-
lieving that the article so marked is
made of silk, when such is not the fact.

 

Labels on the containers in which
certain metallic powders are packed
will no longer contain the word “pure”,
according to a stipulation between a
corporation selling the powders and
the Federal Trade Commission,

The company agreed to stop such
labeling so as not to imply that the
product so marked is composed wholly
of the metal indicated.

Provision is made in the stipulation
that when the product is not pure, but
one in which the metal is the principal
and predominant element, and_ the
name of the metal is used to designate
the product, such name shall be ac-
companied by the word “compound”
in type as conspicuous as that of the
name of the metal so as to clearly in-
dicate that the product is not com-
posed wholly of the metal named.

Tobacco pouches sold in interstate
commerce by a manufacturing cor-
poration will no longer be marked with
an alleged patent number and date, or
with any other designation so as to
imply that the pouches are patented
devices and that the respondent is the
owner ‘or licensee of a patent on to-
bacco pouches, when such is not the
fact.

The Royal Baking Powder Co. is
enjoined from fublishing disparaging
statements anonymously concerning
its competitors’ baking powders, in an
order of the Federal Trade Commis-
sion made public to-day. The com-
pany had elected not to defend the
charges in the complaint and consent-
ed to the Commission’s entering the

order without trial, evidence or ‘finding.

The order forbids publishing or caus-
ing to be published, directly or indi-
rectly, derogatory interviews or other

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

publicity concerning the nature, in-
gredients or effect of its competitors’
baking powders, the company conceal-
ing its connection ‘with or interest in
such publication. Such publicity is
not to be presented so as to seem to be
either anonymous and therefore dis-
interested, or as the voluntary inter-
views or contributions of disinterested
and technically qualified authorities.
Neither shall such material be publish-
ed so as to appear to be news items
not inspired by nor published for the
use and ‘benefit of the baking powder
company. Another practice ordered
stopped is the iepresentation that the
Federal Trade Commission has ap-
proved or adopted the report of the
examiner in a former case of the Com-
mission against Royal Baking Powder
Co. or has, by that method, through
such report of the examiner, or, in
other ways, officially determined
whether or not ingredients of any bak-
ing powder are injurious to the health
of users; or that the Commission has
in any way approved any method or
sales policy of the Royal [Baking Pow-
der Co.

With the depression in full swing
and a hard Winter ahead for the thou-
sands of unemployed, the door is wide
open for charity solicitors. Some of
these solicitors are the real thing.
Others are not.

At a time when one knows there is
real need for charity, one is likely to
keep a less firm hold on the purse
strings than during periods of relative
prosperity. There is always a strong
probability that the money may be
badly needed.

At the same time it is especially de-
plorable in times of real need that any
donations should go to those who do
not need or deserve them. When there
is need for every dollar anyone has to
give, it is particularly unfortunate that
any donation should go to support a
racket. Those who are really concern-
ed about the condition of the poor will
be discriminating as well as liberal,

Among the projects coming to our
attention which do not deserve your
Support is a new magazine, the Mail-
ers’ Advocate, alleged to be devoted
to the improvement of the postal ser-
vice. This project, which is now be-
ing “financed” on a considerable scale,
is not, according to a statement issued
by J. J. Keily, postmaster at New
York, supported by the Post Office
Department. The publisher, business
manager and secretary-treasurer, Keily
reveals, were members of a committee
last year to collect funds for a conven-
tion of the National Federation of
Post Office Clerks. These funds were
collected ‘through professional pro-
moters. Subsequently the above-men-
tioned officers of the Mailers’ Advo-
cate were dismissed from the postal
service because of a discrepancy be-
tween the amount collected—$100,000
—and the amount that was made avail-

able to the association it was collected ,

for. Stephen Forester, editor of the
Mailers’ Advocate, was one of the paid
promoters of the convention last year.

Another cause that does not deserve
your support is that of one George
Williams, who is said to have borrow-
ed large sums on false pretenses and
unsecured notes. Williams, according

to the Better Business Bureau, repre-
sents that he is a former policeman,
suspended for protecting a resident on

- his beat, and now raising funds for his

defense. The New York Police De-
partment reveals, however, that it has
no record of having employed Mr.
Williams, and invites anyone approach-
ed by him to phone Detective Fay at
Digby 8662. No one with any sense
should be fooled ‘by ‘Mr. Williams, and
he may be in the hands of the police
by this time, anyway, but if he isn’t
and you get a chance to put him there
you will be doing the community -and
the unemployed a real service.

A case that is much more likely to
rope you in was mentioned to us re-
cently by William A. Littell, executive
secretary of the Market and Business
Men’s Association of the Greenwich
and Chelsea districts. A solicitor call-
ed representing the Spirit of God
Movement, and attempting to raise
money to provide lodging for home-
less boys and girls. Asked for her
credentials, she presented what seem-
ed to Mr. Littell inadequate ones, and
made the Statement that her ‘organiza-
tion was sanctioned by the Welfare
Department. Later Mr. Littell phoned
the Welfare Department, and was told
that no such organization was listed.

Some time jater Mr. Littell received
a letter from the president of the same
organization, asking money for the
same cause. He replied, stating what
he had been told by the Welfare De-
partment and criticizing the methods
of the solicitor. The last we heard he
had not received a reply.

The organization may be just irre-
sponsible, or it may be a racket. Cer-
tainly it calls for your investigation
before you make any donation.

These are just three of a half dozen
cases that have come to our attention.
They are enough to suggest, however,
that all is not charity that looks like it
and to indicate the need for discrim-
ination in giving.

_ One trade organization we know of
pledges members to refer all charity
solicitors to the executive secretary
for investigation before making dona-
tions. Another collects money from
members for the Seward Prosser com-
mittee—undoubtedly the organization
that will make money received go the
farthest—and gives them cards certify-
ing that they are contributing regular-
ly to this cause. These cards may be
shown ‘by members to other solicitors.

Both of these methods are effective
protection. Those who aren’t in a
position to or do not wish to give what
they have to give through a trade as-
sociation can assure themselves that
their money is going where it will do
the most good by carefully selecting
one or two charities which they know
to be all right and refusing to give to
any others.

—_+~--____
Keeping It Secret.

Hubby: “What’s the idea? These
shirts are four sizes too big for me.
You know my size.”

Wifey: “Well, the big sizes cost just
the same as the little ones and I wasn’t
going to let that new clerk know what
a shrimp I married.”

—_~+++____

To think you’re a failure is a sure

way to make yourself one.

Christmas Window Trims.

This is the time of the year to dis-
play your higher priced items. People
are in the buying mood, and are look-
ing for something just a little better
than what they are using the balance
of the year. Holiday specialties, such
as nuts, the finer fruits, cluster raisins,
packaged dates, canned puddings, mar-
aschino cherries, and candied peel,
should be featured. Display also can-
ned pumpkin (it is easier to prepare
than the fresh), mince meat, cinnamon,
ginger, cloves, thyme, poultry season-
ing, sauces, cake flour and cake mak-
ing ingredients, extracts, and food col-
orings.

Fill a burlap sack almost full of old
papers, and stand it in your window.
Then finish filling it with oranges, ap-
ples, nuts, and your highest grade of
canned goods. Letter a sign “Here Is
What Santa Left for You,” and pin it
to the sack, or paste it to the window.
Trim the balance of the window with
seasonable items.

You can make attractive fruit dis-
plays by forming stars, circles, dia-
monds, or crescents of one color fruit
on a background of fruit of another
color. Lay out, with chalk, the figure
you want to make, and then use this
diagram for your guide. Don’t try to
form any shape with the fruit until you
have first drawn on the floor of your
window a diagram of the trim. You
will have lopsided circles, and odd
sided diamonds if you try to trim di-
rectly with the fruit. Form wheels by
using apples for the rims, cranberries
(or some other fruit) for the hubs, and
nuts for the spokes.

Trim market, or fancy, baskets with
crepe and shredded paper, and fill with
groceries and fruits. Place these in
your window, with each basket priced.
Have dollar baskets, two dollar bas-
kets, two and a half dollar baskets,
and perhaps one or two even higher.
Letter a sign “Give Sensible Gifts” or
“A Gift All Can Use,” and paste it to
your window. If you can take out the
white bulbs and place red and green
bulbs in your window lighting fixtures,
your groceries will have a very at-
tractive giftlike appearance. Polish
each bottle, shine each can, until the
whole display glistens in the light.
You are selling a gift, not a basket of
groceries,

2?
Wreath With Turkey.

Everyone wants to hang a wreath in
the window during the Christmas sea-
son and one marketman has seized this
fact for a merchandising scheme.

He has made special arrangements
with the dealer to obtain a large quan-
tity of attractive wreaths at a special
price. He has added a ribbon to each
wreath. A Christmas card was sent
out to each customer offering felicita-
tions for the season, thanking her for
the patronage of the past year and
pledging continued good service for
the coming year. With the card was a
letter offering the gift of a beautifully
ribboned wreath with every turkey
purchased at the store.

The gift spirit is the best that can
be incorporated at this time of year.
It is paying this grocer,

 

 

 

THE $1.10 DOLLAR.

The dollar that goes to market
this month is not the same dollar
that was slid over the counter in
December of 1929 +— not by'a
dime, and, in many cases, not by
a quarter. For this year’s dollar,
measured comparatively, is worth
between $1.10 and $1.30. Fig-
ures compiled by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics in Washington
from retail food and commodity
prices show this fact strikingly.

During the year from October
15, 1929, to October 15, 1930,
prices of coffee, cabbage and
beans declined 20 per cent.; fresh
egg3 now are 23 per cent. lower
than a year ago; butter is 14 per
cent. lower, flour 17 per cent.
lower and sugar 13 per cent. low-
er. The Merchants’ Association re-
cently made a similar survey and
found that last year’s dollar now
will buy groceries worth last year
$1.10, meat worth $1.07 to
$1.16, women’s clothing worth
$1.10 to $1.23, children’s cloth-
ing worth $1.25, men’s clothing
worth $1.06 to $1.15, furniture
worth $1.20 to $1.25.

What this means is that the man
who has a job at the same wages

he got a year ago has virtually re-_

ceived a 10 per cent. rise, for his
salary will purchase 10 per cent.
more goods. And since, as a
whole, wages have not been ma-
terially cut during the last year,
the salaried man in America is
better off than he has been for
many years. It also emphasizes
the fact that now is a profitable
time to buy.

 

 

SOME ENCOURAGING SIGNS.

The weekly index of business activity
has failed to hold all of the gain reg-
istered in the last week of November,
although the index for the first week
of the present month is still above the
low point registered in the week ended
Nov. 22. An encouraging sign, how-
ever,-is the fact that the most impor-
tant single component of the index,
freight car loadings, apparenily will
show a gain of greater than the usual
seasonal proportions.

After rising for two weeks, the An-
nalist weekly index of wholesale com-
modity prices has now turned down-
ward, the figure for all commodities for
Tuesday being 117.8, or only slightly
above the low point of 117.6 registered
Nov. 18. Encouraging signs are the
sharp rise in hides and zinc, two com-
modities which are frequently of baro-
metric value, in that they reach im-
portant turning points ahead of other
commodities.

The gain reported in the unfilled or-
ders: of the United States Steel Corpo-
tation supports the estimate that for
the second month the tonnage booked
was in excess of shipments (small
though the latter were). If, now, al-
lowance is made for the wide seasonal
changes which affect these items, last
August was the low point in incoming
business, whence there has heen a
gradual gain right up to the end of
November. $A ee

The magnitude of this gain has ad-

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

mittedly been insufficient to offer much
encouragement, but a rise in the ratio
of. steel bookings to shipments, such as
that since last August, has seldom fail-
ed to foreshadow some sort of im-
provement in business activity within
a few months.

The greatest element of doubt in the
present instancé is the question of how

permanent is that part of the gain in

November bookings which was un-
doubtedly the result of the action of
steel producers in raising prices on
some of their products and in taking
a firmer stand on others.

PRODUCTION ECONOMIES.

Manufacturers now engaged in. pre-
paring 1931 sales and production pro-
grams face a number of vexing prob-
lems pressing for solution. Not the
least of these is the necessity for find-
ing ways and means of producing new
merchandise which can be marketed
profitably at prevailing price levels.
The laurels of success in next year’s
competition will probably rest upon
those who find a satisfactory answer.

Reluctant as they are to admit it,
many authorities on industrial produc-
tion are convinced that the low prices
at which substandard merchandise sold
during the fall months will represent
the average quotations for new goods
in coming months, An example of this
trend is seen in the recent trade open-
ing held by the floor coverings indus-
try. In that instance spring goods
were offered to the trade at prices
from 10 to 30 per cent. below prevail-
ing fall quotations. The reduction even
exceeded the 10 to 15 per cent. average
mark-downs at which the “drop” or
discontinued fall patterns were sold a
month before,

Those responsible for the cuts in
the rug trade claimed they found a
way to get the normal margin of profit
in spite of the reductions. Possible
economies which had gone. unnoticed
for years were spot-lighted by neces-
sity for lower prices.

Recognition of the need for better
goods at lower prices should bring sim-
ilar results in other industries.

 

 

FAITH IN MR. HOOVER.

President Hoover may have lost pop-
ular confidence in handling of the Pro-
hibition problem. Farm relief may be
a mess and the tariff a blunder. But
when it comes down to measures look-
ing to relief of unemployment, the
country will pin its faith to the Presi-
dent in a conflict with the Senate.

The President recently asserted that
bills already introduced in House and
Senate under plea of relief would, if
passed, impose an expenditure of $4,-
500,000,000 above his own recommen-
dations. Of individuals attempting such
things he said, “They are playing pol-
itics at the expense of human misery.”
And he warned them. that “prosperity
cannot be restored by raids upon the
public treasury.”

There was in the statement an un-
usual note of sharpness. Of this there
was apparently enough to set the Sen-
ators raging. They blew off steam
through Caraway and Heflin and then,
just to show how good they were, they
voted $35,000,000 more than they
should have done.

Harmony, co-operation and all the
pretty things promised by the “Big
Seven”. pronunciamento of the Demo-
cratic press agent seem gone to the
winds. Congress already has the clear,
clean emergency relief program of the
Administration tied up in a snarl. Let
the President stand by his guns. The
country will back him.

 

The reiterated argument by ‘Secretary
of Agriculture Hyde and Chairman
Legge of the Farm Board that over-
production of wheat must be combated
by curtailing the acreage is plausible,
but two factors operate strongly
against the adoption of this idea. The
first and oldest is: the unwillingness of
Western wheat-growers to replace a
crop which keeps them busy only at
planting and harvesting seasons with
dairy farming, which requires constant
attention, or some crop that must be
carefully cultivated. The other factor,
which is just beginning to be felt on a
large scale; is the development of over-
sized wheat farms—100,000-acre estab-
lishments—by corporations of farmers
and business men. Just as  wheat-
growers who used to make a comfort-
able living on 160 acres found they
could not compete successfully with
the farmers who, by using tractors and
combines, began to cultivate from 1,000
to 5,000 acres, so these farmers are
being “menaced” by — corporations.
Neither 100,000-acre farms nor the cor-
porations are. new, but they are just
ceasing to be novelties. -A group with
4,000 members has been. formed in
Kansas to oppose the trend shown by
the operation of six corporation farms
which are adapting mass-production
methods to agriculture. The next Kan-
sas Legislature may be asked to re-
strict this development,

RECEIVES EMPHASIS.

One of the encouraging aspects of
the current stage of the depression is a
significant revival of emphasis on more
skillful selling. Not so long ago, when
business was comparatively easy to get,
the art of selling experienced a deteri-
oration that business to-day is only be-
ginning fully to realize. It appears a
reasonable conclusion that steps to
eliminate flabby salesmanship will be
one means whereby both production
and distribution will lay the foundation
for sound business revival.

Conditions to-day, and more so dur-
ing the year to come, demand not sell-
ing of the “go-getter” type, or order
taking hooked solely with the bait of
price, but salesmanship inspired with
a desire to give service and fortified
with a knowledge of product, potential
uses and close contact with market
conditions.

Manufacturers and wholesalers are
starting to add more road salesmen and
planning presumably to better perform-
ance wherever possible. Lower costs,
improvement of product and a better
profit showing are inseparably linked
with sales fundamentals.

For the retailer, the day of the “pre-
cocious customer” requires adequate
merchandise knowledge on the part of
sales personnel to a degree that, except
for a few readers in. distribution, has
not been: fully appreciated.

.

December 17, 1930

DRY GOODS CONDITIONS.

Holiday shopping made further head-
way during the week, but reports indi-
cated for the most part that gains’ in
retail turnover were not easily made.
Six shopping days now remain before
Christmas, and it is evident that a
great deal of buying remains to be
done in this comparatively brief period
if the holiday results as a whole are to
be satisfactory. The trend of consumer
preference continues to place strong
emphasis on practical gifts, a tendency,
however, for which both retailers and
manufacturers were amply prepared.

As far as dollar volume is concerned,
the chance that an increased number
of transactions may offset the smaller
size of the average sale is fading, al-
though a handful of stores may show
increases over last year, due to special
conditions. The smaller amount of the
average sale, without compensating
diminution in expenses, promises to be
one of the major problems to face re-
tail management next year.

The difficulties of the current situa-
tion are suggested in the preliminary
Federal Reserve report regarding re-
tail turnover for November, which
showed an 8 per cent. decline in de-
partment store sales, as compared with
the same number of trading days a
year ago.

 

POMPEII’S SECRETS.

The lure of Pompeii seems to be per-
ennial, and perennially something new
is found in this- ill-starred city. The
latest discovery by Italian excavators
of solid silver kitchen pots and whole
dinner services of precious metal may
throw a new light on the history of the
city buried in the wrath of Vesuvius
nearly 2,000 years ago. For besides the
intrinsic worth of the silver vessels—
and it is calculated in the hundreds of
thousands of dollars—they display an
artistic development little less startling.

The artistic attainments of the Pom-
peian cwilization never have been ques-
tioned seriously, but here is new evi-
dence of skill in working precious
metals which is most striking, And
added to the silverware, the excavators
have unearthed quantities of jewelry,
both gold and silver, set with precious
stones and_ skillfully worked. The
smith, it seems, was kept busy.

If, after all these years of excavation
at Pompeii, such artistic treasures are
now brought to light, what further
secrets may this lava-locked storehouse
contain?

 

There is a new industrial philosophy
abroad. The new word is: “Nothing
is so valuable economically as the
man.” The stronger, the longer-lived,
the happier, the more ambitious he is,
the better for mankind. Injury and
death are the fruits of ignorance, reck-
lessness and greed. A death toll is no
part of a properly managed industry.
It is waseful. The saving of life thus
becomes an industrial issue. In more
than one American industry it has be-
come a gospel—a gospel which, de-
fended as a sound economic policy, is
practiced with the whole-heartedness
and zeal of a religion.

 

Being hard-boiled is usually an at-
tempt to cover up ignorance.

 

 

\ 2 »
—~e> 8 _—_--___ 4
3 . :

December 17, 1930

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

 

OUT AROUND.

——— ee

Things Seen and Heard on a Week
End Trip.

Two weeks ago, under the heading
of Out Around, I referred to the
somewhat unusual amalgamation which
had taken place between the Schust
Co. and the Loose-Wiles Biscuit Co.
It seemed to me that such a combina-
tion was almost without precedent, in
view of the Loose-Wiles policy to favor
the chain stores at the expense of the
independents and the steadfast policy
of the ‘Schust ‘Co. to stand by the in-
dependents and refuse to sell the chain
stores. I was more puzzled than ever
when I received the following letter
from Edward Schust, President of the
Schust Co., eight days later:

Saginaw, Dec. 10—My attention has
been called to an article appearing on
page 9 of your anniversary edition of
the Michigan Tradesman.

We appreciate the fact that you say
we have always been a stalwart friend
of the independent merchant and for
your information wish to say that we
will always remain so.

I know the ‘Michigan Tradesman
has always been fair and does not wish
to publish any untruthful statements.
However, some how or other, several
items appearing in the article which I
wish to correct.

The policies of the Schust Co. will
be carried on the same as in the past.
We will remain a Michigan -corpora-
tion. I will continue as President and
General Manager. My son will con-
tinue as Vice-President and my brother
will continue as Treasurer. So you
can see that the Schust fami-y will
manage this company, the same as it
has in the past.

You also say in your article that the
Loose-Wiles Biscuit Co. will gradually
supplant the displays of the Schust
Co. with their own racks. This is not
correct and I am sure it would not
have ‘been printed in your paper had
you known the exact facts.

Our company is a!ways favorable to
the independent grocer and during the
past three months we can prove to
you that we have donated more money
to the cause of the independent retail
grocer than all the other biscuit houses
in ‘Michigan put together. We particu-
larly call your attention to the chain
store debate book which is put out by
the home defense league.

I believe you wish to be fair and
that you will correct the statements I
bring to your attention by publishing
this letter in your next issue.

Edward Schust.

With a view to clearing up the situa-
tion, I wired Mr. Schust as follows:

Grand Rapids, Dec. 12—If you will
wire me ‘Saturday of this week that
Schust policies will prevail in the sale
of Loose-Wiles goods and that no
Loose-Wiles goods will be sold to
Michigan chain stores hereafter I will
gladly publish the correction you crave.
Please make your statement very plain
and explicit. E. A. Stowe.

To this telegram I received the fol-
lowing reply:

Saginaw, Dec. 12—Received your
wire. We are pleased to know that
you will gladly publish a correction in
your next week’s issue and thank you
for your frankness and fairness in this
matter. It proves that our faith in
your paper is well founded and we
know that you will do what is right.
The Schust policies will prevail in our
organization, the same as in the past.
We will not sell nationally owned chain
stores. We will sell the Loose-Wiles
package goods such as we do not
manufacture, ‘but will continue manu-
facturing our old line same as before
and sell it the same as we always have,
retaining our old organization, as well

‘as our branch in Grand Rapids. We

trust this has ‘been made clear to you.
Edward Schust.

To this reply, I responded as fol-
lows:

‘Grand Rapids, Dec. 12—You do not

answer my enquiry as to whether you
will sell Loose-Wites goods to chain
stores, as Loose-Wiles have been do-
ing. This is the vital point at stake
in this matter. If you propose to cut
out chain stores. as you have in the
past, I am satisfied. E. A. Stowe.

This direct request was answered as
follows:

Saginaw, Dec. 12—We will not sell

Loose-Wiles biscuit to nationally own-

ed stores. Edward Schust.
It will be noted that in making his
last reply by wire Mr. Schust confines
his answer to “biscuit,” while I used
the words “goods.” Because I have
always believed Mr. Schust to be a
fair man who would not purposely re-
sort to subterfuge in a matter of this
kind to deceive me I am disposed to
accept the substitution of words as
purely unintentional on his part and
will assume that in using the word
“biscuit” he meant to include all the
products of the Loose-Wiles Co. If I
find later that this assumption is not
borne out by the facts, I will, of course,
feel compelled to re-open the subject.
In the meantime I have a right to as-
sume that no more Loose-Wiles goods
will be found in the chain stores doing
business in Michigan because the ex-
change of stock in the two companies
will render it impossible for either
company to do ‘business with chain
stores without violating both the let-
ter and spirit of Mr. Schust’s promise.

 

I do not like leaving this subject
without referring to the shift in the
sale of baked goods in Michigan ter-
ritory. Twenty years ago the National
Biscuit Co. had practically 100 per
cent. of the cookie and cracker husi-
ness of the State. The goods were
made right and sold right. Every ef-

fort was made to elevate the standard

of every article produced by the cor-
poration. It was found that Marvin
of Pittsburg was turning out the best
ginger snap. Sixty baking superin-
tendents in the employ of the National
Biscuit ‘Co. were instructed to go to
Pittsburg immediately and stay in the
Marvin bakery until they could pro-
duce a ginger snap equal to the Marvin
standard. It was found that the Grand
Rapids plant was making the test
butter cracker. So sixty bakers came
here and immediately became under-
studies of the late John Bagley until
they could turn out a butter cracker
equal to the Seymour brand. This
policy soon placed the National Bis-
cuit Co. in a position to meet the ex-
acting demands of any market. In
those days, the general management of
the business was in the hands of
supermen like Green, Richardson,
Evans, Sears and others, the selling
policy of the company was broad and
liberal. The retailer had an assured
profit of 25 per cent. on his sales and
the jobber had an assured margin of
20 per cent., except when he was pre-
vailed upon to give his customers an
extra 5 per cent. No competitor in
those days could produce goods of
equal quality, and price cut less figure
in the situation than it does to-day. I
do not think the National Biscuit Co.

has ever reduced the quality of its
products, but it has cut the margins
to both jobber and retailer down to a
point where few independent retailers
will handle their goods. The chain
stores are given such discriminatory
prices that they sell the goods, but the
total volume in this territory has
shrunk from 100 per cent. to 10 to 25
per cent. The reputation of the organ-
ization has shrunk in the same propor-
tion—from the most popular house in
the trade to that of the most unpopu-
lar. This condition can never be
changed except by a complete reversal
of the company’s present selling policy,
which is very unfair to legitimate
merchants.

The ‘butter cracker which was the
leader for many years was originated
by John Bagley in the days when
William Sears & Co. were the leading
cracker bakers of Michigan. It bore
the initial “S”. Most people supposed
the “S” stood for Sears, but it did not.
It stood for Alonzo Seymour, the first
traveling salesman employed by
William~Sears & Co. and who was on
their payroll for over fifty years. He
did not travel for the last half dozen
years of his life, but reported to the
office every Saturday morning for his
pay check. Before he died the Sears
factory had passed into the hands of
the New York Biscuit Co., the prede-
cessor of the National Biscuit Co., and
Mr. Seymour’s pay check came from
the private purse of William and
Samuel Sears, two of the grandest
business men who ever lived. Mr.
Seymour had enough laid up to keep
him the remainder of his life and the
two ‘brothers frequently discussed the
subject of terminating the gratuity, but
neither could summon sufficient cour-
age to discuss the matter with Mr.
Seymour, so he died with his last pay
check in his pocket.

 

Following the regime of the Sears
brothers, the management of the busi-
ness was taken over by Stephan A.
Sears—son of William—who managed
the Grand Rapids plant, then the other
factories in Michigan and finally be-
‘came a director of the National Bis-
cuit Co. and supervising manufactur-
ing manager of all the plants of the
organization. He was a man of re-
markable ability along certain lines.
He died about ten years ago.

The most picturesque character I
have ever known connected with the
baking ‘business was Lawrence W.
Depew, who conducted a large cracker
bakery at Detroit about fifty years ago.
He was a handsome man and wore
an immaculate plug hat on a'l oc-
casions, winter and summer. He was
very vain over his personal appear-
ance and very proud of the fact that
he was a brother of the late Chauncey
M. Depew. He was sent as a delegate
to the National Republican convention
at Minneapolis when Harrison was
nominated. A man in the hotel where
Depew was stopping remarked to a
crowd of listeners in the lobby: “The
Republican party is a party of. thieves
and robbers.” Depew stepped up and
said: “I take exception to your re-
marks. I have a brother who is a

shining light in the Republican, party.
No one dare call him a thief”

“Who is your brother?” the man
enquired.

“Chauncey M. Depew,” was the re-
ply.

“He is the biggest thief in the lot,”
said the man.

“On what do you predicate your
statement?” enquired Depew.

“On the fact that he stole all the
brains ir the Depew family,” was the
reply.

Rev. A. W. Wishart, pastor of the
Fountain street Baptist church (Grand
Rapids) spent most of his summer
vacation in Russia and is describing
the things he learned there in his Sun-
day evening sermons. Friends of the
church are publishing the sermons in
pamphlet form at the rate of two ser-
mons fora quarter, Those whoare not
thoroughly familiar with the Russian
situation can gain much information
from these little pamphlets, which can
be obtained by addressing the church
above named. Dr. Wishart is a great
preacher in all that the term implies.
He is ‘broad, liberal, far seeing and
prophetic of the good time coming
when all religious bickering and nar-
rowness will disappear. On account
of his liberal views, he is very natural-
ly the prey of men of small minds,
smaller souls, venomous hearts and
lying tongues, but he pays no more at-
tention to criticism from such sources
than an elephant does when a flea
undertakes to bite him.

 

Among the guests at our Old Timers
re-union two weeks ago was Geo. B.
Catlin who has been in charge of the
“morgue” of the Detroit News for
about forty years. Mr. Catlin writes
me as follows:

Before I forget it let me compliment
you upon that sp'’endid anniversary
number to which I am proud to have
been a small contributor. Again, be-
fore I forget, let me tell you a little
story of Col. Foster’s which I think
you failed to hear, as you were sitting
across the room at the time. It was
to this effect: “Foster Brothers divided
their interests after a time. My
brother Sam took over the dry goods
and I took the remainder of the busi-
ness. One fall, early in the 1880s Sam
received a shipment of shirt waists for
boys in ginghams, calicos and percales.
They came assorted in 8, 10, 12 and
14 year sizes and immediately won
popularity and a large demand. Pres-
ently orders began to pour in for the
14 year o'd size and the smaller sizes
dropped in demand. Sam began to
enquire of his trade why this concen-
tration upon the larger size: were there
no smaller boys to be fitted out with
waists? The answer was that the
ladies had begun wearing shirt waists
and the demand cleaned out the stock.
Sam began manufacturing ladies shirt
waists and they grew in popularity un-
til their use became universal. Manu-
facturers several times said: ‘This will
be the last year for shirt waists, for
women are fickle and always wanting
a change.’ But they guessed wrong, the
demand continued steady for several
successive vears and Sam made a for-
tune out of ladies shirt waists.”

Am glad those o!d_ entertainment
programs made a hit with Mr. Garfield.
He knew all those old timers and
probably attended many of their con-
certs. It was many years later that I
came to Grand Rapids (1880) but
even then some of the older citizens
would point out to me Mr. Utley and
Mr. Pixley, who was, in his old age,

 

 

 

essa tina see Lara ents ntiajpacee masonite cee ee
i . moet Se rn re

10

a floorwalker in Henry Spring’s store,
as men who were famous singers of
the past. I heard Mr. Pixley sing
several times when he must have been
a man in the 70s.

I wish somebody would write a
fitting biography of Henry Spring. I
knew him as one of the kindest and
best of men and had intimate knowl-
edge of his charitable aid given to his
emp‘oyes when they were sick or
dying. Mr. Spring came from ‘Western
New Yory (Victor, ten miles West of
Canandaigua), and even in his later
years he kept in touch with the men
he had known in Ontario county, N. Y.
Once he gave me a letter of introduc-
tion to James G. Clark, of Ocala,
Florida, and later I found “Uncle
Jimmy,” as everybody in Florida called
him, was president of a small railroad
and the most popular man of his sec-
tion of the State. Also he was an old
friend of my father and knew most of
the older men of my own little village.
The State of Michigan received a
good many notable men from Western
New York. The First National Bank
of Detroit was founded by a group of
men from Canandaigua. The town-
ships of Bloomfield and West Bloom-
field, Oakland county, were largely
settled ‘by men from townships of the
same name in Ontario county. We
have towns like Avon, Rochester,
Utica, Palmyra, Canandaigua and
many others named for towns of New
York. Four of our greatest justices of
the Michigan Supreme Court, Cooley,
Christiancy, Campbell and Graves
came from that district. Judge Cooley
began as a blacksmith in Attica.

 

George Catlin is a man who stands
alone. I am sure I have never seen
his equal in those things which he ex-
cels so wonderfully. He is surely a
veritable encyclopedia. I think he has
been in Detroit something like forty
years, but he knows more about the
city and county, their former residents
and all the old families than some
others who have lived there all their
tives or their progenitors before them.
Then he’s a fine grand man. He should
reach the age of Methusela at the very
least. He just knows all about every-
thing.

 

I do not often refer to the produc-
tions of our contributors, but I think
everyone will enjoy reading Paul Find-
lay’s account of his ocean voyage on
the Roma from New York to Napies,
which starts on page 16 this week. Mr.
Findlay is a seasoned traveler and his
comments on the difference between
first-class accommodations on a Scotch
liner and second-class accommodations
on an Italian liner of large dimensions
is exceedingly interesting, with the
odds in favor of the Italian vessel. Mr.
Findlay’s descriptions of the manner
in which eatables are handled in Naples
are very vivid, due to his own experi-
ence in serving American customers
for thirty-six years behind the counter
of a grocery store in Madison, Wis. I
have read a good many accounts of an
American’s impressions of European
conditions, but none impress me so
greatly as Mr. Findlay’s findings. I
hope he stays in Europe a long time,
and then hurries back to his remark-
able home in San Francisco, which is
a bungalow on the roof of a business
block he owns in the City of the Gold-
en Gate. E. A. Stowe.
> +>.

 

You can’t spend your money and
have it too; neither can you waste your
strength and remain fit for work.

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

Quick-Frozen Meats Are Far More
Than Experiment.

The greatest obstacle in the way of
merchandising quick-frozen meats and,
in fact, quick-frozen foods generally
is to change the buying habits of the
consumer. The introduction of quick-
frozen meats must break down the
prejudice which it is bound to meet in
any attempt to get consumers to
change their food habits. Even as-
suming that consumer resistance can
‘tbe overcome, and the merits of quick-
frozen meats seem to assure that this
will yet come about, so heavy a selling
expense will be necessary in the initial
stages to market the products that it
may be necessary to charge somewhat
higher prices for them. Heavy adver-
tising expenses and possibly heavy
storage expenses are quite likely to
more than offset all the economies
realized from centralized operations,
and the like. At the present time it
costs about 6 per cent. of sales to mar-
ket ordinary meats, but it may cost
nearer 25 per cent. to market quick-
frozen meats until such time as gen-
eral consumer acceptance is affected.

The quick-freezing process of frozen
foods is far more than merely an ex-
periment, as currently charged and it
appears to be here to stay. The big-
gest problem is one of successful mer-
chandising. The chain grocery sys-
tems, being primarily merchandising
organizations, are likely to enter rather
cautiously into a field in which con-
sumer demand must first ‘be aroused.
If the pioneer work neceéSsary in or-
der to market the new product is un-
dertaken by the food companies, and
consumer demand created, the chains
will no doubt be quicker to enter the
new field.

The merchandising of quick-frozen
meats and other foods is in its infancy
stage. It seems highly probable that
it will assume in the future a position
of increasing importance in the field of
food distribution and should permit
chain grocery systems to expand fur-
ther both sales and profits.

—_~++-+—___
Novelty Jewelry Re-ordered.

While re-o-rders on novelty jewelry
and accessories have been developing
later than a year ago, reports indicate
that a satisfactory holiday business is
being done on medium and popular
priced items. Choker necklaces are in
good request, with plain gold-finish
types said to be outselling stone-set
styles in some quarters. Lower prices
on the latter, however, have been help-
ful in obtaining a broader volume of
distribution. Some firms in recent
weeks have had an excellent call for
enameled sterling silver cigarette cas-
es, with a lessened call for lighters.
Spring lines of costume jewelry are in
course of preparation and will be
shown after Jan. 1.

———————————

Seek Novelty in Women’s Hose.
Progressive manufacturers of wom-
en’s full-fashioned hosiery are attempt-
ing to impart to their product some
touch which will make it outstanding
from the ordinary run of merchandise,
according to trade comment. These
efforts include experiments with all

‘kinds of twists and special yarns, lace

tops, stripes in the welt and. other
featares. The promotion of distinctive

features is regarded as very important
in the present depression.
——_ > > 2
Corporations Wound Up.

The following Michigan corporations
have recently filed notices of dissolu-
tion with the Secretary of State:
Ontonagon Public Service Co., Onton-

agon.

Michigan Moulding Sand Co., Port

Huron. .
Coats-Baker, Inc., Detroit.

National Union Building Co., Jackson.

First State Bank, Decatur (consolidat-
ed with Citizens State Bank of De-
catur under title First State Bank).

Citizens State Bank of Decatur, De-
_ catur.

Certified Silver, Inc., Detroit.

December 17, 1930

Michigan Artificial Ice Products Co.,
Detroit.

Willex Oil Co., Saginaw.

Harkins Benge Associates, Inc., Ann
Arbor,

Falls Tire Co., of Flint-Detroit.

C. H. Harrison Co., Detroit.

Kent Development Co., Grand Rapids.

Eyster & Co., Detroit.

Flint Chain. Co, Flint.

M. M. Day, Inc., Detroit.

General Metal Weather
Screen Co., Detroit.

Essex Land Corp., Detroit.

Detroit Tile and Fireplace Co., Detroit.

Stark Pump Co., Detroit.

Wenzel Koch, Inc., Centerline.

Cloverland Motor Sales Co., Sidney.

—_~++>___

Strip and

Those who know best, praise most.

<

 

(20) em 0 0m Oem 0a oem 0mm 6%

OPPORTUNITIES NEVER BEFORE OFFERED TO
FURNITURE PURCHASERS
An entire building devoted to the sales of Furniture made
exclusively by Grand: Rapids Manufacturers.

WHOLESALE and RETAIL.

The Furniture Galleries of Grand Rapids, Inc.
25-27 Commerce Ave., S. W., Grand Rapids, Michigan.

> (¢,

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What

  

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CTL TS

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STOKELY’S
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Distributed by

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GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

 

 

() meceneencemcumcancomese waa

Gap oe oq oan eae camp oegp eee eat peCDoemDeaunnty

——

9

Se 4 fer

December 17, 1930

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 11

 

The Power of the Trade Journals.

“T would just as soon think of keep-
ing my store without the trade journals
as without my electric lights.” I heard
that remark from a grocer who had
taken the same yellow covered journal
for the past fifteen years. He had a
mighty fine business, too, and before
he finally permitted the old numbers
to be carted away, he’d clip and paste
many an item in a big scrap book.

The grocer thinks perhaps only of
his trade journal as applied to his busi-
ness, but to the average layman the
mass of trade journals published is an
eye opener, once the facts are scanned.

The last figure available was that
there are 7,000 legitimate trade jour-
nals. They embrace everything from
Bottler’s Age and Advertising & Sell-
ing to Yachts and Zits Theatrical
Review. And what a force in the mer-
cantile and industrial world trade jour-
nals have been and are. Their editors
are keen to the needs, as well as de-
sires, of their readers; men who feel
the pulse of business, who sift out the
most efficient sales and advertising
plans,

Market guides, with price lists and
information on imports and exports,
some politics. When a trade journal
goes in for politics it usually goes in
for independent, best interests of the
dealers, and not for petty axe grinding.

One significant fact about trade
journals is the unanmity with which
the great majority assail and expose
the machinations of the mail order and
chain octupus. America has much to
be grateful for, to these doughty and
aggressive editors who call a spade a
spade and don’t side step the facts.

This is not yellow journalism by
long odds. It is just plain common
sense and self preservation. It has
been demonstrated clearly that if the
chain dominate this country of ours,
then it would hit the newspapers a
body blow, for, without competition,
there would be no advertising. The
daily papers suckle their nutriment
from the bottle of advertising pap, so
we have the paradox of the big news-
paper encouraging and supporting the
very enemy which will in time destroy
them.

The trade journals, on the other
hand, may be concerned about their
advertising, but not with chain adver-
tising. They will have nothing to do
with this infamous mass of deceits and
fraudulent claims. The trade journals
cater to independents and carry inde-
pendent advertising. But trade jour-
nals go deeper than the surface. They
luok back into history and forward to
what may come. They know that
American democracy stands weighed
in the balance and as Americans and
champions of the community stores,
of the independent manufacturers,
wholesalers and jobbers say to the
chains—“Hands off.”

Statistics will prove that in every
state.in the Union it has been the
stanuch, unfaltering fight of honest
trade journalism whch has put the spir-
it of confidence and hope into the
ranks of the independents.

A dealer who knows that there are
hundreds and thousands who are fac-
ing his self-same problems, who knows

that ‘there is a champion which goes
each week, to this vast army, in the
same line of making a living that he
is engaged in, when he reads what is

being done, by legislation, by educa- °

tion, by radio, by other dealers with
advertising, of the plans of manufac-
turers and wholesalers, who are with
him in this battle, he girds up his loins
and goes on about his business. He
often selects some of the weapons
handed him by the trade journals and
take a good wallop at the chain gang,
and makes it count.

If there were nothing more in all the
world to hand a medal to the trade
journals for, it would be for their
building and sustaining a bulwark
against the mighty enemies of the pub-
lic, who blindly continue to sustain
the snake in the grass.

A writer for numerous trade journals
recently wrote to a dozen different
editors. This included laundry, hard-
ware, auto tire, jewelry, grocery, boot
and shoe, baker’s, printers’s and other
representative journals. This writer
asked, “What sort of an article would
you prefer for next month?’

A composite reply of all the answers
was this: “We want constructive arti-
cles specifically dealing with the sales,
Wotweseurul pue Surknq ‘Sursizs1oape
problems of our particular class of
readers.”

In other words we might well say,
instead of “trade journals,” “business
magazines’, for that is what they are.
Digging down in practical, helpful way
into the every day problem of the man
who buys and sells, the man who con-
stitutes the very heart of the Nation,

‘ the independent dealers without whom

the Nation literally would starve to
death.

In presenting these articles, these
answers to their problems, let it be
said—and enquiry and_ investigation
will bear out the truth of this state-
ment—there is always a spirit of ideal-
ism, of truth and of progress. Articles
which stress the worth of honesty, of
fair dealing, of service, what an ar-
raignment against the practices of
those who would short weight us into
the poor house, after sapping our vital-
ity with unknown brands of bargain
bait!

The American trade journal has had
few champions out in the open, not
because they’ve not deserved a glowing
tribute, but because they are like that
good old mother of six children, with
a sick husband and a small income,
who goes on through life, rising at
daybreak and toiling until far in the
night, keeping her brood together, and
when she passes on the neighbors say,
“Too bad, she was a good woman,”
and they bring the flowers after she
is dead.

Trade journals are like that, unas-
suming, working steadily in their
speicfic fields, mindful of the world of
which they are a part—their world a
universe of foods, or of footwear, or
of glassware, or of motors—and each
striving with success to make the uni-
verse a happy and prosperous one for
those who read, and act upon that
which they do read.

Hugh King Harris.

 

 

 

      
  
 

 

From
Roaster to You

EOPLE today are ‘Fresh Coffee

Conscious”. The tremendous ad-
vertising campaign in back of Chase & Sanborn’s
Dated Coffee has put coffee in the fresh-foods class.
Housewives demand freshness in coffee as well as
in the other foods they buy. ‘“‘Dated”’ coffee is
meeting this trend to fresh coffee.

Chase & Sanborn’s Dated Coffee is delivered by
Standard Brands efficient delivery service from the
roaster direct to you, twice a week. You are always
certain you are offering your customers really fresh
coffee.

CHASE & SANBORN’S
Dated COFFEE

Distributed by STANDARD BRANDS INCORPORATED
e

5 BIG REASONS why you should
push STANDARD BRANDS products

1—Prompt service and fre-
quent deliveries.

2—Small stocks properly
regulated and small in-
vestments.

3—Quick turnovers and
quick profits,

4—A reputation of fresh-
ness with every product.

5—Nation-wide advertising.

 

 

   

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Ever: ee

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Cookie-Cakes
and Crackers

 

  
 

 
  

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and Crackers

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12

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

December 17, 1930

 

FINANCIAL

Low Prices and High Yields of Decade
Ago.

 

Although investment ‘bankers, as
well as commission brokers, are meet-
ing with little success in stimulating
demand for securities—especially in the
face of the Christmas shopping rush—
it is interesting t> point out that in
periods such as this farseeing oper-
ators accumulate stocks which they
eventually distribute in times of pros-
perity at much higher levels.

This thought is occasioned by an in-
vestment firm’s circular announcing,
“Opportunities to buy bond income as
liberal as in 1920-21 are here again.”
How often was the remark heard in the
1928-29 buli market:

“Tf only I had bought such-and-such

a stock or bond in 1921! ‘What a profit

I would have now.”

In many respects the current situa-
tion in securities market is similar to
that prevailing in the 1920-21 crisis,
and few doubt but that the high prices
and enthusiasm that characterized the
last upward surge will reappear some
time. :

When the next peak will be reached
and what securities will lead the rise
no one knows, but it seems clear to
most competent observers that the low
point of the 1929-30 depression has
been passed or is at hand. Soon the
upward turn must make its appearance.

Second-grade bonds, prices of which
have been unwarrantably depressed,
have ‘been suggested by one banking
firm as the most suitable sort of in-
vestment at this time for those who
have a backlog of investments of high-
er rank. Most cautious investors, it
is pointed out, turn to bonds of the
highest grade, thus forcing prices up
in this group, while second-grade is-
sues, neglected for the time, offer
greater attraction in yield and appre-
ciation possibilities.

A study of bond offerings as well as
of listed and unlisted markets shows a
variety of bonds in many classifications
yielding from 6 to more than 12 per
cent. Many of these involve more than
ordinary risks, but some are reason-
ably good obligations that for one rea-
son or another have been forced onto
the market at a time when buying
power is small.

Among these bonds are some issues
due within a few vears that almost cer-
tainly will be paid off at par or will he
refunded. Yet at current levels, far
below par, they svggest doubt as to
eventual payment.

William Russell. White.
[Copyrighted, 1930.]
—_+ 2 +>___

Return To Pre-War Rates Seen.

With prospective borrowers contin-
uing unwilling to pay high rates and
with lender refusing to release funds
for long terms at low rates, after hav-
ing become accustomed to handsome
returns in recent years, the market for
new issues in the doldrums.

Many leaders, apparently believing
low rates to be merely temporary, are
placing idle funds only in short-term

. securities. J. M. Keynes, noted British
economist, considers this policy a mis-
take.

“The prospective course of the rate

of interest will be steadily downward
and the prices of first-class bonds
steadily upward,” he predicts in a re-
cent issue -of the Svenska Handles-
bankens Index.

“At some date, perhaps in the com-
paratively near future, which no one
can fix beforehand with any accuracy,”
the economist continues, “a belief in
this tendency will suddenly seize hold
of the minds of the financial world.
When this happens things will move
quickly.

“The high rates of interest for short-
term loans in 1929 led to very abnormal
amounts of money being held in this
form by persons and institutions who
have no compelling reason necessarily
to keep such a large volume of funds
liquid. At present these persons are
still continuing to lend their money
at 2 per cent. on short-term, when they
could obtain, say 4% per cent. on long-
term.

“For a time they will doubtless con-
tinued to do so. But a point will come
when the steady receipt of so low a
rate of interest will seem boring and
unsatisfactory. And once the idea gets
abroad that we are starting on a jour-
ney toward pre-war rates of interest
there will be a tremendous hurrying
and scurrying not to miss the bus.”

The fall in interest rates likely will
be slow and gradual, Mr. Keyes be-
believes, but he thinks the sooner it
comes the better it will be for the
ultimate revival of investment enter-
prise and profitable activity throughout
the world.

“I believe that it is only a large
scale revival of investment which can
restore the price level to a figure com-
mensurate with costs of production,”
he adds. Once there has been a fall in
interest rates for sound borrowers

“there must surely be an immense vol-

ume of enterprise which will be at-
tractive to borrowers on the new terms
available from lenders.”
William Russell White.
[Copyrighted, 1930.]
— ++ >__

Variety of Reasons Explain Rail
Liquidation.

From 3.84 to 6.58 in a little more
than a year is a long distance for yields
of good railroad stocks to travel but
it measures roughly the startling retro-
gression that has turned the prepon-
derance of stock yields into figures
better than 5 per cent. instead of be-
low where they were last year.

Recently’ the decline in good rail-
road stocks or simultaneous rise in
yields has focused attention on the
future of this industry in which so
large a proportion of the country’s in-
vestment funds rests. It was not the
railroad list that was “jazzed” the most
in the 1929 bull market but selling late-
ly seems to be concentrated in that
quarter.

Apart from the recognition that the
business depression is cutting fiercely
into the traffic of the carriers con-
fidence is shaken by the perplexity
over that industry’s growth from now
on. Add to these the persistent in-
terferences imposed on managements
through regulatory measures of the
Government and you have the basis
for the present liquidation.

And yet it would be unfair in em-

phasizing these high yields created in
railroad stocks by the market’s decline
to overlook similar radical shifts in
stocks generally. An expansion in the
indicated yield of good public utility
stocks from 1.65 per cent. to 4.13 is
the measure of the rather sweeping
declines that these favored descriptions
have undergone in a little more than a
year. The indicated yield on industrial
stocks has risen to 5.43 from 3.15. And
if you strike a geteral average of the
better stocks in all three groups you
find that the market has shifted from
a 2.88 per cent. basis to 5.28.

In an era which had all but grown
to expect a better return from bonds
than good stocks it is something of a
novel experience these days to note
the recurrence to an old relation.
Stocks instead of less now yield more

Tie

ripe safety and
helpful service of
the Old Kent are
available 24 hours
a day --to those
who bank by mail.
A telephone eéall --
4355 =-- will start
the machinery of
opening an ae-
eount. Thereafter.
it’s easy. Try it!

 

OLD KENT
BANK

Grand Rapids’ Oldest
and Largest Bank

 

AAAAA

than bonds. That in years past was a
condition that did not prevail during
1928 and 1929. Look for a moment at
the changes in yields of the two since
September, 1929. Good stocks now
yield 5.28 instead of 2.88. Good bonds
now yield 4.51 instead of 4.70.
Paul Willard Garrett.

[Copyrighted, 1930.]

—_>+>—__—_

During the next few years aggres-
sive and well-trained executives can
put their ‘business years ahead. This
has happened in our previous emer-
gencies from depressions and almost
invariably those companies that did go
ahead fast used new ideas and aggres-
sive advertising at a time when man-
agement of less ability and courage
was still marking time and looking
backward instead of forward.

 

 

CAPACITY
TO
SERVE
THAT
WINS
EVERLASTING
CONFIDENCE

EITER,
~URTIS&
ETTER

Investment Bankers and Brokers
— PHONE 4774 —

Grand Rapids Muskegon

 

 

 

 

 

L. A. GEISTERT & CO.

Investment Securities

GRAND RAPIDS— MICHIGAN
506-511 GRAND RAPIDS TRUST BUILDING

Telephone 8-1201

 

 

‘ ”

December 17, 1930

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

13

 

Exercise Care Before Making Invest-
ments,

In this day of complicated business,
when people do not see the property

‘they buy into but only see a piece of

paper, very few people are able to tell
good investments from bad, so they
shouldn’t be ashamed to ask questions.
They should take their time and make
enquiries about any investment they
are urged to buy.

Most people in buying a small home
or a lot on which to build a home take
a long time to decide. They shop
around to make sure the price is right
and they hire lawyers to make sure the
title is good. Sometimes the original
investment is only a few hundreds or
a few thousands of dollars. Why
shouldn’t they be as careful about buy-
ing securities?

The broker or salesman who urges
haste in buying a security is generally
selling something that the average per-
son had better go slow in buying. If
a security is an exceptional bargain it
won't be offered to people of moderate
means—it won’t get past the big fel-
lows.

No matter what the salesman says,
one should not be in a hurry. There
will be just as good bargains next year.
If the proposition is sound it wili not
need any high pressure to sell it. It
will sell without being forced on buy-
ers,

Whatever else one does he shouldn’t
buy securities from dealers who have
not established a reputation for integ-
rity and conservatism. One should not
judge the broker by the furniture in his
office or by the size of his office.

Even old, established security deal-
ers may make mistakes but most of
them will not knowingly cheat a per-
son. If one is not depending on his
own judgment to buy securities then
he has a better chance by dealing with
an established house of known good
repute.

When a person wants to find out
whether a man is honest he should not
take his own word for it. The circulars
that crooked dealers sent out read just
as good as those sent out by a dealer
who is honest and has a good reputa-
tion. David H. Jackson.

oe
Chain Store Trucks a Menace.

While we expect certain amounts of
congestion on our city streets, these
Kroger and A. & P. trucks, added to
highway traffic, are a menace to our
highways. Some of these trucks loom
up about as large as a freight car and
with a huge trailer behind make it a
serious matter to navigate any car
around the obstacle, taking up all the
visibility on both sides. There is a law
for the regulation of truck weight, en-
forced at times, but what about the
limit as to size of the trucks? Will
it continue until they have them as big
as a barn? Some drivers of private
cars play safety first and drag along
behind the trucks for miles, delaying
their business and, perhaps, losing
some valued orders. Other drivers
take a chance and many of the fatilities
in Michigan are directly traceable to
the gigantic usurpers of the highways.
Body trailers seem to grow in length
and the passenger auto busses seem to

increase their speed. We have moved
our steam railroads into our roads.
We have seen the time arrive when

something must be done. Unless the

legislature acts it will soon be that
we'll see one end of a truck caravan
still pulling out, as the motor ahead is
entering Portland. It is a serious mat-
ter, with the forecast of separate high-
ways for busses and trucks not such
a visionary proposition after all and the
chain stores should be made to con-
tribute a generous sum to their con-
struction and maintenance. In fact the
tax payers should not have to pay for
such business traffic lanes, the truck
operating and buss concerns alone
benefit, they alone should saddle the
burden. Hugh King Harris.

2? >___—_—

Serves Hot Coffee.

Abe Henley, a country merchant,
during the week previous to Christmas
served small sandwiches and coffee to
customers, At the rear of his store
he arranged a table, with the aid of an
electric hot cloth. Small sandwiches
were prepared and hot coffee was madé
in the back roum and kept hot in a
large coffee pot on the table, with the
aid of an electric hot plate. The store
was decorated with evergreen and red
and green papers. Several tables dis-
playing groceries and novelties were
arranged down the center aisle, and
the whole establishment presented a
holiday atmosphere. Handbills were
mailed to every farmer in the district
telling them that hot coffee and sand-
wiches would be served during the
week to every person entering the
store. Mr. Henley found that his store
was kept so busy and humming during
the whole week and he aroused so
much favorable comment that he is
going to do it again this year.

ee
Sell Glace Fruits.

During the Christmas season feature
glace cherries. Here’s an idea that
sold a lot of them. One grocer ar-
ranged glace cherries in ten cent lots
in a small piece of cellophane paper.
He also tied up glace apricots, pine-
apple, etc., in packages to sell at 10
cents. The packages were then dis-
played on the counter and also on a
display table. The fruit glistens when
wrapped in cellophane and customers
are easily attracted. This grocer also
put up nuts of all sorts in packages.
The cellophane wrapped items sold
readily.

 

——__ ¢+...._
Oranges in Mass Display.

A complete selling appeal for
oranges was effectively made in this
window display of Frank Bros., Mad-
ison, Wisconsin. First, the mass dis-
play concentrated passers’ attention on
oranges alone. Then the posters told
them of the deliciousness of the fruit
and emphasized the well-known brand
name. Lastly, the price was featured,
and this was given by the dozen in an
odd figure to encourage quantity buy-
ing. Crepe paper streamers and bril-
liant lighting dressed up the window.

——_+2+____

A certain amount of opposition is
a great help to a man; it is what he
wants and must have to be good for
anything. Hardship and opposition
are the native soil of manhood and
self-reliance.—John Neal.

 

 

 

 

The Measure ot a Bank

The ability of any banking institution
is measured by its good name, its financial
resources and its physical equipment.

Judged by these standards we are proud
of our bank. It has always been linked
with the progress of its Community and
its resources are more than adequate.

~

Q

GRAND RAPIDS SAVINGS BANK

‘The Bank Where You Feel At Home”

16 CONVENIENT OFFICES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRAND

Established 1860—Iincorporated 1835 —

 

RAPIDS NATIONAL BANK

 

 

Nine Community Branches

GRAND RAPIDS NATIONAL COMPANY

Investment Securities

Affiliated with Grand Rapids Nationa! Bank

 

 

 

 

sashetinenapiiactieerantisStabnaebinsiontctieirecnnteeneeeieeeereee tee

14

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

 

Proceedings of the Grand Rapids
Bankruptcy Court.

Grand Rapids, Dec. 8—In the matter of
Foster E. Fetterhoff, also known as Fred
Fetterhoff. Bankrupt No. 4324. The funds
have been received and the first meeting
of creditors has been called for Dec. 24.

In the matter of Orville Bean, Bankrupt
No. 4309. The funds have been received
and the first meeting of creditors has
been called for Dec. 24.

In the matter of George Elmer Downs,
Bankrupt No. 4327. The tunds have been
received and the first meeting of cred-
itors has been called for Dec. 23.

in the matter of Albert H. scholten,
Bankrupt No. 4322. The funds have been
received and the first meeting of cred-
itors has been called for Dec. 23.

In the matter of Wrenn E. Chadderdon,
Bankrupt No, 4291. The funds have been
received and the first meeting of cred-
itors has been called for Dee. 23.

In the matter of Abe Katz and Barney
Katz, individualy and as copartners trad-
ing as Barneys Hat Shop. Bankrupt No.
43z1. The first meeting of creditors has
been called tor Dec. 23.

in the matter of Kathryn Barnett,
Bankrupt No. 4820. The funds have been
received and the first meeting otf cred-
itors has been called for Dec. 23. :

In the matter of Fred Gilmer, individ-
uauy aud trading as Sportsman’s Den,
Bankrupt No. 4318. The funds have been
geveiveu aud tue first meeting of cred-
itors has been called for Dec. 23.

io the matter of Howard F. Dark,
Bankrupt No. 4313. The iunds have been
received and the first meeting of cred-
itors has veen called for Dec. 22. :

in the matter ot Harry L. Robbins,
Baukrupt No. 430/. The funds have been
received and the first meeting of cred-
itors nas peen called for Dec. 22.

in tie matter of Carl Rose, Bankrupt
No. 4019. ‘tne i1unds have been received
and tne first meetiug of creditors has
been called for Dec. 22.

in the matter of Harrison S. Dewey,
Bankrupt No. 4816. The trst meeting
ot creaitors has been cailed tor Dec. 22.

Dec. 8. We have to-day received the
schedules. reference and adjudication in
the matter of Mrs. William (Betty) Pschi-
goda, doing business as lbetty Dress
buop, Bankrupt No. 4329. The bankrupt
is a resident of Lincoln towuship, Ber-
rien county. The schedule shows assets
of $1,559.24 of which $525 is claimed as
ta@.uvt, with abilities of $2,uUz.48. The
tirst meeting will be calied and note ou
Saiue iunaue herein. The list of creditors
of said bankrupt are as foilows.

Ceuliai business Keaity Corp.,

Benton HMarbor —.. $200.00
Karlin & Munves, Chicago ~__---__-_ 208.48
berg & wWassell & Co., Cnicago --_ 113.00
Carson, Pirie, Scott, Cuicago ---. 92.07

Illinois Dress Co., Chicago ~----_-_ 36.00
dseysione Garment Co., Chicago ---~43.00
Gray Garment Co., Chicago -___-_ 74.50
jreiand Bros., Jamestown, N. Y.-- 22.05
Society Maid Hosiery Co., New Y. 148.63
jm & &. Co. nicego —__....__..._..... 23.50
Springueld Leather Products Co.,

Borneo. Ohio 127.00
Sugar «einverg Frankel, Inc., Chi. 88.50
Farmers & Merchants National

Bank, Benton Harbor —___---____ 400.00
A. G. Spaiding Bros. & Co., Chi. 18.00
Bernie Doiia, Millburg —~--__-_______ 300.00
Herbert M. Mandel, Chicago -___ 151.50

Dec. 8. We have to-day received the
schedules, reierence and adjudication in
the matter of Earl,Crosby. Bankrupt No.
4328. The bankrupt is a resident of
Kalamazoo, and his occupation is that of
a laborer. The schedule shows assets of
$125 of which the full amount is claimed
as exempt. with liabilities of $778.77. The
court has written for funds and upon re-
ceipt f same the first meeting of cred-
itors will be called.

In the matter of Morris E. Newall,
Bankrupt No. 3971, the trustees of said
estate has heretofore filed his final report
and account, and a final meeting of cred-
itors was held Oct. 20. The bankrupt was
not present or represented. The trustee
was present in person. Claims were
proved and allowed. The trustee’s final
report and account, was considered and
approved and allowed. An order was made
for the payment of expenses of adminis-
tration, as far as the funds on hand
would permit. There were no dividends.
No objections were made to the discharge
of the bankrupt. The final meeting then
adjourned without date, and the case
wiil be closed and returned to the district
court in due course.

Dec. 9. We have to-day received the
schedules, reference and adjudication in
the matter of Anthony H. Koning, Bank-
rupt No. 4330. The bankrupt is a resident
of Grand Rapids. and his occupation is
that of a laborer. The schedule shows
assets of $7,517 with liabilities of $18,-
413.23. The court has written for funds
and upon receipt of same the first meet-
ing of creditors will be called.

Dec. 11.. We have to-day received the
schedules. reference and adjudication in
the matter of Peter Bergman, Bankrupt
No. 43338. The bankrupt is a resident of
Grand Rapids, and his occupation is that
of a laborer. The schedule shows assets

of $5,307 of which $250 is claimed as ex- +

empt. with liabilities of $3,654.91. The
court has written for funds and upon
receipt of same the first meeting of. cred-
itors will be called.

Dec. 11. We have to--day received the
schedues of John E. Gogo, Bankrupt No.

tinal meeting of creditors

4334. The bankrupt is a resident of
Grand Rapids, and his occupation is that
of a merchant. The schedules show as-
sets of $/,688.03 of which $350 is claimed
as exempt, with liabilities of $16,975.03.
The first meeting of creditors will be
called. The list of creditors of said
bankrupt is as follows:
Motor Bankers Corp.. Grand Rap. $484.00
National Cash Register Co., G. R. 57.50
Frank Neuman, Grand Rapids ~~ 1,500.00
Home Acres Bank, Grand Rapids 85.00
American Metal Weather Strip Co.,
iSrand Bapids ooo 77.00
Van Leeuwen Dry Goods, Grand R. 49.82
Paul Steketee & Son Grand Rapids 135.00
Kal. Stove Co., Kalamazoo ________ 53.15
First National Bank. Reed City 8,100.00
Air-way Elec. Appliance Corp.,

TE OCRO 29.50
John Niemeyer, Grand Rapids ___ 390.00
John Niemeyer, Grand Rapids __ 2,400.00

Mrs. Peter D. Mohrhardt, Grand R. 970.00
Lee & Cady, Grand Rapids ~_____ 1,200.00
M. J. Dark & Son, Grand Rapids 125.00
Hecht Produce Co.. Grand Rapids__ 80.00
Western Mich. Grocery Co., G. R. 150.00
Wilson & Co.. Grand Rapids ______ 90.00
C. W. Mills Paper Co., Grand Rap. 70.00
Hekman Biscuit Co., Grand Rapids 100.00
Schust Cookie Co., Grand Rapids__ 60.00
Cedar Springs Creamery Co., S. P. 51.00
Brenuer Egg Man, Grand Rapids 100.00
Beachnut Coffee Co., Chicago ____ 19.00

Togan Stiles. Inc.. Grand Rapids __ 50.00
Watson-Higgins Milling C., G. . 385.00
V. C. Milling Co., Grand Rapids __ 35.00
Van Driele & Co., Grand Rapids __ 40.00
William Krupis, Grand Rapids ____ 52.00
Michigan Paint Co.. Grand Rapids 50.00
Voight Milling Co., Grand Rapids 5.40
Coitee Rauch, Grand Rapids ______ 4.51
Smith Flavoring Extract Co., G. R. 10.50
W. P. Wagner, Grand Rapids ____ 20.00
Veitman Biscuit Co.. Grand Rapids 10.00
Toledo Scales Co.. Toledo ~_______ 120.00
ul Bros... Chicago . 14.40
A. J. Kasper Co., Chicago ________ 50.00
Harry Meyer, Grand Rapids ______ 2.25
jda T. Shuckleton, Grand Rapids__ 70.00

Abe Schefman & Co., Grand Rapids 40.00

In the matter of George G. Doxey,
Bankrupt No. 4049, the trustee has here-
tofore tiled his final report and account
and an -adjourned final meeting of cred-
itors was held Nov. 4. The bankrupt was
not present or represented. The trustee
Was present in person and represented
by attorny Fred G. stanley. Claims were
proved and allowed. The trustees final
report and account was considered and
avbproveu and aliowed. An order was
made tor the payment of expenses of
administration and a first and final divi-
dend to general creditors of 4.5 per cent.
All preferred claims have been paid in
full. No objections were made to the
discharge of the bankrupt. The final
iieeting then adjourned without date,
and the case will be closed and returned
to the district court in due course.

In the matter of Ray Scher, doing
business as Ray's Cut Rate Store, Bank-
rupt No. 4040, the trustee has heretoiore
filed his final report and account and a
was held Oct.
20. The trustee was present. Creditors
were present by attorney Fred G. Stan-
ley. Claims were proved and allowed.
The trustee's final report and account
was approved and allowed. An order
was made for the payment of expenses
of administration and for the declara-
tion and payment of a final dividend to
general creditors of 24 per cent. A previ-
ous dviidend of 20 per cent. has been
paid, as well as the 100 per cent. pay-
ment of all preferred claims. No objec-
tions were made to the discharge of the
bankrupt. The final meeting then ad-
journed without date. and the case will
be closed and returned to the district
court, in due course.

In the matter of Raymond Ripperger,
individually and as Home Radio Shop,
Bankrupt No. 4279. the first meeting of
creditors was held Nov. 24. The bank-
rupt was present and represented by at-
torney Grant Sims. No creditors were
present or represented. Claims were
proved and allowed. No trustee was ap-
pointed. The bankrupt was sworn and
examined without a reporter. The first
meeting then adjourned without date,
and the case has been closed and re-
turned to the district court. as a case
without assets.

Dec. 138. We have to-day received the
schedules, reference and adjudication in
the matter of Miles F. Williams and
Frank J. Otterbacher, individually and
as copnartners doing business as Williams
& Otterbacher. Bankrupt No. 4337. The
bankrupts are located at Sand Lake, and
they conducted a retail hardware, imple-
ment and automobile shop. The schedule
shows assets of $4,244.03 with liabilities of
$9,305.60. The first meeting of creditors
will be called. The list of creditors of
said bankrupt is as follows:

Flint & Walling Mfg. Co., Ken-

GOUVie Ane ee 13.50
F. J. Blanchard, Cedar Springs __ 272.00
Mid-States Steel & Wire Co., Craw-

TOPOVHIA ANG. 956.20
United Engine Co., Lansing ____ 1,073.50
Empire Milking Machine Co..

Rochester. New York ______ ___ 322.84

W. C. Hopson Co.. Grand Rapids__ 323.03
Roderick eLan Mfg. Co., Mansfield,

Ohio ets 623.61
Fisk Tire & Rubber Co., Detroit 92.00
Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Det. 153.00
Allen Wilcox Motor Sales Co.. G. R. 19.28
Auto Motor Parts Co.. Grand Rap. 27.99
R. A. Matthews Co., Grand Rapids 50.92

 

Motor Rebuilding Parts Corp., G.R. 53.65
Richards Mfg. Co., Grand Rapids_ 102.51
Wheeling Corrugating Co.,

Wheaiine W.Va. 174.43
Moore Plow & Implement Co.,

Greenvale 2 131.26
Zimmerman Mfg. Co., Corunna__ 39.13
KE. B. Adams & Sons, Racine, Wis. 25.89
Baldwin Stove Co., Fremont, O. __ 30.00
Goshen Lightning Rod Co., Goshen 59.39
Welling House Elec. Co., Grand R. 14.00
Leroy Plow Co., Leroy, New York 36.00
Brown & Sehier Co., Grand Rapids 38.48
John Deere Plow Co., Lansing ____ 6.30
Great Western Oil Co., Grand Rap. .2/.26

Carl Otterbacher, Cedar Springs 4,400.00

Eulalia Williams, Sand Lake _<_ 801.26
Loena Williams. Sand Lake ______ 425.00
Geo. M. and Rose M. Davis, G. R. 1,825.00
C. E. Williams. Vicksburg _______ 385.00

In the matter of Charles A. Halbert,
doing business as Halbert’s Confection-
ery, Bankrupt No. 4288, the first meeting
of creditors was held Nov. 24. The bank-

rupt was present in person and re.re-
sented by attorney Clare J. Hall. No
creditors were present or represented.

Claims were proved and allowed. No
trustee was appointed. The bankrupt
was Sworn and examined without a re-
porter. The first meeting then adjourned
without dae. and the case has been closed
and returned to the district court, as a
case without assets.
A

The Invitation Is Accepted.

That war worn veteran of the news-
paper field, E. A. Stowe, a few weeks
ago took occasion to felicitate a few
of the newspapers of Michigan on
some of their unique and distinguished
qualities. One of those selected was
the Sparta Sentinel-Leader which Mr.
Stowe remembered for many years
past. All of which is appreciated and
it might be said that Mr. Stowe has
done a large service in fighting out
certain battles of the business world
to a successful finish.

We know Mr. drops
Sparta once in a while but so far he
has not visited the Sentinel-Leader
office. We rather suspect that Mr.
Stowe thinks we might want to trad2
papers with him. But don’t be afraid.
Mr. Stowe, come right along, we will
ask no boot in a trade—Sparta Sen-
tinel-Leader.

——~-+__

No matter how good a clerk may be,
if he’s a trouble maker the firm cannot
keep him.

Stowe into

  

 

‘\

  

Fenton
Davis
&
Boyle

Lwestment Bankers

vy

Detroit
Grand Ranids
Chicago

    
          

    
   
   
    

WHOM SHALL I
ASK?
Folks who are accustomed to
consult the investment bank-
er concerning their present
or proposed investments—find
a valued service. Such coun-
sel is available to you—cer-
tainly without obligation.

 
     
   
   
    
     

 

 

 

December 17, 1930

 

 

These Be Our
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December 17, 1930

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

   

15

 

MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE

Don’t Have Time To Read Insurance
Policies.

 

From time to time I have reflected
upon certain clauses in insurance
policies, both fire and life, binding the
insured to do or not to do certain
things or lose his insurance. In dis-
cussing these I have expressed my be-
lief that these clauses, some of them
at least, were deliberately inserted by
cunning insurance companies in the
belief and the hope that policyholders
would neglect them and thus enable the
companies to escape paying the insur-
ance money.

I shall now discuss another insur-
ance policy provision which I consider
entirely logical and proper, inserted
not to trip the policyholder up, to pro-
tect the insurance company at a point
where it deserves protection.

I refer to the clause in automobile
and other iideinnity policies which
reads as {oll ws:

NOTICE

3. The assured shall give to the
company or its duly authorized agent
immediate notice of any accident with
the fullest information obtainable. The
assured shall give like notice of claims
for damages on account of such acci-
dent. If any suit is brought against
the assured to recover such damages,
the assured shall immediately forward
to the company at its office in Newark
every summons or other process served
upon him.

It is perfectly right that an insur-
ance company which is expected to
make good the policyholder’s damages,
or defend a suit against him, as the
case may be, should know at the
earliest reasonable moment that dam-
ages have ‘been sustained, or that suit
has ‘been brought. This in order that
it may get into the situation while it
is fresh.

I have a case before me now which
shows what policyholders sometimes
do in spite of the above (43 Fd. 2d, 82).
A. policyholder named Watt carried
automobile insurance in the New Jer-
sey Fidelity and Plate Glass Insurance
Company. The policy contained the
clause reproduced above. An accident
which made Watt liable occurred May
22, and was promptly reported to the
company. Later mutual! efforts were
made by the company and the victim
of the accident to settle, but they failed,
and finally the victim died, and her ad-
ministrator brought suit against Watt.
The suit was begun July 31, and the
usual papers were served on Watt by
leaving them at his residence in his
absence. He returned August 23 and
found the papers there. Even then he
did not send them to the company, in
fact, he did not send them to the com-
pany until the following April. It is
hard to conceive of such carelessness,
in view of the clear provisions of the
policy, but that is the way it happened.

When the company finally got into
the case it informed Watt that it would
not protect him under the policy, be-
cause he had not “immediately for-
warded” the suit papers to it as re-
quired by the policy. The insurance
company was sued under the policy
and defended on the above ground.
The court threw the case out with the
following ruling:

The provisions of the policy are
plain and unambiguous. The policy

provides that “failure on the part of
the assured to comply with any of said
conditions shall forfeit the right to re-
cover hereunder.” One of the condi-
tions is that the assured shall immedi-
ately forward to the company at its
office every summons or other process
served upon him. It is obvious that
this provision is of the essence of the
contract in insurance of this kind and
not merely a stipulation as to the form
of bringing to the notice of the insurer
the fact of loss as in policies of fire and
life insurance. By the express terms
of the policy, failure to comply with
the condition forfeits the right to re-
covery. It is true that while the
process is required to be “immediately”
forwarded, nevertheless the word “im-
mediately” is not given a rigid con-
struction, but means that the process
must ‘be forwarded within a reasonable
time under all the circumstances of the
case. Fidelity and Deposit Co. vs.
Courtney, 186 U. S. 342, 345, 22 S. Ct.
833, 46 L. Ed. 1193. But there was a
delay of more than seven months, and
we think that such delay under the cir-
cumstances was entirely unreasonable.
Inasmuch as the policy declared by its
express terms that it should be for-
feited if the process were not forward-
ed, it is clear that Watt could not pos-
sibly recover under it.

So several thousand dollars more
insurance was lost, simply and solely
‘by the carelessness of the insured. In
this case Watt was sued by the victim
of his accident, and was compelled to
pay the verdict—a death verdict-—out
of his own pocket, instead of comfort-
ably calling on the company to do it.
And this time it served him good and
right. A man who is foolish enough
to pay for insurance and then ignore
his contract and do the very thing that
will lose him the protection he has paid
for, is just a plain fool and deserves
all the hard luck he gets.

Possibly, however, Watt was like
millions of other policyholders: who
never can get around to reading their
policies. Elton J. Buckley.

[Copyrighted, 1930.]
—_>+ + ____
Watch Your Scales.

Every store owner knows how im-
portant his scales are when ‘it comes
to making a profit on bulk merchandise.
It is sometimes hard, however, to get
the clerk to understand this importance.
Here is an example that tells the story
as graphically as any we know:

Suppose that on an item which sells
for 40c a pound, through spilling or
inaccurate weighing, one-half an ounce
is lost. And suppose that item is
weighed out 100 times a day. The
gross on that item for the day would
be $40, for the week $240, and for the
year $12,480. Figure a profit of 3 per
cent. on gross selling price and we
find that you should have made $374.40.
But every “pound” weighed 1634
ounces. The merchandise cost you 38.8
cents per pound or 1.2125 cents per
half ounce. One hundred half ounces
a day meant a loss of $1.2125, or $378.30
per year. Instead of making $374 on
your gross of $12,480 you were losing
the difference between that figure and
$378.30, or $3.90.

Your scales may be losing money
for you. Have them adjusted and ex-
plain to your clerks by the above ex-
ample how vitally important is the mat-
ter of weighing. An ounce extra here
and a half ounce spilled there can make
a big difference in the year’s profit of
your store,

Predicts Return of -Tail Coat.

The return of the formal tail coat for
evening furictions in greater numbers
than ever before during the coming
winter is predicted by Allen Sinsheim-
er, executive director of the National
Association of Retail Clothiers and
Furnishers, in announcing the results
of a Nation-wide style survey just com-
pleted by his organization. College
men are going in stronger for full
dress.

ee

Plan Changes in Stationery Styles.

Writing paper of smaller dimensions
than that which held public favor this
season will be produced by stationery
manufacturers next year. The large-
size sheets, it is pointed out, have been
leading sellers for the last two years,
but are said to have run their course

as style feautres. Other style changes
looked for in the writing paper field
include an increase in the production
of papers decorated with small borders
of contrasting colors and the elimina-
tion of the colorful envelope linings
which have been featured for several
seasons past. Sales this year fell short
of early expectations, and intense price
competition cut profits considerably.

—_> +>
Light Up For Christmas.

In planning Christmas decorating
remember to check up on your lighting.
See if your store and windows are well
lighted. This is one of the best and
cheapest forms of advertising, and it
has the power to bring people into your
store. Even if you install a splendid
display, if your window is not well
lighted, it won’t draw the customers.

 

Affiliated with

320 Houseman Bldg.

The Michigan
~ Retail Dry Goods Association

Insuring Mercantile property and dwellings
Present rate of dividend to policy holders 30%

THE GRAND RAPIDS MERCHANTS MUTUAL
FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY

Grand Rapids, Mich.

 

 

OUR FIRE INSURANCE
POLICIES ARE CONCURRENT

with any standard stock policies that
you are buying

mm xa conn @0% Less

Michigan Bankers and Merchants Mutual Fire Insurance Co.
of Fremont, Michigan

 

 

WILLIAM N. SENF, Secretary-Treasurer

 

 

Insurance at COST.

Telephone 358

 

WHOEVER OWNS PROPERTY

KEPT CLEAN AND IN GOOD REPAIR

Can Become a Member of THE FINNISH MUTUAL FIRE
INSURANCE COMPANY, Calumet, Michigan, and Get Fire

Paid 40 to 68% Dividends For 40 Years

THE FINNISH MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY

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444 Pine Street

 

 

 

 

16

RANDOM NOTES

 

Made For Tradesman Readers While
Crossing the Atlantic.
[All rights reserved.]

Washington started the zone cab
idea last winter, 35 cents for “City
Proper.” Seems to have figured out
all right for there are many lines now
and one can ride incredible distances
for that price. Baltimore has followed,
partly. There 35 cents will carry one
two and three-fourths miles. Balti-
more also has followed ‘Washington
with a 10 cent car fare. The cab busi-
ness is shaking down, while street cars
are being shaken up—both, perhaps,
to correct economic levels.

In Washington one is reminded of
postal deficits and how to cure them.
Congress suggests or “considers” the
enhancement of rates on letters or
second-class matter. ‘But all the world
knows that the postoffice would get on
better if it were properly credited with
work performed free for Senators and
Representatives under whose franks a
vast tonnage is carried—a completely
unrequited burden. It is also known
that all our exultation in having one
Government department properly run
is dubious pride on our part since
private corporations have offered to
do the work for less, strictly on their
own. Believe me, I’m off anything like
Government management.

Election by the peepul is not always
conclusive. Vox populi is not always
vox dei. Example: William Hale
Thompson, his last vast majority and
all his works since

The Irish stili run New York. Fine,
upstanding boy on the elevated was
careful to see I landed at the right
place, while the brogue on him was
like a saw going through a knot. One
unaccustomed to city restaurants
noted a dime left on a Macy table and
cautioned the bus boy that it “belong-
ed to the waitress.” ‘Such ignorance
of standard practice could not have
been passed by him. “I'll not take it,”
he said, with a disgusted sneer. Some
men who have made good in New
York business: E. W. J. Hearty, long-
time produce jobber. Bob Nix, third
in line from founder of John Nix &
Sons, same business; Leo McGivena,
editor the trade edition of the Daily
News. William Butler, pioneer re-
modeler of retail food shops from
coast to coast; now with Butterick.

Because we were “booked” second
class, I hurried to the Roma early to
place our baggage and see _ exactly
what we got for a stateroom. From
the standpoint of one familiar with
old-time first-class in Anchor liners it
looked splendid to me. Even com-
pared with minimum outside first in
the Republic this stood out favorably.
Big porthole, fine lights, electric fan,
voluminous forced ventilation—clean,
roomy, good bunks—dquite pleasing.

Going on board was something else
again. We had been told we could
get on at 6:30 or after, departure be-
ing scheduled for 12:15 a. m.—just
after midnight. But though we took
plenty of time for dinner and arrived
at the pier around 7:30, we found our-
selves barred out until 8 o’clock.

This was not comfortable nor was
the “atmosphere” what it should have
been. Young men delegated to in-

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

spect our tickets were pointedly leis-
urely getting ready their forms, quite
supercilious in fact manner, emphasiz-
ed the stand-in-line angle. This re-
called the ancient snobbery of the old
Scottish ships in which the lavatories
were labeled Ladies-Gentlemen for first
class, Men-Women for second, and for
steerage what think you? It was
Males - Females. Could intentional,
gratuitous insult go farther? Why not
a:l Men-Women? Is any of us above
that? At what point in the economic
scale does a human cease to merit such
designation?

I recall one first cabin passenger in
an Anchor line ship ’way ‘back in those
days whose manners and language re-
main with me now after fifty years as
those of the bottom layer of mining
camp society, whose only warrant to be
classed as a “gentleman” was his abil-
ity to pay the price. False standards
die hard. Let’s kill ’em off.

The “lift” was not lifting; but be-
cause that was a feature which had
been specially emphasized by the
“bookers,” we stood pat until they got
it in order. Why walk down four
flights when we are sold elevators to
do that for us? And they had changed
our cabin for the better, for which due
credit was inferred and granted, for
believe me, I seek always to give full
measure of acknowledgment for any
extra civility anywhere. It is a pleas-
ure to criticise “constructively.” -

Followed a comedy with all pier of-
ficials as actors. Royal typewriter
fo'ks had made up for me a special
portable with type to my liking—fussy
ol’ chap, you see. Because of close
time limit I had phoned the company
and been told that machine had been
delivered before noon. But after get-
ting aboard it was not to be located in
any known place. Pretty serious to be
caught with nix but a pencil, with cer-
tainty that similar machine could not
be obtained abroad and any would cost
double or worse. So I chased in every
direction officials could think of, then
examined everything else on the pier,
even baggage for another ship, but
nothing doing.

Experience shows that much can be
done everywhere if one remains good
tempered. One can be emphatic, ex-
acting if one does it with a smi'e. So
I got willing co-operation everywhere.
One young man was so eager to aid
me that I took his name for written
commendation, but, unfortunately, I
have lost it. Point was, the machine
was not in the baggage room, parcel
room, on the dock, in anybody’s or no-
body’s keeping. Last thing the boy
aforesaid suggested the line would
send it by next boat out, which inci-
dentally was not one of its own, as
personal baggage left behind, without
charge. By now it was 11 o'clock, and
this seemed the best could be done, so
I filed a night letter to the Baltimore
agent of ‘Royal to get best action pos-
sible. Then I prepared for bed. Un-
derstand, please, that much of this was
carried on with bits of my pidgin
Italian, limited mainly to poco presto
and poco lento, which lightened the
episode with hilarity of the nations.

I was about to disrobe when there
was a knock at the door and a man
asked in terribly mutilated English if
I wanted datta typa-writa in my

capanna, in my camerino? Did I want
it? Hell, yes; I'll say I did. I'll also
say I grabbed it with loving hands,

Recommend—

December 17, 1930

assured myself it was really it, signed
the ricevuta—da receipta—with joyful
eagerness—stowed the little darling se-

 

 

 

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“se

 

December 17, 1930

curely and returned mental thanks to
any and everybody in any way instru-
mental in my having this close and
serviceable companion. ~

It remained but to dress again and
recall my telegram—a trifle, surely, in
view of the happy ending. But stop-
ped on the way to ask a young man
who had spoken as one having author-
ity how it had all happened. His ex-
planation was as perfectly faultless as
such usually are—after the event.
Characteristically, it had been up to
me. I had failed to visit the purser
immediately on going aboard to get my
seat assignment. Had I done that, I
should have found my machine in his
keeping and avoided all the turmoil. He
did not say that he and all the others
should have had some inkling that the
purser might be the man to see. The
old story, you see, let the buyer be-
ware.

A was in her bunk and by now so
relieved that she fell asleep, but I was
wide awake again, also quite willing
to see the big ship take off. Imagine
what it means to “sail” on the Roma,
32,600 tons, to one whose Atlantic ex-
periences range from 1,200 tons—yes,
I said twelve hundred, not twelve
thousand—to be or a ship with four
propellers driven by eight turbines
when one’s early days were intimate
with boats with one propeller, one re-
ciprocal engine, aided by a consider-
able spread of sail. These are truly
not ships, but floating skyscrapers.
Lifts, indeed.

So I looked out at the two tugs,
little boats of tremendous power, lying
across the slip ready to push our stern
up stream to facilitate our getaway.
Meseck, they were named—George and
Margaret, I think—unfamiliar to me
who formerly knew most of New
York’s tug lines. When, responding
to a toot of our horn, one moved to-
ward me, the deckhand forward called:
“Take your head in.” I assured him
I would do that, not being willing to
have it jammed by the buffalo head at
his bow. Then talking I told him how
well I knew his river and he solved
my question why the ship left at mid-
night. I had surmised the answer to
be that October 10-11 slack high
water occurred at midnight. It was
then easy to shove the Roma’s stern
upstream—something no number of
tugs could do against an ebb tide plus
Hudson current running six miles an
hour or more. That, I found, was cor-
rect.

Presently, then, the lines were cast
off, the turbines started with their
virtually vibrationless revolutions that
furnish stupendous power, the two 95
footers boosted against our side and
quite rapidly—very smoothly — we
swung into mid river and were off. I
remained at our port until 1:30, won-
dering at the length of this great ves-
sel, her spreading white wake as she
slid along at 22 knots, picking up point
by point the familiar features of the
lower Hudson—Jersey Central, bril-
liant ferries coming and going, the
world’s biggest clock on Colgate’s,
Ellis Island, then the Statue—“and so
to bed.””

Steward answers our morning bell
promptly, but we strike a snag over
acqua calda. Hardly seems reasonable
until we think of scalding water.

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

Thereafter no trouble, but new things
are put over only after three or four
boys have contributed their mites of
Inglese against my smatter of Italiano.
Great mass of this ship still impresses
me. Sea turbulent enough this first
morning, but virtually no motion—
steady old boat—good appetite for first
breakfast—but O, you Italian “coffee.”
Revolting over its bitterness, waiter
promises to fetch us “American coffee.”
O, joy. But when we find it is just
caffe italiana weakened hope fades.
We simply prepare to get used to it
again. Steamer chair costs $2, rug
$1.50 for the trip. Exorbitant charge—
$2 for the outfit would be ample. Bag-
gageroom for our class illy located and
approach impossible for a lady—all
through third-class quarters; so get
our trunk into our cabin. Good cook-
ing. Can say excellent cooking. Ital-
ians and French know how to make
an omelet. Vegetables well prepared.
Food served hot. Second-class table
good enough for anybody. Service
fine. This in happy contrast to similar
class on some Western lines where
American “variety” fetish rules and
wide range is served uniformly badly.
Sleeping lots to-day to make up for
late retirement last night and to help
adjustment to sea conditions.

“They don’t know how to make
coffee in Europe.” We all say it. I
heartily agree with that. And yet,
coffee is grown in Mexico, all Central
America and Southward through the
entire isthmus which connects the two
continents; and so on through Colom-
bia, where much of the world’s best is
produced, not excepting Java and
Sumatra; down into Brazil, greatest of
all producers. In all those countries
coffee a la Francaise Italiana is exclu-
sively drunk. It is all parched to such
a crisp as we should say was burned.

Puzzles me—always has—because
the most delicate constituent of its
flavor is the aromatic oil, and that is
so volatile that it is lost if the infusion
be boiled. Hence our best coffee is
made as a sub-boiling infusion. To
roast coffee so “high” that oil appears
on the surface of the beans is to drive
off all aromatic oil and most of the
essential oil. From my _ standpoint,
there is no flavor whatever left in
coffee as made by Europeans or Latin
Americans.

My own taste, based on nearly forty
years of buying and selling coffee, in-
cluding twelve years of roasting it,
runs to tricolator-made, strong, served
hot with cream and no sugar. I man-
age to drink caffe-au-lait—meaning
coffee with milk only by heavy dilu-
tion with the hot milk, plus a little
sugar; but it is a sack-cloth-and-ashes
process, believe me.

After dinner coffee here is some-
thing else. It is quasi-Turkish: triple
strength of the black grounds which
can only be drunk with heavy admix-
ture of sugar. Only a demitasse is
served—or wanted—for it is a sturdy
stimulant.

Are we right or are we wrong? In
matters of taste there can be no arbi-
trary standards. In Rome we do as
the Romans do—long time accepted
adage.

Our ship table is characterized by
liberality in wine, but our napkins are

(Continued on page 30)

17

 

 

COFFEE

The recognized quality
line with a wonderful
list of satisfied consu-

mers.

 

Morton House

Quaker
Nedrow
Imperial
Majestic
Boston Breakfast Blend

 

LEE & CADY

 

 

 

 

18

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

December 17, 1930

 

DRY GOODS

Michigan Retaii Dry Goods Association.

President—J. B. Mills, Detroit.

First Vice-President—Geo. E. Martin,
Benton Harbor.

Second Vice-President—J. T. Milliken,
Traverse City.

Secretary-Treasurer—Thomas Pitketh-
ly, Flint.

Manager—Jason E. Hammond, Lansing.

 

Jackets For Every Type of Costume.

Palm Beach, it seems, will have a
white Christmas of its own. That
white is in for an exceptionally big
run this season is the prediction heard
on all sides, and the more Southern re-
sort collections we see, the more we
are convinced of its truth.

This goes not merely for frocks and
such, but for beach things as well. In
fact, especially for beach things. To
our mind, the smartest possible bath-
ing suit is the all-white suit—it has to
be of a good heavy jersey—and we
particularly like one because of a vivid
Roman-striped sash which adds enor-
mously to its chic. White linen or
cotton beach pajamas, separate white
trousers to pull on over your suit, a
whole series of white jersey frocks, the
kind you are accustomed to thinking
of in terms of silk, white hats of
starched linen—these are only a few
of the white fashions that are expected
to register importantly as the season
develops. And of course there are
scores expressed in white with strong
color accents.

As for colors, see the nearest rain-
bow. They are all represented, and
you can have your choice. One of-the
shrewdest prophets in New York is
backing yellow against all comers.
Calmly indifferent to statements that
the sun-tan craze is all over, she main-
tains that people will continue to get
tanned nevertheless and that colors be-
coming to a bronzed skin will be the
desired colors: Therefore much white,
therefore much yellow, therefore pinks
that verge on peach and the deeper
coral pinks.

In other quarters the talk is mostly
of blue, all tones and qualities of blue,
and especially of costumes combining
two and three shades of blue. Golden
green is prominently mentioned. Gray
is one of the newest developments—
gray with pink, with blue, with yellow,
prints that have a lot of gray in their
designs or backgrounds.

Color combinations interest us most
of all. They have become so varied,
so subtle and so sophisticated that we
can see no excuse for anyone going
about looking like a marshmallow.
Take, for instance, Chanel’s long-
famous red, white and blue combina-
tion, A New York designer gives this
a new twist by substituting for white
the palest possible flesh tone—it fash-
ions a bouclette suit with bright red
and bright blue designs woven in, This
same flesh color is novel in combina-
tion with a new brown tone, a lighter-
than-medium, somewhat rosy brown.
Golden brown and apricot is another
pleasing combination. A new stone
gray, darker than the one used with
pastels, is pepped up by contrasting
accents of bright green or red.

A detailed discussion of resort fab-
rics will be found elsewhere on this
page. Suffice it to say here, that linen
promises to have a most successful
season,

Jackets of every length and descrip-

tion, with every type of costume, are
an outstanding Palm Beach fashion.
Not content with making us jacket-
minded throughout the day, the de-
Signers would have us purchase a
jacket with every evening gown. In
plain silks and wools to go with the
printed, the striped and plaid frocks
and pajamas, in figured fabrics to
match the costume, or to offset plain
materials, in fur-trimmed versions for
evening, jackets will be seen and worn
everywhere. Some costumes even
have two jackets. All of which points
to a big jacket suit season next Spring.

Of course you are well aware by
now that plaids and checks are “good.”
But have you seen the new striped
things? The stripes are used up and
down, and across, and horizontally, in
pajamas as well as dresses. They are
extremely good looking—we only hope
they do not become too popular.—N.
Y. Times.

—__++.___
Brimmed Hats Again.

In line with the old-established cus-
tom of regarding Palm Beach fashions
with an eye to their reappearance the
following Summer, it seems safe to
assume that hats with brims are com-
ing back into vogue. And after a long
and pretty relentless dose of berets,
bonnets, bicornes, tricornes and other
decidedly exposing chapeaux, the sight
of a brim on the millinery horizon is
refreshing.

Widths vary from a matter of inches
to a matter of a foot or more—see
Patou’s enormous beach hats. Further-
more, they adhere to no set rules.
Brims that undulate in soft irregular
waves are frequent. Brims are tilted
over a bandeau, brims introduce a
pleat pinched in over one eye, brims
roll up in unexpected places—there is
no end to the variety of brims among
Palm Beach hats.

Plenty of them are plain and unpre-
tentious brims. Patou makes a longer
in-the-back brim that is smart. The
crowns that brims are set upon grow
shallower and shallower, barely cover-
ing the top of one’s head.

Certain of prominence in resort and
Summer fashions, the brimmed hat will
also appear among the new bicornes,
tricornes, berets, and turbans that are
being advanced for Spring. Spring
brims will be small or medium sized
ones, and like the larger ones for Palm
Beach will be subject to smart manipu-
lation and individual treatment.

—_+~-~-____
Sees New Market For Cottons,

More than 2,000,000 yards of cotton
goods will have been used this year
as a substitute for writing paper and
other paper products, Charles K. Ev-
erett of the new uses section of the
Cotton Textile Institute declares. The
steadily growing popularity of the fab-
ric, due to the fact that it is imperish-
able, indicates that consumption of it
may be doubled or trebled in 1931.
It is being used extensively in the
South now for correspondence by busi-
ness firms and even for photographic
Purposes. Experiments are being con-
ducted to test its value for billboard
signs. At the present time there are
three grades. Mr. Everett says, print-
cloth, shade and lawn. The present
low cost of cotton makes the fabric

competitive with many grades of pa-
per.

—_+-+__

Hosiery Trade Reports Vary.

Spotty conditions exist in the full-
fashioned hosiery trade at the present
time, with some mills reporting an ex-
cellent business in last-minute rush
orders for Christmas fill-ins and others
declaring that buying has tapered off.
Selling agents for a Pennsylvania mill
report that on the previous day the mill
received orders in excess of 2,500
dozen, more than twice that of a
normal day’s business. At the present
time this mill is said to be running
twenty-four hours a day and has back
orders of more than 16,000 dozen.
Rumors of further reductions in the
official price lists of some of the large
full-fashioned mills are not being gen-
erally credited, although it is admitted
that goods are offered and sold at very
low prices.

e+ >____

Men’s Expensive Items Sell Well.

The early Christmas buying of men’s
apparel which has appeared has re-
vealed a somewhat unexpected inter-
est in expensive furnishings and novel-
ties, the executive of a large men’s
wear chain reports. He asserts that
Christmas volume in his stores is
ahead of last year’s total and that an
excellent business is being done in
higher-priced robes, shirts and neck-
wear and in novelties, such as leather
goods and cigarette cases. The theory
is advanced that early Christmas buy-
ing is being done by the wealthier
class of people, who can still afford to
purchase high-priced goods, and that
the last-minute rush by late shoppers
will be concentrated on popular-priced
staple merchandise.

— 7+ >___
Heavyweight Underwear Reduced.
Slight downward revisions on men’s

heavyweight ribbed underwear have
been made by one of the Northern
mills, according to reports in the mar-
ket. While such reductions are re-
garded as unusual at this time of the
year, it was explained that these
goods are being offered to merchants
for any December or January sales
they may wish to conduct. Other sell-
ing agents report that a few small or-
ders are still being placed for heavy-
weight goods, but that no volume busi-
ness is appearing. Buying of light-
weight underwear for Spring is also
progressing slowly and mill agents do
not look for any activity now until

after the first of the year.
—— +3 >_

Grocery Prices Touch New Low.

Another decline in prices last month
carried the monthly wholesale grocery
index prepared by the bureau of busi-
ness research of New York University
to the lowest point on record, the Na-
tional Wholesale Grocers’ Association
announced. The index fell to 88 in
November, a drop of 2.33 per cent.
under November, 1929, Sugar is the
only item which averaged a higher
price in November. Lower averages
were shown for macaroni, cheese,
beans, peas (fancy Alaska), flour, oats,
cornmeal, rice, prunes, coffee, tomatoes,
corn, cottonseed oil and lard. The
index is based upon wholesale grocery
prices for twenty-four representative
items,

Expect Influx of Pewter Buyers,
An influx of buyers of pewter, ster-
ling silver and plated ware lines is ex-
pected in the local market the latter
part of the month. According to sell-
ing agents, the buyers will be in at
that time looking for merchandise for
post-holiday sales events. At the
present time retailers are sending num-
erous re-orders for pewter items for
current sale, but are restricting pur-
chases of plate and sterling silver ware
to an abnormal degree. Complaints
that buyers refuse to replenish depleted
stocks of silver and plated ware are
heard more frequently as the holiday
buying progresses,
—»>~-+____
See Stimulation From New Items.
With the turn of the year retailers
will be offered a substantially greater
number of new items in many lines
than was the case Jast January. The
need for stimulation of business has
been brought home thoroughly to
manufacturers as well as retailers, and
there is agreement that one means of
achieveing this stimulation is the ap-
peal of a wider range of new lines. To
a considerable degree the lines will re-
flect further readjustment of price,
which will bring the items into lower
retail price lines. The merchandise
will be shown not only for Spring but
for immediate selling as well.
22>
Small Rug Mills May Alter Prices.
Reports that small mills in the floor
coverings industry will make a bid for
a larger share of the rug trade by re-
adjusting prices early next year are
current in the local market. The small-
er producers, it is pointed out, have
undersold others for some time and are
eager to retain the volume of orders
which their low prices brought. When
large producers suffered from a lack
of trade last Spring and Summer, ac-
cording to the reports, the small or-
ganizations kept busy by giving price
concessions. They now see their mar-
ket threatened by the low quotations
of the large competitors.
2-2-2
Feature Mohair Upholstery.
Furniture manufacturers preparing
their 1931 Spring lines of upholstered
furniture have exhibited a continued
preference for mohair plush fabrics,
according to producers of such ma-
terial. Approximately 65 per cent. of
the orders for covering has specified
mohair, it was said. Low-end goods
have been in most demand. Brown,
rust and green continue popular as
color choices. The upholstery manu-
facturers are awaiting results of forth-
coming openings in the furniture trade
with interest because of their belief
that the Spring orders will be close to
normal next year.
Ten Ways To.Lose Trade.
1. Don’t keep the store neat and
clean.
2. Employ grouchy or discourteous
clerks.
3. Neglect your show windows.
4. Carry shoddy merchandise.
5. Serve customers indifferently.
6. Use poor lighting.
7. Don’t keep your promises,
8. Knock your competitors.
9. Stop advertising.
10. Run your store “the old way.”

ord. "CF “pallial

 

Lok

nthe "RY SM RleARSE REN

December 17, 1930

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

19

”

 

SHOE MARKET

Michigan Retail Shoe Dealers Association.
President—Elwyn Pond, Flint.
Vice-President—J. E. ilson, Detroit
Secretary—Joe H. Burton, Lansing.
Asst. Sec’y-Treas.—O. R. Jenkins.
Association Business Office, 907 Trans-

portation Bldg., Detroit.

 

Curtailing Fancy Shoe Styles Proves
Aid To Industry.

Adherence to staple lines, with a
minimum of fancy styles, reduced costs
of raw material, and generally fair
consumer demand are enabling the Na-
tion’s shoe industry to operate on a
stable basis, according to an_ oral
statement Nov. 29 by Arthur B. But-
man, ’Chief of the Shoe Division, De-
partment of Commerce.

One of the bright spots in this in-
dustry at present, according to Mr.
Butman, is in the work shoe depart-
ment where in a number of factories
there are sufficient orders for the re-
mainder of the year. There are evi-
dences in other lines also of an im-
proved demand in anticipation of holi-
day trade, he declared. The following
additional information was furnished:

In the face of generally depressed
conditions, the shoe industry has been
operating at a rate but slightly below
the average of the last five years and
only 12 per cent. below the phenomenal
year of 1929. Production for the first
nine, months of 1930 approximated
240,000,000 pairs of which nearly one-
half were women’s and misses’ foot-
wear.

With the decline in the prices of
hides, which have been reflécted in the
prices of leather, the industry has been
able to reduce costs and has lowered
quotations since the first of the year
from 15 to 20 per cent. This had been
accompanied by retailer adjustments
to some extent but not until recently
have there been any concerted move-
ments to bring down shoe prices.

Some of the shoe chain stores have
recently announced 10 per cent. reduc-
tions in order to increase volume. One
of the largest retail organizations, op-
erating four chains, has announced
such a reduction for the duration of the
business depression, another company
has lowered prices during the month
of November to stimulate consumer
buying. There is a tendency among
the independent dealers to meet this
competition by adding lower priced

lines. The higher priced standard
shoes have ‘been experiencing little
price competition, the demand for

quality shoes being well maintained.
The output of a large manufacturer of
a well known men’s shoe so far this
year is higher than the corresponding
period of 1929.

While conditions in men’s shoes,
principally the work types, have held
up satisfactorily, the situation in wo-
men’s shoes is less promising at this
time, although production of the wo-
men’s types showed less falling off
during the first nine months of the
year than men’s or children’s. The
introduction of novelty styles, how-
ever, has been a recent development
which may stimulate sales in the
medium-grade women’s lines.

Retailers are looking to an improved
demand with the advent of cold

weather and snow, not only for the
usual seasonal requirements, but also
in view of the fact that inclement

weather may arouse shoe purchases by
consumers who are believed to have
held off buying footwear longer than
usual. The drought during the sum-
mer months and the summer-like
weather in the recent months were not
conducive to shoe buying.
—_—_+++.—___
Lack of Interest on the Part of the
Clerk.

When a customer comes into a store
to buy a pound of coffee, she may
need cream to put into it after it is
made, she may need sugar to sweeten
it, she may perhaps need bread with
which to make toast to serve with her
coffee at ‘breakfast, or she may need
any number of other things which go
to make up a meal at which she is
serving coffee. Often she thinks only
of the coffee she wants, buys her pound
cr half pound can and leaves the store.
Perhaps on her way home she may
think of some other commodity which
she needs and perhaps will stop at
some other store she passes to get it.

All of us have heard about the habit
barbers have of asking their patrons
whether they want a shampoo, tonic,
massage or some other special treat-
ment after they have sold a haircut or
a shave. Although many of us have
been irritated by this practice when it
has ‘been pushed too strongly, never-
theless we must give the barber credit
—he tries to expand his volume by be-
ing a salesman in addition to being an
crder taker. And, when properly done,
it undoubtedly is effective.

An example of how some grocery
and meat stores have lost sales in the
past by not using the simple funda-
mental rule of selling—trying to build
up the order—is brought to mind in a
striking manner by a survey taken re-
cently by one of the great food cor-
porations.

To each of four women in different
parts of the country was given five
dollars and the women were requested
to shop in grocery stores in their lo-
calities. They were instructed to ask
for a loaf of bread in some of the stores
and for nothing else. If the clerk sug-
gested nothing in addition to the bread,
they were to walk out of the store.
However, if the clerk tried to expand
his sale, they were to buy as long as
he kept mentioning additional items
until they had spent their entire five
dollars.

The largest amount spent by a wo-
man who asked for a loaf of bread,
and who was willing to buy as long as
the clerk suggested additional items,
was forty-two cents.

In other stores these women were to
ask for a box of cake flour, but to ask
for nothing more. As in the case of
the places where they asked for a loaf
of bread, they were to keep buying as
long as the clerk who was waiting on
them suggested additional items or un-
til they had spent the money given to
them. The largest amount spent by
any woman who went into a store to
buy cake flour was $1.62.

In a large proportion of the stores
at which these women shopped, clerks
failed to suggest anything in addition
to the loaf of bread or the box of cake
flour which the woman originally re-
quested.

It is very improbable that a clerk
in a retail meat or grocery store will

find a customer who will buy every

food product which he might suggest.
In a great many cases, however, the
housewife is able to make use of the
suggestions which the retail clerk may
give her, and will appreciate them. At
any rate, clerks take no risk of insult-
ing their customers by suggesting ad-
ditional articles or commodities kin-
dred to the food which the customer
has asked for, provided they are tact-
ful in their approach.

‘Cake flour is an excellent example of
a food which offers the opportunity for
the sale of additional items. The aver-
age clerk will be able to think of
dozens of commodities which are used
in cakes; shortening—sugar—eggs—
dates or raisins—chocolate or cocoa for
icing—butter—milk—hbaking powder—
vanilla or other flavoring—cream—nut
meats — citron—maraschino cherries—
other dessert to go with her cake—all
of these items would offer possibilities
to the clerk, and some of the items
suggested are equally as essential in
the making of a cake as the cake flour
which she originally requested.

There is a similar opportunity for
the salesman in a meat store to build
up his orders, although he will not
have quite as wide a field as the clerk
in the grocery store. For example, the
suggestion of a novel way by which
to prepare a meat dish may cause a
customer to buy meat for a meal at
which she had not intended to serve
this food.

The value of lard for use in the
preparation of pies, for instance, is ap-
preciated by practical’'y every house-
wife. Lard is a product which can be

suggested to any customer who buys
meat, and is necessary in the prepara-
tion of many meat dishes.

We all know of the power of sugges-
tion, and experienced salesmen have
found that it is one of their most de-
sirable assets. The salesman who is
able to conjure up in the mind of the
person to whom he is selling an at-
tractive picture of his commodity or
of ways in which it can be used is well
on the way to making a sale.

While it may require some special
or developed ability to make a cus-
tomer desire something which she has
not wanted when she came into a store,
it is not hard to sell a person some-
thing which she wants but which sim-
ply has not,occurred to her. This is
the fundamental reason why clerks
will find it to their advantage to men-
tion additional items to a customer who
enters their store and asks for only
one food product.

In these tests some salesman could
have sold a bill of $5 worth of goods.
Instead, the best of the large number
of clerks in stores where these women
shopped let $3.38, which the store
might just as well have had, go out of
his store because of his lack of inter-
est in increasing his volume.

Clarence Serey.
—_—_—_>-2
A Special Occasion.

The college professor and his wife
were entertaining at dinner. Suddenly
a child’s voice was heard from the
floor above:

Mother!”

“What is it, Archie?” she asked.

“There’s only clean towels in the
bathroom. Shall I start one?”

 

MiucHIGAN SHOE DEALERS
MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO.

 

 

MUTUAL PROGRESS
CASH ASSETS

92
lt 2
1922
ee
990

ae $

See 151,393.18
Ee 241,320.66

Meanwhile, we have paid back to our Policy Holders,

in Unabsorbed Premiums,

$425,396.21

for
Information write to

L. H. BAKER, Secretary-Treasurer
LANSING, MICHIGAN

460.29
7,191.96
85,712.11

 

 

 

 

 

RETAIL GROCER

Retail Grocers and Meat Dealers Associa-
tion of Michigan.
President — Gerritt VanderHooning,
Grand Rapids.
First Vice-Bresident—William Schultz,
Ann Arbor.
Second Vice-President—Paul Schmidt,

Lansing.
Secretary — Herman Hanson, Grand
Rapids.
Treasurer—O. H. Bailey, Sr., Lansing.
Directors — Ole Peterson, Muskegon;

Frank Marxer, Saginaw; Leigh Thomas,
Ann Arbor; M. C. Goossen, Lansing; R.
J. LaBarge, Pontiac.

 

More Slants on Italian Grocers and
Their Methods.

There is often a lot of talk about
how a grocer should stick to his line
and how others should not trench on
it. Theze is not so much of that now
as there was a few years ago. Always
it happens that nien who talk that way
do not reason things to their logical
conclusion, else they would see that,
in seeking to limit opportunity and
curtail the liberty of others, they must
necessarily limit and hamper them-
selves, for law can be no respecter of
persons. Special privilege is against
the spirit of our institutions and it is
to the keen interest of every one of
us to see that the letter of all laws
conforms to that spirit.

One need only iook about among
Italian grocers to see where such lim-
itations would place us. For the
divisions of trade here are so close and
-tight as to amaze an American, Salt,
for example, is a government monopoly
as is tobacco. So one does not buy
salt at a grocer’s at all. The grocer
keeps no salt. One goes to the to-
bacconist. Incidentally the salt is only
partly refined. What we get could
not be sold by any grocer in America.
We eat it here because one must have
salt, but it is just plain dirty. Inas-
much as we have not yet “kept house”
in Rome, I do not know what salt
costs. See later notes on that, for we
expect to do our own cooking after
two days more of hotel life—of which,
if you ask me, I can say we have had
enough.

Europeans all eat unsalted butter.
After a while, it gets to be pleasant,
so we both like it now. But dear salt
has ramifying effects. Bread is pretty
flat because slightly salted, and most
cooking, particularly of desserts, must
be salted or they are rather flavorless.

The grocer keeps beans, rice, corn
meal; certain limited kinds of canned
goods; perhaps coffee and maybe not;
tea; washing powders and soap. But
he had no dried fruits—not even
prunes—no cheese nor bacon, no but-
ter nor eggs; few have any canned
fruits and those who have such are apt
only to have canned jams. We ex-
perimented in buying a can of prunes
lately. Every indication on the can
was that it contained prunes—that is,
to my limited knowledge of Italian it
did. When we opened it, we found
prune jam. It was good quality, un-
doubtedly pure fruit and sugar, but it
was not what we wanted.

I really very much enjoy the experi-
ence of buying from folks who know
not a single English word, trying my
pidgin Dago on them and laboring to
get my wants over to them. They are
lovely people in that respect, so very
anxious not only to do business, but
to give one what one wants. And if
one goes about the job frankly and

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

succeeds in getting a word over, they
are tickled stiff to understand.

My system is to make any sort of
noise that seems fairly to approximate
the thing I want. If I say it right, the
consequence is that they think I am
well up in Italian and I get back a
perfect torrent of words in which I am
inundated. Then I have to make more
signs of the no savvy order and look
‘plank, but with smiling good humor.
Next move is to take out my diction-
ary and that effects perfect understand-
ing. They know I’m a tenderfoot and
are willing to help.

The deal is made on the Chinese
plan of words without connectives. It
is “fig-gy’ for figs; “Oon mayta
keelo,” which means half a kilo or
just over a pound. But at that one
must do much thinking for the store-
keeper also. For with the best inten-
tions in the world, these boys get con-
fused when transactions run to such
big totals as full pounds. This be-
cause the custom here is to buy a day’s
supply of everything. So anywhere
from 2c to 5c worth of figs is a quite
worthy transaction. This leads to
some funny mixups.

To-day I saw some fine California
prunes and Italian white figs in a shop.
California prunes are preferred here as
elsewhere because, as with other prod-
ucts, we have developed this European
fruit into a finer article within fifty
years than Europeans have done in as
many centuries. We have not caught
up on figs as yet, the Italian article

being far more tender and sweeter up.

to date than ours, but probably an-
other twenty-five years will change
even that.

Being hungry for these fruits, we
bought prunes for 2 lire, which trans-
lates into 10%c at present exchange
rates. That safely done, I plunged on
half a kilo of figs. They were marked

L3.50 chilo which meant three and a

half lire for 2.05 pounds. But my
check was for 17.75 lire. I paid it,
for I am gaining experience and a lot
of incidental fun, but I realized that
87%4c for a pound of figs was going
some. So, with perfect good nature,
I dug out the price tag and pointed it
to the young clerk. He saw, as I did,
that he had put a decimal in the wrong
place. His figure should have been
1.75 lire.

Together we went to cassa—that is,
the cashier—and explained. But she
did not give up money easily. So while
she seemed fairly well convinced by
the clerk’s flow of words, he had to
leave the shop and run across the
“street’”—about 18 feet wide here-
abouts—and return with some word
from somebody before she would give
up. Then I got back the surplus. The
figs had cost me close to 9c—for a full
pound of sweet, tender, good sized and
delicious fruit.

Eggs are sold by the piece. They
begin small and dirty—filthy, in fact—
at 60c each; step up to less small,
slightly less filthy, for 70c; next grade
is fairly clean, larger, for 75c each;
and last one gets nice, large eggs, quite
clean, for 80c. But 60c is 3c; 70c is
3c, and 80c is virtually 4c—so it is
not quite so tragic as it looks.

Of the inside quality I shall tell
later after we have cooked our own.

(Continued on page 31)

 

 

Leading Grocers always have
a supply of
POSTMA’S RUSK
as they are in Demand in all Seasons
Fresh Daily

POSTMA BISCUIT CO.

GRAND RAPIDS. MICHIGAN

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Rusk Bakers Since 1882 e

December 17, 1930

 

 

(50) <a> 0 can 0 OGD CGE C-emDO-GEE 6%

MR. GROCERY MAN! ARE YOU SELLING
BRAAK’S HOMELIKE COOKIES
For a quick turnover let us supply you from our 25 varieties.
Established 1904
Call Phones 939 Spring Lake, Michigan

We deliver within a radius of 100 miles.

 

 

GRAND RAPIDS PAPER Box Co.

Manufacturers of SET UP and FOLDING PAPER BOXES
SPECIAL DIE CUTTING AND MOUNTING

RA,PIODS MICHIGAN

G R AN D

 
 

 

 

 

 

I
CHRISTMAS CANDIES

PLEASE YOUR CUSTOMERS
WITH THE BEST -

Michigan’s LARGEST Candy Manufacturer
PUTNAM FACTORY

NATIONAL CANDY CO.,INC. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.

 

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2 0 0-45S-0 a0 am 0a 0am:

 

 

 

   
 

In More Homes Everyday

ARaAaLsSomM

a America’s Finest Bread

 

SANCTUM BAKORIUM
NEWS
Holsum is first made right—
then sold right—and finally
backed by one of the strong-
est publicity campaigns ever
released.

| a =

\

 

 

 

 

Always Sell

LILY WHITE FLOUR

**The Flour the best cooks use.’’
Also our high quality specialties

Rowena Yes Ma’am Graham Rowena Pancake Flour
Rowena Golden G. Meal Rowena Buckwheat Compound
Rowena Whole Wheat Flour

Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded.

VALLEY CITY MILLING CO. Grand Rapids, Mich.

   

 

 

 

 

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lentigo

December 17, 1930

MEAT DEALER

Michigan State Association of Retail
: Meat Merchants.
President—Frank Corneil, Grand Rapids
Vice-Pres.—E ¥. Abbott, Flint.
secretary—E. J. La Rose, Detroit.
Treasurer—Pius Goedecke, Detroit.
Next meeting will be held in Grand
Rapids, date not decided.

Could Another Food Dealer Boost
Your Sales?

The leasing of store space to dealers
in other lines than meats has attracted
many dealers, especially in the larger
towns and cities. Some of these de-
partments have been stocked with
goods allied to meats, though non-
competitive, while others have been
stocked with goods having no rela-
tionship to meat.

 

‘The proposition has many advantag-
es while it also has certain disadvan-
tages. Under present conditions, there
are numerous retail meat stores which
can well profit by such a move, pro-
vided the thing is managed along the
right lines. There are several lines of
retail business which are closely
enough associated with fresh meats,
and among these the retailer will find
his best bets.

The U.'S. Department of Commerce
has been making a study of this de-
partment leasing idea and it has found
out that, under certain circumstances,
the meat retailer can profit directly
fronr sales made in such a concession,
without advancing much (or any) cap-
ital. It has found that he can reduce
his store overhead considerably and
gain from additional business gotten
from the additional people that the
concession brings in. In addition, there
is usually a percentage of the profits.

The various forms of leasehold ar-
rangements being made by fresh meat
retailers may be grouped as follows:
(a) Simple leasing of store space, with
no share in net profits; (b) leasing of
space with also a share in profits and
(c) supplying space without cost and
with a larger share in the profits.

Here and there within the past few
months, fresh meat dealers have been
found operating on each of these plans
profitably. In most cases, the leased
department appeared to be prosperous
also.

The advantages are clear-cut just as
are the disadvantages. First, there is
the considerable saving on overhead
store costs where the retailer of meats
has more space than his volume actual-
ly demands. There is the additional
rumber of possible customers brought
into the store by reason of the new
department. Where the line of busi-
ness is closely associated with or al-
lied to meats, this advantage is very
important. There is also some advan-
tage in the possible help that may be
secured in store management and con-
duct, but this-is not a major item and
probably will not enter into the aver-
age deal. There is also the possible
extra profit on sales made in the added
department of the business.

While the disadvantages of the plan
are many, they all are within control
of the meat dealer. As one dealer in
New Jersey pointed out:

“The ‘first space I leased was to a
bottled beverage dealer, doing largely
a case goods trade but with some over-
the-counter business. It proved to tbe
unsatisfactory. This particular dealer

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 21

wasn’t on the job much and allowed
his portion of the room to become
sloppy and unkempt. A lot of his
work devolved upon me and my men.

“Next, I arranged to lease the same
space to a dairy products retailer of
experience. The first deal, with the
beverage man, was an_ out-and-out
space lease. The second was a deal
which gave me a percentage of the net
profits. It has proved to be very sat-
isfactory. We are, in effect, partners
in this department, but the greater
risk is his. I made a very small in-
vestment of capital and share the over-
head expenses. The business-like
methods of this man have enabled me
to work smoothly with him.

“To all appearances, the dairy prod-
ucts are a part of my meat business
while, as a matter of fact, the other
fellow has full authority behind the
counter.”

Where a plan of this kind fails in
the meat business, there are good rea-
sons for it. Everything depends upon
a clear cut and well understood ar-
rangement in the first place. The
amount and exact location of the space
should be noted, the share of window
and store display space and the degree
of neatness and order that shall be
maintained at all times in the new
section.

The ideal agreement will specify
these points:

1. Precise amount and location of
space.

2. Amount of window space.

3. Causes for which lease may be
revoked.

5. Plan of sharing overhead ex-
penses, and other financial arrange-
ments.

For the most part, meat dealers who
have found it practical and advisable
to take in another department on the
lease basis, have made the arrange-
ment one of simple tenancy. A certain
portion of the meat shop is not vitally
needed for sales or display, somebody
wants to use it and the relationship be-
comes one of landlord and tenant, with
certain clearly defined restrictions as
to the conduct of the business.

On the other hand, many dealers
feel that they should have some sort
of interest in the profits and in the
sales. They are willing to advance a
certain amount of capital either in the
form of rental (overhead items) or in
cold cash. There are also arrange-
ments made in which both of these
ideas figure.

The meat dealer will benefit, when
he sets out to lease a portion of his
store, if he gets a line that will har-
monize to advantage with his own at-
tractive displays in windows and on
counters and shelves.

For instance:

Delicatessen counters and displays
perhaps attract more people than al-
most any other food line. The deli-
catessen dealer sharing a meat store
can get in possibly five times as many
customers as any other possible line
in connection with the meat business.
Every food buyer is a _ prospective
fresh meat buyer or a fresh fish buyer.
The two lines hitch up well together.

. They are associated closely together

in the public mind.
(Continued on page 31)

 

ORDER THIS QUICK SELLING
LINE FROM YOUR WAGON
DISTRIBUTOR.

In times when families are trying to
economize, Noodles do not stay long
on the grocers’ shelves.

Mrs. Grass has worked out numerous
ways of making delicious dishes from
her Noodles and the recipe folders are
packed in each package.

Because every package of Mrs. Grass’
Genuine Egg Noodles makes steady
customers for your store, we urge you
to write to us to get the name of your
nearest Wagon Distributor.

I. J. GRASS NOODLE CoO., INC.
Dept. M.
6021-7 Wentworth Ave., Chicago, II.

 

 

 

EGGS - EGGS - EGGS

Low prices increased demand. On request we will be pleased
to quote finest quality Candled Aprils and Mays.

We are always in the market for Strictly Fresh Eggs, at full
Market prices.

We can supply Egg Cases and Egg Case Material of all kinds.

KENT STORAGE COMPANY - GRAND RAPIDS

 

 

 

GRIDDLES — BUN STEAMERS _
Everything in Restaurant Equipment
Priced Right.

Grand Rapids Store Fixture Co.
7 N. IONIA AVE. Phone 67143 N. FREEMAN, Mgr.

URNS

 

 

ANNOUNCING

A new installed wash room of our own, enabling us to furnish
you daily with fresh Carrots, Beets, Parsnips, Turnips, Celery,
Etc. Give us a trial.

VAN EERDEN COMPANY
201-203 Ellsworth, S. W. Grand Rapids, Mich.

 

 

 

Manufacturers of Sausage and Meat
Products.

Wholesale only.

HERRUD & COMPANY
542 Grandville Ave., Grand Rapids, Mich.

 

 

 

MERCHANT PARCEL FREIGHT SERVICE

SMALL, LIGHT PACKAGE DBLIVERY SYSTEM.
Cheaper than Freight or Express on small parcels up to 20 Ibs.

We ship only packages weighing 1 to 75 lbs. and 70 inches in size (girth
plus length). State regulated. Every shipment insured.

NORTH STAR LINE, INC.
R. E. TiMM, Gen. Mgr.

CRATHMORE HOTEL STATION, GRAND RAPIDS, MICTi.

 

 

 

VINKEMULDER COMPANY
Grand Rapids, Michigan
BRANCH AT PETOSKEY, MICH.
Distributors Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Cranberries, Grapefruit, “Yellow Kid” Bananas, Oranges,
Onions, Fresh Green Vegetables, etc.

 

 

 

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

 

December 17, 1930

 

HARDWARE

Michigan Retail Hardware Association.
President—Louis F. Wolf, Mt. Clemens.
Vice-Pres.—Waldo Bruske, Saginaw.
Secretary—Arthur J. Scott, Marine City.
Treasurer—William Moore, Detroit.

Things To Do After the Christmas

Holiday.

Most wide-awake hardware dealers
have already laid their plans for the
aftermath of the Christmas holiday. It
is characteristic of good business men
that they look ahead and plan ahead;
and that in this instance, when the
Christmas trade is rising to its peak,
the dealer already knows pretty well
what his next move will be.

The day after Christmas, there are
two things to do. First, you can meet
the requirements of the moment by
launching a clean up sale to get rid
of odds and ends of seasonable stuff.
Second, you can begin to formulate
your plans for the coming winter
months.

What are the possibilities of selling
Christmas lines after the Christmas
holidays?

These possibilities are, admittedly,
slight—slight, that is, compared with
the possibilities before the holiday.
The difference emphasizes the import-
ance and soundness of the trade axi-
om, “Sell seasonable lines while they
are still seasonable and the selling is
good.”

Yet there are some possibilities. Be-
tween the Christmas and New Years
holidays the dealer has certain limited
opportunities for disposing of Christ-
mas gift lines. A study of the situa-
tion, an understanding of human re-
actions, will close these possibilities.

In the first place, in the annual rush
of Christmas buying, some individuals
are apt to be overlooked. There are
folks who have unexpectedly sent gifts
and who have not been femembered
themselves. The recipient of the un-
expected gift is on the lookout now for
something “not too expensive” to send
as a belated return gift.

Then a good many youngsters are
pretty sure to have been disappointed:
Some article they wanted has been
forgotten, and they clamor for it and
expect New Year’s to be a second
Christmas. Easy and indulgent par-
ents are apt to humor their whims if
the outlay s not too great.

There are, too, parents—thrifty folk
—who have refrained from purchasing
certain articles on account of price, but
to whom a special price concession will
prove attractive. It seems as though
a lot of people are getting wise to the
fact that if they wait until after Christ-
mas they will get things at a lower
price. Hence there is a tendency, es-
pecially in times like these, to buy the
more Christmassy articles before the
hoildays and wait until afterward to
pick up additional items.

Finally, there are the eminentiy
thrifty people who are willing to look
ahead an entire year and buy now—
at a substantial price concession—in
anticipation of Christmas, 1931. Such
folk may be few, but they do exist.

It is worth while to remember that
a good many of the hardware dealer’s
Christmas gift lines are staple all the
year round; and most of them are suit-
able for birthday, wedding or gradua-

 

tion gifts. Hence, the possibilities of
making sales are not entirely exhausted
when the Christmas season is finished.

In any event, there are sufficient ex-
ceptions to the general rule to justify
the dealer in putting on an after-Christ-
mas sale. This sale, however, should
be staged at once. You should be
ready to launch it the day after Christ-
mas, and push it through the entire
week between Christmas and New
Year’s. After that, the possibilities of
picking up some belated gift business
will be pretty well exhausted; and you
will be ready to go ahead with the an-
nual inventory.

For this after-Christmas sale, select
the lines you obviously ought to get
rid of at once—the odd articles and
broken lots that will not pay for car-
rying over. Pile a lot of them into
the window in a hurry-up display with
the biggest price tickets you can get
and the most drastic price-cuts you
can afford. Make it.a “Clean Up Dis-
play’—put in a show-card explaining
that these are extra specials offered
at extra special prices to help the cus-
tomer remember anyone he has acci-
dentally forgotten in his Christmas
buving. You might even point out
that with such drastic price cuts it will
pay to buy these articles now and hold
them until next Christmas. Follow
the same line of argument in your
newspaper advertising, featuring the
latter with price quotations.

The important thing is to get into
action right away, if possible the day
immediately after Christmas. Run an
advertisement in your local paper, get
out dodgers. Such a sale, to be worth
while, must be staged at once. You
can’t afford to wait for elaborate prep-
arations. Make the sale rather a
“pick-up” affair that will fill your win-
dow and help to keep business moving

‘while you get your bearings and formu-

late your larger plans for the winter
months.

This after-Christmas sale is, how-
ever, a different thing from your mid-
winter stock-taking sale. The latter
should be carefully planned and all the
details worked out with a view to mak-
ing it a big stimulus to winter business.

Opinions differ as to whether the
stock-taking sale should be held before
or after the annual inventory. Some
merchants say that, held before the in-
ventory, it reduces the stock and hence
the labor of stock-taking. Others say,
“You can’t tell what you have to offer
until you’ve taken stock.” The question
is one for the indivdual merchant to
settle for himself; no general rule can
be laid down.

Where the stock-taking sale is held
before the annual inventory the after-
Christmas sale will serve as a curtain-
raiser. In it, feature the essentially
Christmas lines you don’t want to hold
over. Meanwhile, study your stock
carefully, and add to your special of-
ferings until the stock is reduced suf-
ficiently and you feel ready to go ahead
with stock-taking.

Where, however, the stock-taking
sale is held after the inventory, the
after-Christmas sale serves as a “sud-
den death” clean-up of Christmas lines
you want to get rid of. Then, right
after New Year’s, comes your inven-

tory; and this will give you a very
clear idea of the lines you ought to
clean out.

Quite often a preliminary sale of
stoves can be held right after Christ-
mas. It is generally considered that
there is no demand for stoves at this
season. Yet a certain demand can be
created by judicious advertising and
small price concessions plus aggressive
salesmanship. Often, instead of shad-
ing the price, some article of less value
can be “thrown in’”—a razor, a carving
kinfe, a lamp, or some article of suf-
ficient value to form an inducement.
By sorting over the stock you can se-
cure a variety of premiums—articles
still good but which have been in stock
some time. Put on a window display
with a stove as the central feature
surrounded by the various premiums
offered on stove sales. As an alterng-
tive, some attractive articles not ordi-
narily carried in stock can be secured
at a special price and featured as a
stove premium for a limited time. Be
sure, however, that in this case the
premium actually is attractive. You
don’t want yourself loaded with some-
thing that will not merely fail to help

move your stoves but will add to your
overplus of unsaleable stock.

With the Christmas rush over, the
tendency of the normal man is to
slacken his selling efforts. The dealer
and his salespeople are undoubtedly
tired in reaction from the heavy strain
of the last few weeks. More than
that, the’ buying public has overspent
itself, and the tendency of the average
customers is to economize.

As a result, the winter months are
normally dull. During the Christmas
season the public is in a buying mood.
Under such circumstances, the average
hardware dealer is apt to exclaim,
“What’s the use?” and decide to take
things easy.

This is a mistake; and the more dif-
ficult general business conditions may
be, the greater the mistake in slacken-
ing effort. This extra dull season is
the very time for the hardware dealer
to use all his energy and ingenuity to
stimulate business and capture trade.

In order to keep the sales during the
winter months up to even a fair aver-
age, extra effort is required. The first
thing to do after Christmas is to re-
mind yourself that, at the very utmost,

 

Automobile Tires and Tubes
Automobile Accessories
Garage Equipment
Radio Sets
Radio Equipment
Harness, Horse Collars

BROWN & SEHLER
COMPANY

Farm Machinery and Garden Tools
Saddlery Hardware

Blankets, Robes
Sheep Lined and
Blanket - Lined Coats
Leather Coats

 

GRAND RAPIDS,

MICHIGAN

 

Wholesale Only.

342 Market St., S. W.

Manufacturers and Distributors of
SHEET METAL ROOFING AND FURNACE SUPPLIES,
TONCAN IRON SHEETS,
CONDUCTOR PIPE AND FITTINGS.

We Protect our Dealers.

THE BEHLER-YOUNG CO.

- EAVETROUGH,

Grand Rapids, Mich.

 

Michigan Hardware Co.

 

 

100-108 Ellsworth Ave., Corner Oakes
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

B®

Wholesalers of Shelf Hardware, Sporting
Goods and

FISHING TACKLE

re

 

 

 

 

 

 

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December 17, 1930

the strain of the winter months will
not be exceptionally heavy. With this
concession to your natural human de-
sire for a rest, plunge right into the
job of making the very most of these
dull winter months.

If business is hard to get, just deter-
mine that you yourself will get every
bit of business there is to be got. Talk
things over with your salespeople and
get them gingered up with the same
idea. Put forth extra effort to get
business, work up some exceptionally
striking displays, and make a dead set
on your buying public. As you take
stock, ponder methods of moving out
the slow-selling lines which your stock-
taking uncovers. Your stock-taking
will disclose mistakes you have made
in buying, will suggest improved meth-
ods for the coming year. In these dull
winter months you can learn a lot
that will be helpful in the handling
of your coming year’s business.

Meanwhile, you will have ample time
to plan for your spring trade.

Victor Lauriston.
—__ 6+. __
American Motherhood in the Balance.

Grandville, Dec. 16—What consti-
tutes the greatest danger to free in-
stitutions to-day?

The lack of parental instruction to
the boys and girls now growing up in
our land. There is no family govern-
ment such as existed before the world
war. *Indian children were far better
bred and instructed in the olden time
than are our white boys and girls of
to-day.

Doubtless the working of husbands
and wives in stores and factories while
the babes at home seek their own en-
tertainment has much to do with con-
ditions and unless a change comes
about very soon the whole Nation will
find itself on the rocks. _ )

The American Nation is rushing at
railroad speed to the whirlpool of de-
struction. Family ties are forgotten.
Boys and girls go on the streets seek-
ing amusement at the expense of the
neighbors. Theft is a common crime
these untutored boys indulge in when
at their play.

The present criminology has been
brought about by those parents who
seek solace for the quietude of the
family circle in the jazz shows and in-
decent talkies that are filling the land.

There should be little cause for
wonder that American society is rotten
from the fact that home love and duties
are scorned by a large majority of our
women who call themselves mothers.
These same mothers have given birth
to, and are bringing up a parcel of
hoodlums who will soon be candidates
for the ‘State prisons. ;

The American mother of to-day is
far and away off the base line of good
mothership when she goes to the jazz
show, the races, the games of chance
while her precious children are not
home but racing the streets in wild
scampers after something to do. Soap-
ing windows, stealing milk bottles and
doing all sorts of small meannesses
constitute the amusement of the
neglected youngsters.

Criminals are thus made for future
robberies and murder. A mother who
will bring a child into the world to be
afterward neglected and let to go
helter skelter into sinful ways is not
fit to wear the badge of mother.

Such women there are in plenty to-
day and the tribe is on the increase.
No wonder we are having hard times.
With the husband wandering the
streets looking for ‘work, mothers
taking their husband’s places in al-
most every shop and store, children
running wild in the roads and streets
the wonder is that our hard times had
not come sooner.

The women, those who are mothers

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

at least, will have to turn over a new
leaf if we are to have a return of pros-
perous times. Will they do it? That
is a question for the wives and mothers
to answer for themselves.

Many a decent child is spoiled in the

upbringing.

To the mothers of America we must
appeal to save us as a people from the
abyss of destruction which threatens.
Put on the brakes, wives and mothers
of America and strive to bring back
the old virtues which blazoned the
early American home with glory and
a happy combination of family ties
that riveted the cords of love and home
with bands impossible to ‘break.

If you should get out some night
and follow in the wake of a stream of
slugging little ruffians you would soon
be blushing with shame for the Ameri-
can boy of to-day.

Fathers of course must shoulder a
part of the blame for our young
American hoodlums, yet with a care-
less and indifferent mother giving her
boys license to cavort at will over
private premises and elsewhere that
father’s influence is usually nil.

Society to-day is certainly in a low
state which it may possibly require an-
other war to rouse from its lethargy.
However criminal young America has
become it is by no means a fact that
such citizens make good soldiers. In
fact the contrary is true. Take an
overbearing, bullying boy and he gen-
erally yells “enough” when the right
buster gets after him.

It is become notable that if a citizen
would keep garden tools or anything
useful in lawn work those tools are
not safe unless placed under lock and
key. Right in the depths -of the lum-
ber woods no such rascality existed.
Rogues in that day were few and far
between.

It has been remarked with a modi-
cum of truthfulness that there is
honor among thieves. Not so, how-
ever, among the later class of light
fingered youths who belong to some of
our best families.

The country is under the heel of all
sorts of scalawagism such as never
before existed in the United States of
America. A careless motherhood and
sinful disregard of the rights of others
has grown up in the land and there
seems to be no encouraging outlook
for the future.

Mothers of America what are you
about? How long do you intend to
abandon vour home duties and tie
yourselves up with the criminal classes
of the land. Must we wait for another
Lincoln to come out of the humble
homes of the poor and raise the stand-
ard of right living, loving and home
spirit?

“How long O Lord, how long?” are
cries that come up from the best spirits
in the land. We know not how soon
but when right triumphs there'll be a
wonderful overturning in this land of
the free and home of the brave.

Old Timer.

——_+ +. _____
An Exceptional Appeal.

The proprietor of a grocery store
had employed a chef for the week and
stationed him near the entrance of the
store garbed in the customary uniform
and cap. A beautifully decorated table
exquisitely set commanded the center
o the floor facing the door. Above
the table hung a large attractively de-
signed menu card with bold legible
letters. From each item on the menu
an orange ribbon stretched to a well
arranged table display of that item, or
ingredients, which it comprised.

The chef added to the effect and
served as a medium of suggestions for
the busy shoppers.

The local medium called the atten-
tion of the housewife to the chef’s serv-
ice and the special menu.

The appeal has been unusual and has
brought in many customers who other-
wise might not have ventured inside
the store.

——_. 2+ > ___
Candy a Drawing Card.

Many grocers and marketmen, in an
endeavor to raise the standard of their
stores, have installed confectionery de-
partments. Christmas. offers a special
opportunity to commercialize on this
particular commodity and many mer-
chants are doing it this week.

Ribbon candy has never failed to
attract the sweet tooth of the passerby.
Several grocers have given over an
entire window to tempting designs of
candy canes, ribbon candy, one and
two pound boxes of good quality cho-
colates and a special mixture of hard
candies. Candy is a particularly ap-
pealing item to the housewife and thus
serves as a fine drawing card,

Extra Service.

Ready cooked turkeys, piping hot,
advertised and displayed in barbecue
style, served as an admirable drawing
card for ‘furried customers. This idea
has been carried out in a more com-
plete way by an enterprising market
proprietor who has sent attractive in-
vitations to his customers to buy their
turkeys cooked by an expert. He has
carefully pointed out the time, money
and worry saved. The response has
been beyond his expectations. The let-
ter was made to imply that the novelty
was a direct service to the consumer
in appreciation of her services during
the past year. The appeal was success-
ful.

—
Many Calls For Negligee Items.

Numerous fill-in orders for under-
wear and negligee garments for quick
delivery reported. On popular price
gift merchandise retailers have been
obtaining a good turnover, with atten-
tion centering on both rayon and pure
dye silk items. Pajama ensembies, night
gowns and one-piece underwear types
have been outstanding, in addition to
staple garments. Fitted and flared ef-
fects are leading. A recent develop-
ment which has attracted considerable
attention is a revival of the demand
for petticoats. Slips, however, are sell-
ing in volume. Blanket robes have
met with a good demand.

— sea
Wrong Side of Ledger.

A minister consented to preach dur-
ing his vacation in the country at an
Episcopal church. When he arrived
at the church on Sunday morning the
sexton welcomed him and said:

 

 

Sand Lime Brick

Nothing as Durable
Nothing as Fireproof
Makes Structure Beautiful
No Painting
No Cost for Repairs
Fire Proof Weather Proof
Warm in Winter—Cocol in Summer

Brick is Everlasting
GRANDE BRICK CoO.
Grand Rapids.
SAGINAW BRICK CO.
Saginaw.

 

 

23

»

“Do you wish to wear a surplice,
sir?”

“Why, my good man, I’m a Meth-
odist. What do I know about sur-
plices? All I know about is deficits.”

 

I. Van Westenbrugge

Grand Rapids - Muskegon
(SERVICE DISTRIBUTOR)

Nucoa
KRAFT (A) CHEESE

All varieties, bulk and package cheese

‘Best Foods”’

Salad Dressings

Fanning’s
Bread and Butter Pickles

Alpha Butter

TEN BRUIN’S HORSE RADISH and
MUSTARD
OTHER SPECIALTIES

 

 

 

 

rect.

 

Corduroy Tires

Our success is
founded on the sale
of up to date, quai-
ity merchandise
where the _ saving
in selling cost is
passed on to our
customers who or-
der by mail or wire,
at our expense, di-

Made in
Grand Rapids

Sold Through
Dealers Only.

CORDUROY TIRE CO.
Grand Rapids, Mich.

 

 

SARLES

Detective Agency
Licensed and Bonded
Michigan Trust Bldg.
Grand Rapids, Mich.

 

 

 

 

 

Look for the Red Heart
on the Can

LEE & CADY Distributor

 

 

Jennings’ Pure Extracts
Vanilla, Lemon, Almond, Orange,
Raspberry, Wintergreen.
Jennings Flavoring Extract Co.
Grand Rapids, Mich.

 

 

 

 

 

24

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

December 17, 1930

 

HOTEL DEPARTMENT

News and Gossip Concerning Michigan
Hotels.

Los Angeles, Dec. 13—Who is it
that would dispute the old-time propo-
sition that “Great oaks from little
acorns grow?” A few of us old-time
residents of Chicago remember when
John R. Thompson established a few
“beaneries” in that city, and we used
to make tours of investigation to see
where we could get the most for our
money. Well, Thompson, seemed to
strike the keynote, his restaurants
flourished, he established them in other
cities and the first thing we knew,
Kohlsatt, his principal competitor was
displaced from the map. I just hap-
pened to pick up a statement showing
that for a ten month period the
Thompson chain gross receipts were
$12,500,000. Something to speak of,
anyhow.

 

It is an unusual week when an
American missionary doesn’t get kid-
napped in China. Nothing much is
ever done by the American Govern-
ment toward their rescue, and there
seems to be a tacit agreement that, if
they put their heads into the lion’s
mouth they must accept the conse-
quences. Whether the missionaries
do any “good” or not is questionable.

Most of their converts are what are:

called “rice Christians,” who put on a
new faith like a new garment, mainly
because by so doing they get a chance
to eat. Once the incentive is removed
they revert to their original religion,
which if it happens to be Confucianism,
is very much like our own Christianity,
with, possibly, less hypocricy. It
seems to me that a few missionaries
might do ~-od work, with a greater
degree of safety, in their own country.
The conversion of a few of our army
of gangsters who, at their very best,
are a thousand times worse than the
Chinese, and their consequent reversion
to lawful living would be a boon to this
country for which it would be grateful.

 

Speaking more generally of the new
Hotel Hoffman, at South Bend, which
has just been opened to the public. it
is of fire-proof construction, twelve
stories in height, and contains 150
rooms, including the new French-type
telephones, and radio equipment as
well. Each of the Hoffman properties
in South Bend is under separate man-
agement. J. Kennedy Qualley, man-
ager of the Hotel LaSalle, is in gen-
eral charge, with “Jake” Hoffman,
himself, giving personal touch to the
ensemble.

 

And now comes the announcement
to the effect that the Knott syndicate
who recently took over the operation
of Hotel LaSalle, Detroit, have de-
cided to name it the Detroiter. It was
when first built, known as the Savoy.
Whether the change in ‘names will
have any effect on the shade of ink
used in making up its balance sheets,
nobody seems to know. There was
never any excuse for the hotel in the
first place, it has never made any kind
of a showing, but still the Knott peo-
ple may make something out of it,
though if they do it will naturally be
at the expense of some other similar
institution in Detroit. It is certainly
a handsome property and I wish it
well:

Raymond Baker, formerly clerk at
the Morton Hotel, Grand Rapids, for
several vears, and more recently as-
sistant to Adolpk Kopp, manager of
Rochedale Inn, Montague, for two sea-
sons, has returned to his home in Mus-
kegon, after a brief connection with a
Tulsa, Oklahoma, proposition. He
plans to go to Texas for the winter as
well as to be on his regular summer
job at Montague next. season.

Under the Selby management, which
several weeks ago purchased Hotel
Fleming, Lansing, many changes have

been made in redecorating and re-
habilitation. The lobbv has been re-
arranged and new furnishings have
been supplied.

 

Approximately 2,574,000 persons
hold operator’s licenses in California,
besides 10,000 who hold chauffeurs’ li-
censes. Of these 72 per cent. are made
up of men and 28 per cent. women.
Male drivers cause 85 per cent. of the
accidents and female drivers 12 per
cent. That is 72 per. cent. of the drivers
produce 85 per cent. of the accidents
and the other 28 per cent. are only re-
sponsible for only 12 per cent. of high-
way trouble.

Everyone, from Andy Gump, up and
down, accuses women. of being tem-
permental on the big road. Women
come down the midd!e of the pavement
accustomed to having the right of way
in traffic in the parlor. They saunter
along slowly for a moment and when
conversation becomes heated, the car
speeds up accordingly. Cars twist in
and out according to the whims of the
persons at the wheels. Some say that
the iarge number of men who grow
gray get that way behind female driv-
ers. However, the percentages appear
to give the woman the best of it. Ad-
mission must be made that men drive
more than women and use their license
more, so their liability is greater.
Whether this is sufficient to neutralize
the margin of safety in favor of wo-
men or not, is difficult to determine.

But at least mere man has to take
the back seat and acknowledge that
his wife does not break up the car and
destroy life as much as he does. All
of which proves conclusively that it is
difficult to prove anything.

Even the railroads are going into the
gents furnishing business. The Bur-
lington system is laying in a stock of
pajamas on its limited trains to sell
to absent-minded travelers. The mod-
ern limited is becoming unlimited like
the corner drug store.

The Hotel Beach, in Kalamazoo, one
of the State’s oldest hotels, will be
demolished to make way for a filling
station, according to an announcement
by the owner. The Beach was erected
in 1865 as the Robinson House and
for many years was popular with the
traveling fraternity who roamed the
State.

 

 

Fred A. Simonson, proprietor of a
chain of cafeterias in Detroit, as well
as ibeing president of the Detroit
Caterers Association, instead of clos-
ing his restaurants on Thanksgiving
Day, as has been customary, in view
of the distress in that city at this time,
decided to keep them open on that day
and served 3,000 free dinners to home-
less persons who were sent there by
one of the charity organizations, and
proposes to make the same offering on
Christmas Day. which is a rational
demonstration that the milk of human
kindness percolates the veins of even
the caterer man.

 

Also the Detroit Hotel Association
is well organized to perform similar
acts of charity. The members of the
organization will use all surplus foods
in feeding the needy. Special offerings
of soup as well as substantials will be
made periodically, under supervision
of an active committee.

 

A lot of the resort hotels in the
Upper Peninsula as well as the Can-
adian Soo, have organized for publicity
purposes. They know that a lot of
tourists are floating arouneé every sum-
mer and they see no very good reason
why they shouldn’t enjoy their patron-
age, so they are going to employ the
advertising columns of forty news-
papers, following this up with the dis-
tribution of thousands of attractive
booklets. One man from each resort
center makes up the board of directors
which formulates the program of ac-

 

In
Kalamazoo
It’s :
PARK-AMERICAN

George F. Chism, Manager

 

“We are always mindful of
our responsibility to the pub-
lic and are in full apprecia-
tion of the esteem its generous
patronage implies.”’

HOTEL ROWE
Grand Rapids, Michigan.
ERNEST W. NEIR, Manager.

 

 

 

MORTON
HOTEL

Grand Rapids’ Newest
Hotel

400 Rooms -t

400 Baths

RATES
$2.50 and up per day.

Republican Hotel
MILWAUKEE, WIS.
Rates $1.50 up—with bath $2 up

Cafeteria, Cafe, Sandwich Shop
in connection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warm Friend Tavern
Holland, Mich.
Is truly a friend to all travelers. All
room and meal rates very reasonable.
Free private parking space.
GEO. W. DAUCHY, Mgr.

Park Place Hotel
Traverse City

Rates Reasonable—Service Superb
—Location Admirable.

R. D. McFADDEN, Mgr.

 

 

HOTEL KERNS

LARGEST HOTEL IN LANSING

300 Rooms With or Without Bath
Popular Priced Cafeteria in Con-
nection. Rates $1.56 up.

E. S. RICHARDSON, Proprietor

 

 

NEW BURDICK

KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN
In the Very Heart of the City
Fireproof Construction
The only All New Hotel in the city.

Representing
a $1,000,000 Investment:
250 Rooms—150 Rooms with Private
$1 50 goer
Huropean : and u er Day.
RESTAURANT AND *GRILE_
Cafeteria, ~— Service, Popular
ces. .

Entire Seventh Floor Devoted to
Especially Equipped Sample Rooms
WALTER J. HODGES,
Pres. and Gen. Mgr.

 

 

 

“A MAN !S KNOWN BY THE
COMPANY HE KEEPS”

That is why LEADERS of Businesa
and Society make their head-
quarters at the

PANTLIND
HOTEL

“An entire city block of Hospitality”
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
Rooms $2.25 and up.
Cafeteria -t- Sandwich Shop

 

HOTEL OLDS

LANSING
300 Rooms 300 Baths
Absolutely Fireproof
Moderate Rates
GEORGE L. CROCKER, Manager.

 

 

 

CODY HOTEL

GRAND RAPIDS

RATES—$1.50 up without bath.
$2.50 up with bath.

CAFETERIA IN CONNECTION

 

 

 

 

| Occidental Hotel

FIRE PROOF
CENTRALLY LOCATED
Rates $2.00 and up
EDWART R. SWETT, Mgr.
Muskegon =" 5 Michigan

 

 

Columbia Hotel
KALAMAZOO
Good Place To Tie To

 

 

NEW

   

Decorating

and
Management
Facing FAMOUS
Grand Circus Park. Oyster Bar.
800 Rooms - - - 800 Baths

Rates from $2.50.

_ HOTEL TULLER

HAROLD A. SAGE, Mgr.

 

 

 

HOTEL

CHIPPEWA

HENRY M. NELSON, Manager
European Plan
MANISTEE. MICH.
Up-to-date Hotel with all Modern
Conveniences—Elevator, Ete.
150 Outside Rooms
Dining Room Service
Hot and Cold Running Water and
Telephone in every Room.
$1.50 and up
60 Rooms with Bath $2.50 and $3

 

 

 

 

 

“lin

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Bese eater

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a

 

 

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waist 345 <n a MRNA Rhea seariee ol

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December 17, 1930

tivity fot the approval of. the boards of
commerce of the localities mentioned.

 

Theodore Frank, proprietor of Ho-
tel Wren, Berrien Springs, died of
apoplexy the other day. Apout eight
years ago, I met with Mr. Frank, who
had been connected with Hotel Mor-
rison, in Chicago, but who had fully
decided that a hotel such as he de-
signed to operate, could be made to pay
in Berrien Springs. He proved his
theory to be correct and his neat little
estab‘ishment flourished.

Two youthful bandits, with sawed
off shot guns and other destructive
weapons held un the lobby of Hotel
Plaza, ‘Milwaukee, and shook down
the clerk for $50, ‘besides forcing sev-
eral patrons to disgorge. The Plaza
is one of the chain of hotels in the
Wisconsin city which is controlled by
Milton Magel, former treasurer of the
Michigan Hotel Association, and op-
erator of Hotels Clifton and La Salle,
at Battle Creek.

 

 

Detroit operators are preparing a
program to lay before the incoming
legislature looking to a reduction of
telephone rates now in force in that
State, and which are said to be con-
fiscatory. As I understand it, the ho-
tel man stands the expense of installing
a comprehensive system and then the
telephone company comes in, grabs off
all the receipts and penalizes the ho-
tel in addition thereto. One of the
leading operators in Western Michigan
gave me some very explicit information
as toe the handicaps under which he
suffered in his attempt to give his
guests satisfactory phone service, and
it seemed to be very arbitrary and un-
reasonable. I have at times criticized
some hotels for making an extra and
additional charge for phone service
when they featured same as one of the
attractions of their hotels, charges
which should be absorbed in the hotel
rates proper, or rather in the over-
head, but according to reports their
profits from this source are eventually
absorbed by the phone companies.
During my visit to Chicago, last sum-
mer, I discovered that one or more of
the prominent hotels there had estab-
lished a rule of not supplying long-
distance ~ facilities to their guests, the
reasons for not doing so being set
forth in neat cards posted in the rooms.

 

‘Thousands of individuals are coming
out from the East to look for jobs in
California. They Have been told time
and again that there are no jobs. I
have almost shouted this news from
the ‘thousetops, but they keep coming.
Within the past week two persons
have hunted me up to get assistance.
One of them came out here to sponge
on a relative, discovering on arrival
that the said relative was already in
the soup line here. Another, arriving
with $8 knew he could get a job. Leave
that to him. Just now he asked me to
loan him an insignificant sum to pro-
cure a night’s lodging. All things be-
ing equal unemployment conditions
would be no worse here than elsewhere,
but the pilgrims who come out here
know it all, and will not listen to rea-
son. Californians are trying to head
them off at the state line, but they, of
course, cannot do this legally. Let me
again reiterate: If you are coming to
California, nrovide yourself with round
trip transportation and do not depend
too much on your relatives. as you
may not look so good to them on ar-
rival.

 

Another chain hotel, this time in
Arizona, and operated by an old friend
from Detroit, is trying to get out from
under. The old, old story: Built where
it was not needed, and never would be.
It almost seems that individuals who
are responsible for these fiascos, if they
cannot be sent direct to the hoosegow,
should at least be submitted to a men-

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

tal examination as soon as they begin
to vaporize about new hotels.

And then there is all this rot about.

the Federal Government putting forth
a lot of superfluous activities in order
to absorb surplus labor. Even some of
our learned statesmen have pet
schemes to subsidize Jabor, which, if
carried out, would mean $15 or $20 for
each of the unemployed, or previous
going wages for a couple of days. And
they are going to take it out of the in-
come taxes which are already so high
they are stifling industries. Even if
it is all politics, I will say it would
be a poor brand.

 

The death of Alonzo B. Clark. the
other day, will come as a distinct shock
to many a hotel man everywhere. He
probably enjoyed a personal acquaint-
ance unequalled by anyone else in
America. He had been interested in
hotel enterprises everywhere, but he
was successful, and will be missed from
all great hotel gatherings.

 

Victor Reynolds, veteran sergeant-
at-arms of Detroit Greeters, a former
manager of Hotel Melrose, in that city,
is ‘being congratulated by his friends
as having won first prize in a literary
contest sponsored bv a local news-
paper. Mr. Reynolds, now in his 86th
year, in his younger days was an actor,
contemporaneous with Nat Goodwin
and others, a generation ago. He wrote
his story, which was dramatized, and
he was recently called upon to play
the leading role therein. ‘The sub-
mission of the story resulted in a Sun-
day newspaper feature covering the
story of his life, all of which attracted
much attention from his large circle
of acquaintances,

 

Seth E. Frymire, who was for a long
time resident manager of Hotel Fort
Shelby, Detroit, resigning three years
ago to accept a similar position with
Hotel Barlum, has severed his connec-
tion with the latter and taken up his
residence for the time being at the
Detroit-Leland. I should say his vari-
ous Michigan connections covered a
period of twenty-five years.

John N. Hoffman, who began his
hotel career as a bell-hop in Hotel Me-
nominee, Menominee, has purchased
the Hawthorne Hotel, at Charlotte,
N. C., and it will henceforth be oper-
ated under his personal supervision.

 

Manager W. R. Duffy, of Hotel
Pantlind, recently sent out a four page
‘brochure promoting the employment
of the catering and club facilities at
that hotel. On the inside of the folder
are shown photographs of the grand
ball room, the colonial and club rooms,
sandwich shop, cafeteria and main din-
ing room, together with printed sug-
gestions as to the type of service which
can be obtained there.

Mrs. Mayta E. Baldwin, who recent-
ly became possessed of the old Hotel
Phelps, Greenville, which served com-
mercial men and others for full half a
century, has completely remodeled
same and henceforth will feature the
new club room on the main floor for
public assemblies. The Phelps has
been remodeled several times, but al-
ways comes up bright and shining. It
is a good proposition, and while I have
never met the new landlady, I wish her
a full measure of success in a spank-
ing good town.

 

That man George Southerton must.

be lying awake nights considering
schemes for improving his hotel, the
LaVerne, at Battle Creek. Recently
he has ‘been giving it a sandblasting,
waterprooi treatment of the masonry
front of the property, giving his 63
room property an entirely new com-
plexion. ‘George is one of those rare
individuals who, instead of wasting his
time hanging crépe when he has a few

quiet days, dons his overalls and pro-
ceeds to do something he thinks his
customers would like. and that is one
of the reasons whv he “always has
tobacco in his old tobacco box.”

I note that a large number of hotels
throughout the East have given pub-
licity to the fact that there will be no
New Years entertainments in their
various establishments this year. They
will cater to the “decent” element but
admit that New Years carousals by
this same ultra class “get their goats,”
as it were, and the game is not worth
the name. Funny how perfectly re-
spectable people will slop over at holi-
day time, and in fact at any other time,
when they think they are putting one
over.

Down in Kansas the other day a ho-
tel man bought a prize beef at 51 cents
per pound. At that price the possessor
might also hope it was so tough that
it might be held ‘in
souvenirs.

Roy Carruthers who was the first
managing director of Detroit’s Book-
‘Cadillac, but who resigned to go to
Phoenix, Arizona, to invest in a similar
institution, has sold out his interest
there, and will return to Kentucky to
look afte® his stock farm.

Recently published by the U. S. De-
partment of Agriculture food and drug
administration, is a pamphlet on “Food
Poisoning and the Law,” which cites
some of the causes of food poisoning,
as found in the investigation of Gov-
ernment agents into various cases
which have come to their attention.
This pamphlet also gives some rules
laid down for food hand’ers to keep
out poisonous materials. It may be
had for the asking by applving to the
U. S. Department of Agriculture, at
Washington.

B. L. Middleton, who has conducted
the dining room at Hotel Auwburin,
Pontiac, for some time, has given up
that connection and returned to ‘Cass
City, where he used to run the Hotel
Gordon, in a very satisfactory manner.
and will re-enter the catering business

there. Frank S. Verbeck.
—2~-~-___

Late Business Information.

Holiday business has been brisk dur-
ing the last dozen or more days, es-
pecially in merchandise of low price.
Most reports agree that price conces-
sions have been an important factor
in promoting sales. There is little ex-
pectation, however, that dollar volume
will equal last December’s.

The bottom of the business depres-
sion is at hand, according to all old
signs and .symptoms, says Colonel
Ayres of the Cleveland Trust Com-
pany. He warns the public, however,
against sanguine expectations of quick
recovery.

Unfilled orders of U. S. Steel in No-
vember gained 157,873 tons, the larg-
est gain in any November since 1925,
and much more than was expected. The
size of the increase is attributed to
what has been done to stabilize prices.

Because bread prices do not general-
ly reflect the decline in wheat prices
the Department of Justice began this
week an enquiry to determine the
reasons for the disparity.

Santos coffee, the main ingredient
of all the well-known brands, sold this
week at less thas 914 cents a pound in
the primary markets, lower than at any
time in the last nine years. There is
no sign yet of further concessions in
retail prices.

Farm wages are down 13 per cent.

perpetuity as

~ 25

for the year ended July 30, and, “be-
sides openly admitted and tabulated
cuts,” the labor bureau adds, “an in-
sidious process of surreptitious reduc-
tion has been going on during the past
month.”

Chain store sales in November were
substantially less in dollar value than
they were in November, 1929, twenty-
two companies showing a decline of
14.3 per cent. In some cases the quan-
tity of goods sold was down. The
mail order houses, now largely de-
partment store chains, reported the
largest decreases. Woolworth felt the
lessened buying power, and the grocery
chains were also affected adversely,
A. & P. being off 4.65 per cent., com-
pared with the previous November and
Kroger 9.6 per cent,

Tire company executives are predict-
ing a gain in earnings during the new
year. They based their optimistic view
on better prices for rubber due to reg-
ulation, expected replacement demands,
larger sales of new cars, recent cur-
tailment of inventories, an understand-
ing with the mail order houses which
sell tires, and progressive elimination
of price-cutting,

The disinclination of the Dutch su-
gar interests to join the American-
Cuban producers in withholding sur-
plus stocks from the market does not
discourage sugar distributors in this
country. They say they can get along
without foreign co-operation. This at-
titude has induced the Dutch to agree
in principle to combined action.

“If a sales tax were enacted in
Ohio,” says the subcommittee on re-
tailing of. Governor Cooper’s taxation
committee, “the merchant would be
compelled to devise means of quickly
transferring this tax to his customers
or face bankruptcy. Ohio cannot af-
ford to experiment with a system
which is entirely unsuited to American
conditions.”

A Federal sales tax would be less ob-
jectionable, the committee holds, be-
cause “it would place all retailers on
the same basis and eliminate all of
the hardships of intrastate competi-
tion.”

——__2>->____
A Sticker For Principles.

Jones: While speeding last night our
grocer’s car turned over twice into the
ditch,

Brown: Well, he was simply follow-
ing a business principle of his.

Jones: How is that?

Brown: He bbelieves in a speedy
turnover.

 

Hotel and Restaurant
Equipment
H. Leonard & Sons
38-44 Fulton St, W.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.

 

 

CHARLES RENNER HOTELS

Four Flags Hotel, Niles, Mich., in
the picturesque St. Joseph Valley.

Rumely Hotel and Annex, La-
Porte, Ind.

Edgewater Ciub Hotel, St. Joseph,
Mich., open from May to October.

All of these hotels are conducted
on the high standard established
and always maintained by Mr.
Renner.

 

 

 

 

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

December 17, 1930

 

DRUGS

Michigan Board of Pharmacy.
a Edward Richardson, De-
troit

Vice-Pres.—Clare F. Allen, Wyandotte.
Director—Garfield M. Benedict, San-

usky. .

Examination Sessions — Beginning the
third Tuesday of January, March, June,
August and November and lasting three
days. The January and June examina-
tions are held at Detroit, the August
examination at Marquette, and the March
and November examinations at Grand
Rapids.

 

Michigan State Pharmaceutical
Association.
President—John J. Watters, Saginaw.
First . Vice-President—Alexander Reid,

Detroit.
Second Vice-President — F. H. Taft,

Lansing.
Secretary—R. A. Turréll, Croswell.

Treasurer—P. W. Harding, Yale.

Use Odds and Ends at the Luncheon-
ette.

One can make fresh lemon syrup
for the fountain by squeezing lemons
and dissolving sugar in the juice, to
which mixture simple syrup is added,
qd. S.

The rind would be waste.

 

But by grating -the rind, and thus
releasing the fresh oil of lemon, we
greatly improve our lemon syrup both
in color and in taste. What, would
ordinarily be waste enhances wonder-
fully the value of the finished product,
That’s the “know how.” :

There are plenty of quirks worth
knowing in operating a fountain lunch-
eonette.

No bits of lettuce need be wasted.
Gather them up, wash them, drain
them, and put them in the regrigerator
to get crisp. You can added these bits
to all sorts of sandwiches — ham,
tongue, salmon, fish roe, and so on.
Tucked in after this fashion you are
giving the customer something more
than he expected for his money, and
that always makes a hit. The plain
ham sandwich of commerce does not
usually call for lettuce. Those are
the spots for odd bits.

Your fine leaves are used for salads
and sandwich combinations that do
call for lettuce.

At one of my early places of em-
ployment we broiled or fried large
quantities of high-grade bacon for vari-
ous sandwich combinations.

In doing this many odd bits would
fleck off and be left in the pan as not
worth gathering up. One day we had
a capful, and in messing around for
something new, sprinkled a few of
these hard, crisp bits over a boiled egg
filling, not very much, just enough for
a taste.

This sandwich was a great hit and
remained a favorite for years. We
did not bill it as a “bacon and egg,”
but furnished an egg sandwich with a
tang of bacon added for good will.

After that our former waste made
friends for us, which affords us an-
other helpful thought to brighten our
day.

Scientists and students are hard put
to determine which is our most useful
vegetable, the onion or the tomato.
The onion is the more robust; the to-
mato, doubtless, the more refreshing.
For in some arid spots of the world,
I am told, a customer will drink a can
of tomatoes. This probably should
count for a couple of points in favor

of the tomato in its contest with the -

 

onion, Both are listed in the table
of vitamins under Vitamin C.

Without attempting to award the
palm, let us discuss the onion. In ear-
lier days it was the fashion among la-
dies to say that they could not eat
onions. I think this has gone into the
discard, along with some other tradi-
tions; but anyhow I once tried this
experiment:

In preparing salmon sandwiches for
a very fussy tea party, I buried some
slices of ripe Bermuda onion in a plat-
ter of salmon flake. There they re-
mained for half an hour or so, after
which they were removed and used for
onion sandwiches to offer men who
quarreled with their sweethearts.

The lady who gave the tea came
around next day and said:

“Those were nice salmon
wiches.”

“We are glad you liked them.”

“They tasted slightly of onion, yet
there was not a trace of onion in
them.”

“True.”

“How do you do it?”

“That, madam, is one of the things
that makes our luncheonette service
the despair of all competitors.”

But, of course, we let her in on the
secret. She was a good customer.

Here are some other ways to add
a trace of onion:

Scrape your onion.

Use thin onion shavings, not slices,
but shavings,

Mince your onion very fine, and
sprinkle it around judiciously.

Many dispensers stick too closely to
sliced onions, which is good, but not
subtle,

One of the drawbacks to the tomato
(it was formerly called the love ap-

sand-

ple) is its tendency to squirt under

pressure,

Scald your tomatoes in very hot
water. This will enable you to peel
them easily. Remove the peels. Place
the tomatoes in the refrigerator to
harden. Then slice them for sandwich
use. With their tires off, so to speak,
pressure may be applied without caus-
ing a catastrophe.

A trace or hint of tomato makes a
welcome addition to many meat sand-
wiches.

Get a very thin, keen knife, and shave
your tomatoes. You do not slice them,
you shave them. You can’t do it with
a dull knife, nor can you thus operate
successfully on a soft tomato.

But you can do it with skinless,
hard tomatoes, and this is a secret
apparently not on the books of every
dispenser,

I consider the club sandwich the
king of all sandwiches, and sliced to-
mato is one of its ingredients.

In handling a nice round of beef, we
take off slices as long as we can get
them of any size. These are for sand-
wich use and plate service. All odd-
shaped bits and all sandwich trim-
mings go through the chopper, which
takes in what would otherwise be waste
and turns out desirable minced fillings,
certainly a remarkable transformation.

All broken nut meats go through
the chopper.

And we grind up dates, figs, celery,

chicken giblets, almost anything that
we can’t find a place for elsewhere.
Wm. S. Adkins.
—_+-.+__
Watch the Details.

I encountered recently a striking ex-
ample of what the importance of strict
attention to the lesser details may mean
to the soda fountain trade.

A manufacturer who is bringing out
a new ice cream mix treated me a few
weeks ago to a sample which amazed
me by the excellence of its texture and
flavor, Ten days later he showed me a
batch of ice cream that had just been
made—fresh from the freezer, not yet
hardened. As this is a favorite dish
of mine, I anticipated considerable
pleasure in sampling it. To my amaze-
ment and disgust, it bore no resem-
blance to the former sample.

The second mouthful, however,
which I took with great reluctance in
order to determine the source of the
unpleasantness, convinced me that the
only difference was in the flavoring
extract. Somewhere someone had slip-
ped in a bottle of “bootleg” vanilla
substitute which bore about as much
resemblance to real vanilla as cigar
ashes to ambrosia.

The lesson is that the manufacturer
of this excellent article imght find that
his product had been given a very defi-
nite and serious black eye by the use
of inferior flavoring ingredients, for
which he was in no way responsible.
I have detected this same unpalatable
flavoring matter, which probably costs
the ice cream manufacturer a quarter
of a cent to a gallon of ice cream
less than the real thing, at many a
soda fountain.

I am advising you to watch this very
carefully, and if a manufacturer cannot
assure you that he is using pure flavor-
ing extracts, go get your ice cream
from another manufacturer.

J. R. Ward.
——_2++____
Tri-Colored Sundae.

Fill a cone-shaped disher about
equally with vanilla, chocolate and
strawberry ice cream. Place in sundae
dish and pour over it a teaspoonful
each of chocolate, pineapple and rasp-
berry syrups, putting each flavor on
carefully so it will not mix with the
other flavors. Top with marshmallow
and a red and green cherry and around
the base of the cream, place two pieces
of sliced peach.

—_+++_____
Banana Nut Surprise.

Into a fancy stem glass put a portion
of vanilla ice cream, add a small ladle
of crushed banana or a few slices of
fresh banana if the prepared fruit is
not on hand. Sprinkle with powdered
sugar if sliced banana is used, then
cover with a ladle of chopped nut
meats; over this pour an ounce of Con-
cord grape juice and add a ladle of
whipped cream. Top with a cherry.

—_—__2 +.
Sundae Alvarado.

Place a tablespoon of vanilla ice

cream in the bottom of a tall stem

glass and pack down evenly with a~

spoon.- Add a spoonful of crushed
strawberries, a layer of chocolate ice
cream, some crushed peach and fill

glass with whipped cream. Top with '

a maraschino cherry and serve with
two nabisco wafers.
—___>~+ + —____
Black Crow Special.

Place one small dipper each of va-
nilla and chocolate ice cream on a plate.
Over the vanilla pour bittersweet and
over the chocolate whipped cream. Add
a few walnut halves to the bittersweet
and chocolate sprinkles and a cherry

to the whipped cream.
~~

———_~ >.

Cherry Ice Float.
Pour a ladle of crushed cherries into
a small, wide glass; turn on the fine
stream until the glass is nearly full,
then float a disher of pineapple ice on
top; garnish with a slice of orange and

a few apple cubes.
—————_.-.>—__
Sunny Days.

Put a ball of vanilla ice cream into
a sundae dish and over it pour a ladle
of fresh sliced orange fruit and sprinkle
with assorted nut meats. Over this
pour a ladle of marshmallow cream

dressing and top with a cherry.
——_—_>-~.—~>____

Coffee Cup.
Put a portion of coffee ice cream into
a sundae cup, over this pour a ladle
of marshmallow cream dressing sweet-
ened with strained honey and sprinkle
with browned shredded cocoanut and
sprinkle last with chocolate decorettes.

 

Orange Cooler.

Draw two ounces of orange syrup
into a twelve-ounce glass; add a large
disher of water ice and fill with the fine
and coarse streams. Garnish with a
slice of orange and a pineapple cube.

-—_ oo
Raspberry Cream.

Into a mixing glass draw two ounces
of raspberry syrup. Add the juice of
half an orange and break an egg into
it. Fill with milk and shake well until
a homogeneous mixture results.

—_soc> :
Items From the Cloverland of Michi-

gan.

Sault Ste. Marie, Dec. 16—The mer-
chantsehere have all joined the joy
club and everybody seems to have the
spirit. The stores are doing a nice
Christmas business, but we must ad-
mit that not so matiy automobiles will
be found in the Christmas stockings.
There will be a larger percentage of
goods from the 5 and 10 cent stores.
The stores never looked better, with
many more articles and suggestions to
offer than in former years. The main
street, with lighted Christmas trees in
front of the stores at night, makes a
wonderful effect and helps put joy in
business,

Frank A. Moore, who took over the
confectionery Susiness a few months
ago from Mike Catel, has decided to
quit business and has closed the store.
He has made no plans for the future.
He expects to inherit a moderate for-
tune in the near future and as soon as
his ship comes in, we will hear from
him again.

Not all stingy folks are Scotch. ‘A
great many are stingy with their
Scotch. :

C. 'C. Bland and Samuel Ducket,
agents for the Singer Sewing (Machine
Co., are opening a branch office at 540
Ashmun street. They will handle all
makes of the Singer Co., as well as
electric appliances. A sewing class
will be conducted about Jan. 1.

J. L. Erard, one of our popular
jewelers, who has been conducting two
stores on Ashmun street, has decided
to close the branch store and is having
a closing out sale. He will continue
the main store.

The Soo municipal park, seventy-five

 

*. x
t
‘ e
t
eo Ae
- , \™
¢ ; ¢

 

 

 

alt a ‘aS aaa” . ~~ -
; Ss Y

.

 

December 17, 1930

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

7”

27

 

acres West of the Shallows, has been
cleaned up. The underbrush and de-
bris left: by the many campers have
been cleared and the river frontage,
which has been an ideal bathing beach,
is now in fine condition. To assist the
pub.ic in enjoying the park it is plan-
ned_to mark off five acres and place a
correct name on each tree. Students
and others interested may thus learn
easily and become familiar with the
flora of the Northern country. There
are white and yellow birch, black oak
and some white oak, a specie said to
be rare in this locality, elm, maple,
pine, beautiful spruce, tamarack and
other evergreens and ground pine.
Wild flowers. and mosses will be left
unmolested. The park board will soon
decide upon a name for the new park,
which will be an added attraction for
our citizens.

A dissolution of copartnership of the
long-established law firm of Davidson
& -Hudson has taken place. <A. B.
Davidson has taken over the commer-
cial and collection ‘business. That
branch of the Walter C. Wylie Co.,
which for the past year has been
known as the Northwestern Adjust-
ment Co., has also been absorbed.
These changes will take effect Jan. 1.
They will necessitate some changes in
the location of the offices of the vari-
ous firms involved, but all will remain
in.the Central Savings Bank building.
Davidson & Hudson has consisted of
A..B. Davidson and Robert P. Hud-
son. They went into partnership in
1902 and have been one of the leading
legal institutions of the city ever since.
Mr. Hudson will remove his office to
other gooms. It is probable that he
will occupy the offices now used by
the W. C. Wylie Co., which is moving
to the second floor offices formerly oc-
cupied by the Jerry Lynch Lumber
Co. Mr. Davidson’s offices will re-
main in their present location, as will
also the offices of the Northern Ad-
justment Co. This company will be
managed by W. L. Freeman. This
company has been purchased from the
W. C. Wylie Co., which abandons the
commercial and collection business,
but extends its insurance and financing
business, so that the larger offices will
be needed.

If worry got us anywhere, some of

us would be paying much larger in-

come taxes. : :
The hustling village of Pickford is
soon to lose its only hotel. The prop-

erty has been sold to Harry I. Best, -

the well-known grocer, who will move
his store into the hotel building about
Jan. 1, after completely remodeling
the ‘building. Mr. Best will install all
new fixtures and electric refrigeration
equipment. A full line of meats, as
well as groceries, will be carried. Mr.
Best has been in the grocery business
at Pickford for the past ten years, but
the present building was not large
enough to care for his growing busi-
ness.

Old time neighborly spirit enjoyed
a revival in the vicinity of McCarron,
one of our neighbor villages, last
week, when thirty men with axes and
ten teams of horses organized a wood
bee for ‘the benefit of one of their
neighbors. ‘More than forty cords
were cut and hauled a distance of four
miles. Following the wood bee the
workers enjoyed a dinner prepared and
served by the women of the neighbor-
hood. Mr. Maxwell, the participant,
has ‘been an invalid for the past three
years and recently suffered a more
severe attack and has been confined to
his home for six weeks. There are
four children in the Maxwell family
who are able to attend to the minor
work, but require assistance with the
heavier tasks of the farm. This is
what we call true Christmas spirit.

The many friends of W. H. Ed-
wards, well-known business man in
Soo, Ontario, were shocked ‘to hear of
his sudden death on ‘Wednesday night.
Mr. Edwards, whose store is at 260
Queen street, had returned there after
an early supper. About 10 o’clock,
feeling tired, he decided to close the
store and with a couple of companions
walked down the street. Leaving
them at the corner he proceeded to his
home. On arrival he went directly up
stairs and complained of not feeling
well. Mrs. Edwards immediately pre-
pared a remedy and brought him a
glass of water, which he drank and
asked for more. ‘When she returned
with another glass Mr. Edwards had
passed away.

In training a child for a junior part-
ner, you also train yourself.

William G. Tapert.

 

 

SZC

Season's Greetings

Sincerely appreciating the part your
friendly patronage has played in our progress
we extend to you our Hearty Greetings
and Best Wishes for a Merry Christmas
and a New Year of great success

and prosperity

Hazeltine & Perkins Drug Co.

 

 

WHOLESALE DRUG PRICE CURRENT

 

Prices quoted are nominal, based on market the day of issue.

Acids
Boric (Powd.)-. 10 @ 20
Boric (Xtal) -.10 @ 20
Carbolic ~------- 38 @ 44
ECutric —o- = 52 @ 66
Muriatic .--..-. 3%@ 8
Niteia. 22-3. 9 @ 1b
Oxalc 2... 15 @ 25
Sulphuric ------ 34@ 38
Tartaric ~---.--- 43 @ 55
Ammonia

Water, 26 deg... 07 @ 18
Water, 18 deg... 06 @ 15
Water, 14 deg... 5%@ 13
Carbonate ------ 20 @ 25
Chloride (Gran.) 08 @ 18

Copaiba -------- 1 00@1 25
Ge (canadad -. 2 75@3 00
Fir (Oregon) -. 65@1 “

eee em nen

Barks
Cassia (ordinary). 25@ 30
Cassia (Saigon) -. 40@ 60
Sassafras (pw. 60c) @ 50
oeee Cut (powd.)

 

20@ 30
Berries
@ubeb: 222. 90
Fish ----- 25
Juniper 20
Prickly Ash 15
Extracts
Edeorice 222207 60@ 175
Licorice, powd. -- 60@ 70
Flowers
Arnica —22=) ==. 75@ 80
Chamomile Ged.) 30@ 40
Chamomile Rom. @1 25
Gums
Acacia, 1st ~----- 60
Acacia, 2nd ----- @ 50
Acacia, Sorts _.. 35@ 40
Acacia, Powdered 40@ 50

Aloes (Barb Pow) 35@ 495
Aloes (Cape Pow.) 25@ 35
Aloes (Soc. Pow.) ne 80

Asafoetida ------ 0@ 60
OW. 222 ae a
Camphor -------- 87 )
Guaiac ..-----... @ 60
Guaiac, pow’d --- @ 10
ind: 22 @l 7
ino, wdered_-_ @1 20
a he See aces @1 15

yrr
Myrrh, powdered @1 25

Opium, powd. 21 00@21 50
Opium, gran. 21 00@21 50
Shellac, Orange 50@ 65
Shellac, White oe , a
Tragacanth, pow.

Tragacanth -_.. 2 00@2 35
Turpentine ~--.- @ 30

Insecticides
Arsenic -------.- 08@ 20

Blue Vitriol, bbl. @ 7%
Blue Vitriol, less 08@ 15
Bordea. Mix Dry 124%@ 23
Hellebore, White

powdered
Insect Powder... 47%@
Lead oe 7S 1344.@27
Lime an phur

Dry ........._. 09@ 23
Paris Green .... 264%@46%

Leaves
Buchu, —........ @ 60
Buchu, powdered @
Sage, Bulk __-... 25@ 30
Sage, % loose -- @ 40
Sage, powdered-_- @ 35
Senna, Alex. -.-. 50@ 75
Senna, Tinn. pow. 30@ 35
Uva Ursi ~.------ 0@ 22%

Oils

Alm Bitter,
— Ss 7 50@7 75

Almonds, Bitter,
artificial ..-_.. 3 00@3 25

Almo: Sweet,
a - Soe e cee 1 50@1 80

5 ds, Sweet,
Ae tation ~-.. 1 00@1 25

15@1 00

pace 2 25

Ber “7 § B0a7 00
Cajeput -------- 2 00@2 2%
Cassia ...------- 3 3 25
Castor ...----. --- 1 55@1 80
Cedar Leaf -.-_ 2 00@2 25
Citronella ...--. 1 00@1 20
Cloves ~—-.------ 3 50@3 75
Cocoanut —----- 27%@_ 36
Cod Liver ------ 1 40@2 00
ton .-------. 8 00@8 25

  

Cotton Seed -._. 1 35@1
Cubebs  -_-.__.. 5 00@5
Bigeron  _ ~~... 001@4
Eucalyptus .-_.. 1 25@1
Hemlock, pure... 2 00@2
Juniper Berries. 4 50@4
Juniper Wood - 1 50@1
Lard, extra ._._ 1 55@1
Lard, No. 1 __.. 1 25@1
Lavender Flow._ 6 00@6
Lavender Gar’n. 1 25@1
Bemon. 222055. 4 00@4

0
Linseed, boiled. bbl. @
Linseed, raw, bbl. @
Linseed, bld, less 88@1
Linseed, raw. less 85@

Mustard. -artifil. oz. @
Neatsfoot  -..... 1 25@1
Olive, pure -_.. 3 00@5
Olive, Malaga,

yellow —....___ 2 50@3
Olive, Malaga,

green 22225 | 2 85@3
Orange, Sweet 6 00@6
Origanum, pure. @2
Origanum, com’! 1 00@1
Pennyroyal _... 3 25@3
Peppermint -_.. 4 50@4
Rose, pure _.__ 13 50@14
Rosemary Flows 1 25@1

Sandelwood, BE.
Bee 12 50@12

50

Sassafras, true 2 00@2 25
Sassafras, arti’l 75@1 00
Spearmint —_____ 6 00@6 25
Sperm 22250 1 50@1 75
Taty 2252 eee 7 00@7 25
Tar USP 2 65@ 75
Turpentine, bbl. _. @ 50
Turpentine. less 57@ 70
Wintergreen,

Leah 2 6 00@6 25
Wintergreen, sweet

birch -_____... 3 00@3 26
Wintergreen, art 75@1 00
Worm Seed ____ 6 00@$ 25
Wormwood, oz. _. @1 00

Potasslum
Bicarbonate _____ 35@ 40
Bichromate  _____ 15@ 25
Bromide _-_______ 69@ 85
Bromide 2.2 64@ 71
Chlorate, gran’d_ 21@ 28
Chlorate, powd. 16@ 23

Or Xtal 29 17@ 24
Cyanide Soe es 30@ 90
Fodide 2.25 8) 4 34@4 55
Permanganate __ 224%@ 35
Prussiate, yellow 35@ 45
Prussiate, red __ @ 70
Sulphate +. --- 35@ 40

Roots
Alkamet ss 30@ 35
Blood, powdered_ 40@ 45
Calamus <2 25@ 65
Elecampane, pwd. 20@ 30
Gentian, powd. _ 20@ 30
Ginger, African,

powdered ______ 30@ 35
Ginger, Jamaica. 40@ 50
Ginger, Jamaica,

powdered _..._. 45@ 60
Goldenseal, pow. 5 00@5 50
Ipecac, powd. -. 5 50@6 00
Licorice ~~... 35@ 40
Licorice, powd._. 20@ 30
Orris, powdered. 45@ 60
Poke, Powdered 25@ 40
Rhubarb, powd. __ @1 00
Rosinwood, powd. @ 50
Sarsaparilla, Hond.

SrOund: 2 1 10
Sarsaparilla, Mexic. @ 60
Squilig, 220.2 35 40
Squills, powdered 70 80
Tumeric, powd... 20@ 25
Valerian, powd. _. @ 60

Seeds
Anise ek @ 36
Anise, powdered 235@ 40
Bird, tg 222.2. 13@ 17
Canary 2003 2 12@ 18
Caraway, Po. 30 25@ 30
Cardamon ______ 50@2 76
Corlander pow. .40 30@ 25

ee ee 15@ 20
Fennell _________ 35@ 650

ee 8@ 15
Flax, ground _._ 8@ 15
Foenugreek, pwd. 15@ 285
ait yond — "ah

elia, powd. —_

d, yellow 17@ ~=25
Musard, black... 20@ 25
POMBY: 2 15@ 30
Quince -___.__.. 2 25@2 50
Sabadilla -...____ 45@ 650
Sunflower _______ 2@ 18
Worm, American 3 40
Worm, Lavant — 6 50@7 00

Tinctures
Aconite ~...-__.. @1 80
Aloee a @1 56
Asafoetida -—_.__ @2 28

POR a @1 50
Belladonna _____ @1 4
Benzoin -....-... @2 28

Benzoin Comp’d.
Buchu s

      
  

bt Olt O19 ba tt bat BD OD BO OD Pt BD Ht BD BO BODO
RSSSSRSSSRESRKESSSSERSS

meee

QHQNHOHHOHHHN99O9H9HHHH0HH

Paints
Lead, red dry __ 13%@14
Lead, white dry Beg #
Lead; white oil 13% @14%
Ochre, yellow bbl. @ 2%
Ochre, yellow less 3@ 6
Red Venet’n Am. 34@ 7
Red Venet’n Eng. 4@ 8
Putty WH 6@ 8
@ 4%

Whiting, bbl. ___
Whiting 54@10
Rogers Prep. __ 3 65@2 85

 
 

 

- Msceillaneous
Acetanalid ___.__ 57@ 175
Alum eee eee 06@ 12
— is and

Bround -....... 09
Poe Subni- -*
SCG, 2
pgp xtal or re
powdered ______ 06
Cantharides, po. 1 2501 50
alomei pee 2 72@2 82
Capsicum pow’d 62@ 75
Carmine - 2. 00@9 00
Cassia Buds ____ 30@ 40
Cloves 2. 40@ 50
Chalk Prepared__ 14@ 16
Chloroform ______ 47@ __ 64
Choral Hydrate 1 20@1 50
Cocaine ______ 12 85@13 50
Cocoa Butter __. 60@ 96
Corks, list, less 302710 to
40-
Copperas ________ “oo
Copperas, Powd. 4@ 10
Corrosive Sublm 2 25@2 30
Cream Tartar -- 35@ 45
Cuttle bone ___ 40@ 60
Becarine eee 6@ 15
over’s Powder 4 00@4
Emery, All Nos. 109 ip
ery, Powdered @ 1
Epsom Salts, bbls. @03%
Epsom Salts, less 38%@ 10
Ergot, powdered __ @4 00
Flake, White ___ 15@ 20
Formaldehyde, lb. 12@ 35
Gelatine ________ 80@ 90
Glassware, less 55%
Glassware, full case 60%.
Glauber Salts, bbl. @02%
Glauber Salts less 04@ 10
Glue, Brown ____ 20@ 30
Glue, Brown Grd 16@ 22
Glue, White -___ 27% @ 35
Glue, white grd. 25@ 35
Glycerine ______ TH@ 40
Hops  _.. 1@
ae se oes
odoform -._.. 8 00@8 30
Lead Acetate __ 20@ 30
Mace (22 as @l1
Mace powdered__ @1 60
Menthol ______ @8
hone ---- 13 58@14 33
eee 30
Nux Vomica, pow. 16@ 2%
Pepper, black, pw. 45@ 5&6
Pepper, White, p. 7 85
Pitch, Burgundy_ 20: 25
Quassia _._.w6 12@ 15
Quinine, 5 oz. @ &
elle Salts _. 28 35
Saccharine -.___ 2 60@3 75
Salt Peter -_____ 11@ 32
Seidlitz Mixture 30@ 40
Soap, green ___ 15@ 30
Soap, mott cast — 26
Soap. white Castile,
CARR (oe 1
Soap, white Castile _
ane Dee bar _ @1 60
Phos Bicarbonate 3%@ 10
Spirits Camphor g 20
Sulphur, roll ____ 4@ 11
Sulphur, Subl. _. 4%@ 10
Tamarinds ______ 20@ 2%
Tartar Emetic __ 70 15
Turpentine, Ven. £00 75
Vanilla Ex. pure 1 50@2 00
Venilla Ex. pure 2 25@2 60
Zinc Sulphate __ oe@ 11
Webster Cigar Co. Brands
Websterettes _ 38 30
Cincos .._____ --—--—.. 38 60
Webster Cadillacs __ 75 00
Golden Wedding
Panatellas ._______ 75 00
Commodore -........ 95 00

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

GROCERY PRICE CURRENT

~ These quotations are carefully corrected weekly, within six hours of mailing
and are intended to be correct at time of going to press. Prices, however, are
liable to change at any time, and merchants will have their orders filled at mar-
ket prices at date of purchase. For price changes compare with previous issues

 

 

 

 

ADVANCED DECLINED
AMMONIA Kaffe Hag, 12 1-lb. Strawberries
Parsons, 64 oz. -~---- : 95 ANI 3 $0.2 NB. Be 25
All Bran, 16 oz. _---- Ba INOS A a 3 00
All Bran, 10 oz. ~----_ 270 Marcellus, No. 2 -__._ 3 25
All Bran, % oz. __-__ 2 00 Pride of Mich. No. 2_. 3 75

 

24, 3 Ib.
. pails, per doz. 9 40
5 oat. per doz. 12 60
. pails, per doz. 19 15
. pails, per doz. 19 15

ee .
ker, 24-21 0z., doz.
—_ 12-38 oz., doz. 2 35
BAKING POWDERS
Arctic, 7 oz. tumbler 1 35
Royal, 10c, doz.
4 oz, doz.

10¢, per doz.
8 oz., doz. 1 85
12 oz.. doz. 2 40

Rumford, 5 lb.. doz. "12 60

K. C. Brand
Per case

size, 70
size,
20c size,
size.

—_

 

1 a
10 b. us, % a. _.-- 6 75

BLEACHER ST
Clorox, 16 oz., 24s --
Lizzie, 16 oz., 128 ---- 2 15

—— :
. Ball,36-1 oz.,car
ae —- ~ Non-

freeze, ————

Boy Blue, — per cs.

pestumed Bluing
te, 4 02. 128 --
4 oz., 248 1
10 oz., 12s -- 1 30
10 oz., 24s -- 2

eee

Col. Lima Beans ---- 11 00
Black Eye Beans -- 16 00
Split Peas, Yellow -- 6 50
Split Peas, Green ---- 7 00
Scotch Peas ~--------- 5 20

BURNERS
Queen Ann, No. 1 and
White Flame, No. 1
and 2, doz. -.-.---. 2 36

BOTTLE CAPS
Obl. ee. 1 ee
pkg., per 16
BREAKFAST | FOODS
Kellogg’s Brands.
Corn Flakes, No. 136 2 85
Corn Flakes, No. 124 2 85
Pep, No. 224 _--_---- 2 70
Pep, No. 202 -------- 2 00
Krumbles, No. 424 _.. 2 70

cio fase ii

ROLLED OATS
Purity Brand
Instant Flake, sm., 48s 3 70
Instant Flake, Ige., 18s 3 50
Regular Flake, sm., 48s 3 70
Regular Flake, lg., 18s 3 50

China Instant Flake,

daree.17e 25
China Regular Flake.

“4aree. APR 25
Chest-O-Silver Instant

Flake, large, 12s __ 3 35

Chest-O-Silver Regular
Flakes. large 12s ~~ 3 35

Post Brands.
Grape-Nuts, 24s ~----- 3 80
Grape-Nuts, 100s ---. 2
Instant Postum, No. 8 5 40
Instant Postum, No. 10 4 50
Postum Cereal, No. 0 2 25

Post Toasties. 36s -. 2 85

Post Toasties, 248 -- 2 85

Post’s Bran, 24s -.-- 2 70
oe

Jewell, doz. .---.---- 5
Standard Parlor, 23 Ib. 8 25
Fancy Parlor, 23 Ib.-. 9 25
fx. Fancy Parlor 25 Ib. 9 75
Ex. Fcy. Parlor 26 ib. 10 =

iy. oe ee

Whisk, me: 3 ooo 2 75
BRUSHES
Scrub
Solid Back, 8 in. -... 1 50
olid Back, 1 in. ---. 1 75
Pointed Ends -------- 1 25
Stove

Shaker -.....--------- 1 80
No. 60 —.-----------— 2 00
Peerless ~..-....-.---- 2 60
Shoe 2 fa

No. 4-0
No: 2-3 2 3 00

BUTTER oe .

Dandelion ~.----------

CANDLES

Hiectric saat 40 lbs. 12.1
Plumber, 40 ince Se
Paraffine, 6s ------ --- 14%
Paraffine, 12s ------- aah

Wicking ..-----_.--.

CANNED FRUITS

Hart Brand
Apples
No: 10 =. ee 5 75
Blackberries
No: 2
Pride of Michigan -.-. 3 25
Cherries

ich. red, No. 10 ----11 75
Red . 10 12 25

: Ee
Pride of Mich. No. 2-- 3 : :

Marcellus Red ------ 0
Special Pie ---------- 60
Whole White ~--_----- 3 10
Gooseberries
No:'40 2 8 00
—
19 oz. glass ~---~---_-- 5 65
Pride of Mich. No. 2% : 20

Piums
Grand Duke, No. 2%-- 3 25
Yellow Eggs No. 2%--. 3 25

Black Raspberries
ARS ESAS aR a ES 3 75

Pride of Mich. No. 2_. 3 25
Pride of Mich. No. 1-- 2 35

Red Raspberries

3
Marcellus, No. 2 --.-- 37
Pride of Mich, No. 2. 4 a

CANNED FISH

Clam Ch’der, 10% oz. 1 35
Clam Chowder, No. 2. 2 75
Clams, Steamed. No. 1 3 00
Clams, Minced, No. % 2 25
Finnan Haddie, 10 oz. 3 30
Clam Bouillon, 7 oz.. 2 50
Chicken Haddie, No. 1 2 75
Fish Flakes, small .. 1 35
Cod Fish Cake, 10 oz. 1 55
Cove Oysers, 5 oz. —. 1 75
Lobster, No. %, Star 2 90
Shrimp, 1, wet —---.._ 215
Sard’s, % Oil, Key —. 6 lu
Sard’s, 4 Oil, Key  __ 5 00
Sardines, % Oil, k’less 4 75
Salmon, Red Alaska. 3 76
Salmon, Med. Alaska ; %

Salmon, Pink, Alaska

Sardines, Im. a ea. in
Sardines, Im.,
Sardines, Cal. _

Tuna, Blue Fin -. 2 25
Tuna. 1s, Curtis. doz. 7 00
CANNED MEAT
Bacon, Med. Beechnut 2 70
Bacon, Lge. Beechnut 4 50
Beef. No 1, Corned -. 2 80
Beef No. - Roast _. 3 00
Beef, 2 oz., Qua., sli. 1 3%
Beef, 3% oz. Qua. sli. 2 26
Beef, 5 oz., Am. Sliced 3 00
Beef, No. 1, B’nut, sli. 4 50
Beefsteak & Onions, s 3 70
Chili Con Car., Is -.. 1 35
Deviled Ham, \%s ---.. 1 60
Deviled Ham, %s __.. 2 85

Hamburg Steak &
Onions, No. 1 -..... 8 15

-Potted Beef, 4 oz. _-_- 1 10
Potted Meat, % Libby 52
Potted Meat, % Libby 90
Potted Meat, % Qua. 8%
Potted Ham, Gen. % 1 45
Vienna Saus. No. % 1 36
Vienna Sausage, Qua. 90

eal Loaf, Medium -__ 2 25
Baked Beans
Campbells ~~... -- 1 05
Quaker, 16 og. _... 8&5
Fremont, No. 2 -..-.. 1 25
Snider, No. 1 ~~... 1 10
Snider, No. 2 ~----.-. 1 25
Van Camp. a
Van Camp, med. --.. 1 45

CANNED VEGETABLES

Hart Brand

Baked Beans
Medium, Plain or Sau. 85
No. 10, Sauce -______- 5 60

Lima Beans
Little Dot, No. 2 -.. 3 10
Littie Quaker, No. 10.14 00
Little Quaker, No. 1. : 95

   

Baby, No. 2 -.-.... -- 2 80
Baby, No. 1 -.--.-... 1 965
Pride of Mich. No. 1... 1 65
Marcellus, No. 10 -_.. 8 76
— Kidney Beans
No. 10:22. os -- 6 50
No. 5. spc ee 3 70
DG. Bs 1 30
OS 90
String Beans

Little Dot, No. 2 -___ 3 30
Little Dot, No. 1 _... 2 50
Little Quaker, No. 1__ 2 00
Little Quaker, No. 2_. 2 90
Choice Whole, No. 10_12 75
Choice Whole, No. 2_. 2

Choice Whole, No. 1._ 1 80
Cut, No. 10 —___ 10 50
Cut, No. 2 ___ 210
Cut, NOt oe 1 60
Pride of Mich. No. 2.. 1 75
Marcellus, No. 2 __. 1 50
Marcellus, No. 10 ____ 8 25

Wax Beans

Litlet Dot, No. 2 -__. 2 75
Little Dot, No. 1 ____ 2 00
Little Quaker, No. 2__ 2 65
Little Quaker, No. 1 1 90
Choice Whole, No. 10_12 50

Choice Whole, No. 2__ 2 50
Choice Whol, No. 1__ 1 75

 

ae
4
Pride of Michigan -- 1 75
Marcellus Cut, No. 10_ 8

3 00
Fancy Small No. 2 _- 2 50
Pride of Michigan -. 2 25
Marcellus Cut, No. 10. 6 75
Marcel. Whole, No. 2% 1 85

Carrots
Diced, No. 2 ~....- ~- 1 40
Diced, No. 10 ~_----__ 7 00
Corn
Golden Ban., No. 3. 3 60
Golden Ban., No. 2_. 2 00
Golden Ban., No. 10.10 75
Little Dot, No. 2 --.. 1 80
Little Quaker, No. 2. 1 80
Littk Quaker, No. 1. 1 45
Country, Gen., No. 1. 1 45
Country Gen. No. 2_. 2 05
Pride of Mich., No. 5. 5 20
Pride of Mich., No. 2. 1 70
Pride of Mich., No. 1. 1 35
Marcellus, No. 5 .... 4:30
Marcellus, No. 2 -... 1 40
Marcellus, No. 1 --.. 1 15
Fancy Crosby, No. 2.. 1 80
Fancy Crosby, No. 1-. 1 45
Peas
Little Dot, No. 2 ___. 2 60
Little Dot, No. 1 -_-. 1 80
Little Quaker, No. 10 12 00
Little Quaker, No. 2... 2 40
Little Quaker, No. 1__ 1 65
Bifted E. June, No. 10_10 00
Sifted E. June, No. 5.. 5.75
Sifted E. June, No. 2. 1 90
Sifted E. June, No. 1_. 1 40
Belle of Hart, No. 2_. 1 90
Pride of Mich., No. 10. 9 10
Pride of Mich., No. 2.. 1 75
Gilman E. June, No. 2 1 40

Marcel., BE. June, No. 2 1 40
Marcel., E. June, No. 5 4 50
Marcel., BE. Ju., No. 10 7 50
Templar E. J., No. 2 1 32%
Templar E. Ju., No. 10 7 00

Pumpkin
No. $0 5 50
NOs; Bae. os 1 80
is 1 45
Marcellus, No. 10 -... 4 50
Marcellus, No. 2% -.. 1 40
Marcellus No. 2 ---.. 1 15
Sauerkraut
or Uae | Subs ae Ne ee 00
NO; OMe eS 1 60
Noo 2 oe 1 25
Spinach
No. 2% 2220 50
DIO Re 1 90
a...
Squash
Boston, No. 3 ~._.____ 1 80
Succotash
Golden <a ga 2 2 75
Little Dot, N saan 2 BD
Little en ee aa 2 40
Pride of Michigan _... 2 15
Tomatoes
No. M0 22. 6 25
No: 2% 22 2 25
PIO. 2 1 65
Pride of Mich., No. 24% 2 25
Pride of Mich., No. 2_. 1 50
CATSUP.,
Beech-Nut, small __.."1 60
Beech-Nut, large --.. 2 40
Lily of Valley, 14 oz... 2 25
Lily of Valley, % pint 1 65
Sniders, 8 oz. -__._... 1 55
Sniders, 16 oz. -.-__. 2 36
Quaker, 10 oz. -..... 1 35
Quaker, 14 oz. —--.... 80
Quaker, Gallon Glass 12 00
Quaker, Gallon Tin _. 7 26

CHILI SAUCE
Snider, 16 oz.
Snider, 8 oz.
Lilly Valley, 8 oz. _. 2 25
Lilly Valley, 14 oz. -. 3 25

OYSTER COCKTAIL
Sniders, 16 oz. 3
Sniders, 8 oz.

CHEESE
Moguefort 20 62
Wisconsin Daisy —_____ 21
Wisconsin Flat ~~ ____ 21
New York June ____-__ 32
Sap HHSO 22 40
Beri 22
Michigan Flats __..___. 21
Michigan Daisies  ______ 21
Wisconsin Longhorn  __ 21
Imported Leyden —__.__ 28

1 lb. Limburger ________ 26
Imported Swiss —_____- 56
Kraft Pimento Loaf __ 29
Kraft American Loaf __ 27
Kraft Brick Loaf ______ 27

ng.
Kraft. Pimento, %
Kraft, American, :
Kraft, Brick, % 1! 1 90
Kraft Limburger, ?: Ib. 1 90
Kraft Swiss, % Ib. -. 2.00

CHEWING GUM
Adams Biack Jack
Adams Dae
Adams Dentyne --_....
Adams Calif” "Fruit
Adams Sen Sen -.-__-
Beeman’s Pepsin ---.-- 65
Beechnut Wintergreen_
Beechnut Peppermint_-
Beechnut Spearmint --.
Doublemint -~_~-------. 65
Peppermint, Wrigleys -- 65
Spearmint, Wrigleys -. 65

 

Juicy Fruit ~~ -......- 65

Krigley’s P-K -..-.... 65

BNO ee 8 ee 65

Teaverry oo 65
COCOA

 

Droste’s Dutch, 1 Ib... 8 50
Droste’s Dutch, % Ib. 4 30
Droste’s Dutch, % Ib. 2 35
Droste’s Dutch, 5 lb. 60

Checolate Apples ---. 4 50
Pastelles, No. 1 _--. 12 60
Pastelles, % lb. ------ 6 60
Pains De Cafe _-_---- 3 00
Droste’s Bars, 1 doz. 2 00
Delft Pastelles ---.-. 215

1 Ib. ee Tin Bon
Beata 8 00

7 oz. eae Tin Bon
UR 00

13 oz. Creme De Cara-

ri [2 inal CO See ei ee 13 20
12" oz. Rosaces ------- 10 80
% Ib. Rosaces --...--- 7 80
% Ib. Pastelles -_-.-- 3 40
Langnes De Chats -. 4 80

CHOCOLATE
Baker, Caracas, %s -.-- 37
Baker, Caracas, %s ---. 35

SsLOTHES LINE

Hemp, 50 ft. -.. 2 00@2 25
Twisted Cotton,

BO tts 3 50@4 00
Braided, 60 Tt. 5

Sash Cord ------ 2 50@2 75

COFFEE ROASTED
Blodgett-Beckley Co.

Old Master -...----.. -— 40

Lee & Cady

1 Ib. Package
Melrose 024 9
baperey. oe 17%
uA wer: oo 31
Negro <= 30
Morton House --.-_. 38
La ee ee 28
Rnpetial oo 40
MASORTIO a ee 3

3
Boston Breakf’t Blend 27%

McLaughlin's Kept-Fresh

 

Coffee Extracts

M. Y., per 100 --_._-

Frank’s 50 pkgs.

Hummel’s. 50 1 Ib. 10%
CONDENSED MILK
Leader, 4 doz. —...__ q

Eagle. 4 doz. -_-..._. 9 00

MILK COMPOUND

Hebe, Tall, 4 doz. -.. 4 50
Hebe. Baby, 8 doz. -. 4 40
Carolene. Tall, 4 doz. 3 80

Carolene, Raby ------ 3 50
EVAPORATED MILK

 

10

by 4 00

Quaker, Tall, 4 doz... 3 75
Quaker, Baby, 2 doz. 3 65
Quaker, Galjon, % doz. 3 70
Carnation, Tall, 4 doz. 4 20
Carnation, Baby, 8 dz. 4 10
Oatman’s Dundee, Tall 4 20
Oatman’s D’dee, Baby 4.10
Every Day, Tall -._. 4 20
Every Day, Baby -... 4 15

December 17, 1930

Pet; Tall 2... 3ts 4 Be
Pet, Baby, 8 oz. <.. 4 10
Borden’s Tall __---... 4 20
Borden’s Baby ---.... 4 10
CIGARS

Airedale -_-_-....-.. 35, 00
Havana Sweets. -_-_- 35
Hemeter Champion --38 50
Canadian Club ____-- od «

Robert Emmett -... 75 00
Tom Moore Monarch 75 00
Webster Cadillac ____ 75 tv

Webster Astor Foil_. 75 0v
Webster Knickbocker 95
Webster Ajbany Foil 95 00
Bering Apollos _..... 95 00
Rering Palmitas __ 115 0
Bering Diplomatica 115 00
Bering Delioses -_.. 120 00
Bering Favorita .__. 135 00
Bering Albas ____ The +

CONFECTIONERY
Stick Candy Pails
Pure Sugar Sticks-600c 4 0(
Big Stick, 20 lb. case 18
Horehound Stick, 6c -. i8

Mixed Candy

   

Kindergarten —__ okt
Leader -........ _.18
French Creams - 15
Paris Creams —_-_ Ae
Grocers. 20205 11
Fancy Mixture -_-_.__. 17

Fancy Chocolates
5 lb. boxes
Bittersweets, Ass’ted 1 75
Milk Chagcolate A A 1 75
Nibble Sticks -.__... 1 75
Chocolate Nut Rolls — 1 85
1

Magnolia Choc -_..-- 25
Bon Ton Choc. —-... 1 50
Gum Drops Pails
AmiBe oe ee ee 16
Champion Gums --_-... 16
Challenge Gums -.____ 14
Jelly Strings ---._---_. 18
Lozenges Pails

A. A. Pep. Lozenges -. 15
A. A. Pink Lozenges -. 15
A. A. Choe. Lozenges... 15
Motto Hearts -......__ 19
Malted Milk Lozenges _. 21

Hard Goods Paiis
Lemon Drops --..-..... 19
O, F. Horie dps. __ -
Anise Squares

Peanut Squares -...... rE

Cough Drops Bxs
Putnam's 20 35
Smith Bros 225) 1 45
Ducen 8. 1 45

Package Goods
Creamery lows
4 oz. pkg., 12s, cart. 85
4 oz. pkg., 488, case 3 40

Specialties
Pineapple Fudge -..... 18
Italian Bon Bons -_..-_ 17
Banquet Cream Mints_ 23
Silver King M.Mallows 1 15
Handy Packages. 12-10c %0

COUPON BOOKS

50 Economic

100 Economic
500 Hconomic
1000 Economic grade 37 50
Where 1,000 books are

ordered at a time, special-
ly printed front cover is
furnished without charge.

CREAM OF TARTAR

grade 20 00

6 ib: Dexes 2220 Neate Ae
DRIED FRUITS
Apples

N. Y. Fey., 50 lb. box 156%
N. Y. Fey., 14 oz. pkg. 16

  

Apricots
Evaporated, Choice -__. 16
Evaporated, Fancy -... 20
Evaporated, Slabs -.--.

itron
10 Ibi DOK 36

Currants
Packages, 14 oz. -_- 17
Greek, Bulk, Ib. ~---__ 161

Dates
Dromedary, 36s ~.___- 6 75

Peaches
Kivap: Choice =_--.-.--- 11
amy 26 es 13

Peel
Lemon,. American ______ 28
Orange, American -____ 28
Raisins

Seeded, bulk a
Thompson’s s’dless Blk 07
Thompson’s seedless,
108.2 3 ie
Seeded, 15 oz. --._.... 10

California Prunes
90@100, 25 Ib. boxes__.@05%4
80@90, 25 Ib. boxes__@06
70@80, 25 lb.
80@70, 25 Yb.
50@60, 25 lb. boxes._.@08%

25 lb. boxes.._.@0914
30@40, 25 Ib. boxes..@10
20@30, 25 Ib. boxes_..@15
18@24, 25 boxes._.@16%

 

 

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December 17, 1930 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN & 29
Hominy NUTS—Whole Dili Pickies Bulk HERRING Gold Dust, 12 Large 3 29 TABLE SAUCES
Pearl, 100 Ib. sacks -. 3 5 Almonds, Tarragona__ 19 5 Gal., 200 ~---.----- 5 25 Holland Herring Golden Rod, 24 --_-_- 425 Yea & Perrin, large. 6 00
Pee a: ee eS 23 - oe “ “ pas ey Ee > weed Kegs soe 95 La France Laun., 4 dz. 360 ea & Perrin, small__ 3 35
ancy Mixed -.---.-_ 22 45 Gal., 1300 -------- ed, half bbls. --_. 11 35 . Old Dutch Clean, 4 dz. 3 40: Pepper ______-_____ 1 60
iia Filberts, Sicily ~----- 20 Mixed, bbls __________ Octagon, 968 _.-__._. 390 Reon Sn ae a 5
,Mueller’s: Brands Peanuts, Vir. Roasted 11 Milkers, Kegs ________ 1.45. Rites, 0 is 2S ‘a
9 oz;' package, per doz. 1 30 Peanuts. Jumbo, std, 13 PIPES Milkers, half bbls. _- 18 50 Rinso, 248  -__,.--__- %. She. You § oe: doa. £
9 ‘oz. package, per case 2 6¢ Penic 3 ata se Cob, 3 doz. in bx. 1 00@1 20 Milkers, bbls. -----_ 2 25 _ No More, 100, 10 A-1, large z 45
. ° (iy Tapeh ala 4 © ial ena ier ae acer Nar aceite ate e Minis arse ts Vea asd AUF dian meee pets sos pant Rang Gr nL eee Cale arreans GANG ES Ga mE: yes ga care ad abil Sie negngi. SO ep eae . Me seeeeERLS ee, Sor ey
Pecans, Jumbo ------ 40 Lake Herring Rub No More, 20 Lg. 4 = a ta ee ps
Bulk Good Pecans, Mammoth -_ 50 PLAYING CARDS % Bbl., 100 lbs. ____ 6 50 oe Cleanser, 48, Per ure eee
Elbow ok 6%@8 Waliits. Cal a1G29 Restle. Axe pee dése aes aon 85 aoe
. x iy tee "4 ee ences ae T al a ieee Ss
Kgg Noodle, 10 lbs. -- 14 7 Or Ree. Yee One 7 Mackeral Sent ing Pion > 2 - a Peoreers Cece Co.
Salted Peanuts Tubs, 60 Count, fy. fat 6 00 Soapine, 100, 12 oz. _6 40 Royal Garden. % Ib. 7%
POTASH : oe : : 4 = Royal Garde as
ESSE OEE fancy, No. 1 ____--___- 14 Bapbitt’s, 2 doz. _... 275 Pails, 10 lb. Fancy fat 1 50 Snewbey- ae 10 oz. ; 00 mn, % Ib. TW
ee 00 Shelled Seca aun 7 20
Barley Grits --------- 5% Almonds Salted -------- 95 FRESH MEATS wa can Sas kee i
er -------------- 375 Peanuts, Spanish Beef We ance tle than Wvemeete @
125. lb. ‘bags =_----_-- a Top Steers & Heif. ____ Milkers, bbis “18.59 Wyandot Deterg’s, 24s 2 75
Hiiberts = 2-5 Good St’rs & H’f. 1BuaIS KK ik Kk Nosway 19 60
Peeans Salted 2... = Med. Steers & Heif. _. 14 8 Ib. pails oe 1 40 SOAP
Bast India =----------- 10 “Walnut Burdo -_------ @om. Steere & Helf. 2 18 Ge einen i
Walnut, Manchurian -- 55 Boned. 10% Gone 16 Sone nick ae ee
Veal ite, ae
Tapioca MINCE MEAT Big J
it 00 nce Wo No ae 6 Re 1g | SHOE BLACKENING frais "Nantha, 100” box § 50
Minute, 8 oz., 5» doz. 405 Quaker, 3 doz. case __350 Medium _.............. 7S = 1, Paste, doz. _..135 Flake White, 10 box 8 60
Dromedary Instant __ 350 Libby. Kegs, wet, lb. 22 22 = 69°..  © B. Z. Combination, dz. 135 Grdma White Na. 10s 3 75 Ceyton
OLIVES wan Dil- Root, dos. ------ : 2 Jap Rose, 100 box __.. 788 -°koe. medium -________ 57
Jiffy Punch i O% ie Se. doe 2 iS Spring Lamb --—------- eo tee 4600 Ge eae lite i Ge” 9 50 Conse alish, Breakfast
$ doz, Carton —----- 225 14 og. Jar,-Plain, doz. 47 Medium ~~ 13 STOVE POLISH een ae 490 Congo, Choice 273
Bs Pint Jars, Plain, doz. 275 Poor __-.___.__._.._.._ Black Octagon, 120: (22-52 500 Go : € ---- ase
Hee ne ewe eco 11 ackne, per doz. __ 1 35 Pummo. 100 bo: 4 &5 ngou, Fancy --=- 42@43
FLOUR Quart Jars, Plain, doz. 5 00 Black Silk Liquid, dz. 135 § , Reso F
= 1 Gal. Glass Jugs, Pla. 1 80 Bl a Zz. 135 Sweetheart. 100 box -_ 5 70
Vv. C. Milling Co. Brands Mutton ack Silk Paste, doz. 125 Grandpa T 0 Oolong
Lily White 5 Gal. Kegs, each —-_ 750 Good Enameline Paste. doz. 1 35 ve ea eae 2 Ie Metin
Harvest Queen -_--___- 3% oz. Jar, Stuff., doz. 135 wedium _........-.-. 12 namelineg Livsth ae 1 ce Grandpa Tar, 50 Ise. 359 Choice ~~ 39
Yes Ma’am Graham. __ 6 oz. Jar, Stuffed, doz-225 poor TTT ll eZ. Liguia i Te Trilby Soap, 100, 10¢ 725 Paney 77777 TTT 45
nase 9% oz. Jar, Stuff., doz. 3 75 oor = ---~-------------~- 10 . 4. Liquid, per doz. 140 Williams Barber Bar, 9s 50 =|) "77777 TTT Tornoe 50
Se $20 5 Gat Janu Seah. ak 2 20 Radium, per doz. ____1 35 Williams Mug, per doz. 48
. Jugs, Stuff., dz. Back eine on ne 1 35 : : Coton, 3 oe
: OV
Lee & Cady Brands PARIS GREEN Rom mdde 20 tf wale he a SPICES Cotton, a ply aie
American Hagle -_-- Butts oe eS es 15  VulcanolmNo. 10, doz. 1 35 Whole Spices Wool, 6 ply ________
Home Baker ___..___. ae Ree a _ Stovoil, per doz. _____ 00 eee ee ---. @40 -
hlatetetetatatetatetaneteed oves, Zanzibar -__. @50 VINEGAR
a Lae Pee a. ae Cassia, Canton __— @n> Cider, 40 Grain | a
oO. 2 Gena faplde - eee Solontal, 24, 2 Ib. -__ 80 Givege’ Xp PRE Go. @49 White Wine, 80 grain__ 26
Mat wine 22 7 50 PROVISIONS Bo ae em oe Gane ye White Wine, 40 grain__ 19
Gre pee 7 75 Barreled Pork in rn ee ee ‘eo. oe
One quart 2 9 10 Clear Back -. 25 00@28 00 Med. me Pai ce Ok Misct No) ges WICKING
Half gallon ~-----__-- 12 15 hort Cut Clear26 00@29 00 Farmer Spec., 70 Ib. = Mixed. 5c nkes.. doz. @45 No. 0, per gross ______ 80
Dp ’ lb. 95 Ni 1
Ideal Glass Top Packers Meat, 50 lb. 57 Nutmegs, 70@90 _____ ds) No. 2 per gross _____ 1 25
Half pint 9 v0 Dry Salt Meats Crushed Rock for ice Nutmegs. 105-110 _. @59 yy : per gross _____ 1 50
Gho ent. (2 9 50 D S Bellies __ 18-20@18-17 cream, 100 lb., each 85 Pepner, Black  _______ 41 per : per gross _____ 2 30
oo at Wi Butter Salt, 280 Ib. bbl.4 24 Roches rolls. per doz. 90
Galf gallon __________15 40 Lard Ss Sait. nh 4 s Pure Ground in Bulk Machaater a - a oa
Allspi
GELATINE Bel Car-Mo Brand 60 Ib a ee i 14. 10 Ib.. per bale ---. 1 80 Gloves Ganmiear os oa a ee a *
Jell-O, 3 doz. -------- Me a 435 50 Ib. tubs oc aavenee 4 Se Cnics _--—— peas
Minute, 3 doz. ___--. 4 05 a3 ae ae 2 o 20 Ib. pails ____advance % Ginger, Corkin -_____ @33 WOODENWARE
Plymouth, White -___ 1 55 7 ih ae i case — 2) 401% palla advance Mustand 205 @3?2 Baskets
Quaker, 3 doz. __--_- 225 92 Ib eile ee 5 Ib. pails _-_-advance 1 Mace. Penang _______ 29 Bushels, narrow band,
SURESET PRODUCTS Se Oct Gi eed oe pe Reare, handles —____ 1 75
ompow AN Se ee els, na
Made in Grand Rapids Penner ry feo o Compound, oo [io a a Pepper, White <2... @57 wood "handles. = 1 80
Red Crown Gasoline 19.7 Pepper, Cayenne -___ @40 Market, drop handle. 90
Red Crown Ethyl _--. 22.7 Suasages Paprika. Spanish -._ @45 Market, single handle. 95
Solite Gasoline -.....- 22.7 Bologna 16 g oe et, extra _____. 1 60
ee = Seasoning ae larre 5 8 50
in fron Barrels Frankfort Chili Powder, 15¢ ____ 1 35 Soli nt, medium ______ 7 50
Perfection Kerosine -_ 14.6 Pork -__._________...._ = Celery Salt, 8 oz... 95 Pint small -_______ 6 50
Gas Machine Gasoline 38.1 Veal -_.__.. 19 mee, 2 07. ——_-___ 90
Vv. M. & P. Naphtha__ 18.8 Tongue, Jellied Lieties Onion Salt 8. 1 35 Churns
Headcheese __....___.. 18 Garlic) 223s 138 2arrel, 5 gal.. each __ 2 40
Is6-Vis MOTOR O16 = Ponelty, 3% oz. --. 395 Darrel. 10 eal, each__ 2 55
y In Iron Barrels Smoked Meats ees Bouquet __.. 450 ° t© 6 eal, per gal. __ 16
Sureset Gelatin Des- Medium Zcziwwwzz tra Hams. Cer. 14-16 1b, @24 Mariorame 1 oz 22. Pails
wert, 4 doz. -_-_-_- co Heavy ———--.----2---- Tm. Hams, Cert., Skinned Savory, 1 oz, ------ 90 19 at, Galvanized ____ 2 60
Me. Heavy 2 ee 5 TiO Re arr een : A OF ee 0 q alvanized 2°85
ase Dacia ‘ried beet Tumeric, 2% oz. ____ 90 3 oF Galvanized - e410
Imitation, 30 Ib. pails 1 85 - California Hams 2. Ott iat wen ee
Pure, 6 oz., Asst., doz. 90 arine Picnic Boiled C= oe eee meee 7 A
Pure Pres., 16 0z., dz. 2 40 Hams ____. 20 @25 Free Run’g, 32 26 oz. 2 40 Corn
Boiled Hams __. 939 Five case lots ------ 230 Kingsford, 40 Ibs. iY M Traps
JELLY GLASSES Minesé Haine Iodized, 32, 26 oz. 240 Powdered. bags 450 Mouse, wecw ¢ holes. 60
aa fa Gee Bacon 4/6 ea ae ot Five case lots -_-_-- 30 Aree, eae: _ pkgs. 3 60 Mane wood. ls ag bi
Bights 2s oe 65.1 eam, 48-1 _____ 80 --
OLEOMARGARINE man 65.1 Beet Bonne Quaker, 40-1 ____~ 01% har wa 1 00
Van Westenbrugge Brands Heavy ----------~----- 65.1 Boneless, rump 28 00@36 0 Twenty Mule Team Mone acne 1 00
Carload Distributor Special heavy -_-__-__ 65.1 Rump, new __ 29 00@35 7 24, 1 Ib packages __ 3 35 Gaus ee 30
Ss a ee 65.1 8, 10 oz. packages -_ 4 40 Argo, 48, 1 Ib. pkgs. 3 60 Tubs
Trammission OH 661 Beer ___-“*" ee ee ee ee
Finol, 4 oz. cans, doz. 150 Calf 1... ~~0077777777 = CLEANSERS at Te Bie 2 ae Medion Galvanized __ 7 75
Finol. 8 oz. cans, doz. 230 Pork ............7 55 rt ecel Gloss, .8, 1s -. 11% Small Galvanized _.__ 6 75
Parowss, 100 1b. 82 ee = meee as pkgs. -_-_ 5
Parowax, 40, 1 Ib. _. 8.55 RICE eee 60 ihn” Washboards.
Parowax. 20, Te oS a ee ne er SaaS Banner, Globe -_______ 5 BO
Fancy Blue Rose ____ 5 65 Brass, single 6 o5
: pal eines pig Glass,’ single _""""-"~ & on
= orn ouble Peerless ______ 8
prunne pp as Sao So 2M See aren
Dutch T G ae Une zs
5 aro . mae Co. Blue Karo, No. 10 __ 3 83 Universal _______.. 7 pe
s eas . Red Karo, No. 1
0 art 36 rolls, per case ____ o. 1% __ 3 05
B on 7 18 rolls, oe ee a 7 a eee Karo, No. 5, 1 dz. 4 29 : Wood Bowls
| eee 12 rolls, per case ____ 1 50 ed Karo, No. 10 __ 4 09 1s in. Butter ________ 5 00
S ce 12 cartons, per case __ 1 70 1? i i onl Sear
MATCHES 18 cartons, per case __ 2 55 Imit. Maple Flavor 19 oe Butter 20 18 00
Diamond, 144 box -. 4 25 36 cartons, per case __ 5 00 Orange, No. 1%, 2 dz. 3 25 n. Butter -_______ 25 00
Searchlight, 144 box__,4 25 Orange, No. 5, 1 doz. 4 99
Uhio Red Label, 144 bx"4 2u- ss, WRAPPING PAPER
Ohio Blue Tip, 144 box 5 00 emdac, 12 pt. cans 3 00 SALERATUS Maple and Cane Fibre, Manila, white 05%
Ohio Blue Tip. 720-1c 4.00 semdac, 12 at. cans 500 arm and Hammer __ 3 75 Kanuck, per gal. ___ 150 No. 1 Fibre 06%
foliaiia 164 3 15 Mine ce Kanuck, 5 gal. can __ 6 50 Butchers Dy 06%
*Federal, 144 _------- 3 95 ‘isan Sour SAL SODA eentt ot a 07
raft Stri ee
Safety Matches & gallon, 400 count -. 4 76 qnuleree ieee 135 §0 can cases, $4.80 per case wants Lie ae te 09%
Quaker, 5 gro. case... 4 25 ° ' Michigan, per gal. __ 2 75
Sweet Small packages —-__...____ 1 00 YEAST CAKE
WASHING PowbERS’~ Welchs. per gal. -__ 3 25 oy
MULLER’S PRODUCTS 16 Gallon, 2250 ~-.-__ 27 00 ee agic, 3 doz. _______ 270
Macaroni, 9 oz. _..__. 220 5 Gallon, 780 ____-_-- 9 75 COD FISH Bon Ami P4d., 18s, .box I at coowin Sunlight, $3 doz. _____. 270
Spaghetti 9 oz. __--_ 2 20 Middles -.-.-.-------- 20 oe tinge Cake. 188 __1 6 = : : Oil ee 1% (iow -—= 1 35
El i, . 220 Dill) Pickles j= =moniate wh Pure 194% #&£zBrillo. ---------------- azola oam, oz. _. 2:70
oe ee ae Gal. 40 to Tin, doz. 19 25 a a Pare Geetha en Pete ee 6 75 Yeast Foam, 1% doz. 1 35

‘Egg Vermicelli. 6 oz. 2 20
Egg Alphabets. 6 0z.-. 2 20
Egg A-B-Cs 48 pkgs._. 1 80

No. 2% Tins ~_-------
32 oz. Glass Picked_- 3 80
32 oz. Glass Thrown 2 4

Wood boxes, Pure .. 30

Whole Cod —--.--. _-- 11%

4
Grandma, 100, 5c ---- 3
Grandma, 24 Large -- 3 50
Gold Dust, 4 00

Quarts, 1 doz.
Half Gallons, 1 doz. — un is
Gallons, % doz, .... 11

YEAST—COMPRESSE
Fleischmann, per doz.

 

 

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

December 17, 1930

 

 

RANDOM NOTES
(Continued from page 17)
carefully rolled and kept in rings from

meal to meal. Water—see later notes
—is used sparingly, even in niggardly
‘fashion, in some odd connections, and
with great liberality in others. A bath
is a function, if not really an event;
but on shipboard it is now supplied
without extra charge. But then, that
is acqua marina or, as our bath steward
saith it: “Saut Wautair-r-re” and there
seems to be plenty of that hereabouts.
Nothing manifests late advances in
ships more strikingly than this pro-
vision for ample supplies of fresh
water. In the old time, ships’ boilers
were rinsed out in port and filled with
fresh water-acqua dolce. As that was
depleted during the voyage, sea water
was pumpel in. It was common to
hear the pistons grind and squeak with
the salt after four o: ‘five days. On
the Roma there is running hot and
cold water in every stateroom, plenty
of it, under strong head. And fresh
water is used exclusively in the thirteen
great boilers. Of ccurse, the late style
condensers -.return virtually ali of the
exhaust steam, reconverted to water at
high temperature, to the boilers for
use over and over again. It is all a
marvel of advancement.

We were advised: “Don’t go second-
class. The cabins are fine, perfectly
appointed and all that, and the food is
excellent. There is also ample deck
room, parlors, smoking room and a
good bar; and a conservatory equal to
any first class of a few years ago. But
the people you meet are apt to be of
the lower classes—not so bad going to
Italy as returning—but not quite.’

That did not faze us much. We are
not greatly fearful of da peep’ of any
country. As for common, God, you
know, must love them, He made so
many of them. Also we wanted to get
away from American things and ways
—particularly American dog. If there
is anything on earth that is tiresome,
non-satisfying, bootiess, it is a ‘bunch
of Americans bent on showing the
world how good they are. Not for a
second have we regretted our election.

First, there was plenty of room: 120
passengers in space ample for 400. Sec-
ond, immediately we discovered some-
thing interesting. Work, in America,
he not so good now; and lots of these
naturalized Italians are doing what
seemed to us a sensible thing. Busi-
ness being quiet ard* work less plenti-
ful, they are exercising solid philos-
ophy. Instead of sitting stewing over
“dull times,” they are taking a portion
of their accumulations, which those re-
cent Americans always seem to have
handy, to run back during their en-
forced leisure to da olda countree to
visit relatives, old friends and parents
who have never seen their American
wives and American born children.

What odds that experience teaches
that their projected visit of six mont’
or a year will almosi certainly evolve
into a stay of two weeks? For instance,
at our breakfast table first morning
was a young American, born in Sicily,
had come to America nine years ago
and now, newly married, was going
back for an indefinite stay. His Eng-
lish was so strictly limited that I felt

_he must have gone into and remained

in an Italian speaking district. Riddle
was solved when I asked his business.
“Lab’, working man,” he explained.
That accounted for his evident physi-
cal strength and superb health. Seemed
like he must have lived with exceeding
care and frugality to be able to under-

take such a holiday after only nine

years.

Therefore the suggestion: “You
worked hard and saved, not play very
much?” Answer: “Play? No—only
once. [I taka da chance one a night.
Pretty soon, fourteen dollah gone. That
enougha for me.” Business of ample
hand talk, pantomime which might
have dispensed with even the few
broken words. But -O, boy, we thought.

Ifa you play on only one day

An’ but fourteena dollah you los’,
You learna da less’ of wisdom da bes’

For only a trifle of cos’.

Say, what a sermon in simple wis-
dom was that slight anecdote for un-
counted thousands of America’s gilded
youth—and age. It was not exactly
the slant on play that we had in mind,
but the answer gave us a nugget of
sound sense purer, heavier, more valu-
able than the light reply we might
have had from somebody skilled in
small talk. Where could one find more
complete deservitude? I’m for such
boys as that who can go back in the
wondrous luxury of a_ second-class
cabin passage for self and wife, bought
and paid for, in sturdy self-dependence,
after only nine years’ contact with
American opportunity.

The wife—Brooklyn born and raised
—that was another question. She was
not only a new wife, but pretty, reared
in our typical city atmosphere of pub-
lic schools, movies, Coney Island,
dances and cheap finery. With all
these, she had caught a thoroughly
worthy, serious aid simple minded
man, and she was net a bit downheart-

ed over her accomplishment.

She was at breakfast the first morn-
ing, but although there was hardly per-
ceptible motion any day, she was sea-
sick and remained below for several
days thereafter. The minute she was
able to be about again she wore every
gown in her Macy-Abraham & Straus
wardrobe, nor did she manifest indif-
ference to general—or  specific—ad-
miration, if any.

We thought we had a picture of
that girl contenting herself in Palermo
among the ol’ folks. Vision of the ar-
rival, the honest pride of the returned
Sicilian in his perfectly. worthy ac-
complishment—plus his vivacious wife
—his anticipation of an old-fashioned
family visit of indefinite duration with
everybody happy to see him, hear of
his success and hope for his continued
good luck—then of this shallow pated
Brooklyn girl kicking about the “slow-
ness” of everybody and everything
Sicilian and the man’s reluctant but in-
evitable awaking to the sad-truth that
the scheme had not quite schum ac-
cording to his fond preconceptions:
the hastened departure and another
dream unrealized.

At a neighboring table sat one we
called the Father of Daughters. He
appeared for days with his three very
pretty little girls, ranging downward
in regular gradations from eleven
years; a sweet man with bright cheery,
laughing eyes whose children evinced
a perfection of training not to be

equalled by governess-handled _spoil-
ings. He had the slight soberness of
aspect that comes with incipient grey-
ing around the temples.

‘There was pleased satisfaction in his
eyes as he told us there was a baby
boy below—four mont’ old—with his
mother, who not ver’ well on account
da sheep roll so mooch. He liva in At-
lantic Ceety and now taking the whole
dam family back to Napoli to see the
old folks. “Citizen,” he told us with
quite honest pride. He was clearly
pleased to feel himself part of the
Greatest Country on Earth for there
was a depth of genuine affection on
his eyes as he told it.

We saw the mother and son later.
Then we knew from what source had
come the beauty of color and feature
in the children. We also perceived the
source of their wise, sympathetic and
loving training in healthful restraint
and obedience. We have more faith
in the outcome of an extended home
visit in this case than the other.

Among others going “home” for a
visit for a year or so, until “times” im-
prove, was a jolly fellow from Nort’
Dakota. He was from ’way oop Nort’,
near da Canada. Minot?-one asks. His
face lights up. ‘“Minot—you knowa
Minot?” Assured we do, he tells how
near Minot is to his town. ‘Grand
Forks, ‘Fargo and Moorhead—his joy
is boundless as one repeats each name,
plus the Red River of the North which
flows into Lake Winnipeg, not to be
confused with the other Red of the
South which runs through Arkansas
and Louisiana into the Mississip’.

‘By no manner of means the least
pleasing feature of all this is the
simple good will, the undisguised joy,
with which each effort to “take an in-
terest” in their lives and plans is wel-
comed by these plain people. They
are tickled stiff when one laboriously
works his awkward tongue around a
few of their words of rich vowel
musicality.

Running into Naples early in the
morning, first glimpsing the Eastward
vicinity of the big city, one says:
“Bel-la Nahpolee?” Smiling, they seek
eagerly to set one right. No, this is
not Nahpoli, it is—well, what exactly
is it? “Sooboorbah da Nahpolee?”
one ventures. O, yes; you betta da
life that is it. These are in very truth
the subburbs of Niaples. They did not
know how to say it themselves, but
they joyfully welcome understanding
in the stranger.

We got all we came Seconda Ciasse
to see—full measure, heaped up, shaken
down and running over. We got much
that we had not dreamed ‘we should
have the good fortune to find. We
want no better company, no finer feel-
ings about us, than we got among that
lot of ancestral home-visiting, Italian-
born good Americans. Paul Findlay.

——_»+2—__

Recent Business News From Ohio.
Wellsville—Absalom ‘Crubaugh, aged
79, one of the oldest retail shoe dealers
in this section who conducted a store
for forty-two years, died recently, fol-
lowing a week’s illness from heart
trouble. He was born on a farm near
Wellsville and came to the town in
1884 when he opened the shoe store
and retained the active management
until his death. He is survived by his

wife, a daughter and several brothers
and sisters.

Cleveland—An involuntary petition
in bankruptcy has been filed in the U.
S. District Court here against Sam
Brink, men’s furnishings, by attorney
Sidney Weitz, representing Irwin J.
Wacht Co., $214; Wiener & Katz,
$150; Louis Cooper, $74; Euclid Mfg.
Co., $67.

Findlay—An involuntary petition in
bankruptcy has been filed in the U. S.
District Court at Toledo, against Allis
Shop, Inc., women’s apparel, by At-
torneys Ingalls & Selby, of Columbus,
representing Lish Bros., $156; Arthur
Cohen Dress Corp., $242: Charles
Warner Dress Corp., $130.

‘Cleveland—An involuntary petition
in bankruptcy has been filed in the U.
S. District Court here against Irwin A.
Schwartz, retail men’s clothing, 6217
Broadway, by Attorney Sidney N.
Weitz, representing Isaac Freedman,
trading as I. Freedman & Co., $2,348;
Rosenthal, Goodman & Levine, $406;
Abraham Lewis, $192.

Toledo—Sale of the assets of the
Oakwood Upholstery Inc., manufac-
turer of upholstered furniture, which
were free of liens and claims brought
$3,050. Due to the number of Jabor
claims filed, there will be but one divi-
dend paid to creditors. This dividend
will be paid when the six months’ per-
iod for filing claims expires April 15,
1931. The trustee is attempting to
collect the accounts receivable and
these may add to the total of assets
available for distribution.

Cleveland—An involuntary petition
in bankruptcy has been filed in the U.
S. District Court here against Graham
Jupp Boiler, Inc., retail millinery, by
Attorney Jos. G. Ehrlick, representing
Lindenbaum ‘Hat Corp., $346; Corman
Hats, Inc., $288; Abbey Hat Co., $448.

‘Cincinnati—By order of the Probate
Court here, Wm. R. Benham is con-
ducting an “assignee’s sale” of all mer-
chandise of the Shannon & Sokup Co.,
retail ‘men’s furnishings and hats, 118
West Fifth street. The ‘firm assigned
to Benham recently, as noted.

Cleveland—Funeral services were
held here for Moses B. Freedman, 73,
late president of Freedman _ Bros.
Clothing Co., manufacturer of boys’
and young men’s clothing. Mr. Freed-
man had been active in the business,
with which he had been identified for
thirty-five years up to the last. His
death was caused by a sudden heart
attack.

—~+++___
Change Your Window Displays Often.

A Concord merchant offers the fol-
lowing list of results obtained by good
window displays frequently changed:

1. They hold the interest of your
customers,

2. They enable your customers to
become better acquainted with the
variety of specialties which you offer.

3. They give every item worth
showing, a chance in the window at
the proper time and season.

4. They add to your reputation as
a -livewire merchant.

5. They attract new customers.

i.
Babe Ruth didn’t become King of

Swat by coming to bat with bleary
eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 17, 1930

DETROIT DOINGS.
Late Business News From Michigan’s
Metropolis.

Statistics covering November sales
in the Detroit industry showed a slight
increase over the previous month and
a. slightly less volume than in Novem-
ber, 1929, according to executives. The
outlook for the Christmas season is
fairly good, they say, and a spirit of
mild optimism is abroad.

‘The volume of sales is, however,
considered satisfactory in view of all
the circumstances and the steady, if
slight, increase in business is regarded
as a happy omen for 1931.

Since the weather here has been
comparatively mild for the season of
the year, the sales anticipated have not
fully materialized. Apart from two
cold spells and a moderate downfall
of snow, which brought a temporary
rush of ‘business, conditions have
changed little.

While every effort is being made
through advertising and window dis-
plays to stimulate the sale of footwear
suitable for Christmas gifts, the pub-
lic response has not ‘been very marked.

An order for sale of assets has been
entered by the U. S. Court here in
involuntary ‘bankruptcy proceedings
against the Bloom Glaser Fur Co. The
Union Guardian Trust Co. has been
made» trustee. Assets are given as
$7,600 and liabilities, $39,399 in sched-
ules filed.

An involuntary petition in bank-
ruptcy was filed in U. S. District
Court here against Abraham Purko,
retail men’s and women’s wear, by
Fixel & Fixel, attorneys, representing
A. Krolik & Co., $2,145; Edson Moore
& Co., $2.229; Ettinger Mfg. Co., $260.

Sale in parcels for $918 has been
confirmed ‘by the U. S. Court here in
involuntary bankruptcy proceedings
against B. R. Rinck Co., retail tailor,
The Union-Guardian Trust Co. has
been elected trustee. Assets are given
as $8,137 and liabilities, $22,077 in
schedules filed.

Specific surprises reserved for the
National Automobile Show include a
third sixteen-cylinder car, the replace-
ment of a four by a six in the lowest-
price field, adoption of free-wheeling
by another large manufacturer, and a
number of striking price developments
in the class below $1,000. In all,
eight manufacturers have reserved an-
nouncements until after the first of the
year. Revisions by this group alone
will affect ‘twenty-five models.

Prices are closely guarded secrets
on so many new lhines that it is obvious
they will ‘be startling when finally an-
nounced. In ‘three or four cases even
retailers are not being informed in
advance.

In the popular-price fields, every
effort has been made to bring prices
down to rock-bottom. Lower mate-
rial costs have been a deciding factor
in the success of these efforts. To-
gether with manufacturing economies,
they have made possible the working
of what will strike the public as a price
miracle.

In the field where ford, Chevrolet,
Plymouth, Essex, Willys, Pontiac,
Dodge and others give the competi-
tive picture its greatest action, the re-
ductions by Chevrolet and Essex are

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

regarded as the first trend. Down-
ward revision by ‘this pair already has
born fruit, and their example admitted-
ly will be followed by others.

Two or three more models to be ex-

hibited in the New York show will of-
fer safety glass, either as standard or
optional equipment. The thought
grows here that the feature is one for
which the average buyer is willing to
pay additionally.

The third sixteen to be ready after
the ‘first of the year will be a surprise
to many. That is because the com-
pany hitherto has not invaded the
highest-price field, although it tis the
sponsor of one of the most advanced
innovations of current design.

With the appearance of this new
sixteen, and possibly still another, to-
gether with the conversion of a popu-
lar priced four into a six, there will
be at least as many sixteens as there
are fours after the first of the year.
That estimate, too, allows for the
presentation of a new four, the Mathis,
ford, Plymouth and Austin are the
others.

The next line in which it is known _

free-wheeling will be used is ‘com-
prised of a six and three eights. Since
the announcement of the pooling of
patents whereby Borg-Warner wiil
manufacture the gearset developed by
Studebaker, the former has admitted
orders from several other manufactur-
ers for transmissions. That this means
further early adoption of free-wheeling
is the construction placed upon the
Borg-Warner revelations.

Cadillac’s announcement of 2,010
sales of its sixteen-cylinder model in
nine months sustains the point that
the luxury field suffers the least in
times of depression and the further
point that competition is less keen in
this price tier. That is the real ex-
planation of the trend toward multi-
cylinders, as Detroit looks at it.

While the National Automobile
Chamber of Commerce committee con-
tinues its study of the subject of con-
current announcement of new models,
the Detroit Automobile Dealers As-
sociation has come out in support of
the project. The Detroit association,
one of the strongest in the country,
believes that new model introductions
should be reserved for the final three
months of the year.

—_2 + >____
Could Another Food Dealer Boost
Your Sales?
(Continued from page 21)

The question often arises in the case
of such a leasing proposition: shall the
departments ibe obviously separate or
shall the two lines, meats and say
dairy products, be managed as one
single store under a single ownership
and management, insofar as the public
is concerned?

Of course where the meat dealer
agrees to allow the lessor to operate
under his own name, the former is
responsible to a degree for the conduct
of that business—for the goods passed
on to the consuming public.
there are risks unless the meat dealer
has a hand in the management.

Where the department is operated
separately, under the lessor’s own
name, a certain amount of damage is
done to the meat end because the space
rental is noted quickly by the local

Here’

buying public, who often think it is a
result of poor ‘business in the meat
line. I shave found that usually
butchers, though leasing, have found
it better to keep the new department
under their own names.

It has been found to be desirable to
make such leases for periods of one
year and renewable upon the agree-
ment of both parties. This gives the
meat dealer an “out” if his tenant
doesn’t match up in goods and service
with the standard set in the rest of
the store. The fact is that a good
lease arrangement of this kind is a
profitable thing for the meat dealer if
there are sufficient safeguards to in-
sure a profitable working plan. With
overhead expenses mounting, many
dealers make great savings and often
increase profits with little or no capi-
tal risk.

For the meat retailer who finds that
he has more store space than he needs
or than he can profitably use, or that
a rising rental and overhead is eating
into his profits, this leasing plan is a
good bet. It has proved to be so.

It is mapre profitable than to leave
a good location because of rising
costs. Henry Frommes.

—_—__+<+___

More Slants on Italian Grocers and
Their Methods.
(Continued from page 20)

So far they have come to us in omelet
form except once boiled—and they
were not a success boiled. :
But the cheeses are what I revel in.
We Americans proverbially do not
understand cheese. It is truly said
that Americans taste cheese and Euro-
peans eat it. We certainly have not
yet learned to age cheese sufficiently,
as a people, even though we have im-
proved during the fast ‘fifty years. But
in Italy every meal has cheese in or
with it in some form or connection.
‘Parmesan is grated and sprinkled
liberally over all soups, and it is show-
ered onto all the pastes which make
up a_ substantial portion of every
Italian luncheon and many of their
dinners. Then there are many other
kinds—six or more selections passed
at each meal, including the hard and

highly pungent Romano.

My favorite, the king of all cheese
to my mind, is Gorgonzola. And be-
cause the restaurant 10c portion equals
what one pays 40c to 50c for in San
Francisco’s eating places, I look for-
ward to having a pretty nice time fill-
ing up on this prince of cheeses dur-
ing the next few months. Let any
man acquire the Gorgonzola taste and
one may say his gastronomic educa-
tion is fairly complete.

Paul Findlay.
cereale i eect
A real executive is the man who can

develop interest among employes.
Seer an A re
Experience is valuable; ability to
“catch on” is more valuable.

Do You Wish To Sell Out!
CASH FOR YOUR STOCK,
Fixtures or Plants of every

description.

ABE DEMBINSKY

Auctioneer and
734 So. Jefferson Ave., Saginaw, Mich
Phone Federal 1944.

 

31
Let Your Windows Do Double
Service.

I was in a really up-to-date retail
store recently, and while looking over
the display of merchandise, I heard an
old lady exclaim in a surprised tone
of voice: “I have lived in this town
for a long time and passed this store
often but I never knew that there was
anything like this in our town.”

The thought came to me: How many
retail merchants sacrifice the view of
the interior of their stores from the
outside for the sake of having just a
little better background for displaying
merchandise in their show windows?

There are a lot of up-to-date stores
whose owners have increased their
sales by better dsplays of merchandise.
These stores are giving better service
to the public by displaying the better
grades of mechanics’ tools, builders’
and cabinet hardware on display doors,
with the stock in the rear of doors,
and using the low center arrangement
of show cases for cutlery and kindred
lines, with tables for such merchandise
as is purchased for use in and around
the home. This arrangement permits
the customer upon entering the store to
see the whole interior, as there is noth-
ing to obstruct the view.

Why not help modern store arrange-
ment bring people into the store by
constructing the show window backs
so that the interior of store can be
seen from the outside?

With this arrangement window dis-
plays should be built up through the
use of pedestals and glass or wood
shelves. Such displays will show the
merchandise to a better advantage, and
at the same time it will give the win-
dow shopper and others passing the
store a view of the merchandise on
display inside the store. Fred J. Sage.

Business Wants Department

Advertisements inserted under this head
for five cents a word the first insertion
and four cents a word for each subse-
quent continuous insertion. If set in
capital letters, double price. No charge —
less than 50 cents. Small display adver-
tisements in this department, $4 per
inch. Payment with order is required, as
amounts are too small to open accounts.

Position As Card Writer—Experienced.
Will submit samples. Married. Reliable.

 

 

 

Write to-day. <A. B. Persing, Sturgis,
Mich. 62
For Rent—Building for department

store, three floors and basement, 47 x 112.
Elevator. Best location in city. Long
lease. reasonable rent. Business liquidat-
ed on account of death. Josephs Depart-
ment Store. Fremont, Ohio.

FOR SALE—FURNITURE and under-
taking, in small town. No competition.
Address Box 131. R. D. 2, Tecumseh,
Mich. 364

For Sale—On account of health, one of
the finest grocery stores on shores of
Lake Michigan. On U.S. 31. Large re-
sort trade. No chain stores. Address
No. 365, c/o Michigan Tradesman. 365

WANTED TO BUY—Grocery or general
store. Address No. 360 c/o Michigan
Tradesman. 36¢

For Sale—On account of death of own-
er, a stock of men’s and boys’ furnish-
ings, groceries, novelties, and fixtures.
$3,000 will take the outfit. Mrs. E. A.
Lyon, Bloomingdale, Mich. 358

 

 

 

 

I OFFER CASH!

For Retail Stores—Stocks—
Leases—all or Part.
Telegraph—Write—Telephone

L. LEVINSOHN
Saginaw, Mich.
Telephone Riv 2263W
Established 1909

 

 

  

32

 

 

MICHIGAN TRADESMAN

December 17, 1930

 

Propose To Make Nasty Practice
Illegal.

eg

Washington, D. C., Dec. 13—The
Committee on ‘Post Office and Post
Roads had charge of some legislation
on the floor of the House of Repre-
sentatives a few days ago and I took
advantage of the opportunity to ask
the Committee about the Watson bill,
as per the enclosed, which I have
clipped from the Congressiona] Record.

I was reading last night in the
Tradesman the copy of the letter which
you received from Mr. Watson and
your comment on it. ‘He stated briefly
in his letter about what he said to me,
namely, that he got a good deal of
correspondence about his bill, but
when the opportunity was afforded to
those interested to appear before the
Committee no one appeared from away
from Washington. ‘Carl E. Mapes.

 

Mr. Mapes. Mr. ‘Chairman—

The Chairman. For what purpose
does the gentleman from Michigan
rise?

Mr. ‘Mapes. To ask the chairman of
the committee or the gentleman in
charge of the bill a question.

Mr. Kelly. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. Mapes. A colleague of the gen-
tleman from Pennsylvania, the gentle-
man from Pennsylvania [Mr. Watson]
has introduced a bill which would pro-
hibit the sending through the mail of
unsolicited merchandise, which prac-
tice, in some places, has become a great
nuisance. My understanding is that
the Post Office Department recom-
mends the passage of such legislation,
and I would like to ask the gentleman
from Pennsylvania, or any other mem-
ber of the Committee on the Post
Office and Post Roads, if there is any
prospect of that ‘bill being reported out
of the committee in the near future?

Mr. Kelly. I will say in answer to
the gentleman from Michigan that that
matter has been given most extensive
attention by the Post Office Commit-
tee. Two hearings taking several days

have been held within the last four ’

years. ‘The committee desired to deal
with an admitted evil and went into it
with that purpose in view. Members
of Congress appeared on both sides of
the question. We finally decided that
it is impossible at the present time to
write a law which will not do a grave
injustice to innocent parties, represen-
tatives of charitable organizations, re-
ligious organizations, and those who
send out stamps for tuberculosis
leagues, those seeking to raise funds
for churches by souvenir postal cards
and so forth. It is impossible under our
present state of knowledge to write a
bill which will deal properly with the
merchandise proposition alone, and
therefore, as far as this session of
Congress is concerned, I cannot lend
much encouragement to the hope that
such a bill will be brought out. How-
ever, it will probably be taken up again
in the next ‘Congress in an effort to
deal with the question.

Mr, Mapes. It is true, is it not, that
the department has recommended some
such legislation?

Mr. Kelly. The department recom-
mended a measure which would have
been impracticable.

Mr. Mapes. And it is also true, is
it not, that this privilege of sending
unsolicited merchandise through the
mail has become a great nuisance in a
great many parts of the country?

Mr. Kelly. I think it is a decided
nuisance, and if it can be prevented it
should be.

Mr. ‘Blanton.
yield?

Mr. Kelly. I yield.

Mr. Blanton. Does the gentleman
think it is wise for the ‘Committee on
the Post Office and Post Roads to
permit preachers in ‘Connecticut, Texas,
Nebraska, or Oregon to write Mem-
bers of Congress from other states
soliciting subscriptions for their par-
ticular church? Did the committee
have that in mind in refusing, after
four years’ consideration, to not re-
port the Watson bill?

Mr. Kelly. The bill referred to does
not deal with that question. It deals
with sending out Christmas cards with-
out an order and asking the addressee
to pay for them or send the cards back.

Mr. Blanton. The committee has
had four years on this Watson bill, and
will it take four years more to prepare
and draft a (bill?

Mr. Mapes. I want to say to the
gentleman that, so far as I am con-
cerned as one Member of the House,
I hope the committee will be able to
work out some satisfactory legislation
which will prevent this practice and
abuse of the mails.

——_>+.+___
Proposes To Watch the Fight.

St. Johns, Dec. 15—I have received
the six copies of the Tradesman you
were so kind as to mail me, giving an
account of the meeting of the Old
Timers at your attractive Grand Rap-
ids home.

From the account given in the
Tradesman I am satisfied that the
gathering was a pleasant reminder of
the days of long ago. I regret, of
course, that I could not be present,
because of the real enjoyment the
gathering always affords, and trust I
may not miss another meeting.

I notice that my letter to you an-

Will the gentleman

“nouncing my inability to be present

was read at the meeting and that it
aroused some discussion. I am glad
of that, because that is what is wanted
to-day—discussion and action—of one
of the most important situations a Na-
tion ever faced. If you read the edi-
torial page in the Free ‘Press of Sun-
day you found an article, a good one,
aléng the lines given you in my letter.
If you have not read it, be sure and do
SO, because it hits the nail on the head,
and hits hard.

I cannot resist the temptation to ex-
press my congratulations to you for
the splendid articles, editorial and
otherwise, to be found in the issue of
Dec. 10. I commenced at the front
page and read through to the last and
found most excellent food for thought.
I cannot see how “industrial or inde-
pendent’”—that is, the manufacturer or
the retailer—can get along without a
weekly visit from the Tradesman. It
is their meat and their defender. It
gives facts which all of us who are
thinkers can profit ‘by.

The Tradesman was always a good
publication. So far back as the days
when I published the Clinton and
Shiawassee Union. I clipped from its
columns and would do the same to-
day if in the business of newspaper
making. It is the only publication to-
day in the State which gives special,
material and valuab'e information to
the retail traders. To use the expres-
sion of Andy, in Amos ’n Andy, we
are in a “mess,” and what the ‘out-

, come is going to be only time can tell.

While I was in the State Bank here
we always had the Tradesman to read
and I have missed it since I retired
from active service. Think I will have
to continue my subscription and watch

the fight you are putting up for the
independent in all lines.
John W. ‘Fitzgerald.
—_>++____
Grocery Chain Versus Chain Compe-
tition Grows.

No longer is the competition solely
between grocery chain and indepen-
dent, but between chain systems; and
since all have practically the same ad-
vantages and disadvantages inherent
in this method of distribution, indis-
criminate price cutting, which was
used effectively against the independent
is merely harmful to all concerned.
The stress then is very likely to be
shifted from competition in price to
competition in service. ‘Credit and
delivery may be extended and the
number of items in stock increased by
such additions as tobacco, meat mar-
kets and soda fountains.

Competition in service rather than
in price may require finer buildings,
more attractive equipment and better
grade and higher paid personnel. It
leads to advertising of an institutional
nature, in the endeavor to build up
good will toward the individual sys-
tem. In this type of competition the
personal factor will be of particular
importance. With the chains on an
equal competitive footing, the choice
of the consumer may in the final analy-
sis rest on the personality of the man
in charge of each outlet. If a store
manager is well liked he attracts a
following, and when he leaves, that
particular store invariably loses busi-
ness.

These developments, in the long run,
unless offset ‘by further operating
economies in other directions, will re-
sult in gradually rising costs of chain
store operation. Friendly agreements,
or mergers and consolidations may
check dangerous competition.—Stand-
ard ‘Statistics.

———_>-2..—__-
A Chemical Check Protector.

Indorsing a check that has been tam-
pered with will be like signing a war-
rant for his own arrest to a person
presenting such a check at a bank that
uses a new protective system recently
developed by Dr. Julian Block in Chi-
cago. A concealed ultra-violet ray
lamp is used in conjunction with a
photo-electric cell and other little-
known apparatus.

Detection of a raised check is instan-
taneous with this device, and the ap-
prehension of the person presenting it
can be brought about simiultaneously,
according to the inventor.

Explaining the system, Mr. Block
said: “A bank needs only to have its
checks printed on paper treated with
an infinistisimal amount of a certain
chemical which does not affect the ap-
pearance of the paper in any way, and
to install a small ultra-violet ray pro-
ducing apparatus beneath the counter
at its paying teller’s window. The
chemical employed may be applied in
the ink used in check writing instead of
in the paper, and is thus adaptable to
protective check-writing machines, or
it may be applied to both the ink and
the paper.

“The moment a check made with
paper or ink so prepared is offered at
the teller’s window equipped for this
process, the invisible ultra-violet rays
produce a fluorescence which makes

the genuine figures shine out briliantly
while any alterations in the figures or
other writng, erasures or other signs
of tampering show up as dark, non-

luminous spots on a glowing field.”
—-- > ____

Gabby Gleanings From Grand Rapids.

In the bankruptcy case of Percy M.
Ellis, manufacturer of upholstered fur-
niture, labor claims have been paid in
full. Assets have been sold, but no
dividends will be paid for the first six
months, it is announced at the office of
Charles B. Blair, referee in bankruptcy
here.

In the voluntary bankruptcy case of
Abe and Barney Katz, individually, and
doing business as Barney’s Hat Shop,
180 and 30614 Monroe avenue, the first
meeting of creditors will be held at
the office of Charles B. Blair, referee
in bankruptcy, 1225 Grand ‘Rapids Na-
tional Bank building, Grand Rapids,
on Dec. 23 at 11 a. m. Creditors with
claims of $500 or more are: Frank‘in
Hat, Inc.. New York, $667; E. H.
Hulet, ‘Gloversville, N. Y., $520;
Manassa Hat Co., Grand ‘Rapids, $587;
Old Kent Bank, Grand Rapids, note,
$700; Goodspeed Realty ‘Co., Grand
Rapids, $675.

R. Engelsma, formerly engaged in
the grocery business on Cedar street,
has re-engaged in the grocery busi-
ness at 779 North Coit avenue.

——_>~2-___
Late News From Indiana.

Anderson—Rufus H. Williams, 81
years old, retired shoe merchant here,
is dead. He leaves two grandchildren.
He was born in Muncie and came to
this city when a small boy.

New Castle—In the matter of
Adolph Anspach, formerly trading as
the Boston Store at Niew Castle and
Kokomo, Ind., first distribution of
dividends was made amounting to
$20,000, or about 25 per cent. of claims
allowed to which no objections had
been filed. Carl Wilde, of Indianapolis,
is the referee.

Rensselaer—George Murray, pioneer
general store merchant, died recently
here. In 1881 he came to Rensselaer
and formed a partnership with J. H.
Ellis in the general store business. In
1903 he became the sole owner and in
1906 incorporated. His son Gerald,
was associated with him in the busi-
ness,

——__2~+.+____
Nine New Readers of the Tradesman.
The following new subscribers have
been received during the past week:
Goble Market, Ypsilanti.
Edward H. Beecher, Grand Rapids.
Park-American Hotel, Kalamazoo.
Weaver’s Hardware, Wayland.
N. G. Vanderlinde, Muskegon.
‘Milton Block, Charlevoix.
M. Guiffre ‘Co., Traverse City.
B. J. ‘Collins, Wilmington, Ohio.
J. W. Fitzgerald, ‘St. Johns.

—__2-<.__
Will Not Be Bull Dozed.

Sparta, Dec. 16—I have just finished
reading your anniversary number and
have enjoyed the various articles verv
much, Editing such an edition as this
one must be a gigantic task, and I wish
to congratulate you on its very fine
appearance. I have also read in the
Dec. 10 issue about the National Bis-
cuit Co. and Shredded Wheat merger.
It looks very much to us that this
store wil soon arrange to do without
Shreddcd Wheat Biscuit, as we are
just too independent to be bull dozed
like that. Johnson-Smith Co.