Collection: 26:8 / Topic: Furniture Industry - Collections

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1. Michigan Artisan; 1905-10-25

Notes:: Issue of a furniture trade magazine published in Grand Rapids, Mich. It was published twice monthly, beginning in 1880. and 26th Year---No. 7 ,- - --- /B ~ OC;-;~30,1;7' PGneRqAllaNf PDer ~aR~ APID>::~;. y ~~ SECTIONAL~BOOKCASES MAY ALL LOOK ALIKE, TO YOU AT THE FIRST GLANCE! INSPECTION AND COMPARISON, WILL CLEARLY SHOW YOU WHEREIN OURS IS SO DIFFERENT, IN CONSTRUCTION AND RESULTS, AS TO PUT IT IN A CLASS BY ITSELF. The Finish and Workmanship are Equally as Good as the Best WHILE THE UNITS ARE TAKEN APART, AND PACKED FLAT IN A BOX FOR SHIPME.NT, IT GOES TOGETHER WITH IN-TERLOCKING GROOVES, IN THE MOST SIMPLE MANNER, AND WHEN" SET UP IS SURPRISINGLY FIRM AND SOLID. A Strong Feature, and One Not Possessed by any other, IS ON ACCOUNT OF THE RIGIDITY, AND AS CASTERED, CAN BE MOVED AS ONE PIECE, SAME AS THE OLD STYLE CASE, AND WITHOUT DISTURBING THE CONTENTS. NEW ENGLAND FURNITURE CO. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. ~====::::~~=~J - ,.. --- ..,. .....- - Thomas Madden Son & Co. INDIANAPOLIS, IND. Manufacturers of the Best Davenport Bed IN AMERICA. Construction and Workmanship the Best. Prices to Suit All. Davenports, Adjustable Sofas, Parlor Suites, Odd Divans. Odd Chairs. Leather Library Suites. Chairs and Couches. Write for Catalogue, just out, and see what we are making. Show Room 35 to 41 N. Capital Avenue. r Twenty Million Women reading every month in the leading magazmes about McDougall Kitchen Cabinets Many of these women live right in your town, and are only waiting to see exactly what a McDougall Kitchen Cabinet is like before buying one. By making a display of McDougall Kitchen Cabinets in your store, and announcing this fact to the women of your community by means of our special newspaper advertising service, you can make many sales and win new customers. Shall we send you detailed particulars about the McDougall Selling Plan? G. P. McDougall & Son, 572 Terminal Bldg., Indianapolis, Ind. l GEAND RAPIDS PUBLIC LIBRARY 26th Year---No. 7 GRAND RAPIDS, MICH., OCTOBER 30, 1905. BULLOCI. WAltOt co. IIIHO I. OOOlII... n It. (110110"00. A Sample Scheme House Advertisemellt. The Furniture Dealer and the Felt Mattress. In r852 it was first discovered that a mattress composed of inter-lacing fibers was far superior to a mattress made from the same fibers put in at ralldom. It was at that time that the patent ,vas issued on this form of const-ruction viz., layers or sheets of material in the form of soft elasti~ felt laid or built up to make a mattress of the desired thick-ness. The merit of the article ,vas entirely due to two facts; TITst,that the process of inter-lacing the fiber guaran-teed absolute uniformity of distribution and second that to the fiber thus inter-laced ,vas imparted' a lateral or ;ensile strength VV'hichwould prevent it from separating when in ordinary use. The truc reason why this meritorious inven-tion- was not uniformly adopte.d for more than thirty years aftcr it was discovered is unknown. One thing is certain, the furniture dealers did not take it up, and, therefore, the consumer or user of mattresses knew nothing about it. \Vith the proverbial perception of the Yankee it was taken l1p by two young men who, knowing of its merits, devLsed a way of imparting this information to thc consumer through the medium of the press, and thus diverted from the chan-nels of the legitimate furniture trade immense profits which eOLLldhave been elljoyed by that trade. The foregoing bit of history sho'ws the importance and necessity of careflll and persistent study on the part of furniture dealers to keep abreast the times and maintain their patronage and position. The modern furniture dealer is the legitllnate offspring of the cabinet maker, and for this reason applies most of his 'time to the study nf woou -finishing and wood working. Few fl1Tlliture dealers, prior to the last three years, realized Lhe trtlc importance of the mattress business as a branch of their trade, and many dealers who I'"ealized this im-portance have not been favored with opportunities which would enable them to arrive at a thorough understanding $1.00 per Year. of the real points which contribute to the value of the cotton felt mattress. 1t is obvious to everyolle that a granular material like salld cannot be inter-laced or inter-twined. The ideal material for the filling of mattresses is a resilient fiber curled in the form of a spiral spring, either by tlatllre or process in such a way that countless numbers of these spiral springs will inter-lace and form all elastic mass. It is a well known fact that stiff curled hair is the most resilient, and if proper-ly cleansed, the best material known for mattresses, but owing to the fact that stiff hair which is sufficiently long to admit of proper curling, has a comparatively high market value for other purposes. Sheep's wool after having been scoured and cleansed, is the next best known material but this also can only be used by people in easy financiai circumstances on account of its cost. Therefore, the cot-ton fiber was adopted for the making of felt mattresses which could be produced at such a figure as to be within the reach of people in moderate circumstances. One of the peculiar properties of the. cotton tlober, (being the same in the wool), is the .tendency to curl naturally and inter-lace "vith the fibers around it, but one can readily see that a very short fiber of cotton would not be nearly so valuable in its use as a fiber of much greater length. Furniture dealers who have spent their life in the cotton belt have a great advantage over the northern brethren in the judgment of values in coHan felt mattresses. Their daily contact with the commodity and with the experts who buy, sell and classify it, is in- itself a school of experience. There are abollt eighty-six different grades of, cotton from the highest to the lowest, each one of which has a different price or value on the market. From this it will be seen that a line of cotton felt mattresses embracing all these different classil-lcations would consist of eighty-six grades. The fiber, (called staple), of the highest grades of cotton will measure about IY; inches in length, while the fiber or staple of the lowest grades is not over 78 inch in length; 90% of the value or cotton liesirt the length and strength of the "staple," and 5% only in the color. Each fiber of natural cotton in its most valuable and useful condition, is a microscopic tube filled with a natural oil which gives it strength and life. Natural cotton is not pure white as many people believe, and can only be made so by the pro-cess of bleaching, which detracts greatly from the strength and elasticity of the fiber, and at the same time it is render-ed readily absorbent, while the natural cotton is compara-tively non-absorbent, as a mattress material should be. A dealer should arrive at his judgment of the value of a felt mattress from the same standpoint that he arrives at the value of a feather pillow, viz. relatiVe weight and volume. A very poor pair of feather pillows might weigh 8 lbs, while a very fme p'air would only we1gh SIbs. yet the volllme and elasticity of the SIbs. pillow would be far greater than the 8 lbs. A cotton felt ~rlattress might weigh 50 lbs. and not be worth half as much as another which would weigh only 40 1bs. C. A. FISHER. 4 A Chicago Plan for Selling Merchandise. Expert Salesmen Employed to dispose of Dead Stock. BY FRANK G. LAJ:\DIS. It is a truism of trade that a Chic.ago man can sell a bill of goods under circumstances which would daunt the citizen of a less aggressive town, and no,\, this axiom has fOllnd a new and practical application. ~len who ha\'e traveled through the middle west lately have noticed in many towns store frouts decked 'with Ted and white ban- Hers announcing that all goods wjthin the place <Ire for im-mediate sale, and that the business is being closed ouL Norm::tlly there is no reason for this, be calise trade condi-tions .1r(' good and there exists no necessity ior the t'_,- tremely large ll\lmbcr of special sales \vhich dol the land-scape. But there are in Chicago seve,'ll firms witll oltlccs high IIp in skyscrapers that can furnish the sol\1tioH. These linus, which are an illllO\'atioll, and which are also stern competitors v,rith one another, have discovered a new field for workers. The schelne is to take from the hands of a COlll1try or small town merchant all his stock, or that part of which he is most anxiolls to dispose, awl to sel1 it for him in his own town, but by Chicago methods The periection to \vhich lhe plan has been brought dur-ing its ",hmt life speaks a lot for the aggressiveness and persistence of the mell who are engaged ill the diff(~rellt firms. lJEMA:-rn MANUFACTT:REll IN CHICAGO Of eomse, for the plan to bring in the $1,000 whi(~h it does there mluit be a demand for it. This demand is. strangely enough, manufactured here in Chicago. The operation of anyone of the flrms is typical of the operations of all of them, so a description of the w8y 111 which one of them docs the work throws sllfficient Jiglll upon the manner in which all of them do it. In the. office of this particuar firm the country papers are zeal all sly read. The nal1les of the merchants <ind their fll1anciaJ standing are known. I\·jcn travel throngh the states of the middle \Vcst on behalf of the Chicago tirm. They are belped hy re-ports hom the Chicago ofllce, which reports are based \1{)on the newspaper clippings and general correspondence. A man tra\'eJing for the Chicago firtn will drop into Blankville, 1a. He will call upon the principal merchant. He knows the business of merchandizing from the grOl\lHI Hp, and he can tell pretty accurately the status of the busi-ness of the merchant l\pon whom he calls. He will see that the Inerchant is loaded up too strongly with boys' clothing, for instance, or stoves, or hoots and shoes. 111 m:1ny cases he fillds that the merchant has come to such a crisis in \,vhich he must fall into bad fortune unless he can exchange for cash a large amount of goods that is upon his shelves. PROPOSES TO TRY CHiCAGO PLAN. Sometimes the agent finds that the whole stock could be sold with profit. .He propo:-:cs to the merchant that Bl.'llJkviJ)e he given a sample of the \\.'ay goods are sold ill Chicago. He does not want a cent until all the goods have been sold, The merchant docs llot have to advance him a penny. All that he has to do is to turn tbe store over to the Chi-cago men. The Chicago firm, if satisfactory arrangements are made, sends to the small tmNll a corps of experienced salesmen. \~Vith them goes an expert advertising mall. Tn nlany cases one of the salesmen has this advertising faculty. 1£ he has he is l1sc(l, and the expenses to the merchant are reduced. The Chicago people take entire charge of the store. They hang their hanners on the outer walls, and in the space which the merchant has been using in the local L papers 'with his Old stereotyped announcement that he is still in bllsilless at the old stand they place live, lip to date advertising. The merchant would have to pay for the space ;..,.nyway. Btlt his eyes hegin to open when he sees the crowds COl11e into his store in response to the new style ot advertising. CLERKS KNOW HOW TO SELL GOODS. The clerks that are sent from Chicago know the busi-ness of selling goods from A to Z. They dress well, live well in tile town ""here they are temporarily at work, and create a favorable impression among the townspeople. Their leader always is a man of much tact and he realizes <1;; well as anybody else tllat there is always a certain amOHllt of prejudice against an outsider in a small toV\.'n vvhich 111ust be overcomc before the best trad~. results arc possible. That he is able to overcome this prejudice IS one of the things ""hich makes him valuable enough to re-ceive a large salary. Tl1<'lt jhe scheme .....vhicb 11;"15 been extraordinaril.y Sllccess-ful. is in no sense a Ry by night arrangemcnt, is evidenced by the fact that at the duller seasons of the year some ont of town merchants have sent of their own volition for the services of the Chicag·o men time and time again. Vacations as Investments. I-1a ..v. many employers consider vacation an expense and a tlseJess olle at that? A pretty large number, we fear. A more mistaken idea never gained lodgment in a business man's mind. If yon pay for and expect only mechanical ;;ervice-if you hire oilly the hands and not the head of yom clerk or W01"k]11:1n there may be some possible reason [or your belief, bllt even then it is doubtful. But how many of yOllr employes can find 110 use for their brain in the work they do for yOll? Look over yom force. Note the vigor with which a clerk 01' salesman nttacks his or her work upon returning from a vacation. 50111(' of the vigor will remain for many months) Is it worth anything? asks the Business Men's Magazine. If it is of any value vncntiOlls arc good investments. Try one yourself. J t is not too 1atc,. These October days are t11(: most invigorating: of the year. Get out and breathe the frec;!l air and let the SUl1 shine 011 you. Store lip a fresh supply of vigor and energy against the trying days of winter. E-vcn if it is bllt t\VO or tlne(: days yOll will see a marked benefit. Don't make the mistake of going to a "resort." Get out where yOll call be alone or as nearly as pnssihle. llnnt where there i" nothing to kill, or Ilsb where ynl1 can- 110t catch anything. Get acquainted with yourself. Try tbinking when~ there is r00111 to think. It's a safe bet that you wilJ come back ,\'ith an appetite for \...o.rk which will surprise you. Don't \vait to prepare--don't wait to clean up your work. but drop things where they are all<1 get ont and string three or four Sundays together for the good of yom n1<'ntal machinery. The value of the name "Grand Rapids" is recognized genendly il1 the fl1rniture trade. Jamestown claims to he the Grand Rapids of the ea,<;t; Hig;h Point claims the same distinction for the sOl/th; Evansville for tbe middle "vest and J'()rtland, Oregon. style" itself '\he Grand Rapids of the ,vest." Really a good 11a111(' is invalu:c!b1e as an asset in trade, The manufactl1rers of the original and greater Grand Rapids will never permit it to fall into disrepute. And That's Good Business. l\'Tr. Snooks-To 'what, :;ir, do you attribl1te yO\1!" :;tle-cess as a salesman? .\11". SeIlem-- -Tf a cllstomer doesn't see ,vhat he wants, 1 Inake him want what he sces. The new furniture company, at Portsmouth, 0., is known as the Wait-Fuller Cabinet Company. --------- -~----------------....., This IS one of our Famous Non-Dividing Pillar Tables THESE ARE 'THE ONLr TABLES 'THAT ARE PERFECT IN CONSTR UCTION ANY DEALER THAT HAS NOT 'TRIED ONE OF THESE SHOULD NO'T FAIL TO ORDER ONE No. 340 Price, $19.50 Choate-Hollister Furniture Co. JANESVILLE, WIS. The Club Table That Satisfies Everybody EASILY FOLDED SIMPLE, STRONG Size 32 in. lonBI 27 tn. wide: 27 in. high Covered with Leather or Felt COOK'S PATENT FOLDING ATTACHMENT :~~~St'::le:t~if~~c~~~~~ of the table, as shown In the illustration. OUf tahles are made of hardwood, and covered with green felt and leather. The cross-piece or cleat on end of table keep:i the top from warping, and is so arranged that a person can sit close to the table without cnuilping the knees, The felt used on this table is of extra thickness and made special, and is much better than padded tables where cotton batting is used and inferior quality of felt. Very useful and convenient, for card parties, children's games, ladies' fancy work, or tea table. BELDING~HALL MANUFACTURING CO. BELDING, MICHIGAN WAREHOUSES-I96 Monroe Street, Chicago. 213 Canal Street, New Yark 6 Up to Date Shipping Improvements. Mr. Calder, of the Furniture Clearance House, is directing a good deal of time and attention to the improvement of shipping facilities to those western and southern dealers, \",ho have to depend upon carload rates to keep their freight within reasonable limits. The method hitherto in practice. has been for the buyer, in placing his orders, to make arrangements with some one or two factories to load 1ll cars for him, not only their own, but also the products of other factories. The loading faclory, anticipating the date of their own probable shipment. vvould 110tify each of the other factories to he illcludcd in the car, their inlentiotl to load on a certain day. Such factories as could be ready wOldd on that day deliver their goods to the car. Such as did not happen to be ready, had to lose the opportunity, or if thell- g-oods were particularly '''anted by the hl1.ycr, the delay would cau,;e a rlc1ay to those ,yho tverc ready. Compclillg factories loading together would often manage to leave one another behind Possibly the goods. for which there was not room ill the car, or "which failed to get there 011 ti111e, "..·.c.:1'c the ones most Manufactured by Bosse Furniture Company, Evansville, Ind. heeded by the dealer. Failing to get their order into this car the factory not knO\ving when another car would go, "would allow these goods often to fill the order of some other dealer. ~'1eanwhile the factory lost the opportunity to get dllpli- (~atc business 011 these l1nshipped goods. and the western dealer lost the chance to make a profit on them. TIle loading factory fol' the sake of g-l~tting a sympathetic Or grateful larRcr share of the business. loarled for nothing the goods of other factories. After it became Rener:l.l for one factory to do the loading for a number of others. it was a difficult matter to stop, even although at times it became a .7I~T 1>5' A.l'l • lwk cl-m 7 $' @' burden. for the reason that the buyer must have some method of getting his goods cheaply. Some factories, not having car loads, Or not having the opportunity to get into a pool car, or, having remnants of orders, shipped these to Chicago to he loaded out by the car-loaders of furniture who shipped mixed pool cars to the variolls W(~st('rll cities fnr a small charge. These orders Manufactured by Century Furniture Company, Jamestown, N. Y \\rOl\ld have to stand the Chicago freight, and await the o])jlortllllity to get into a car g'Oillg their way. This some-times took t>everal weeks :llld ill some instances months, th~' dealer meanwhile havillg he<':ll charged with aml having paid for the invoice. Tn times past there have bec1l attempts marie to operate a uHloading husitless direct from Grand Rapids for the benefit 1110re particularly of the western dealers but nothing evel" l'allle of it. The Fl1rnitl1rc ClcaranceHol1se, howe"\rer, ha\'c taken the matter in hand. and it is appare-'Hly quite another matter. Carloading- can be as scientifically carried on, and as carefnlly attended to as the selling in a retail store. There is no reason ,vhy snch an important part of the busi- 1less, so vital to both factory and dealer, should be left to chance. under the guidance of day "workmen. Some of the most prominent factories of the city, rea1i;,:· ing the immense imjlortance of proper and prompt shipment, are detailing their executive officers to the ,supervision of the sJ'lippiJlg room. There are now operating from Grand Rapids three ear-loading concerns. The Trans-Continental Freight Co., which loads solid cars direct from Grand Rapids to the west and sotlth, the American vorwarding Co., which load cars for Chicago, there io be reloaded to destination, and the Over-land Co .. which also loads for Chicago, there to be reloaded for San l'rancisco. The opening of these agencies has been of great advantage to many of the Grand Rapids factories, and "without doubt a benefit to the dealers as it has practically done away with the necesi>ity of paying open freight to Chicago to catch a car starting frQm there. This boom in c,ar]oading is a result of the Furniture .Clearance House, which is making strenuous efforts to remove the defect, and get a thorough system in operation. That western and southern dealers are giving it good support demonstrates the necessity of a system. It frequently happens that two different carloaders will each have less than a carload for the same city. Neither can ship until a car is completed, aggregating generally a minimum of 12,000 lbs. A combination of the two lots 'would perhaps make a full car, and enable the goods to move, hut, being fierce competitors, this is seldom accomplished, partic-ularly as the carloaders care very little for, and know less of, the necessities and requirements of the dealers who, as a result canIJot gel' their goods after having paid for them. The clearance House proposes to eliminate this, and several similar snags, by getting as many dealers as possible to order their goods shipped in its care rather than in the care of the carloader. The Clearance House thus becomes the shipping agent of the dealer, and in such capacity will ship goods by the car-loader, who il.,;ready at the time, or whose car is nearest ready to move. It, rather than the dealer, can better specify the carloader. The distant dealer can know nothing of these conditions, and apparently should welcome the entrance of the Clear-ance House into its hipping interests. There is little doubt An appropriate Christmas Cift-Udell Works, Indianapolis, Ind. that sufficient increase in direct shipment from Grand Rapids can be secured to repay the Clearance House which makes no charge for this service, but is taken care of, out of the usual earloading fee. Eastern carloading is seldom attempted for the reason that the difference between open and carload rates is so small. The present method is for the railroad to notify the various factories that a car, to which they may contribute, will leave for certain cities on certain dates, consigned of course, in deference to the Interstate Commerce Law, to one dealer. The growth of the carloading business will be watched very carefully in Grand Rapids, as it was very much needed to round out its prominence as the furniture city. Factories throughout Michigan and the east will, as well, feel the ad-vantage, since it will enable them to get to a car for less money, and also give such of them as manufacture light weighing goods the benefit of getting in cars with heavy Grand Rapids case goods, ,vith which minimum car load weights are more easily made. Undoubtedly certain local 7 factories would welcome any innovation, which would relieve them from dOtl1gfor nothing, that which costs them time and trouble, and which since done for nothing, can scarcely be criticised by the dealers when slips occur. One of the Few Good Folders on the market. ) 0 stylea of IDEAL Folding and Reclin-ing Go-Carts and Carriages to choose from. Also Doll Folders. DETROIT FOLDING CART CD" Detroit, Mich. STATION A5. Thc BOllse Furnishing company, organized in St. Louis, by Horace A. Proser and others, capitalized at $10,000. will deal in house furnishing goods. The Lawrence Chair company, organized recently in La-porte, Ind., with a $75,000 capital, have commenced the man-ufacture of Morris chairs Manufactured by Doernbec:her Furniture Company, Portland, Ore. The Troy (Ind.) Chair company is defending a suit for damages amounting to $10,000 by Mary E. Jerger, on account of the killing of her husband while in the employ of the company. 8 UGLY HOMES AND BAD MORALS. Furniture As a Cause of Shattered Nerves. "Inartistic homes ruin our manners and morals ano wreck our nervous systems," said 1-11'5. Herbert Nelson Curtis, who is earning l,er living by teaching" people how to make their homes beautiful. "Fussy, nervous looking rooms make fussy, nerVOllS people; gloomy rooms make gloomy people, and vltlg-ar rooms make vulgar people. "It I1sed to be in my copybook that "evil associations corrupt good manners,' but I maintain that, primarily, it is evil surroundings that corrupt good manners. In his essay 'On Going to Church' Bernard Shaw says that all the vulgarity, savagery and bad blood that have marred his literary work were laid llpon him in the ugly church where he was forced to sit and listen to sermons whcn he was a boy. The letters and autobiographies of great men are full of such confessions. Tf we only knew it, T am thoroughly convinced that half the people who are suffering similarly from had hlood, vulgarity and savagery are doing it from a similar cause. "Pieces of furniture are like llcapk. They have sep-arate and distinct character. individuality and atmos-phere of their own. Some have a dig-nity and llobility that radiate digniiied and noble inflnenccs to the people about them. Some have a gloom and S;1.Y8gery that spread a pall of gloom and savagery over everybody ·who comes within t.heir reach. "Probably the very worst inflncnces, howe\·er, arc .7IR T I 0'712'il pm>? 1 7$". 1n many houses where I have suggested the sacriflce to taste of some elaborately inappropriate object and been l"net with the information that its possessor's husband had paid hundreds of dollars for it in Paris, I have not hesitated to inquire whether the mistress of the house intended to destroy the harmony of her rooms because ber husband happened to buy something expensive. "I have vvorked out the theory that it is not enough that people should have growll out of their In-discriminate grouping of unrelated objects into the ac-ceptance of some such general rule as that American Colonial <lnd French Renaissance and mission and Chip-pendale furniture do not go in the same room. It is just as uagerolls to assume that you have a beautiful room because you have all Heppelwhite, all Sheraton or all Japanese furnishings as to assume that you have a beauti-ful room because everything in it is expensive. "Th'ere is no reason inherent in periods why the articles of furniture of different ages and nations cannot go together. It is only when these articles introduce l~()nflicting lines, or, what is worse, conflicting ideas, that they cease to be harmonious. "Generally speakin!{, elabnrate pieces of furniture arc most dangerot1s because they are most aggressive to the eye and, therefore, most distracting to the mind. Come ·with me, and I will show you an example." Mrs. Curtis led the way into the big parlor of the uld Colonial h'onse at Rye which she uses as shop and showroom for the antiqne furnitllre she collects and ap- Ve'lNall~ of the l'uTlliturc Tmdc-]OHX B,\Ri\ES and B. H. SPE:\CER, of Spellcel & Barnes Company, Benton Harbor, Mich. imposed b)," Ollr heterugeneously f11rllished homes for instancc. a room in an average fht. a room hIll of pieces of furnitllre, each Ol1e suggesting· ferent idea. "Fvery article pulls upon the rnind 111 a and in a different direction. ):'on are easy. You cannot sit still. "It does not seem a great deal to ask that every room. every house. ShOlllti have an idea for its basis. and yet there is hardly a hrll1se 1 go into that appears to have been founded on <lilything but chance. The rooms are jumbled full of all sorts of things-most of which have no meaning or significance in themselves and no mean-ing or significDllcc \vith l'eferece to each other. "In nine cases out of ten the first thing I want to do when I go into a room, is to take everything out of it. Take, crowded a dif-diffcrenl rest1c!"s, I L \Vay Jllie~ to her missionary work. Just swept her hand over the room with ture ;Jnd ."lain to her visitor': "No ..v.. tell me whatllrst attracts your eye." "0;' exclaimed the visitor instantly, "that French LOllis XI V. affair. It's inevitable." "Fxactly," said Mrs. Curtis. "Nil1C persons out of ten see it before anything else. ]t is striking. It is in-teresting. ] t is even beautiful in its way. The carving is exquisite and the rose'iNood as fine as any T have ever seen. But-do you think it would wear well?" "No," said the visitor turning away with a laugh, ''I'm worrying abollt what I should do with it already. It is one of those pieces of furniture which would a1- \vays look very fine if you could do something e1,"e with it." inside the door a comprehensive she ges- 1111- "I know," said Mrs. Curtis. '\4.. woman said the other day that it would be perfectly beantiful if it were only gilded. I agreed with her perfectly-and, oh, how I did wish that she would take it and gild it and get it ont of my sight forever." The visitor's eyes roved over the room, taking in Hcppelwhite, Sh'cratoll, ChipPclHlaJe, Empire, American Colonial and Renaissance articles of furniture. but re-turning time after time to a ·white wood mantel of sim-ple lines and reserved design against the opposite wall. "1 see you like the mantel," said ~1rs. Curtis. "Do 1?" asked the visitor." "\Vell, T helieve I do. As a maHer of fact, I know I do. For the last five minutes that mantel has been growing npon me and I didn't realize it. It has a marvelous charm. j\/ly eyes could rest upon it forever without its ever obtruding it-self upon them. 1 could live in the room with that mantel." "1t ·wa., put in at the time the hOl1se was built. more tItan a hundred years ago, and many an architect and de-signer has copied it since," said Mrs. Curtis. "There you have my illustration. The simple charm of this mantel has worn a hundred years. You were impatient wjth that French piece in6ve minutes. "Now J say that a house full of elaborate objects of this kind produces a strain upon the nerves and brain. 1 maintain that the manufacturers and dealers who turn oul and put upon the market cheap, gaudy pieces of furniture and force them upon the public are actual enemies of society. "The conglomeration of aggressively ugly obje.cfs ,vhich people collect about them creates a restlessness and t1l1easiness which, if not actually sowing the seeds of Bernard Shav...··s vulgarity, savagery and bad blood, produces nerves, irritability, bad manners and a hun-dred other evil effects."--Ex. An order for a Jot of dining room furniture ordered by government. has been shipped to Panama by the Ohio Valley Fllrnjtt~re company, of Charleston, \V. Va. 9 Smith & Davis Mfg. Co. ST. LOUIS REVERSIBLE BEDS MAKERS OF )\. METAL WITH Ir' .y N". 328 $Q. 75 All Iron V. net Pillars, 1 1-16 inches. Filling, 3-8 and 5-16 inch. Head, 56 inches. Foot, 40 inches. Sizes: 3 feet 6 inches and 4 feet 6 inches. Weight, 67 lbs. STANDARD RAILS Standard Reversible Rail SOLID :: .. RIGID REVERSIBLE Patented J lily 15, 190Z. No. 701-702. This rail is reversible in the true sense of the word-can be used ,eiJher side up and enables the dealer to make one set of rails answer instead of having two stocks, one of regular, the other inverted. BEDS THAT DO SOME OF OUR. NEW DRESSER.S -Ma.de in Quarter-Sawed Oak. Oval or $qua.re Ola... NOT WIGGLE HORN BROS. MFG. CO. 281 to 291 W. Superior St.. CHICAGO. ILL. MANUFACTURERS OP Chamber SUites. Odd Dressers. Chiffoniers LADIES' DRESSING TABLES to match Made in Golden Oak, Genuine Maoogany Ven ...e.red. Birdseye Maple. White Enamel Highly Polished or Dull Finish. We also mak.e Q line of PRINCESSDRESSERSfrom $13.00 up, In Quarter·Sawed Oak. Mahogany and Birdseye Maple, Veneered If yOIl bave nol re~ived onr Spring Supplement, ask for it. SAMPLES SHOWN BY PECK & HILLS 1319 Michigan Avenue, and HALL &. KNAPP, 187 Micbigan Avenue, Chicago. 10 Profit and Loss in Advertising. It is now the fashion to advertise. There ,lre :t g-teat mall,Y peorle adyenising, ,."ho are doing so simply to be in the fashion, and because, in these days, it is the thing to do, The word advertising to me is con-nected with getling- the result, putting before the public a statt'xnent, which whether uue ur !lOt, will be sufficiently believed and depended upon to get prominence or tnldc. There is another kind of advertising '",hich i.s llegativc, and might better be called badvertising, "...h.ieh is not taken seriollsly, or not believed which gains the ,vould be ad-vertiser notoriety, rather than advertisement. The attitude which some men have toward advertising is most peculiar. In all other thillgS they may be shrewd and calculating- 11101H'y handlers, weighillg lbe chances before spending, nn(\ getting 11111results before thqr let g'O of a propositioll, If they buy a piece of properly or ~(I:llC mC'rch-andise, they know to a dot just what they shall do with it. Nothing is left to chance. They take into aCOl1nt every phase of human nature: in actually m,lking their tr;u1es, or in 7lR'T'Ik5'~ ? rf{ii;;;;;; 0/ ,. ,. finds them, without havil1g to be introduced to them by someone who has to talk himself hoarse proving them to be bargains. Now that is not auve:rtising. Tt is simply yapping. Tf yOll happen to he one of the yappers, and the furniture busi-ness is simply bilious with them, sit down with 111eand lets figure it Ollt. The only trouble is that advertisers of this sort ;11"eso cock sure they are the whole thing, it is very diHic\\lt to revuse them. They are up human nature, as if advertising were a new thing to the pUblic, instead of an old moss coyered bucket, \vhich has gone into the \vell so often they know just how much \vater it will carry without slopp-ing over. The negative advertiser, who g-ets into the "claim every-tlling" rut, is like the seveuth day advcntist who knows the worlrl is coming to an end on the twentieth, The proper, and ill fact only time to argne ,,,,ith him is on the twenty first. Yall call sometimes get the car of the b;Ldverliser, 'after it lias dawned on him tbat the public is lang-bing at him and does not ta1,e his badvertising- serionsly. Vv'hen this comes to pass ... AI",ays ~ Ibe Lead are we with (lllr Low-Rent Prices, which mcalls a saving: of 25 per cent. Don't be baited .by 3 or 4-toom advertilement. such III $39.00, $42.00, $49.75, etc. Whal lhaestores adweJ1lse.!hey won'l do. We allow you a liberal credit on all goods bought of us. We silow the finelt line of Furniture, Carpets and Sto"es in the State. cash or easy credit, A SPECIM.EN OF GOOD ADVERTISING. providing for future trades, b11t when it comes to advertising tlley are 01..\( in the rain without an "L1mbrella waiting to be ,,;oaked. Everybody advertises, therefore the~' must; everybody' claims to sell cheaply and have big bargains, therefore they must, and, to go everybody one better, they claim the biggest bargains and greatest sales and let it go at tl1at. Their main idea of advertising seems to be to hire a Space fr0111 the newspaper and fills it up with claims and repetitions, and grandiloquent statements in flo,,,,ery English, coupling words -in an unusual -way that sounds well enough, but means nelh-ing, particularly if you happen to know the man, and recog-nize the maketlp. If by any possible chance one puts faith in the badvertise-mcnt and calls around [or some of the bargains, one never L he is very apt to go to the otber extreme aud insist tbat advertisil1g is a waste of money. Vcry often he is right, for in a goodly proportion of instances advertising is like putting money into a slot machine wilho11t drawing anyotlt, The public who happen to see you, know you are feeding" the mac,hine, as the publk who happen to read your ads, however poor they may be, get to know at least that you are in busi-ness. It is generally recognized now that the. old style of superfluous announcement of superlative adjectives is barren of resl1lt in the '''lay of trade, except with the class of people who are still ignorant of the gold brick The essential thing is to make the public think yOlI are telling the truth. If you are not, and they see thrD' you, your advertisement had better have remained unwritten. Numerolls stores, who are fake advertisers are successful, 11 so are numerous boodlers still out of jail. round some businesses so favorably they spite of mistakes, but the every day store confidence of the public to gain ground. Retaining the confIdence of the public is nothing morc than informing Mrs. Casey thro your ad. that durillg your salc, clearance, fire, alteration or 'whatever it may be, she will be able to get a twenty dollar chiffonier for sixteen, which when she calls she finds to be believably true and so informs Mr,;;. Tracy, who calls also and buys. If you fool 1Irs. Casey with a badvertisement which she cannot sv,:allow, you Jose not only her but Mrs. Tracy and l1llmer .. OliS other links of the endless chain. Conditions sur-will succeed in must retain the 400 Pieces of Parlor and Library Fumiture Consisting of Colonial Repro-ductions. Odd Piece' and Suites in Louis XV, Louis XVI, Sheraton, Heppelwhite and Chippendale Designs. Also large line of Leather Rockers, Chairs and Couches. If, every Sunday morning, you are 011 deck with a tremen-dous sale, each succeeding week being the greatest in yOllf history, and each offering unprecedented opportunities for depen dahk fl1rniture merchandising, or some such verb;.d labyrinth, unaccompanied by no such avalanche of price Clltt-ing as an ordinary morlal would 'be led to suppose existed, it will not take very long for the pnhlic to be reminded of .'£sop's fable of the hoy "vho cried "\Volf! wolf!". There can be no better ,vay of advertising possible than to reproduce in print the line of conversation which you use to cuslomers in the store when selling. If your convcrsation is over their head, or unreasonable in view of the price tags, or a mass of superlative hoasting, you soon ntHl it ont. \Vhy then should you advertise in such language in your ads through which lies the oppol"tunit:y to convince a hundred prospec-tive customers to ,,,,,hom you cannot talk. In furnitllre more that in many other husiness, the public bust does not demand that an article he sold for less than its value, if it did the price would he continually falling;. The valuc is not what yOll ask, or what y011t- cust0111er offers, but 'what the average sale brings. The most effective advertising; in f\lrlliturc, and one which can be repeated over alld over to the poillt of monotony ,.".ith ehang-e only of picture and dcscriptioll, is the llse of zinc etching illustrations of popular priced goods you actually ha~'-e in the store, together with fu)) description and meas-urements, a heading calling attention to the particular class of goods and a uniform footing with whch the pubic should be eome familiar. If the style is pleasing and the prospective eust0111er likes it, and the j)rice is about her size, that's all there is to it. If you say it is forty and marked thirty, it will be believed or not, accordillg to your habit of sellillg acknowledged forty dollar articles for thirty. It is generally conceded that a 110nday ~ale or a special article sale some reglliar day, is a benefit, provided always the specials be genuine bargains 110t pared but slashed in price, and recognized as pure inducements, to visit the -store. Numberless other ardcles bearjJ]g a profit will be sold as the bargains become acknowledged as such and draw. There is no doubt in the world but that the public is demanding truth in advertisements, and, while you may for a time get the credit of exaggerating when you are telling the truth, you will not get the credit of telling the truth when yOLl are exaggerating. The public isn't half the fool it appears. The public is you, and I, and Mrs. Casey, and some others. Mrs. Casey ,vants some furniture. \\,Trite your ad for her. J. C. M. CENTURY FURNITURE CO. I59 Canal Strut, Grand RapidJ, Mich. The T. B. LAYCOCK MANUFACTURING COMPANY MANUFACTURERS OF Iron and Brass Beds, Cribs Child's Folding Beds, Spiral and Woven Wire Springs Cots, Cradles, Etc. TO MAKE MONEY, HANDLE OUR GOODS CATALOGUE ON REQUEST EVERY DEALER SHOULD HAVE ONE OR MORE OF OUR No. 550 MATTRESS AND SPRING DISPLAY RACKS. WRITE FOR BOOKLET ILLUSTRATING IT .. The W. B. \;Yood company, capitalized at $100,000, will man-ufacture office and library furniture in Newark, N. ]. Warren 'Williams proposes the establishment of a factory for the manufacturer of furniture in Denver, Colo. The T. B. Laycock Mfg. Co. INDIANAPOLIS, IND. The United States Chair company will erect a factory and engage in the manufacture of chairs in Corry, Pa. 12 Beauty in Our Homes. There are few people who are altogether indifferent to the beauty of their homes, hut perhaps the majority care more abo11t comfort than about beauty, and to many the as~ociation of the familiar objects around them with the happy days th~t are past and the dear ones they have lost, means far more than any intrinsic beauty they may possess. But there is no reason why beauty should be disassociated from comfort, and there is 110 reason why cherished as-sociations should not add a new beauty to objects already beautiful in themselves, whilst it must be a gain to live amidst surroundings which please and charm the eye, and help to keep the mind serene. It is a mistake to suppose that only the rich can hope to have beautiful things around them, and it is equally a mistake to slIppose that there should be a fashion in beauty. Before all things. the h'orne should be an expression of its owner's minds, should speak to liS of them. It is a pity that so many homes should only tell us that their owners have utterly _conventional minds, and have never troubled to have a taste of their own. Someone was consulting me the other day about the decoration of a new house, and in speaking of some detail of ornament, h·e said, "But, will that be the right thing?" To which I could on1-., _'eply, what could it matter whether it were the right thing, so long as he was sure he liked it? But he remonstrated that it was so difficult to have the courage of one's taste, a "Iti so vexa-tious after one h'ad decorated one's house to have people coming in and- telling one that this or that was not right. I do not think the real difficulty is having the courage of one's _taste, but forming a taste at all, an'd knowing what one's taste is. Anyone who really admires, and knows his reasons for admiring, will not be shaken because he finds that others do not admire where he does. IF YOU DON'T KNOW, SEEK ADVICE. Yet we must own that there are many who hs,"e no capacity for forming a taste of their own, and these .1ced not be ashamed of seeking guidance. It seems a pity that they should be so often willing to be guided by the man in the shop, who tells them what is quite new, or what is most sold, or gives them some other specious reason for getting them to take his particular goods. Th·e knowledge of char-acter shown by the salesman is indeed admirable. He knows when to sympathize with a desire already formed, when to guide a vacillating mind, when to express scorn for the com-monplace, when to plead the authority of fashion, and when he may hope to persuade th-e weak minded to discover that something hitherto ul1saleable is just what he has always wanted. But if we have not clear views of our OW11 as to what we like we might at least try to exercise judgment in our choice of those by whom we will be guided. It is even possible for all to arrive at least at some principles of taste for themselves. Increased facilities of production and communication have multiplied the objects with' which we can adorn our homes. We have more things and cheape'r things than our forefathers had. Their tables and wardrobes lasted for generations, and still adorn many of our homes_ The drawing-room and bedroom suites which we buy hardly last one lifetime, and make the home of OUT old age often look little better than shaboy hotel. If we care about beauty of OUT homes, the first thing we should remember is that we must buy nothing that is not good and, if possible, beautiful in itself. Why should we want to have everything at once? It is possible to live with very few things, and these if they are carefully chosen, ""·ill give aIJ fhe more- delight b"ecallse they are few, and because they are beautiful. Then there will always be the pleasure of adding as we can afford it to OUT treasures, adding only aftcr much thought,much trouble to find exactly what we want, and so getting the fullest pos-sible enjoyment out of each new possession. The thing that we are able at last to acquire will be all the more precious because we have done without it so long. Again, anything th-at is really good will only gain an added beauty by age. The carefully kept, thin, Persian rug is even more beautiful than when it came first from the loom in all the glory of its new color. No rooms have the charm of the quiet old sitting-rooms of remote country houses, with their chippendale tables, their faded damask, their worn carpets, all subdued into quiet harmony by the passing of the long years during which they have not only been used and worn but cared for with tender love. Are there many of our fussy, modern drawing-rooms ",,-hichwill in the same way ·grow more beautiful with years? Besides, not only is it a mistake to buy many things rather than few because the thinKS in themselves will be less precious, but the appearance of our rooms is nearly always spilt by crowded furniture and a profusion of often meaningless ornament. In thi!) we might surely learn a lesson from the Japanese. \Ve arc told that the man who has a fin~ collection of china will only have a few pieces out in his rooms at a time, so placed that they can be well seen and enjoyed. Instead of crowding masses of flowers into numberless vases of all possible shapes and colors, the Japanese will carefully select a few blooms or branch'es to be arranged with the most deliberate thought, in vases specially adapted to their particular color and shape. Our profusion of decoration and ornament defeats its oWn aim and ends, by ceasing to ornament. OUf rooms are restless and fussy,no single object stands out so as to be clearly seen, there are no restful lines, no great masses of color. \\Tearied by a display of meaningless detail, we gain no definite impression from most modern rooms. Not only so, but in our town houses all these ornaments and draperies are only receptacles for dust; and as we look at th<emcannot fail to sllggest the presence of dust. In towns, rooms should be as scantly furnished as pos-sible so as to make it easy to keep them thoroughly dean and fresh. They should suggest sweetness and cleanliness at least, however simple they are. But of course if there are to be few things, it becomes all the more important ,that they should speak to 11S of the tastes. even of the character of their owners. J n a scantily-furnished room also the color of the walls. and of the carpets assume a special importance. The carpet can be well seen, and it is worth while if possible to have a really beautiful carpet. Your carpet will probably meet your eyes more often th'an any other object in your room. and may grow to be almost a friend. A good carpet may live with you all your life, and in your old age, still beautiful in its old age, may speak t.o you of the children who have played on it, and the dear feet which have trod-den it. The decoration of the walls needs also much considera-tion. Before we bewilder ourselves with books of patterns from the paper-hangers, let us try and discover what we really want, and not be merely guided by fashion, which one fears may tell us to have a paper covered with peacocks and poppies, and another year to cover our walls with brown paper. If we happen to possess many pictures or engravings, the decoration of the walls must be decided so as to make a good backRrOlmd to them; if there are few things to hang on the walls some may like the decoration of a well-de-signed wall-paper. But in choosing let us remember how often we shall look at that walt-paper, and that in most cases a quiet soothing effect of color is likely to rest us more than a luxuriant growth of scarlet flowers, or a frieze of purple mountains with pine trees standing out against a crimson sky. The arrangement of our pictures also needs thought. To begin with they should be hung low enough for us to see them. It is difficult to imagine why it sh'ould be so com- man to hang pictures high above the line of the eyes near the ceiling. The frames should be well Inade, and suited to the picture. V've' should not be tempted by the cheap and tav.:dry frames, which quickly fall to pieces and let in dust behind the glass. \lile need not speak about the hanging of really finc paintings, since few are so fortunate as to possess them. and moreover they may almost be said to hang them-selves, as it is impossible to spoil them. But in these days it is possible for almost anyone to have at least a few photo-graphs or engravings of really fine pictures, and the choice of these should reflect the taste of the owner. Pictures likely to be of general interest should adorn th'e living rooms. The faded photographs, the awkward groups, the little feeble view of house or garden which may 13 mean EO nl\.\ch to eyes that understand, should hang in some sanctllm or secluded corner. The effect of many rooms is quite spoilt by the endless photographs that are stood or hung about. often faded, dropping to' pieces in soiled plush frames, fat babies lying on cllshions or simpering bride.s and awkward wedding groups. They may' have been in-teresting once; but the time has eome to put them away in a drawer. Some principles, at least, must rule us if we care for the beauty of our homes. Let such things as we have bc good of their kind, useful for their pllrpose, chosen because they mean. some-thing to liS. Let liS not put ornament for the sake of orna-ment, a meaningless addition to something that would be more useful with'out it.-Ex. Good Samples of Advertising by Prominent Retail Firms . .--'=Wi ~~~~ gg[illiBABJ8~ BBBBBBBBBBB STUPENDOUS OFFERING.OF FIVE (S)kJOBBERS' BBBBBBeBe8£1B1BBB88B8B8 Sample FurnIture Sloe s 88888888888 • • 8888888888B AIPraellcan Ball e 88BBBBBBB88 Tomorrow, Monday Mornin8, at 8 O'Clock, We Shall Place on Special Sale Exactly 197 Pieces of Altogether Desirable Furniture, Manu-facturers'Samples, FromThe Factories of the FollowinSWell Known Manufacturers of High Grade Furniture: IRED c. GENGE COMPANY JNO. WlDDICOMB COMPANY BANDEBOBoalASE CQMJtAIt'Y BAlLEY.JONE9 COMPANY NATIONAl. PARLOR FURNtTUllE. COMPANY T1l& CI/l.TfERS" COMl"AIIY ImIlUY li. GAt tIJJi!UlOHl COMPANY The Goods wUI be found conveniently Displayed in our FIrat Avenlle Show WindOM and Sixth SIreet Main Floor, Each Piece Plainly Marked with Ibe Regular PrIce, also the Special Sale PrIce. BBBBB8BB BBBBBBBH ~u~~n BBBBBBBB TH N N Our USUlI.lTenD.!. Ap.~I.Jj 'I1.Z .• "l't\OM l'trllU-. wl!.ellltr "~ C"'~11ur S<;.lltl1wf;d P"'~Il\f;M"'. "'\W:I!. ..,tll But SUU tllit ln4l.laal Qm..eg,. ltllCt of &ll~1I. Pllrl:bl$er. We Appelld ComplelO:: LI81, a.do OllJ~ willh lb!ll, Instead or 19i P'le~5. Iben we,.. Tell1'UDe", TllatNItlllHr; HI JI b Dutleull,lD the",e limU. of P'rosptrb,.lo gtl bold of aDJ larile amount or Goo(1$ undtr Price:. 1\ 1,5Neeliltll8, Wli lru&l, let IIlale thll W. Sulogs. as In(lLcattd.art klouL New England Furniture CompanY, Minneapolis. Peoples' Outfitting Company. Indianapolis. 14 fIR.'T' IIS'7I~ 2 3 r. BISSELIJS BRANCHES, 2.5 Warren St., 18 Pearl St" NEW YORK. TORONTO. LONDON. PARIS. Is the only carpet sweeper on the market sold at fixed retail prices, and the value of this policy [0 the dealer in making his profits both good and secure, is well understood by the trade generaJly. One large retailer said to a certain manufacturer recently: ''If you will agree to maintain a nJ:ed selling price, J wiJ) buy a carload, but 1 will not put a ten cent piece in your goods if later I may have to sell tbem without profit, to meet competition. " Here is a strong endorsement of OUT price maintenance policy, and is precisely what we have advocated for over twenty years. A fixed. retail price is all that guar-antees to the dealer profit in the sale of a commodiiy. Please remember the Bissell is tbe ONLY sweeper sold under a c.arefulJy devised and rigidly enrorced ptice mainte-nance policy. Bissell Sweepers are sold at the following fixed retail prices. "Grand Rapid." (Japan) . .. .. (Nickle) .. "Gold Medal" _ __ ::Supe,:!or, .. Prize. . . ::Welcom~:' Boudoir. .....". "Prem.ier." .:ldea1o'· - _ i . American Queen, ..,' . "Elite." _.. ._ . ::Parlcr Qu.~en"'_ ..8up.!n·~~, . Grand •............ "Club," "Hatl.·· . __$250 .........3..00 .300 . __ .. 300 ...............3 00 300 350 300 ._3 25 . 360 . 375 .........400 ...._ 0 00 . 450 . _6 00 .... 750 In the extreme western and southern states our fixed retail prices are fifty cents higher than those given above. Write for oW' special Christmas offer, the most liberal we" have ever made. Bissell Carpet Sweeper Co. Grand Rapids. Mich. (Largest sweeper makers in the world. Established 1876.) OUR NEW CATALOGUE SHOWS A MOST COMPLETE ASSORTMENT OF Dressers and Chiffoniers In QUARTERED OAK MAHOGANY VENEER BIRDSEYE MAPLE CURLY BIRCH Not a Sticker III the Line LIBERTY FURNITURE CO. JAMESTOWN, N. Y. Northern Line The Line of MANY GOOD QUALITIES The Dealer who possesses one of our. Catalogues and is Familiar with their Contents is reaping the reward in Profits Sells along the "Lines of Least Resistence" FULL'SWELL W rite For Catalogue Plate IS.d2 Top 22x40 Fillighed Golden Oak, While Maw. lmilation Mahogany Northern Furniture Co. Office 830 South Water Street, Sheboygan, Wis. Manufacturers Of Bed Room Furniture Dining Room Furniture and Kitchen Furniture Northern Furniture Co. SHEBOYGAN, WIS. FULL SWELL Plale 12x18 Top 19x32 Finisbed in Colden 01\11., While Mapl~. l.wtillion MahOlilany I" THE ONLY CASTER CUP THAT Will HOT MAR OR SWEAT A New Caster CUD, a Furniture Protector and a Rest We guarantllte perfect satis-faction. We know we have th~ 0tI1y oeri"ect cuter cup ever made. This cup is in two sizes, as follows: 2~ inch and 3 Inch, and we usetbe cork bouom. You know the rest Small size., $3.50 pet 100 Large size, 4.60 per 100 Try it and be convinced. F O. B. Gm.nd Ra.pids. Ollr Concave Bottom Card Block does not touch the sur-fate, bUl upon the rim, permit. ting a circulation of air under the block, thereby preventing moisture or marks of any khld. Tbls is the onl}' card block of its kind on the market. Price $3.00 \J9I' 100 Grand Rapids Casler CUPCo., 2 Pa,' ... d A'a .• Grand Rapids, Mich. AIS/) can be bad at LUSSKY. WHITE & COOLIDGE, 111-113 Lake St., Chicago Morton House American .....Plan Rates $2.50 and Up Hotel Pantlind Rates $1.00 and Up European ......Plan The Noon Dinner Served at the Pantlind lor 500 is the fiNEST IN THE WORLD J. BOYD PANTLIND. P....p. Tbe New "PERFE.CT" FOLDING CHAIR PATl!NTKD OCT. 2{)',19Q3. Comfortable Simple Durable Neat The Acme of Perfection ill the line uI Folding Cbairs. PERFECT COMP....CTNESS wben fQlded. Hard maple, natural finish. WRITE FOR PRICES. OM PEABODY SCHOOL FURNITURE CO. No. 51 North Manchester, Indiana fOUR TRAINS C" Ie "60 TO AND FROM '" Lv Gd. Rapids 7:10am Ar Chicago- J:lSpm Lv Gd. Rapids 12:05nn Ar Chicago 4:50pm Lv Gd, Ra~ids 4:25pm daily Ar Chicaa-o 10:55pm Lv Gd. Rapids 11:30pm daHy Ar Chicago 6:55am Pullman Sleeper, open 9:00pm Oll 11:30 pm train every day. Cafe service on aU day trains. ~rvke a hi. ~rte. Pere Marquette Parlur cars on all day trains. Rate reduced to SO cellts. •T"REE TR41NS DETROIT TO AND fROM Leave Grand Rapids 7:10 am Arrive Detroit 11:55 am Leave Grand Rapids 11:25 am daily Arrive Detroit 3:25 pm Leave Grand Rapid, 5:20 pm Arrive Detroit lO:{l5PIlI Meals served a' Ill-carte on trains leaving Grand Rapids at 11:2.5am a.nd 5:~ pm. Pen Ma~qnette Parlor Cars on all trains; seat rate, 25 cents. "ALL OVER MICHIGAN" H. J. GRAY, DISTRICT PASSENGER AGENT, PHONE t 168 Grand Rapids, Mich. Oliver Bros. Company LOCKPORT. N. Y. AU Hlib Grade Bra •• aDd lroD /BEDS Chicago Salesroom!' moved to Fumi-ture Exhibition Building, J411 Michi-gan Avenue New VOTk Salesroom, 125 E. 42d Street. F_ M. RA~DALL IF VOU DON'T ViSiT THE: MARKETS OUR CATALOGUE WILL INTERRST YOlT. QUARTER-SAWED IN~~~~OAKVENEERS CHOICE FIGURE: :: E:XTRA. WIDTHS When writing for prices, mention widths required and kind of :figure preferred. HOFFMA·N BR..OTHERS CO. Fort Wayne .• .• .. Indiana ROCKFORD UNION FURNITURE CO. ROCKFORD, ILL. Buffets, Bookcases, China Closets We lead in Style, Construction and Finish. SEE OUR CATALOGUE, neOij S(~midtI (0. tlopkilUl ud ftarrlet SU. Clodonall, 0 UPHOlSTEREO FURNITURE .oa LODGE AND PULPIT. PARLOR LIBRARY, HOTEL AND CLUB ItOOMS. MEN AT THEIR BEST AFTER FORTY. Many Responsible Places Filled by Men in Middle Life That Young Men CouId Not Occupy. Should a man he relegated to the backgrOll11d after having passed the age of 45 years? Perhaps you are one of the many who concur in this belief. If so, 1 am sure I shall cOtwincc you that the healthy man of 45 is better physically, mentally, and morally than the man twenty years his junior. 1'\'fyattention wa!'; called to all advertisement ill the want column of a newspaper to-day: SQLTCITOR \VANTED- --As assistant to Inanager; must be under 40; position of responsibility; good wages, etc. r claim that the man who depends 011 his brain for bis living and has been on earth for forty-five years conld, providing he is pOi'isessed of that peculiar ability that cotliititutcs a solici-tOf, fiJl the ahove position to perfection, and to better advan-tage than the man under 40 years of age, because a Illall 40 years of age is in the prime of life. He has twenty long years still before hin1 that he can de.- vote to business. He has the advantage of a much larger ex-perience than the younger man. He has enjoyed a splendid education (perhaps not theoretically), as thorough as the young man, but by attending that great school of learning, Style Louis XIII. practical experience, and grinding away side by stele with the experienced business man, he is in my opinion a far better salesman than the young fellow, who usually thinks he knows it all. Older Man Has Advantage. The youngster may be a great talker, and at times grow eloquent. H o-wever, the man at 45 and older has the judg-merit, and useii strategy in order to secure business, and is not so liable to make the mlstake of talking too muc.h. The old fellow can effect a sale often when the young fellow fails, because his experience has taught him to llse diplomacy. Ii his customer by taking the opposite view in an argument be-hap- s on religion or politics, the old sa\eslnan Joes not differ from his customcr's views, but deftly leads him hack again and secures the order. The yOll11ger man often antagonizes his customer by taking the opposite view in an argument be cau;;e he TC:alizes that he is right. Experience has tallght the old time salesman that although his prospective customer may he making an ass of himself he ShO~lld not inform him of that fact. but when the time comes will present the contract and. secure his signature. The man at 45 should not he relegated to the background, for he is a better worker than the yotlng man. T-T c tlsl1a!ty loves his work and puts his heart and soul into it. The people he comes in contact with place more confLdencc in his state- 17 ments than they do III the younger and inexperienced man. The man at 45 has finished sowing his wild oats; he carries himself with more dignity than the younger man. He is possessed of too much sense to approach a customer with a cigar in his mouth or with a whiskey breath. Sense of Duty Grows With Age. You will seldom fmd the man of 45 years of age shirking his duty; yon witl not so often find him at the matillee, orat a game of ball, or at the races, when there is work to do. Tn fact, the man of 45 is far more reliable than the man under 40, alld should be given the preference, as he can read-ily demonstrate that he l1sually eaf11S more than h~ is paid, To demonstrate the truth of the above, I shall relate a re-cent expericnce that occmred in my life. Last January I was residing in the state of Ohio. and decided to locate in Chi-cago, as the opportunities in the metropolis of the west were, according to my ideas, better for a man at 45 with ability than they would be in a smaller city. Upon leaving my former home I informed friends that [ was confident that with my thirty years of experiente as a salesman and solicitor .r would filld no diffiCtllty in obtaining employment and be able to provide for my familv as good and even better than heretofore. Learning that several of the bm;iness colleges were 111 need of a good solicitor, I offered my services to the principal of a college that had a good reputation. My duties were to en-roll students by seiling certificates of education or scholar-ships to tlH'. yOHng people, or rather their parents or guard-f" OUNDED lAA8 Reduce Your StockII at a good profit or selt en-tire stock at cost. "T"QNEW·IDEA MEN" 460 Monon BI'd'g CHICAGO SALES MA~A.GERS WRlTE FOR TERMS. lans. The salary was good, and I commenced WOrk on a trial of three months. The class of work is mostly house work, or calling on families. It requires strict application to business, and also necessitates calling- at night after working hours. I fOllnd competition in the city was fierce, but believed my schooi was the best on earth and told the people so; the result was that r "made good" hy "delivering the goods." Man Over 40 "Makes Good." The management appreciated my efforts by increasing my salary and making n. long contract with me. Now, this was accomplished nnder difficulties, as I did not know one street from the other, and, of conrse,was compelled to familiarize myself with my territory and the city. The col-lege I represented employs a number of other solicitors who are YOllnger than I, all experienced with the work and city. Now, in working side by side with these men, all good faith-ful workers, I, whom some people wanted to put away on I.he shelf, made as good a record as the best solidtvr, and in less time than it required the younger men tda~complish the same amount of work. I have no hesitancy in saying that my age is a great factor in my work. No matter what his calling, man, like good wine, improves with age, Lyman G. Bloomingdale, the installment dealer in hons(' fllrnishing goods, \vho died in New York recently, not only provided well for his family in his will, but a patronage in perpetuity of the Metropolitan Musenm of Art. By thi,,:; act his memory vv-ill be remembered and cherished long after tl1e mOllument that marks his grave shall have crum-bled to dust. ,....---- - 18 ESTABLISHED 1880 PUBLISHED BY MICHIGAN ARTISAN CO. ON THE: 10TH AND 25TH OF" EACH MONTH OF"F"fCE-2-20 LYON ST .. CRAND RAPIOS, MfCH. ENTERED .loa MHTER O~ THE 8ECOND CL.o.SS Because he vetoed an act of the Wisconsin legislature reducing the amount of garnishment exemption from $6 to $30 a month. Governor La Follette was severely censured by the three hundred merchants, assembled in convention, in Milwaukee recently. The association has 5,000 members but as La Follette will soon take a seat in the senate of the United States fot six years, he need'TIt fear the vengence that would naturally find expression at the polls. Oh yes, there will be an exposition of furniture in Grand Rapids in January. The local manufacturers will show one of the-ir "largest and best" collection of lines, "e ...e.r produced." Out-of-town manufacturers are deter-mil, ed to obtain a share of the business and have leased every available foot of space in the city_ The lines from High Point, from Gallipolis, from Holland and from Owosso, in which towns the "one exposition" OT "no exposition," idea took strong foot, will be shown as usual. The retailers of house furnishing goods in Columbus, 0., through their secretary, have engaged a number of prominent business men to deliver addresses to their association from time to time during the winter. The topics selected by the speakers are of interest to every business man. H. M. Patton of the freight department of the "Big Four" will discuss "Freight Claims;" F. L. Schneider, a bank cashier, "Modern Banking in Relation to the Merchant;" the g{'neral freight agent of the TOledo and Ohio Central railroad, "Freight Rates and Classifi-catlOn of Merchandise;" Henry Bahl, "Return of Personal Pro-perty for Taxation." A hint to the other trade organizations is furnished in the above. Thc "cute" little gentleman who was so busily engaged for a time in mailing unsigned letters to the manufadurers of fur-l1itl1re presenting "arguments," if his peculiar statements might, by a stretch of courtesy, he called such against a continuance of the furniture expositions seems to have hroken his typewriting machine and given up his self-imposed task. E..i.d.ently he has learner! that the men who buy the goods would not COllsentto the abolition of the expositions; furthermore, that the manufacturers of Grand· Rapids wilt ever have fresh, clean and attractive lines to offer so long as the dealers may desire to con-tinue c011'ing to the market. The "cute" little gentleman may find consolation in the fact that if the manufacturers shaH con-tinue to show their lines in the exposition, it will not be his fault. \Vho pays thc costs of the expositions, anyway? Not the l11anufacturers, nor the retailers. Th('. C011sumerpays thc entire cost. Reducing Retail Stock. On another page considerable space is given to a new plan for clcaningottt unsalable goods and reducing stocks originated and carried on bya firm of experienced and suc-cessful salesmen, having their headquarters in Chicago. G. E. Stevens, of Stevens & Co., of the firm recently discttsserl the plan in a reCe.nt issue of one of the newspapers of Chi-cago, as follows: "Merchants who win success in country town:" and small cities do so through wide awake management and seldom through luck. Tf a m~rchant goes to sleep his clerks fol-low suit, then the stock joins in and degenerates to what is termed "stickers," and they stick to him until the day of his funeral or failure. The wide awake merchant will not allow his stock to become cozy corners and reception seats for the prowling dw:;t or sleepy clerks. He installs the spirit of life and vim in his derks, who in turn interest themselves in the stock, customers, and affairs in general of their different depart-ments or sections. The clerk's delight is to be kept bllsy waiting on trade, no matter if his sales amount to $10 for the day. It is joy to them even if their interest in the same merely equals $1 of the 101 and $T as a day's pay. The wide awake merchant in these days of modern mer-chandising finds it policy to put on a little extra burst of speed and steam in order to keep his clerks busy, partly be-cause of competition with local merchants, and partly be-cause of the great supply houses at Chicago, which are pro-selyting a part of the trade from all merchants in all sec-tions of the country. The enterprising merchant should use every means in his pOwer to keep his clerks busy, In order to do so and to combat successfully with conditions as they exist today he must fire his strongest ammunition over the heads of his competitors into the ranks of the ~onsumers. He also should reduce his stock twice a year, then fill in with new goods, fresh from the great wholesale houses. The art of reducing stocks of merchandise to the extent it should be is an art indeed, and diffie-nIt to accomplish, although many merchants succeed in this without calling upon the specialists in this line of work. Most merchants, however, find it pradicable to employ the services of an ex-pert with new ideas for moving stock quickly and surely. There are some very clever men engaged in this business. It behooves the merchant to procure the best services ob-tainable, as like all other business, novices will crowd in with loud claims of ability, etc. The best in this line is a power for good to the merchant and should be seriously con-sidered. The business of reducing stocks is positively legitimate, and everyone along the line of action profits through their operations, more especially so in case such as frequently come under our notice in a business way. For example; When a merchant is heavily jn debt and his stock represents his entire capital, or he cannot call in his outside invest~ ments to meet his obligations to the wholesalers. bankers, etc. Instead of hanging on the ragged edge of failure for some timc and eventually going into bankruptcy the wide awake merchant will employ an exper"t to sell enough of his stock at a. small profit or cost to payoff his creditors. This is a benefit to all parties concerned, arid adjusts matters nicely without legal intervention. The merchant's patrons or his competitors are not neces-sarily obliged to know the reason for this heavy sale of stock. The clerks, the traveling salesmen (the jolly knights of the road), the credit man, the wholesalers, the jobbers and bankers are naturally pleased with an adjustment of this nature. Further particulars in regard to the plan may be obtained by persons interested, by addressing Stevens & Co., Chicago. Wabash, Ind. Vlabash, Ind.-The Wabash Cabinet company, manufac-turers of office filing devices, have purchased of J. H. Stig-gleman the sole right under his patent to manufacture the Stiggleman sectional -bookcase, B. Walter & Company, manufacturers of table slides, have had a good year of business. While the trade during two of the summer months was quiet, the year as a whol~ has been satisfactory. Retting Furniture Co. Successors to RETTrNG & SWEET 3 B Strut Grand R8pids Michigan FINE Parlor Furnitur, Odd Chairs, Divans, Co-lonial Sofas, Library Suits, Morri, Cbairs The moat appropriate de:rigns, best materials. construction and Jinish. lodge furniture. Club Furniture Pulpit Furniture Design8 and eslimatea furnished fot Fine Ordered Work. CatalollUe of Lodge and Church F umiture on app]ic>ltion No. 1607 --------- Makel"llaf -------'--- LADIES' PARLOR DESKS, MUSIC CABINETS, LIBRARY BOOKCASES, HOUSE FURNISHINGS FURNITURE SAMPLE ROOMS, NEW YORK OTY-New York Furniture ExchaIllle. 428 Lexington Avenue, Fifth Floor, Space 33, in charge of Eastern Representative, Geo__C. [}Yet. CHICAGO-Furniture Exhibition Building, Fourth Floor, in charge of Roth & Sullivan. THE U DEL L W OR K S INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA .I WRITE FOR CATALOGUE .... 19 TheA. C.NORQUIST CO. ==============JAMESTOWN, N.Y.============== DRESSERS AND CHIFFONIERS In Plait! dnd !Z.fJ4rtered Oak, Mahogany and Birdseye Map!e. PERMANENT EXHIBITS -----AT------ Chicago and New York MANUFACTURERS OF 20 Strong Construction has been the ATLAS hobby for twenty years. Some of the most ex-acting buyers in the country have been con-tinuous purchasers of A'ILAS goods during all of that period. This demonstrates that the designs and prices have always been "right," as well as indicating satis-factory and pleasant business relations. ATLAS FURNITURE COMPANY, Jamestown, N. Y. A Stub-Toed Truth This is the Famous Rockford Line, That shows the spirit of the time; That gives the merchant joy and ease Because it's made to always please. It's full of perfect Art in wood Pronounced by every critic good. The finish shines like polished glass, And outwears any of its class. Ws merit's sung from shore to shore By those who use it more and more, You're kindly asked to join the thrung, So let your orders come along. The Music is in Our New Catalogue. Ask for it Will AIzo be SUlI{lby OUt Jolly SaJes;men Parlor Cabinets Musie Cabinet. Dinlns Cabinets H,,11 S.... ts Hall Racks Framed Mirror. ROCKfORD. ILL. Sh"vlng Stands Cheval Mirrors Dressing Tables Dressing .Cba.irs With Pal.eLll Adiuetahle Mirroq, DOCftfOfiO fDAnr AnD flXTUfir (0, ROCkFOR.D. ILL. No. 99 Reclining Rocker Anol~er "American" Yiclor~ is the Triumph of our "SIMPLY PULL UP THE ARMS" A TRADE: Our BIG CATALOG fol' yOur Little Postal No. 19 /\.fusion Rocker Prices and Good. "will do the rest" '%- rnf AMfDlun mAID (ONPAnr Seymour Indiana A TRADE:. Our BIG CATALOG for your Little Postal No. 124 library Chair 71R T I k.5' A.I'l smiqi 1 "5 $ 7: • "Wylie" Adjustable Chairs and Rockers Leading Retailers are sendimg in re-orders daily for the UNGER IMPROVED HIGH CHAIRS Mothers will ~Iadly pay 25c more for the protection afforded their babies. Cost to you only 8%3c over the old style. Order a few Il8 a starter and you win do the High Chair business 01 your city. Any of these electrotypes furnished with each order upon application. Patents granted and pending in the U. S. and Foreign Countries Showing how the children slide down and ont of the old style chair. Showing High Chair Tablewith Guard attach ed Showing how the child cannot possibly slide out or sland up in chair. If your manufacturer (loes not make th~m, order from 1\lURPHY CHAIR CO. Detroit, :Mich. AMERIC'N GO-CART Co Detroit', Mich. \VALDCUTTER & Co. Toledu, O. E. L. THOMPSON & Co. Baldwinsville, :'vIass. NICHOLS & STONE, Gardner, Mass. The]. S. FURD& JOHNSON CO. Chkago. G~:o. SPRATT & Co. Shd>oy~all, Wis. BUCKSTAFF, EDWARDS & Co. Oshkosh, Wis. Canada Furniture Manufacturers, Lid.. Toronlo, Onl; _____ ---.:.A::"::y::"::'::lh::'::'''--ew:ill see your wants supplied. I. UNGER, Patentee. Iron Mountain. Mich. 21 22 ~MIfrIG7!N The High Reputation of the Alaska Refrigerator IS SUSTAINED BY ITS MERITS ONLY ===='=::;;;==== Economy, simplicity and dnrability are combined to make a PERFECT REFRIGERATOR. When in the market let ns hear from you and we will be pleased 10 mail catalogue and quote prices. The ALASKA REFRIGERATOR CO. New York Office, 35 Warren St. EXCLUSIVE REFRIGERATOR MANUFACTURERS MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN The Sargent Mfg. Co. MUSKEGON. MICH. Bachelors' Cabinets Ladies' Desks, Extra Large Chiffoniers ------- A180 Manufactu~n and UJ)OI'teIS of ------- ROLLING CHAIRS Chairs adapted to all kinds of invalidism, both for house and street use. OVER FORTY DESIGNS TO SELECT FROM Our Muskegon Letter. The manufacturers of furniture and kindred goods are closing one of the most successful years since our city as-pired to distinction as a furniture mant1factmin~ center. The goods made here are mainly of the medium grade which find a ready !'laIe. The largest output is office furnitllre; three large factories contributing to the volume. In the manu-facture of bedrQom furniture the Muskegon Valley Furni-tme company ranks very high, and the same estimate is placed upon. the products of the Sargeant Manufacturing company_ \Vork is about ~o bc actively commenced upon the factory of the Brunswick-Blake Billiard Table company. \Vben completed it will add very much to the manufacturing importance of our city. An Old Dutch Cabinet for Green Bay. It is now assured that the Tank marquetry cabinet, 011e of the finest examples of ancient Dutch furniture now ex-tant will be taken to Green Bay and placed in the museum of the Kellogg Public library. Tbe cabinet belonged ori-ginally to Mrs. Tank's ancestors in Holland, and· has been Odd Dressers Muskegon Valley Fumiture Co. ------ MUSKEGON, MICH. ------ Chiffoniers Wardrobes Ladies· Toilets Dressing Tables Mahogany Inlaid Goods ... in the family for more than three-hundred years. At the time of the famous auction held in Green Bay in 1891, this cabinet was considered by Mr. Frey, a well known curio col-lector from the east, as the rarest and most curions article among the many on exhibition at that time. It is a wonder-ful piece, perhaps seven feet high, inlaid in intricate design with contrasting woods .•and finished with greatest nicety. The interior is fitted up with numerous receptacles, shelves and drawers, each keyhole finished with its bit 0"£ handsome inlay. For the last twelve years the cabinet has stood in the art institute. in,:ehicago but Mr. Porter, ex.ecutor of the Tank estate; now wishes to dispose of it and feeling that Green Bay has the first right to its ownership has made an excep-tionally good offer, with a view to having it placed perman-ently in the town. The local Shakespere club has under-takn to raise th,e. necessary funds, and the cabinet will be shipped within a few weeks. The Wisconsin Chair company are ever looking out for additional plants to absorb. Their latest purchase is a big factory in Two Rivers, Wis. It was bought for a song. AN EXCELLENT TALKING POINT. A well known business 111an of Grand Rapids, not a lUalll1- facturer of furniture, was recently visiting friends inBoston. One of these friends is a prominent furniture merchant of the Bub, and knowing his friend was from Grand Rapids, took it for granted he either knew something about furniture, or at least was in-terested in it, invited him to visit his store, \vhich the visitor was glad to do. The store is an immense establishment, filled with t1ne furniture from leading factories, Having spent some time in inspecting the displays in the various rooms, admiring the beau-tiful woods, tine finishes and handsome trimmings, the Grand R.apids mall asked the rnerch:mt if he did 110t sometimes havc complaints about loose drawer pulls and more or less marrillg of furniture because of it. The merchant frankly admitted that he had. "Well," said the questioner, "perhaps I can aid you in a measure to avoid this. :Kow, here is a fine mahogany dresser; just notice how that loose pull has marred the finish on the drawer," said he. "With a critical buyer, that would either ruin the s<tle of the piece or compel you to deduct at least $10 from the price. l-/ere is another. Let LIS examine it," and pull-ing out the drawer he showed the merchant that' the pulls were supplied with the Tower patent fasteners, made by the Grand H.apids Brass cOl1lpany, and explained to him that these pull.s could never get loose or mar the furniture "in any way. ··It strikes me," said he to the merchant, "that youI' salesmen could 110t have a better talking point in showing it to a customer; and, besides, I was told in Grand Rapids that these fastcners do not cost .you anything. because they do not cost the manufacturer of the furniture anything, but are simply userl by the Grand Rapids Brass company to increase the sale of their goods." There's no Ring around this Moon and the only storms brewing are those which are in store {or dealers who lzave to "go up against" Moon f<!fality and prices. Its the line to jight the Mail Order houses with. Proif if this state-ment costs but the price if a postal request for our cata-logue. MOON DESK Co MUSKEGON, MICH. '-1 declare," said the merchant, "that is a good thing, sure enough, and I was not even aware of it. You know, I leave :--tll the buying to my buyer, and I am not sl1I'e that even he is aware of the existence of these little fasteners. lwill call his attention to it, and give instructions that every salesman shall be Manufactured~by:Americall Go-Cart Compally, Detroit, Mkh. fully posted 011 this important matter, and also that the manu· facturers -....vepatronize must .put them on all drawer work." Alld so he found out that the Grand Rapids man, although not a ma11ltfacturer of furniture .. was able to give him a valuable pointer, and an excellent talking point. KARGES WARDROBES ARE GOOO WARDROBES QOODSTTLES CONSTRUCTION FINISH Prices right WRITE FOR CATALOGUE KARQr~ fURnlTURf (0. EVANSVILLE INDIANA GL OBE SIDEBOARDS In WTlting mel1tion Michigan Arti"an Are the BEST ON THE GLOBE lor the money GET OUR CATALOG, Mention Michigan Artisan when writing Furniture Company Evansville, Indiana BOCfiSTEGE FURNITURE CO. EVANSVILLE. IND. 48 in. diameter, made of Plain and Quartered Oak Makers of the "su PeR lOR" Extension, Parlor and Library T9bles NEW CATALOGUE JUST ISSUED-GET ONE nusv.ILIB runsvlllr rUDnnURr co. rVANSVILLr, IND. QUALITY OUR FIRST CONSIDERATION That is why OUT line is justly named the "Good Value Line." y.,'e have :made a complete chan~e of .J:!atterns for 1905. and If you want ,!toads that are mad!,"; J'i~ht Ilnd at the right pnces, call and see Bedroom Suites Dressers Washstands and Chiffoniers Assorted Car Lots and New Stocks A Specialh OUR NEW catalo~ has just been Issued and sent to the trade. If you have tlot receh'- ed it, Wl ite tis. It shows the larg-est line of mOn-e,. milkers ever offered Line Shown at Michigan Ave. 2d Floor Chicago .Ill. Also at our own sales rooms at Evansville. Indiana. We also job a complete line for making up mixed carloads. The "ELI" fODING LBEDS ~~~Fi'rR~I~N~~~ No Stock complete without the Eli Beds in Mantel and Upright ELI 0• MILLER &. CO. WEvritaen.fvorllcluets, aInnddpiraicneas "WARDROBES TO MATCH Chamber Suites made by all leading manufacturers, may be procured of the "end'erson. Ky. ACTOSSthe River from Evansville Mixed cars loaded with Evansville goods 1858 1905 E. Q. SMITU CU41R ===COMPANY=== MANUFACTURERS OF WOOD, SPLINT, DOUBLE CANE, CANE, COBBLER, TUfTED LEAT"ER SEAT C"AIRS AND ROCKERS No.145 Reception Rocker Veneered Rolled Seat Quartered Oak Flllished Golden Office and Warerooms, Cor. Third and Division Sts. Factory and Supply Mill,. Foot of Oak St. ______ IEVANSVILLE,IND.------ 21, EVRNSVILLL The Intellectual and Material Forces of a Great City Makers of Furniture Rank Very High No city in the United States is more favorably situated for carrying on the business of manufacturing articles for domestic use than Evansville, Indiana. When nature' commenced plan-ning this wondrous world, she stuck a pin in the southwestern part of Indiana and then proceeded to make a channel through the hills and valleys through which the Ohio river might pass. Pleased with her work and feeling in a generous mood, she opened another stream and called it the Green and bade it' nnr-lure and enrich the soil of Kentucky. Vast forests grew upon its batiks; great beds of coal were planted beneath the earth's surface and the soil is· filled with materials that forever ensured heavy crops of grain and fruit when the hand of man, directed by an All-Wise Providence should open the soil and fill it with the seeds and plants it was desired to grow. To the west of Evansville, the Wabash, the Tennesse and the Cumberland were brought to the mighty Ohio ann bade to empty their waters into "that stream. When the white man entered these naturally rich \'alleys and the Indian turned his footsteps toward the setting sun the work of developing one of the most attractive sections of this fair world commenced. Toward this favored land came the thrifty, industrious German with his faithful frau and Roose-veltian family; the keen witted, speculating Son of New Eng-land; the high-minded, conservative uusiness man of the south; the hardy fearless young man, reared in the forests of Ohio and Kentucky; the Celt, the Scandinavian and the descendants of the men of Scotland, England and the continent all imbued with one purposc. The building of a city; the betterment of their material welfare as a whole and the obtainment of a heritage for their children. Evansville was needed and its place on the map was made permanent and secure by those who followed the Indian trail over the prairies, across the mountains and through the valleys, in the middle of the past century. The development of the city was not rapid, but its growth was sure and substantial. It is a solid town in many respects. On every hand unmistakable evidences of wealth and culture impress the sojourner with the fact that the men who made Evansville knew what they wantcd and right royally did they preform their task. Evansville is the center of a great railroad system, embracing many thousands of miles of trackage owned by the Illinois Central, the SOllthern Railway, the 'Frisco and the Louisville & Nashville with its associated corporations, and with the river to provide raw material-coal, timber and metals-the advantages for manufacturing and distributing the goods needed hy mankind are greater than many another city, aspir-ing to attain greatness in the world of commerce can ever hope to possess. Evansville is alive with manufacturing industries. In no one line of production have the people centered their efforts, but shops to work in metal, in wood, in wool, cotton, flax and other liures have been established. Probably the most important of the wood working shops are those operated in the manufacture of furniture. About thirty in number, giving employment to sev-eral thousand workmen and making a grade of goods that de-serve a place in the storc of dealers in every section of the United States, Evansville has reason to be proud of this industry. In the beginning the factories were small and the product confined to low priced goods. With prosperity naturally came the desire .For larger shops and better things, and these have been supplied g<:nerously. The manufacturers of Evansville are as generous-ly and as well housed as any class of men in the wood working industry could wish, and with the comforts and the freedom of action with the erection of mammoth plants bring the manufac-turers of Evansville sought to employ every agency and every ma-terial at their command that would improve the quality of their goods. In this, as in everything undertaken they have been suc-cessful. No class of citizens have labored more intelligently, more willingly, more persistcntly and more to the purpose of mak-ing Evans\'ille the rich, thc handsome and the attractive city that it is than her manufacturers of furniture. When the record of those who have served the city faithfully and well shall be written, the names of the manufucturers of furniture should ap-pear all the first page. s. A. w. Factories Busy at Marion, Ind. The United States Specialty company, Marion, Ind., are starting the erection of another addition to their plant. which it is expected will be completed in ninety days. The old plant consists of two buildings, 50 by 125 feet, and another building 40 by 90 feet, all three being two stories high. The new addition will be 50 by 125 feet and two stories high. The company is also using their old plant on Western ave-nue for storage purposes. The O. H. Kellar Chair company, one of the oldest in the business, will exhibit their line the coming January season at the Chicago Furniture Exposition. The Kellar goods em-brace a list of from eighty to one hundred patterns. YOU HAVE YET TO. LEARN THE WHY NOTI:PUT 1"1' TO F'ULL POSSIBILITIES OF' THIS CLASS THE TEST BY GIVING US A TRIAL ORDER? BERRY BROTHERS, LIMITED, VARNISH OF' GOODS NEW YORK BOSTON MANUFACTURERS PHILADELPHIA BALTIMORE CHICAQO ST. LOUIS FACTORY AND MAIN OFFICE, DETROIT CINCINNATI SAN FRANCiSCO CANADIAN FACTO"y WALKERVILLE. ONT. ·!'~MlfrIG7JN , for Careful Buyers New Sty.le', New Design" Old Reliable Qyalily, in this Season's Offerings in REED FURNIIURE OUf line insures you a profitable business and Satisfied Cnstomers. No. 349-$7,00 Write for Catalogue "A" American Go=Cart Company DETROIT, MICH. Murphy Chair Co. MANUFACTURERS DETROIT, MICH. A COMPLETE LINE Pioneer Mfg. Co ... DETROIT. MieN. Rccd Furniturc Babu Garriaocs Go-Garts Our gDods will be show" at PECK & HILLS, Manufac-turers' E~hihilion Building, 1319Mkhl5an Avenue, CHICAGO. lLLINOI!O 27 The manufacturers of Detroit, are closing one of the most successful years' in the history of the industry. Most of the lines manufaeturered are desirable for holiday trade, a fact that retailers throughoLlt the United States know and ap-preciate, Fancy tables, hall furniture, fancy chairs, library and music room. furniture in a great variety of styles are lnade -in large quantities. and a great volume of trade is t1stlally anticipated at this season of the year. Retailers report a heavy demand for goods resulting from the rapid growth of the city. More buildings have been erected than during any year of the past, and the furnishing of these have kept the salesmen and the delivery men very busy. The manufacturers arc busily engaged in preparing new lines [or the spring season of trade, most of which will be placed on sale in Chicago. COMMITTED SUICIDE. J R. Carpenter, the eastern representative of the Stickler HI·others company committed suicide in New York on No\'ember 1. Deceased was widely and favorably known in the furniture trade. He leaves a wife and three children as the immediate mourners o,f his death. 5MITU, DA13 CO. One of the most complete expositions of cheap and medium pnced C"AIRS and ROCKERS IN THE COUNTRY SENT TO DEALERS ONLY UPON REQUEST DETROlT. MICH. Sendfor our New 150 Page CATALOGUE INDIANAPOLIS. • INDIANA. BALDWINSVILLE. .. MASS. ItOOKWOOD and a general line of ff\NG Y Tf\BlES Write for Cuts-alld Prices. PALMER Manufacturing Co. 1015 to 1021 Palmer Ave. DETROIT, MICH. 28 THIS AND THE FOLLOWING PAGES CO:'llTA!N GOOD SPECIMENS OF ADVERTISING. ~ 111m, T'bllS 11,0 1&SilO ~ Mission BIIlIc... 15 'e 130 8olltolSll llUO II 1150.10 e"olui, 110.00 10S95,00 Comfortable library for the Winter S•• ,on TIM oeuon ia .' bind _hen m<>lt al the time trn\I' b. ope1lol b>~ 1<Xl4I, portion '" it in the I.,ibwy. It is 'lDporuont .hll lhII ,_ be made c<>:nfgriobJe, <:<>orand anra«1" •• _By so :;~.M~~pa~tib~~r:.::~e=: "". .m..-nt UI<i .1l1tunl. . o. ~ of FurllitlIn lor .be Ubro<)' nevet _ 110 Iv&" .. it illIOW. W. ha~. aoek of OaveJlparl.S, Coudl•• Itocllcn, !dorrla CUlrs, Turldah Chainl, Sleepy HollDW CIttin, L;b(ary T.bks, ~ et"- ~ve .noU&h 10 ~ nlcecioo> eay, ~ ..:~;;::;\~-:'-"":i-u::.:n~~t::;:=~:':: prion ... low eno"lb 10 -la )'DW" l*tn>Uflt". at*" lh<t _ IlI.-oqll and e<ronplne CIlmpU'i....,1 II«; maoo. "'" inlJ'l>'1iOll.. 1ri!lc:oonilll:e,.,lI, Sleepy HOllo. Chilfs 11~00 '0 S25.0lI OUR BOOKS ARE OpeN TO ALL I And whatever your wants mo,.,be in furniture. Carpets or Stoves WI!' MI!' willing snd ilIIn"iousto open an BUouol with you, 00 terms to suit ,"our CA)M'erl!eru::e."("(,8oge the pat-ments weekly, semi-monthly. monthly. or i.n tact. in any way so 10Ag liS yOu are plea~ed. "there is ill more cony~OIent way o' buyiog house'broishiogs it bas ~er been introdut:ed in tbis tity. Our stock is complete in ewery way and goklen oppor-lURllreSawait. )'0 .. here-opportunities which we SlJbmit to your judgment and which tertainh< &Qt.itleus to your p6tl"ODage. 29 ....... MR.STORK:-Oue itL all right. '11AHTMAN fea.th-ered the f\eoSt~• W&FarnisIJ Homes onCredlt AllOver tbe (lnlled States. No milttllr how far dlst"nt you live you , may open an account .. t H.art· I'I'1'IIn'.;and enjoy the ,.rut ,1Invltnl· "'''ce afforded by our 111081. generous part payment credit plan. IMonday's Special Bargains I 30 OWOSSO, MICH. A pleasant half hour was sl)Cnt with Charles E. Higley, president of the Estey Manufacturing company, who had jllst re-tilrtled from a trip to North Carolina. Mr. Rigley is a dose ob-server, and if the Artisan was permitted to print his remarks it would make mighty interesting reading and open the eyes of some people. The Estey Manufacturing company is very busy, and the demand for their Roods wa:) nc\'er better. In such times They will add a number of new pieces to the line, which will he shown with T. Ashley Dent's other exhibits on the third floor of the Furniture Exhibition building, Grand Rapid!>, in January. The Robbins Table company are having a fine trade. Their new nOll-dividing pillar is one of the greatest successes in their line. It is selling much better than was anticipated. This com-pany will bring out an entirely new line of patterns of tahles Manufactured by The Woodard Furniture Co., Owosso, Mich. as these it is inevitable that large "hurry-up" orders will find some pieces missing, but the merchant who has handled EsteJ furniture for years will content himself with partially filled orders. The two big factories-A and B-never turned out orders with better satisfaction to customers. The WOOdard Furniture company is another basy one. in January, ranging from $8.00 to $25.00, and will illustrate them in a new catalogue. The newly organized Rockford, Illinois Fur..iture Com-pany, wpl enlarge the plant recently purchased and erect new dry kilns. IT IS NOT TOO LATE to order for the Holiday Trade our great line of Oina (Iosets Parlor (a~inets AND li~rarJ(ases which fill the wants of dealers for the Holiday Season. WRITE FOR OUR CATALOGUE . Skandia Fumiture Co. Rockford. Ill. VALLEY CITY DESK COMPANY GRAND RAPIDS. NIICH. No. 557 Best Selling Up-te-Date OFFICE DESKS In the Market The Profitable kind to buy r Hence the Profitable ones to Sell. YES I We are the only specialists in the manufacture of Office Ddts in Grand Rapids. Why not drop II postal card fot Otll' new faU Cataloguo!} Mailed to dealers only. Mention Artiian. Kauffman Mfg. CO. AS"LAHD. 0"10 WE manufacture the larg-est line of FOLDING C? A IRS in the United States, sUitable for Sunday Schools, Halls, Steamers and all PUblic Resorts. . . . . We also manufacture Brass 'rrimmed Iron Beda, Spring Beds. Cots and Cribs in a lar~e variety. . . . Send for Catalogue and Pri~es to THE NEW BANQUET TABLE TOP as well as OfIioe. DUllng and Directots' Tables are our sp«ialty Stow & Davis Furniture Co. Grand Rapids, Mich. Wri~ EorCQtaloi\!6.Gel BaI1lpb! of BANQUET TABLE TOP Catalog free Write to us at once for our new and beau-tiIully aInstrated Cata-log, showing Dressers and Chi/loniers Q I original designs made in Oak, Birdseye Maple and Mahog. any; also Plain and Quartered Oak Chamher Suites. Everything except Plain Oak goods are Polished. Empire Furniture Company JAMI:STOWN. N. Y. BralS Trimmed Iroll Bed No. 3800. Price $1.15 A Bra9S Bed No, 2074, Price $24 00 Art Style AND Quality These iIIu!lraliol1llwow fouT of our"be.t Sl.'lJillllIron and Brass Beds, They tlrc unusually handoome, dean and graceful det.i.'iIK: l'mI)' the best malerial used and. like our entire line. perH fedly constructed. Our new calaloli:ue No. 18 i. beautifully illustrated in four colors, cuis 9Jr' I and will be sent to any Furniture De a [e r upon request. ART BEDSTEAD CO. 3710-20 Rockwell st. CHICAGO, ILL. BrallS Tr;RlII1ed Iron Bed No, 3790, Price $8 00 _ All Brass Bed No. 1862, Price $26 00 WINI1 SIGN FRAME.S The object of a Show Window Display is to SELL GOODS The WinK Sign Frame is a scientific goods seller. It is a unique, ar-tistic' bulletin holder, ornamented with elec-tric lights, which flash out and on. WE SELL THEM M. B. WHEELER ELECTRIC CO. GRAND RAPIDS. MICH. 34 Doing One's Best. Knowledge of good work accomplished the best measure of reward for all effort. In conversation with a prominent buyer from a flourishing eastern city during the recent sum-met sale the subject of attention to business was brought forward. By this is meant the desire on the part of em-ployes to thoroughly understand their business in detail and in whole in contradistinction to the mere time serving which has been so often noted. That inclination to do only just sufficient work to hold a position, the principle idea seemingly being to hasten the moment when the pay envelope came round. Latterly, this class of employe has been described as the man who watches the dock. The buyer referred to, has been at the head of the furni-ture department of the eastern house with which he is identi-fied for something more than a year now and the head of t.he house being through failing health, unable to give the close perscmal attention to his business affairs he formerly did, this same buyer is accorded by his fellow workers the position of the second in command. This is tantamount to an admission that he has made good in the position tll which, he was called such a short time ago. To which he was called is the term most wittingly used in this connee.tion for he occupied a fairly responsible· position with another furniture house in the same city when his present employer sought him out for succession to a man who was considered one of theoest in his line in the country. "I knew to tbe older men in the house and to a certain extent to even the youngest boyan the floor I should be considered something of an interloper," he said. "I knew 1had my work cut out for me. No matter how well I should do that work there would always be plenty of eyes with a more or Jess greenish cast in them, glaring in any-thing but approval upon my every movement. As soon as I had gotten my bearings and had become upon fairly friendly relations with my assistants, I called them together olle day and said: '1 am by appointment of the man for whom we h!1 work, the head of this department. That man you all know and esteem whatever may be your feelings towards me. I will say right here, I want your friendship and con-fidence. I can only su(',ceed and \ve can all only attain that measure of success we owe Mr, Brown, by working together. IIe would not have selected me for this position had he not had confidence in my ability. I want to demonstrate to him that that confidence is not misplaced and this I can only do with your hearty assistance.' "This little talk did more than anything else to plate me on a friendly footing with my assistants and these pleasant relations have continued since that day. It was not long bdore Mr . .Brown was taken jll aml forced to go abroad for a long rest. The furniture department is but one of many in our establishment, and yet, it seemed to lie' felt I was lhe chief in his absence. This forced upon me a responsI-bility which I did not court. I had to assume -it and am glad now that I did for it ,.,'as of great value to me in husi':' ness growth. "Our men and especially those in my own department, seemed to ,'vork with greater energy after our talk and after Mr. Brown's absence had forced me into the lead. All ex-cept one man, and he was my chief assistant. I do not know what his value had been before my coming, but in view of the fact that I was taken from another establishment to be chief of the furniture department, when the place by reason of seniority belonged to him, leads me to believe he had not given the heed to his own progress which a man should. He was a young man and a good house salesman to a certain extent. I noticed at times though, that he did not seem to have much heart in his work; certainly he was making no apparent effort to extend his knowledge of the business. "Only a few weeks ago he came to Q1e and said, 'I have an order for a mahogany dresser to fill out a chamber suite and we haven't anything in stock which will answer: I asked him where he had found his bedstead and he said on the third floor, mentioning the section. I told him that right across from those bedsteads were a number of dress-ers, just the thing he wanted, and that they had been upon the floor for two weeks. I had to take him to the spot and show them. I said nothing at the time) but that evening, just before closing, I called him to my desk and said, 'Jones, when Me Brown selected me for this position, I was with a rival house. You had been here for some ten years grow-ing up in the business. You and I know Mr. Brown too well to believe he would seek a successor to his old depart-ment head, if he had a man in his employ whom he could promote. That promotion would have been yours, and the position which I hold to-day would be yours, had yOu shown that you were interested in your work. I have noticed for a long time that you seemed to care only sufficient to enable you to hold your place here. You have shown it most conclusively to-day by ignorance of stock which has been upon the floors for two weeks, and which I believe every other man in the establishment knew of.' "He had bridled t1P at this and was on the point of saying something sharp, but I stopped him with an admonition not to talk back at that time. To go home and think the mat-ter over. I told him he was not to take my words as _a call down; simply as a friendly talk. If after- thinking the matter over he considered I did not have warrant for my remarks, he was at liberty to tell me so. He took the advice and some days later, again at closing time, came to my desk and said, 'I was pretty angry at yOll the other evening and came near throwing up my position. I thought over what yOU had said, all that night. I have thought it over since. and I want now to thank vou for talk-ing to me as you did. Every word yOU said w~s the simple truth. I see where I have made my mistake.' "This is the instance of the time server. who by a few friendly words was changed into the sort of worker many employers are seeking. Not aU, but many for Mr. Brown, which is by 110 means his name and the reason for not disclosing the identity of the respective parties, is self ap-parent, is not alone in the business' world in his deSIre cO advance the interests of his helpers. "There is much cant, jn the idiom of the day, tommy-rot, connected With the assertion so often reiterated that the employers of the world ate seeking, and often in vain for the right man for the right place. The man whom they would raise to the highest pinnacle of preferment and reward. ;;Again, I have never been quite conten~ed with anything I have done. I have always wanted to do better. The contented man .is he who has about reached his limit. It isn't at all necessary to be discontented, yet an absence of contentment augers' th ..t a man is not ql1ite satisfied with what he is doing and it most naturally follows that he will . endeavor to improve in the future." THORNTON PRESCOTT CRAFT. The furniture expositions will be held as usual in. January. The usual llttmber of lines will be shown, and all the fuss and bother about one exposition or no exposition a year will be· forgotten. The prpmoters of the no exposition movement will continue to deal with scheme houses and seek government contracts, and the market bUYc='rswill, as ever, hold the bulk of the trade in their home towns. Of one thing the retailers should take notice. The manu- ~aeturers are det.e~mined to ask higher prices for their goods In January. Falhng to make sales for prices that will af-ford a reasonable margi-n of profit, they will clost their fac-tories and engage in the Life Insurance business. POOL CARS FOR PACIFICCOAST OVERLAND FREIGHT TRANSFER COMPANY. SAN F'RANOSCO, CAUFQRN1A. make a specialty of distributingpool cars of all kinds and PARTICULARL Y, furniture, carpets, linoleum and interior finish. References, Bradstreet's or Dun's and any bank in San Francisco, and the trade. Carloader in Chicago Carloader in Grand Rapids ]. M. Welling, 633 So. Jefferson Street Gelock Transfer Company, 108 So. Ionia Street. TEAMING FORWARDING STORAGE LUCE FURNITURE CO. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN Makers of Medium Priced CHAMBER AND DININ.G FURNITURE E.N SUITE. SEND fOR CATALOGUE Mention Michigan Artisan $1.85 A pair for a Genuine AIl-Geese Feather Pillow, size 20 x 26 inches. A. C. A, Art or Linen Ticks, any color. Terms, lelis 5 per cent for cash 10 days. Order direct under our guarantee of satisfaction. H. B. FEATHER COMPANY Mention Michill"an ArliiiaD GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN • 35 , 36 Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 25, 1905. The Indianapolis manufacturers of furniture are having (l very big demand made on their plants this season. Trade is good with all factories and seems to be coming in from all sections of the country. The outlook for the coming year is favorable. It has been the good fortune of the Artisan's representa-tive on a recent visit to the plant of the T. B. Laycock Manu-facturing company to look over this big plant and at the conclusion of same made up his mind that the trip was an exceedingly interesting one. The methods emp[gyecl in re-lation to their department of labor is certainly most effective and progressive. Shown abollt by Mr, 1. :V1.Dean, who has charge of the company's johbitlg trade from coast to coast, the visit was' most profitable and interesting. A special feature of interest in addition to the various factory depart-ments was found on the fourth Hoor. Here is located a dining room, sample room, al1d officers' club room and a ladies' club room. The dining room provides for the serv-ing of most substantial and excellently cooked meals, to the entire force of the Laycock plant, a fact to which the Arti-san's representative can fully testify, having sampled the "Laycock goods" to a vcry matcrial extent during the dinner hour. The officers' club room is a most comfortable abiding place for the officers to meet in and enjoy moments of leisure during the noon bOHr. This room is effectively furnished with mission furniture. The-ladies' club room ,vas a rcvela-tion. Here was found a complete system of tub and shO\vet· baths, the tables provided with the best kind of reading matter, including all the latest magazines; also a nlll11bel' of couches affording plenty of opportunities for rest to the yOUflg ladies employed by this thoughtflll company. The young ladies of the Laycock factory have a Tho.,;. R Laycock literary club and also a vocal club under the direction ot IHrs. Hankenmeiet. The vocal organization was organized by Miss Fletcher, the matron. This club gives concerts hvo or three times a year. A number of the young men of the factory are also members of the vocal dub. It is also the custom of the employees to have a field day in July, at which "Rotary Style" tor Drop CarvinGS. Embossed Moulding, Panels. Etc. UNION EMBOSSING MACHINE CO. INDIANAPOLIS, IND. "Lateral St~le" for LarGe Capacity Hea_y CarvinQ! and Deep EmbOSSinQl We have; the Macbine YQUwalrt at a satisfactory price. Write for descriptive ciTCulars, time athletic sports take place and prizes are put up for the bencfit of the victors, The bowling club is another or·· ganization which belongs to the Mamlfacturers Bowling League. It has been determitled hy the T. B. Laycock Manufactur-ing company to convert their present factory into a power plant. About three months ago the T. B. 'Laycock Powel' Honse company was organized and with additions that are to he erected on the west side of the present plant, will occupy in all a square hounded by Tenth and Eleventh, Missouri and Fayette streets. The T. B. Laycock );lanufacturing company started plan'> last spring for a new factory to be located at Brookside Park, in the northeast section of the city, on the -;'Big Four." the Panhandle and the Belt Line. Ground was broken the middle of September and the entire plallt will he completed next spring. It- will he ncarly fire proof, is to be built of brjck walls, cement floors and the structural work will bc of steel. The new plant will be in the shape of an H. 1t wil1 be ninety feet wide and eight hundred and eighty two feet long. It wilt be a one-story structure with the exception of one portion of the plant, where the two big wings join. This will be three stories and will be devoted to the use of i{ sample room, otTices and welfare room. The capacity of the new plant will nearly double 111atof the old. The present capacity is 1200 spring beds, 700 woven wire cots and 700 iron beds per day. The new site consisted originally of 120 acres, of which twenty-five or thirty acre~, will be retained. the balance sold for lots, on which many of the e111ploye~ of the company will erect homes. Ten or twelve aCTes or the twenty-five or thirty will be converted into a garden, lawns, and an artificial lake, fed by springs. Manager Laycock, when questioned said, "vVe have been having a good trade from al1 sectiolls of the country. The south has not been so good on account of the yellow feaver in Louisiana and Mississippi, but it is now improving," Fire broke out in the works of thc National Dry Kiln company at about I:.10 o'clock A. M., Oct. 20th, anti con-siderable damage was inflicted. The plant is valued at $50,- 000 and the loss was placed at abont$30,ooo, The fire i.:;; sUPlwsed to have originated in the boiler room, which is situated in the west end of the building and the ,heaviest damage was in that part of the structure. The b'uilding was of frame, a story and a half high and abotlt 200 feet in length. The works were operated as two separate depart~ ments. One department was devoted to the mal1ufaeture of Embossinu and DrOD Garvinu Ma6hln6S Machines for a" purposes, and at prices within the reach of all. EveryMachine has our guar-antee against breakage for one year 7IRT I15'AJ"l PSi? $"ffl 37 YOURS FOR THE ASKING A CATALOGUE OF The Estey Standard Line Large and complete and can't be beat. Drop a postal card to ESTEY MANUFACTURING Co. owosso, MICH. kilns used iOt drying brick and lumher and the other was the boiler-making department. VV'. IVI. Jillson is president of the company. The other officers are: Edward Gerrard, vice-president; D. C. Jillson, secretary, and C. H. Gerrard, manager. It is reported lllat lske Bros., h,tllit\.ue dcalen, are con-templating disposing of their fetail business and embarking ill the manufacture exclusively of upholstered furniture. The \-Vestern Furniture company, lU<ttlttfacturers of cham-ber suites and chiffoniers, is one of the Indianapolis plants which is being taxed to the utmost this Season. !d,lnager \V. L. Hagedorn says a hig dcmand is coming frolll all sec-tions. The J. CFliTschman company, manufacturers of mat-tresses ;111dbedding, arc also ll:tving a big trade this year. The company's business comes principally from Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and lndlana. The company occnpies at pre-sent a very substnntial and nnv plant ·which was built espec-ially to cllable tllC company to make use of the hea\'y mach-ines they operate. J. G. Flaherty, of Smith, Day & Company, chair manu-facturers, made an Ollt of town business trip during the mid-dle of October. This well known company has been rlllllling nights in order to meet lilc demands of their hig trade. The Udell vVorks, (A. \V. Cobb, manager), are getting- 011t a lot of new samples for thc January sea~Ol1 and their Our Oak and Mahogany DINING EXTENSION TABLES Are Best Made, Bell Finished. B~I Values, All Made (rom Th01"<J.ugbly Seas.<:.ned Stock No. 435 Dining Table Top 54)[.54. Made in Quartered 0&11. and Mahogany. Full PQI-ished. Nick.el Casters . . LENTZ TABLE CO. NASHVILLE, MICHIGAN. exhibit will be again al 14Il Michigan aventJe, Chicago, on the fourth floor, during the Jattuary season. The display will he larger than ev<:;rbefore and Manager Cobb says there \"ill be some radical changes and some decided surprises. "If the demaud keeps up we win have to run nights," said ~iIal1agcT Cobb. The .Pie! Brothers Manufacturing company, corner 3.1ad-iSOll avenne and Ray streets, are erecting an addition 80 x 35 feet to their pfant. The same will he used for warehollse purposes. This company is having an excellent trade) the south being well represented in the demand. M. Clllne & Sons, manufacturers, is another Ol1e of the Indianapolis houses that has been kept very bllSY. The hulk of this campallY's tradc comes from Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Kentncky. The company is getting out another big line for the coming year. The Central Chair company have been funning their new plant nights for some time past. Old Hickory's Improvements. The Olel Hickory Chair Factory. of Martinsville, Ind., have b<.:cn incrcasi"g their power (hwing the. summer months and also added several dry killl,S The trade of this com-pally has been very satisfactory during 1905, says Mr. Shire-man. 38 UNDERTAKERS CORNER. Facts and Incidents Pertaining to the Profession. An Ionia, Mich., undertaker, who has been 46 years in the business, made the first "what-not's" and the first round-cornered spindled beds ever built in Ionia and Greenville, and also put on sale the first coffins in the county that were not made to measure.. In the funeral line, were all his sub-jects to rise and congregate in one place while he sang the lusty song, "I Gather Them In," it would reqllire an attdi-totium capable of holding 6,800 persons. • • • Those Indiana undertakers are so hot after business that one of them replevined a corpse from another the other day. It may yet become necessary for Indiana pedestrians to fur-nish positive proofs of life in order to get past the embalm-ing parlors. • • • In addres~ing the state undertakers Governor Hoch of Kansas told them he would not crack any jokes upon such a grave occasion. Hence his address was rather a stiff talk that will never be embalmed in the casket of memory. • • • "There are too many undertakers in Milwaukee for the amount of business here.." said C. B. Bi.rong, a casket sales-man from Chicago, in Milwaukee recently. "The vital statistics the past two months both in Chicago and Milwau-kee were awful-so low. Milwaukee is one of the strongest towns for cremation, too. The undertaking bpsiness hcre is in the hands of a few of the largest undertakers. They complain, too .. that money is tight. Money is often tied up in the settling of estateS. "Cremation will not do away with the demand for coffins, because they must be used in transferring the body to the crematory. But cheaper caskets are used for this purpose." "Casket manufacturers are meeting in Chicago to agree upon a raise in prices. They have been cutting prices for ninety days and wish to restore them. The idea that there is a large profit in caskets is erroneous. It originated from some poor widow's buying a too expensive casket." • • • The embalmers of the state of Michigan have received orders from the State Board of Health, to asset"'hle in Lan-sing on November 15th, to qualify for the pract\ 'Of their profession. • • • The pastors of New Albany, Ind.,have resolved to \::onduct no more Sunday funerals. That does not matter. The funeral director who cannot put up a Sunday funeral service bHter than any clergyman, does not amount to much in his business. • • • Oakland, Cal., is greatly agitated over the opening of an undertaking shop in·the fashionable Lakeside district of that city, by one John E. Anden:;on. Mass meetings of the resi-dents were held, h\lt he paid no attention to them. An 10- jtlllction against him was then obtained, but it was dissolved. Then an ordinance was passed, providing that no under-taking establishment should be established inside of the fire limits. This ordinance, if enforced, would compel Henderson to close his place of business, unlesf! he obtained a permit from the Board of Public Works, and this, it is understood, he can not do. He says, however, that he will continue to do business in spite of the ordinance, which he claims, is invali.d. The residents around his lllace are determined that the ordinanc,e shall be enforced and Henderson may be ar-rested. He has announced that if this is done he will appeal any decision 2.gainst him to the Supreme Court, jf neces-sary. Southern Growth. The report of the SO\lthern Railway Company is all inter-esting document. Tape readers, of course, will fasten eager-ly upon the statement that its net income and surplus over charges each increased about a million dollars. Truly this is an e'ncouraging statement, but interest in it is narrow com-pared with facts affecting the territory which the railway serves. Thus we learn that "along the lines of the Southern Railway Company during the year ended June 30, 1905, there were completed and put into operation 46 textile mills, 34 fur-niture factories, 38 iron industries, 6 tanneries, 77 stone quar-ries and coal mines, 13 cottonseed oil plants, 8 fertilizer works. and more than 500 smaller industries. Over 250 previonsly existing plants were enlarged during the year and 54 new industries were under construction at the close of the year." All this along the lines of only 7,000 miles of railway! \iVhat must have been the growth along the aggregated 200,- 000 miles and more in the United States? And what do the>ie dull figures mean in men and money? Every mill re-quired capital and operatives. Captains of industry trans-late sueh facts into terms of immigration and investment which spell wealth not for the railway primarily, but for the community. Nor is this the top of the boom in the opinion of the men on the spot. The report continues: "Underlying conditions are favorable to further increase in industrial de-velopment along and adjacent to the company's lines." This is what the cotton crop is doing for the South and it" railways in a yellow fever year. The permanenCe of growth of this sort is its most im-portant characteristic. All wealth comes from the soil, but it does not come equally in all years. In business, too, there are fluctuations. but with a difference. When a mill is b11ilt, when an immigrant settles, it is something like insurance of permanent addition to thc resources of the d.istrkt, as well as the rai1way. Thereafter their interests are indis-soluble, The mill may make more or Jess money; but like the railway, it cannot be removed. Nor do settlers upon the soil move easily. Their roots are set deeper than the forest king's. They can only prosper by finding a market for their products, and for that they are dependent upon railways. But they must get a dollar before the railways can get a share of it. It is .1 maxim of railway administration that no railway can prosper in the adversity of its customers, and that their prospcrity must precede the railways. No money is made upon passengers and freight which are not carried, and no railway traffic moves unless there is profit in it for the shippers as well as for the carrier. Yet there are those in influential places who seek to antagonize these hand-in-hand interests. It is portentous to think of damage to rail-way investors through damage to railways. It is calami-tOllS to think of the results to communities if railway enter-prise is paralysed by confiscatory or benumbing legislation. The Southern Railway and its tributary region are doing so well together that it is prudence to leave well alone, lest it be worsened by departnres framtried and proved policies. -New York Times. One of the secretaries of the Japanese legation Silent a few days in Grand Rapids recently studying the business of manufacturing furniture. The doors of the hig shops swing open for his entry withotlt question: The secretary went home with the determination to establish a furniture factory in Tokio, and in the course of time the Japanese will compete with the manufacturers of the United States for the trade of the Pacific Coast. Christopher Blake, deceased, formerly manufactured fur-niture in Boston. Five grand-children have united in an action to break his will. Deceased left an estate valued at $1l7,ooo. As has been stated above, he was engaged in the furniture business and many in the trade have repeatedly demanded a reply to the question, "How did he get it?" - -- ------------------------ HORN BROS. MFG. CO. 281 to 291 W. Superior St.. CUICAGO. ILL. MANUFACTVRERS 'OF Chamber SUites, Odd Dressers, Chiffoniers LADIES' DRESSING T4BLES to match SOME OF OUR NEW DRESSERS-Made in Quarter-Sawed Oak. Oval or Square GIa..8 Maae in Golden Oak, Genuine Mahogany Veneered, Birdseye Maple, White Enamel Highly Polished or Dull Finish. We also make a line of PRINCESS DRESSERS from $13.00 up, in Quarter-Sawed Oak, Mahogany and Birdseye Maple, Veneered If you have not received our SpriIlg Supplement, ask for it. SAMPLES SHOWN BY PECK & HILLS Ut9 Mi~hlp.n AnuM, and HALL & KNAPP, 187 Michigan Avenue, Chicago. Do You Use CLAMPS? We now own the BENEDICT PATENTS and make all kinds of CLAMPS FOR FURNITURE WORK. GRAND RAPIDS HAND SCREW CO. 130 South Ionia Street, GR.ANDR.APIDS. MICUIGAN. RICHMOND RICHMOND, IND. The Standard line of Double Cane CHAIRS and ROCKERS Mention MICHIGAN ARTISAN 39 -------------------~--- The Wholesale Furniture Exhibition Building 1323- I 325 Michigan Avenue CHICAGO A BUILDING DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO THE EXHIBITION OF FURNITURE THROUGHOUT THE EN T IRE YEA R ==========~lINES READY JANUARY IST, 1906========~ ABuilding whose lines A FEW FEATURES will be kept intact the year round, enabling furniture dealers t 0 make their selections, at any time they may c a II, from complete and unbroken lines. i § § i lIJEJIiIl11tijt =.1iiilliiiiJ[jfi I ! PERMANENT DISPLAY IDEAL LOCATION INDIVIDUAUTY NO CROSSING OF ALLEYS OR BRIDGES WELL LIGHTED FRONT ENTRANCE ALL.FLOORS FACE THE AVENUE No sacrificing 0 f samples at large dis-counts with only two months service. A competent corps of salesmen in charge at all times. ~WRITE FOR FLOOR DIAGRAM Some good space on a few floors still for rent. Apply before it WHOLESALE FURNITURE EXHIBITION is all taken. -BUILDING- 1323 AND T32S MICHIGAN AVENUE, Containing a comprehensive and complete display of all lines of furniture. embracing Parlor Furniture, Metal Beds, Chamber Suits, Dining Room Furniture, Chairs, Rockers, and everything going to make up a Complete exhibition. ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO GEO. D. WILLIAMS COMPANY, lessors Wide~Awake Furniture Merchants Will Always Have OUR BIG NEW CATALOGUE 17 On File for Instant Reference. Frequently customers cannot be sold from stock on hand. Then turn to our Catalogue. Nine times out of ten, the most exacting customer will make a selection from it. "Nothing Succeeds LiKe Success" Keep in close touch with the best selling line of Couches. Sofa Bed", Davenports and Adjustable Sofas. We make a long, strong line of Leather work in "Reliance" and natural grain leather. We guarantee "Reliance" Leather to be the best made. Our "Chautauqua" Box couch is a mar-velously quick seller at retail. It should be a staple in every stock. "Simplicity" Sofa Beds are sold from coast to coast. "Kingspring" Couch construction is the easiest spring work ever devised. Our goods are the recognized standard for style and quality. Send for our big new catalogue 17. It is full of money makers. Send now. JAMESTOWN LOUNGE COMPANY JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, CANNOT TELL YOU the details of our NEW LINE for the coming Season of trade Laraest Factory In the World devoted escluslvel,. to the production of Chamber Furniture. It Will be worth coming thousands of miles to see. In the meantime we have GOOD THINGS on hand for early shipment. Write us for particulars. COMPANY of Everything for the Bedroom GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. SLIGH FURNITURE. Makers 42 Busy Factories in Shelbyville. Shelbyville seems to be a beehive of industry. Such was the observation made by the l\Jichigan Artisan's representa-tive on the occasion of his visit here a few days ago. Re-ports from every furniture factory were such as to show that it would scarcely seem possible for the furniture in-dustries of this thriving city to do more than they arc dojn~~ at the present time. Many of the plants halle been obliged to rim their factories not only in the day time, but for a certain number" of hours each night as well. Certain it is that Shelbyville-mauufactmcrs seem 19 be getting more than their share of the patronage from the furniture trade. It was the -privilege of the Artisan's reporter to visit the hig plant of the Conrey & Birely Table Co., manufactun·.rs of center and library tables, toilet tables, pedestals and tab-ourettes. This mammoth plant is being taxed to the utmost in order to get out the orders that have been poring in upon them. President and manager, CharJes L. Davis, t'eports that trade with his company has been a wonderful one this year, the east and west contributing to a large extent to the big volume of business dpne. Trade in the south also has been very good notwithstanding the yellow fever epidemic. The Company is now getting out their January patterns, all of which will be seen at I3I9 Michigan avenue, Chicago, this coming January season. The Conrey & Birely Table company have a force of three hundred and fifty men employed the year around and the company's business is increasing year by year. Notwith-standing the erection of a hig four-story stnlcture as an ad-dition to the already big plant, the demands of their trade has been such as to keep this big institution busy all through the year, The company's lumber yard covers an area of from ten to fifteen acres. Thirteen cars of furniture are 10aderl daily and such is the system in the packing and assembling-rooms that without a qucstion more stuff is turned out by the Conrey & Birely Table company than by any other furni-ture plant in the country. The Conrey-Davis Mfg. Co., mallufacttlfers of extension tables, costumers, plate racks, medicine cabinets, etc., have been running nights for some time past. Secy.-treas. Lee C. Davis, states that they are oversold .to tJJe 1st of January. The day force. has been employed to do the night work as well as· the day, but as the demand was too much upon them the work of running nights was discontinued tempo-rarily. This company huilt a dry kiln in June, installing also a ·lot of extra machinery, thereby increasing their ca-pacity by one-third. Yet the situation remains the same, vii. that they are still oversold. This company is getting auf their line of January patterns, which will be shown on the 8th floor of Manufacturers Exhibition Bldg., 1319 Michi-gan avenue. The C. H. Campbell Furniture company, manufacturers of hall furniture is another concern that has been running nights, but because of the demand made upon the day force, who were doing the night work also, President Campbell says the night work was given up. Trade with this company has been very good in every section of the country and in fact, has been more than they could take care of. The plant employs 125 hands, A fine line of new patterns will be shown in January. l\h. Campbell states that the demand seems to center on weathereu, golden and English oak finishes. Another stri
Date Created:: 1905-10-25T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Rapids Public Library (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Collection:: 26:8

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