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- Michigan Artisan; 1905-08-25
Michigan Artisan; 1905-08-25
- Notes:
- Issue of a furniture trade magazine published in Grand Rapids, Mich. It was published twice monthly, beginning in 1880. and .r .:' i l
26th Yea.---:No. 4
PlUiSS OF WHITE PRINTING COMPJ\NY, GRA1'!O RJ\PIDS, MICH.
,,:?:~r·
-~_¥~.".
L__
NQ, 1693 QUARTERED OAK BUFFET
China Closet, Side Table and Extension Table 10 Match.
An up-to-date Suite. for Weathered, or Early English Finish.
And We have Others, both H~her and Lower in Price.,
As well as a long Line of
SIDEBOARDS AND BUFFETS
Somewhere in the Line we are sure 10 Meet your requirements
Our New Catalog is ready for the Dealers
OUR SECTIONAL BOOKCASE
Has many Points of SuperiQfily over them aiL
Do you know of our Case, that CB:Jl be K. D.
for Shipping, extremely easy to set up, and withal
locks so strongly· together, you can deliver as a
single piece. to your cU5tomer. Move it around
as you wish it cannot fall apart. And yet the
price is no more than "the fall apart kind."
NEW ENGLAND FURNITURE COMPANY
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
THE FAULTLESS
Northern
---L--in e=c ~
No fault can be found with the line that combines
DESIGN,
FINISH and
CONSTRUCTION
No. 1030 Dresser
24 x ~ Plate. 22 x 44 'f0li" Weathered Finish.
as it makes it both
AT RACTIVE AND PROFITABLE
The two qualities that make it
POPULAR with the dealer make
your line one of QUICK
SELLERS by showing the line
manufactured by the . . . .
Northern Furniture
Company
BED AND DINING ROOM FURNl'rURE IN ALL
THE POPULAR WOODS AND FINISHES
SHEBOYGAN, WIS. No. 3031 Chiffonier
14x24 Plate. 20x34 Top. Weathered Finish.
Indianapolis, Ind., U. S. A.
THE McDOUGALL IDEA
McDOUGALL KITCHEN CABINETS
The dealer, who orders McDougall Kitchen Cabinets, takes no risk. We stand back of him with an
absolute guarantee which states that his customer may return the cabinet to him within thirty days after date
01 purchase and receive her money if for any reason she is dissatisliedwith the goods. We, therefore, could
not alford to send out a McDougall Kitchen Cabinet that was not well made.
TEN MILLION WOMEN have been reading about McDougall Kitchen Cabinets in their favorite
magazines. Thousands 01 these women have written us for catalogues and prices. We have referred them
to their dealers. We have inlormed the dealers of the inquiries. Thus, a McDougall Kitchen Cabinet is
half sold when the housewife enters the store to look at one that she has been reading about for months in the
magazines. During the coming season, TWENTY-FIVE MILLION PEOPLE will read of McDougall
Kitchen Cabinets, as our advertisingcampaign for fall will be the most extensive ever conducted on an article
of furniture. If you wish to get tbe benefit of the McDougall business whicb has been created and which
will be created in your locality, write for our new catalogue which has just been issued. This will be the
/irst step toward realizinga handsome profit on McDougall Kitchen Cabinets during the coming house-clean-ing,
Thanksgiving, and Christmas seasons. The new line will start within reach 01 the most humble home
and will be three times as long as last year's line. A postal will bring you this catalogue.
G. P. McDOUGALL & SON,
l
The Bissell Sweeper
like the Steinway Piano, prides itself upon its age and its reputation. This is an age when
mediocrity frequently takes refuge behind the claim of "novelty," "something new," as if
novelty necessarily meant superiority.
It therefore behooves the trade to carefully consider
the difference between the article of recognized merit and
established reputation, and that which rests its hope for
patronage chiefly upon the claim. of "novelty," "something
new," etc.
The Bissell Sweeper of today represents the highest
point of development in the sweeper art, and logically so.
We have been engaged in this business exclusively for
twenty-nine years, and have developed mechanics in this
highly specialized line that are veritable artists, and that
necessarily cannot be found outside our factory. The reasons
are plain; we have furnished the only opportunity in all this
wide world for this particular development of mechanical
skill. Back of all this mechanical development which time
and opportunity alone accomplishes, the Bissell sweeper is
absolutely the only one ever put upon the market under a sound, sincere price maintenance
policy, that insures to the dealer a good proht in the sale of our product.
Write for our special Slate and County Fair Offer.
BISSELL CARPET SWEEPER CO.
Branches;
Nnw YORK
TORONTO
LONDON
PARIS
Largest Sweeper Makers .in the World
GRAND RAPIDS. MICH.
Dressers
and
Chiffoniers
TO MATCH
In QUARTERED OAK. MAHOGANY.
BIRDSEYE MAPLE .nd
CURLY BIRCH
SEND FOR CATALOGUE
CENTURY FURNITURE CO. JAMESTOWN
NEW YORK
- ---------------------
Are you watching our ad? Have you requested one of. our catalogues? If
not, you are making a serious mistake. These are all sellers, .
and price is moderate.
718
Chamber Suites, Sideboards, Chiffoniers
and Dressing Tables, and Odd Dressers,
in Oak and Mahogany Veneered. . . . BURT BROS.2000 S. Ninth Street
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
766 766
l__
OUR NEW CATALOGUE
SHOWS A MOST COMPLETE
ASSORTMENT OF
Dressers and Chiffoniers
In QUARTERED OAK
MAHOGANY VENEER
BIRDSEYE MAPLE
CURLY BIRCH
Not a Sticker in the Line
JAMESTOWN. N. Y.
LIBERTY FURNITURE CO.
26th Year- No.4. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH., AUGUST 25, 1905.
MODERN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.
English Paper Infers That Commercial Side Is Lost Track of
in the Hurry-Up System Now in Vogue.
Commenting on modern education methods, the Birming-ham
(England) Post questions their elementary value and
adV<l.l1cesthe theory of their being responsible for the devel-opment
of what it calls "a discontented race." The intro-duction
of a multiple of new subjects is commented on as im-posing
a great strain on the resources of the schools and on
the intelligence of the child. It says:
"Each snbject ill itself may be good even as part of the
curriculum of a public elementary school-though that is a
point that is hy 110 mean>; generally conceded-but the ques-tion
that has arisen in the minds of many head teachers who
are struggling to maintain the efficiency of the institutions
of which they have charge, is whether a somewhat exagge-rated
importance is not being attached to fads by the more
advanced educationists, as a result of which there is a serious
danger of impairing the thoroughness of the school training
in what are reg-arded as the essentials to a sound elementary
education." The paper approves of manual training for boys
and household work for girls, but doubts the wisdom of add-ing
a long list of other studies such as are seldom if ever
used by the lads and lasses in later life. This mental drift-wood
causes a sacrifice of thoroughness, allowing too little
time for any onc subject to secure anything like a mastery
of it. Parties interested i.n so-called hlgher education "arc,
by their desire to convert the public elementary schools into
nurseries of the universities, robbing elementary education
of much of its commercial value. vVhen it is pointed out
that only a very small percentage can ever enter the univer-sities
or even high schools, the system appears to be anything
hut what is best."
To Utilize the New Philippine HaI"dwood.
Seattle, Wash., is to have au industrial improvement in
the form of a furniture faetory in which Philippine hardwood
will be exclusively lIsed. The faetory is to be establish~d by
M. EllaR and will be the first aile in tlle United States to
make use of this wood. The Philippine hardwood, or narra,
as it is called in the islands, is better suited for eabinet work
than oak, mahogany or teak, and the fad that it can be sup-plied
so cheaply will make it a more generally used wood
than any other. The wood is very hard and takes a beautiful
polish, and its color, which is a deep crimson, makes it very
desirable for finishing work.
Bulk Sales Law Insures Creditor.
The eredit men of :':lichigan,dosely following their breth-ren
in Illinois, have secured the passage of a bill regulating
the sale of merchandise in hl1{k. This illegitimate traffic is
now confined within bounds that thoroughly protect the in-
L
$1.00 per Year.
hests of the creditor. The substanee of the bill is as follows:
The sale of any stock or merehandise, otherwise than in
the ordinary c()lltse of trade, shall be void miless the seller
sha!l five days before the sale make a detailed inventory with
price list of each article to be included in sale. The pur-chaser
-is also required to obtain from seller the names and
addresses of the seller's creditors, with indebtedness' due
each, and mail each of these creditors due notic6 of sale and
conditions. The act applies to corporations and associations
as well as individuals, but n'ot to sales by executors or any
public officer under judicial process. Non-compliance with
the act places the pmchascr in the position of receiver, and
he IDay be held accountable f(~'r all goods in his possession
by virtne of such sale. '
Want Law Regulating Burial Associations.
To establish the burial associations on ,p. firmer basis and
better the condition generalty, R. L. Shanon, of Shelbyville,
Ky., introduced a resolution which was passed at the recent
annual meeting of the Kentucky Funeral Directors' associa-tion,
recently held at Louisville. The resolution required the
drafting of a bill for presentation at the next session of the
legislature for the regulation and control of burial associa-tions,
similar to the control of life insurance companies, re-quiring
a reserve fund and the direction of the insurance co~-~
missioner.
Must Purchase Convict-Made Furniture.
The convict-labor law is the caLIse of no end of strife be-tween
local and state officials in Illinois. vVhile the iormer
are using every loophole to eScape meeting its provisions, the
latter are kept constantly 011 the alert to see that they are
enforced. Tl1e law has caused a great deal of discussion and
contention ever since it became effective, and it is doubtful ii
there is a law on the statute book against which there has
been snch a systematic attempt at evasion. Not long ago the
Pekin school board concluded that it needed some new furni-tme,
and they decided to get it in the open market. A discus-sian
followed between the school and state authorities, an'd
about a week ago they placed their order for furniture with
the prison authorities. Yet at the Pekin school board meet-ing
reports showed that the furniture could be purchased in
the open market at a less price than from the prison au-thorities.
Will Sell to Plano Company.
The town board of Pan a, Ill., has voted to sell the old B. &
O. shop buiLdings and grounds. to the Plano Manufact\.uing
company. The terms are $5,000, $1,000 down and the remain-ing
$4,000 to be paid within five years, -at five per cent interest
per annum. The company employ daily from 75 to 1,200
metl. It is proposed that the Business Men's association sub-scribe
$10,000 for preferred stock drawing six per cent interest.
6
ECHOES OF THE SUMMER SALE.
Stories Told and Which Might Have Been Told by the Fur-niture
Men During the July Exposition.
Every furniture season brings out a number of good things
which are well worth passing along. Tn the rush of the huy-ing
and selling both buyers and sellers have a little time on
their hands in which in exchanging greetings with each
other and with friends met hy the way certain tales arc re-lated
which are certainly sufficiently good to warrant a wiiler
ciretdation than that given through the certain few to whom
they are directly told. There is so much that is of the
strictly business nature which needs 'must be told during the
life of the sales that these good things seldom get further
than those who have them at first hand. As a rule they are
the result of the gathering together of certain of the frater-nity
in the hotel corridors 011 the evening after business
hours, or in the morning before the various branches of the
trade scatter to take care of the day's work. The following
anecdotes are culled from a number having their birth during
the recent sale in Grand Rapids and are pres limed to be the
best of the lot.
* * *
"0. J.," or "Joe" Barker, as he is better known to his
friends and the boys generally, is a pretty busy man at most
times, and particularly when he is in the market either for
his own Los Angeles house of Barker Brothers or as the pur-chasing
agent of the Pacific Purchasing company; but he is
one of the best story tellers who comes to the furniture
center.
"1 started out in life for a dentist," he said one evening at
the Pantlind, "and in order to qualify took a course in a
school at St. Louis. How I passed my final examinations
isn't necessary to this yarn. I got my sheepskin and then
hied me to my home in Colorado. For a time I was in my
father's store trying to impress him and his friends with an
idea that I was working. Father couldn't see it very long,
and he told me I'd better get some pra.ctica.1 experience, after
whi~h he would set me up. 1 entered the office of the lead-ing
practitioner in my tOWI1. He was a good man, but he
never overlooked an opportunity to get the best results out
of any case from a monetary standpoint. He didn't rob his
patients, hut I guess he went the limit with them. 1 had
been there a couple of months when he went out of to."..'.".' for
a few days. The day after his leaving an old darky with gray
whiskers came in and asked for him. I said he was out of
town, but I asked if 1 could not sen'e him. He said the doc-tor
had him on the list for some plate work.
"Now, the old fellow, for all he was ignorant and looked
shabby, was worth a good many thousands, and the 'DOt::'
had been working him for a gold rJate and a charge of $100
thereior. This 1 didn't know. I sized him up by the looks
and said to myself very promptly, 'Here's my chance to get
in a litt1~ laboratory practice.'
"That's all right, uncle; he's been waiting for me to get
back"
"The old gentleman didn't think I looked equal to the
part, but I got out a pan 1 thought would fit, filled it with
plaster and with much misgiving the old fellow let me insert
it in his mouth. 1 kept counting the minutes and wondering
at the same time how long it should stay in. I didn't ",'ant to
take it out too soon, and I overdid the job, for when I tried
to remove it the pan and the plaster were fast to the darky's
gums. \\That was "worse, I spilled some plaster into his
whiskers. I pulled. The darky yelled. I told him to take it
easy, that was the way it always worked when we had a good
job. I dragged him around the office in the attempt to get
that pan out, brake the mould, nearly broke his jaw and
jerked out a handful of gray whiskers, but finally got it. That
l.
mould was a fright, but I told uncle to corne in a f{~wdays.
He did, but. 'Doc' was there when he showed me lip and told
his troubles. He had a hard time pacifying him, but kept the
job, and when uncle had vanished gave me a raking over
whic:h I haven't forgotten to this day.
"That was my plate experience, but Thad on('. on ext rac-tion
wbich settled me with the dental business and the 'Doc'
as well. A big nigger had been arrested and lodged in jail
for killing a man. He had an Elcerated tooth and the jailer
sent for 'Doc:' to treat him. 'Doc' told me to tackle the job.
first asking if I could extract. 'Extract?' r asked, indignantly,
'I should say so.' He gave me two forceps. This is for the
molar and this for a bicuspid, he said, and told me to put
them jn separate pockets. so I wouldn't get mixed. I
started down the street and met a friend, told him 1 was in
tlle dental business and "what I was after. \Ve )lad a few on
that and I forgot which forcep was which. I was feeling
nervy just the same. Admitted to the jail, I saw the ugliest
nigger 1 had ever cast eyes upon, with a badly swollen jaw.
I had my nerve and said sternly, 'Open your mouth.' That
tooth was a corker. I pulled; the nigger yelled. I kept hold.
The nigger tried to kick me, but I kicked back. I got r;art of
the tooth, and while the nigger was yelling and swearing I
got his mouth ,open and jabbed in some cotton with a se-dative.
I left, telling him I would be back in a few hours.
The 'Doc' finished that job, but he told me that was my fin-ish
as well, and that the nigger promised if he ever got out
his first work would be to kill me. I am happy to say he got
life. But I quit the dental business."
* '" *
This is the story of a wine rlrummer who butted into to"wn
while the furniture season was on and only serves to show
that, contrary to general opinion, the lines of the champagne
seller ar"e not as sparkling as his goods at periods when
others hold the center' of the stage.
It would be unkind to give his name, and much more so
to tell of the hostelry against which he lodged his complaint,
hIlt he panted into the Pantlind cine night and poured out
his soul in this wise to his old friend "Sid" Steele:
"Here I've been coming to that house (mentioning it) for
years. It's home to me when I am in Grand Rapids. YOn
know that, Sid t'
Sid said "Yes," and the ..v.ine circulator continued:
"I wired the hOlise I was coming and that I wanted a
room with bath. T got in last night and asked the clerk if he
had my telegram. He said, 'Yes, we've got you all fixed.' He
had, but I didn't kJlOW at the tjme in what way. I followed
the bell hop up to the room, and it was something fierce. It
was on the top floor and small. Say, I couldn't get my grip
in there until T had moved out the rocker. What was the
number? 715 I think. ft was away up the stairs and away
up in number I guess.
"1 jumped downstairs to that clerk and commenced to
'holler' as soon as I got on the ground floor. 'Say,' T said,
'what do you mean by putting me in such a coop?' .'That's
the best we could do; this is the furniture sea:-,:onand we're
filled to the guards.' 'Then why didn't you say so and not
hand me the bunk that you'd gotten Illy wire and had fixed
me ?'
"'Didn't we fix you?' he asked.
"'Yes,' I said, 'and I'd like to fix you.
"'''VeIl, that's the best we can do, and although I'm wrry
if you don't take it, wlly. you'll ll.1Ve to go elsewhere unless
you double lip.
"!\ow look at me Sid."
He must have weighed something less than 300.
"Do T fook like a man who wants to double up? I
gasped and hiked back to that room after the clerk had said
he'd change me in the morning, to see if I couldn't stand it
one night. It looked ·WOrse the second time. TllCre was a
fire escape coming down in front of the window and it made
me think of the bars in a '\\Tillie' house. Say, it gave rnethe
creeps. I thought I'd rather sleep in one of the Livingston
Tmkish bath beds."
"What did you do then?" asked Sid.
"l hiked dO\'\'nstairs again and took eleven drinks in seven
mi1l1ltes. That's the record to date, I think. That room gave
me the Willies and I had to take a bracer several times, a1H-l
then some."
;;Did you sleep there at all?"
"No, T took a bench in the park, and you'll have to take
me in or I'll he all to the bad."
Sid promised to care for his friend, and the Palltljnd
thereby won a llew standby.
*
If there is a sigH manual of. the furniture trade it is the
diamond. The l~oys accLlstomed to the artistic in furniture
evince a fondness for the sparkling je,vel, and the vast ma-jority
are tasty ill their selection of the gems, seldom shm'\'-
iog anythillg of the flashy nature in the choosing. Taking the
general collection of stones which can be seen at these semi-annual
gatherings of the furniture forces there is a big
amount of money invested ill them by thc trade at large. The
remark made to ClIarle:r Spratt when seeking to raise the
$,100,000 necessary as the furniture trade part in his building
fund, "Do you think there's $300,000 io the entire outfit?"
reminds the writer of a quip of Jerry Simpson a oumber of
years ago.
I was with the Chicago Tribune at the time the congres-sional
delegation came on to Chicago to look over tlle site of
the Columbian Exposition, before voting; the five million
dollars asked of congress. There were .<;omet\'I"O11t111dredin
the party, mainly men hl1t little known to the country at
large. They stopped at several hotels; bnt at the Grand Pa-cific,
where I was looking after them to get views of individual
members, were Jerry S'n1pson and Senator Pfeffer. In the
course of the rnorning I called at Jerry's r00111. I had heard
of "Sockless" Simr:son, as had others, and had lmt a vague
impression of him. I discovered a quiet, rather studious
looking, certainly gentlemanly, man with a keen eye behi.nd
gold-bowed spectacles. After a few remarks of a general
character T pltlnged to the main question, "\~rhat will con-gress
do?" All Chicago was anxious to know if that appro-priation
"..-auld be made. This meeting was on Sunday, and
the evening before the delegation had been entertained by
Mrs. Potter Palmer, whose jewels, and especially diamonds,
were famous the country over. In a dryly humorous mall-ner
he replied, "If congress cloes not provide, 1 think Mrs.
Palmer might perchance emulate Queen Isabella's example."
This was aU thc reply, but it gave insight into the intel-lectual
qualifications of a man but little understood by the
couutry at large and the ready wit for which he was famous
among his intimates. In connection with Charley Spratt's
building fund the furniture men, "v'ere it necessary, might fol-low
the lines laid dO"v"llby the Spanish queen.
IfI rassing it might be said that it was at this time Jefry
remarke(l, although he had not been a.'iked any such per-sonal
qpestioll, "Oh, yes; I "veal' socks, and they're silk, too."
* *
He is a furniture salesman with his habitat in Grand
Rapids but traveling for a !'vTichigan factory far removed
frOI11the city of his residence. As he might not relish having
his name used, he wilt remain in cog, yet the incident IS too
good for suppressiol1.
It 11appelled just before the sale and while getting his
lines in shape for the coming host he dropped into a coal
office here while the ""riter was present. ITe bad bought his
fuel there for years and was accustomed to getting the sum-
7
mer price and paying for it as he could spare tlie funds.
This year the combination had placed in effect a sliding scale
and you paid the price in vogue when the money passed into
the hands of the baron. This he was told by the gentlemanly
clerk behind the counter. What he had done in former years
cut no tlgure. The only way he could get the bottom prict".
was to pay in advance, and he ~aid, "\Vell, it looks to me as
though yOLl coal men wanted your customers to furnish your
capital." The clerk iiaid it certainly did look that way, but
such were the orders and he couldn't help the salesman.
"T guess you have llS jllst where you want us and we'll
have to pay the r rice," he remarked, but without any bitter-ness.
"Tn this town there isn't much show for the con-sumer
to uo anything but take \'"hat the coal and .ice com-hines
hand us. There!s nothillg like realizing these things
early. The ice people have things down quite pat, but I got
even to a certain extent with them this year.
"Last season they gave twenty-five pounds daily, now tJ:1.ey
give twenty. That is, they claim to give it. T bought a pair
of scales but didn't bave much chance to work them on the
ice until my last t;ip in. 1 ::aid to my wife one day, "That
isn't any twenty pounds." The next morning T watched for
the cart and as soon as I saw it ran down stairs. The wagon
had started, but I called it hack. The men didn't want to
come, bnt 1 yelled tmtil they came. 'What's the matter?' said
the driver in an ugly tone. ;1 want that ice weighed.' Isn't
it aU right?' 'I don't think so,' I said. He had a thing on the
end of the cart which looked like a fire escape. He picked
up the cake. and weighed it. tongs and alL It scarcely
touched thc nineteen mark. I didn't pay mllch attention to.
the missing }}ound, but asked, 'Do you weigh the tongs every
time?' The fellow was surprised and said 'Yes.' 'Well,' I
saiJ, 'in that case you'd better p~tt the tongs in my box; it
seems I'm paying for them;' 'Oh, we have the scales fixed,'
he said, and 1 dryly remarked I thought he had, but this went
ovcr his bead. T get close to my twenty pounds daily since
that happening, but T have often since wondered what price
thosc tongs stand the combine in at the end of the season,
after being weighed all over town and counting ·as three
pounds and more of ice with each weighing.
"There's nothing like system in business, and looking after
the by-products is a big item in system. I guess the ice com- .
binatioll doesn't have to go to school to Rockefeller or the
beef trust either."
THORNTON PRESCOTT CRAFT.
Floating Exposition to Circle World.
A thorOl~ghly twentieth C',entury ellterprise to fnrther tl,e
cause of the American export trade is that which is about to
be launched by the Export Shipping company, of New York.
They prOpose to equip a large steamer and furnish space
thereon to American manufacturers to make a display of their
product, and send them around the world on a 60,ooo-mile
trip, to consume arout fifteen months, The plan is to allow
each concern to subscribe for forty square feet or more of
space, at $50 per square foot, to dis"[lay their goods and to
send with their exhibit a representative. Catalogues and
circulars dcscribing the exposition and its objects will be
Issuen ill the native tongue in each COuotry visited. Cre~
ating, as it will, wide interest in the commercial world,
where its progress will be thoroughly advertised at every
port ·where the exposition ship calls, the opportunity is an
uIHlsual one for the American manufacturer to introduce his
goods under the most favorahle auspices in an of the most im-portant
commercial countries of the world. Foreign made
goods arc each year being more extensievly introduced in
this country; but are the American manufacturers as a wholt'"
as aggressively working the European markets?
No. 214 Dresser
Plain Oak. 25142 Top. 2b28 Oval Mirror. Top
Drawers Veneered. GLOSS FINISH.
PRICE, $8.50
No. 33 Chiffonier
Plain Oak. Wx]4 Top. Two Tap Drawers
Veneered. 14x24 Oval Minor.
PRICE, $7.00
Every
Day
Sellers
w
IT'S THE PRICE
THAT CUTS
THE ICE
TERMS:
2 IH.!Uc·ent off 20 da:rs
Net 60 da.,s
p. O. &. LOGAN. OHIO
No. 227 Dresser
Plain Oak. 22x44 Top. 24-130Pattern Mirror.
AU Drawers Veneered.
GLOSS F1NJSH.
MAIL ALL...
ORDERS TO
Snider
Mfg. Co.
LOGAN, OHIO
PRICE, $1 0 .00
No. I Commode
Plain Oak. 20x34 Top.
Gl.OSS FINISH.
PRICE, $3.00
No. 520 Bed-Golden Ash.
Price $5.50
Exceptionally Good Values
SOME SELECTIONS
---- ---FROM - ... -----
THE
HOLLAND
LINE
TERMS:
2 per cent. off 20 days
60 days ne'
Holland
Fumiture Company
HOLLAND, MICH,
No. 520 Commode-Golden Ash. Top,
20x34. Top polished.
Price. $4.00 SENDFORCATALOGUE
No. 520 Dresser-Golden Ash. Top,
21x42. Pattern Mirror, 24x30. Top pol-ished.
Price. $9.50
MANISTEE MFG. CO.
MANISTEE, MICHIGAN
MANUFACTURERS OF =======
SWIFT SELLING
SIDEBOARDS
BUFFETS
CHIFFONIERS
ODD DRESSERS
SIDEBOARD No. 226
Selected Quartered While Oak. Golden Finish Rubbed and Polished
Bevel Palterl\ Plate, 18x36; Top, 23x48; Height. 79 in. The
lop and ill drawers ar~ full 8well. One drawer lined.
Price, $24.00
Catalog free
Write to us at once
for our new and beau-tifully
illustrated Cata-log,
showing Dressers
and Chiffoniers a f
original designs made
in Oak. Birdseye
Maple and Mahog-any;
also Plain and
Qnartered Oak
Chamber Suiles.
Everything except
Plain Oak goods are
Polished.
Empire
furniture
Company
J4MESTOWN. N. Y.
IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVEDA COPY OF
OUR NEW CATALOGUE WRITE FOR IT
Woodard Fumiture Co. gkh:n
You should see out New Fall Line of Medium Priced
BEDROOM FURNITURE
in all the
Fancy Woods
befQfe placing
your order
Full line of
400 PIECES
on display
in
Grand
Rapids
Exhibition
Building
Third
Floor
In charge of
T.AsHLEY
DENT
New catalogUe
readY July lOth
UNDERTAKERS "PUT HIM WISE."
Accused One Retaliated by Asserting That the Undertaker
Had Been Working the Same Graft.
A recent case bn)11gbt to ligllt in Lucas Coullty, Ohio,
would inJicate that even a dead ranper is not withont some
value in the present-day pursuit of the "filthy lucre." The
case in question has also resulted in rather strained feelings
between the undertakers and the C011l1ty burial association.
It seems that a certain woman died, and as she had paid
$1.26 dues as a member of the Lucas County Bmial associa-tion,
she was given a $roo burial as the rules of the associa-tion
provide. Latcr John Mmphy, the manager of the burial
a,..",ociatiol1, seemed $10 from one of the county in firmary di-rectors
for the burial of the woman on representations that
she was a pauper. The director was ig;norant of the pro-visions
governing the burial association and thought that it
simply act{~d in the capacity of an undertaker. Sorl1C of the
undertakers, however, learning of the order being issued, ex-plained
to the county official that the deceased, being a mem-ber
of the association, was entitled to burial from the same,
and not from the county. Mr. Murphy, learning that certain
members bad told of the affair, asserted that many under-takers
"worked" the infirmary often by getting money for
burials after they had been paid by relatives. Mr. Murphy's
unblemished halo 01 integrity and uprigbtne.ss must now be-come
him with much better ease and satisfaction.
Regal European Carpets of Historic Age.
Carpets of costly splendor and remarkable age that have
been conspicuons in the history of England arc recalled by
the recent arrival of a beantiful Persian carpet which is a
present from tlle sba to the king. The carpet is entirely hand
made, and its manufacture, despite the 11l1mber of workers
employed, took upward of three years to COlll. ktc. It is of
most artistic and intricate design, into which tile king's
name, "Edward VII," is woven. The palatial hall of the Gold-smitbs'
company contains three carpets made at the factory
at Wilton, rlear Salisbury. The largest measmes forty feet
two inches by twenty-six feet nine inches, is of a rich crim-son
surrounding a center, ten feet by nine feet, consisting of
the company's arms in their heraldic coloring of blue. green,
red and purple upon a white ground, and enclosed in a border
of festooned roses with medallions at each corn(',t. in setting
the pile of this carpet, which weighs abollt 1,200 pounds, over
5,500,000 knots were, it is said, nsed.
Another company, that of the Girdlers, possei-ised a carpet
in which historic .interest is probably nnlqt1e. 1t was mant~-
faetured in the reign of Charles 1., at tile factory of Akbar
the Great, at Lahore, to the order of Robert Bell. The car-pet,
which is twenty-four feet by seven feet six inches, is
worked with the company's crcst and arms and two bales of
merchandise, on either side of which are the donor's arms
and two bales 01 merchandise bearing his initial,s and trade
mark. The prayer carpet on vie\'\' at South Kensington is a
splendid specimen, measuring some thirty-three feet by
twenty feet. It was purchased at a cost of £2,000. It came
originally from the mosque at Ardebil, for which it was made
in J540 by Maksoud, of Kashan, a fact which-·togcther with
a pious maxim-is recorded in words woven into the texture
of the carpet itself.
Two other magnificent carpets were four years ago sold
at the Municil~al Chamber at Lisbon to p.y for the repairs at
the Royal Convent of St. Antonio, to which they had beell
given by the Infanta Donna Sanche in 1500. For these ca1'-
pets, which are of Persian manufacture, eighteen feet square
and embroidered with gold, the bidding was very brisk.
Starting at £888. it rapidly rose to £ 1,798, at which price
the prize, at £J,OOO below its real value, was S('.C\tredhy a
7IR. 'T' hS' A.l"J
irk 0 $"+ 11
Frenchman. A curious carpet has lately been manufactnred
at Caesarea. Tt isa representation of the battle of Trafalgar,
depicting that moment in the engagement when Ne1son re-ceived
his fatal wound. The carpet, which is entirely of silk,
is seven feet by six feet. and took. two girls fourteen months
to weave it. It was sold for £400.
Why Not?
The city fathers of St. Johns, Mich., propose to bond the
city for $15,000 and purchase the table factory now located
there. The city will then lease the buitding to some manu-factnring
concern at a !lominal rental per year. As the city
wilt not be obliged to ray taxes, the. entire rent derived from
the building will go into the municipal treasury for the cur-rent
expenses or p\.tblic improvement of the city.
This proposition doe~ away entirely with the usual custom
of offering a large honus to a concern for moving to a city.
The company, being obliged to hunt up a desirable location
and then build its factory, nsually expects some remunera-tion
for the expense and trouble occasioned by the move.
Here the city does more than meet the company half way-it
has jtlst what it is looking for. With the city or town owning
the building, the company ,is obliged to pay rent only, and is
released from any guarantee of a specified output or work-ing
force.
In these days, when it is the desire of all of the larger
communities to own their own lighting plants, water works,
garbage systems and other public utilities, why would it not
be an enterprising and lucrative move on the part of a city to
own one or a series of stores for mercantile purposes? The
city could purchase the available land, centrally located, and
ercct a modern business tlock or purchase such a block al-ready
built. The same would then be easily leased for some
mercantile house or for even a big department store. As an
extra inducement, light and water could be furnished free
with the rent, the same bei.ng Stll~plled from the city plants.
The rent derived from such an investment would not only
help repair rnany holes in the city's pavements, but would
also have a strong tendency to add to its general busineis in-teTests
and prosperity. Why not?
The Business Woman of the South.
People of the north who have never visited the southern
states, have but a vague idea of the yonng women of that
region, and that mostly based on the literature dealing with
tIle ante-bellum days. Yet the girls south of the Mason and
nixon line are said to be peers of their northern cousins III
every respect, socially and in business. A good example of
the southern type of the successful business woman is in
:vIiss "V. S. Pratt, of Atlanta, Ga., who is said to be the only
woman south of Chicago in the lumber trade. When the
I1nn for wl1ich she was stenographer went out of busines,
",..ithout losing a day hunting a position, she opened an office
and began operations. Having acquired a knowledge 01 hun-ber
and its mutations in the market, Miss Pratt was not long
ill jlToving her ability, and today she is at the- head of a firm
ha11(lling JOO cars every month.
Unoccupied Convicts to Make Tables.
The Jackson (Mich.) prison board has awarded the coo-
IIact of 250 pri1ioners to the Tra~e Table company, of De-troit,
for fifty cents a day for A men and twenty-five ce.nts
for B men-the latter being those who are unable to do a
full day's work. The contract will give employment to a.U of
the unoccupied men in the institution. The company hav~
another cOl1tract at the Ionia })Tison.
,.
12
A High-Chair Safety Guard.
Common among the antics 01 a child is "squirming"
around in a high chair, w"hetbcr at the table or when left
alone in the r00111. These sudden and erratic movements arc
often attended with disastrQus and sometimes serious resllits
and are a SOt1TCC of constant worry to Ole mother. )Io"\\',
however, through the medium of the unger Safety Guard, re-cently
perfected by 1. Unger, Iron Mountain, :Mich" the per-manent
location of the child can he fully established and the
mother can go about her household duties assured that "the
baby" will be fotlnd upon her return safe in its chair where
she left it.
The invention, like mally of importance in the world's
history, is so simple that one wonders why it hasn't been
thought of before. It is in the form of an addition to the
wooden tray of every high chair. To the im,ide of, and built
with the tray, is a short wooden a?ron which comes down to
the child's lap, making it impossible for the child to get out
of its sitting position. This device, Simall as it may seem, is
proved ordcr for office purposes of the big carpet sweeper
company.
To Lessen Drain on- Valuable Woods.
Owing to the fact that a revival of wood paving has be-gun
in seveJ-al of the larger cities and that the pavement is
now made almost exclusively of one or two of th~ best con-struction
woods, the forestry service of the department of
agriculture will endeavor to secure a chea:=er and more
abundant species \vhich by proper treatment may be sub-stituted.
A Few Dissatisfied Ones.
It is stated on good authority that some of the table man-ufacturcn;
are seriously considering withdrawing from ex-hibiting
at either one or both of the expositions. Their rea-sons
are that the expense is not equal to the retllrns. It is
rel;orted that the table people have been sOlinding the case
Fromthe New l:atalogue of the Nelson-Matter Furniture Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.
an invaluable addition to any high chair. \Vith it it is abso-lutely
impossible for the child to stand up in its chair or to
slide down and out, in either case exposing itself to injury.
The Unger Safety Guard, although but recently placed
upon the market, has met with instantaneous success ,vith the
trade, and at thc present time nine different factories are
placing it on all of the hig-h chairs they manufacture. The
cost is but slightly above that of the ordinary chair, and the
satisfaction it gives his customers more than compensates
the dealer for his foresight in keeping abreast of the times.
In case the manufacturer does not handle the Unger Safety
Guard, they may be obtained from the following agencies:
The Ford & Johnson company, Chicago, Ill.; Bnckstaff & Ed-wards
company, Oshkosh, Wis., and. George Spratt & Co.,
Sheboygan, \V is.
Bissell Carpet Sweeper Comoany Enlarge Plant.
The Bissell Carpet Sweeper company, Grand Rapids,
Mich., are contemplating extensive improvements to their
plant. Tbe plalls call for a new fOllr-story building and a
general remodeling of an adjoining brick building, the whole
to cost about $25,000. The new building will be of steel and
brick, 7IX60 feet in ground area. The building will be
equipped with fireproof vaults and fitted up in the most im-goods
manufacturers to see how they stand on the propo-sition.
No Doubt of His Honesty.
It is only a few years since Woonsocket missed for good
the familiar face of hAlf" Church, for a long time deputy sher-iff
and chief of police, a man who was straightforward and
blunt in all his dealings.
One day a grocer went to "AU" for information about a
certain "] oe" \Vhite, who bad applied for credit and a book at
his store, and the following dialogue ensued:
"Good mornin', Mr. Church."
"Tvlornin'."
HDo'you know 'Joe' White?"
"Yes,"
"What kind of a feller is he?"
"Putty fair!'
"Is he honest?"
'··Honest? I should say so. Been arrested twiee for steal-ing
and acquitted both times."-TIoston Herald.
This would be a dull old world if it were not for the
wicked trusts upon which the people spend their surplus
energy.
A
COMfORTABLE
HALL
A
COLONIAL
DINING ROOM
..
-------------------------------- ----
Good Locations for Plants Utilizing Timber.
Tbe "Frisco System," the St. Louis & San Francisco rail-road,
has just issued a one-hundred-page booklet under the
title of "Opportunities." The book, as its name implies,
gives a brief but comprehensive summary of the business op..,
portunities and openings for industries and investments in
general in that section of the United States traversed by the
Frisco System. In connection with the location of desirable
timber lands along its route is printed the following:
"The best sections for the location of plants utilizing tim-ber
arc ill southeast l\Jjssol1ri and northeast Arkansas and in
the central and southeastern portions of Indian Territory,
where hardwood timber of almost all kinds can be. seemed in
great Quantities. Some very fille yellow pine timber is also
procurable in the more mountainou!'> and ronghex section!'> of
southeastern Indian Territory. Furniture and box factories,
wagon and wagon wood\""ork, cooperage and vexleer plants
and handle factories will find an abundant supply of suitable
timber. In tIle Choctaw nation especially the pre~ent govern-ment
rulings permit of the allottees to dispose of outright the
stumpage on their excess land, and the timber privileges can
be purchased at very reasonable prices on account of the
desire to have the land cleared for farming purposes. In the
rougher portions of northern Mississippi tributary to the line
of the Fri"co, and also in the valleys of large streams crossed
by om line funning beh",een Memphis and Birmingham,
there is some fine mer<.'.hantable timber, both hardwood, gum
and cottnTIwood. Tn western Alabama there are also some
large tracts of yellow pine. timber. Tn the 'western part of
Arkansas, tributary to om St. Paul Branch, and along the
Ozark & Cherok{'.e. Central Division, and also in southern
Missouri along the line south from Springfield to Thayer and
tributary to the CU!T{'.ntRiver Division, there is much hard-wood
timber that would repay investigation, in addition leav-ing
smallex timbl::' which would be suitahle for handles,
spokes, wagon 'wood and chair stock."
America the Great Persian Rug Market.
It is stated that about nine-tellths of the rt1g trade of
Persia finds its way directly or indirectly to the United
States. \iVhat are regarded as the most beautiful of the Per-sian
rugs are the product:1 of the Tabriz looms. In one large
factory in that city over 1,000 lads are employed on rugs of
all sizes and design. These lads work with gJ;"eat rapidity
and earn from $2.50 to $3.25 per month. A few years ago
aniline dyes were' use'dextensively in coloring the yarns to
these rugs, but the effect was quickly felt in decreased sales
and the government prohibited the entry of the dyes. The
Persian rug trade, vorhich was sadly demoralized in 1902, is
slowly recovering, and the demand in America is increasing,
while the manufacture is being extended in a normal and
healthful manner. This applies particularly to the wool rug:-;.
The silk rug trade, on account of competition, is still below
its former footing, and many smaller factories in this line
have discontinued operations.
Danger from Oil in Boilers.
A common trouble experienced by stationary engmeers,
and one that is apt to prove expensive as well as dangerous,
is that occasioned hy oil in the boilers_ The result is usually
a badly warped sheet and an expensive loss of time until the
damage can be repaired_
The oil may find its way into the boiler in several ways.
Sometimes it is intentionally thrown in by the engineer to
help break up scale or prevent the same. vVhere a small
quantity of good oil, free from animal matter, is used little
harm results, but in many cases the lubricant is of an inferior
IS
gTade. 1\10re often trouble originates in plants where the
exhaust steam is used. Many engineers use too much oil on
their engines. This passes from the cylinders into the ex-haust
steam and thence into the feed water. From there it
passes direetly into the boiler. Many new boilers have been
ruined in this way within twenty-four hours after they were
fired up.
In the boiler the oil has the effect of holding the water in
suspension above the plate, causing the plate to become over-heated
and sag from one inch to a foot. The same effect is
also brought about by the oil mixing with the mud and form-illg
a spongy coating on the plate. The most direct way to
Manufa('tured by Century Furniture Company, Jamestown, N. Y.
overcome the trouble ,is to clean out the boiler and tank and
theH~after fIlter the feed water.
Death of Jacob Fihn.
Jacob Fihn, a well-known furniture dealer of St. Louis,
:\"Jo.,died August 9 at his home in that city. Mr. Film, who
'\,,'as forty-four years of age, has been a residept of S1. Louis
since he came to this country, twenty-four years ago, from
Kieff. Russia, in order to escat=:ebeing forced' to enlist in the
imperial army. This he did through 110t heing ill sympathy
with his g-overnment. He is survived by a widow and five
children. Mr. Film was one of the buyers at the July exposi-tion
in Grand Rapids.
Chain of House Furnishing Stores.
Application has been flled for the incorporation of the
Prince Furnitmc company, to be capitalized at $100,000. The
lllcorporators are H. L. Haltzell, Daniel F. Printz and Samuel
H. Fulmer. The company arc to conduct a series of stores
for the sale of house furnishings, furniture, carpets, etc.
Headquarters will be established at Reading, Fa.,
This is one of our Famous Non-Dividing Pillar Tables
No. 340
.. . . , . $19.50
THESE ARE 'THE ONLY
TABLES 'THAT ARF:
PERFECT IN
CONSTR UCTION
ANY DEALER THAT HAS NOT 'TRIED
ONE OF THESE SHOULD NO'T
FAIL TO ORDER ONE
Choate-Hollister Furniture Co.
Price,
JANESVILLE, WIS.
The T. B. LAYCOCK
MANUFACTURING COMPANY
MANur ACTURERS 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 T. B. Laycock Mfg. CO.
INDIANAPOLIS. IND.
400 Pieces of Parlor and
Library Fumiture
Colonial
Repro-ductions,
Odd Pieces
and Suites in
Louis XV,
Louis XVI,
Sheraton,
Heppelwhile
and
Chippendale
De~gns.
Also large
line of
Leather
Rockers,
Chairs and
Couches.
I59 Cantil Street, Grand Rapids, Mich.
CENTURY FURNITURE CO.
No. 1221 Y; Buffet
<ita,rlered oak. Highly poli~hed. Base, 25 x 50. f Tench bevel mirror, 44 x 14.
Finished golden. Bevel gl"Jl~duol's. Silver drawer lined inside
of dosels and drawers varnished. Price. $27.50
No• .1401 Sideboard
Quartered oak. Highly poli.hed. Base, 25 x 52. French bevel mirrof, 40 x 18.
Finished golden. Heavy veneered effects. Silver drawe, lined.
Closets and drawel's varnished inside. Prlc.e. $35.00
Goods that are mild., 110 weIllhat they come to you with a guarantee cannol
fail 10 please yourtrade.
THE WAIT FURNITURE CO.
POR.TSMOUTH. OHIO.
PROTECT THE BAIHES
For the benefit of future geoel'ations
see that YOllr high chairs have the
Unger Safety Guard
attached. Cost is only $1.00 per dozen over the ~rdinary_ YOll get
2Sc pel' chair more, besides giving your customer a highly superior ·article.
Showing high chair table with guard attached.
Showing how
the children
slide down and
out of the
old slyle chair.
Showing how
the child cannot
possiblyslide
out or stand up
in chair.
If your
mall1Jfacturer does
not Ill:'! k'" them,
order from
Murl)hy Chair Co.,
Detroit, Mich.
American Go-Cart
Co., Detroit, Mich.
Waldcutter & Co.,
Toledo. o.
E. L.ThompsDn & Co.
Baldwinsville. Mass.
Nichols & Stone.
Gardner. Mass.
Canada Furniture Manufacturers, Ltd., TOl"(Jnto, Onl.
Th.e Ford & 10lms0l1 Co., ChicalJO. III.
Buckstaff & Edwards Co·, Oshkosh. Wis.
Geo. Spratt & Co , Sheboygan; Wis.
Any of these will see your wants supplied.
I. UNGER, Patentee. Iron Moun~. Mich.
17
Danis~T~oseDou~h
which are haunting you about Olsen Desks.
Do you think that because they are cheap
they can't be good?
That is al! wrong.
Olsen Desks are as careful!y and intelli-gently
made as those costing twice their price.
By "intelligently made" we mean keeping al ways
ia mind the service they are to render.
Every drawer slides without catching, every curtain
runs smoothly, the pigeon-boles are convenientl.v.arranged,
the whole desk is just the neatest affair imaginable.
The woods are selected with great care and the finish is
faultless.
The only thing cheap about Olsen Desks is their price.
These facts ought to banish al! your doubts.
Don't delay putting Olsen Desks in stock another minute.
When they arrive and you see how readily they sel! you'lI
be sorry you didn't order them before. Write now.
o. C. S. OLSEN &. CO.
All the kids are in love
with Spratt's Chair
GEO. SPRATT & CO.
SHEBOYGAN, WIS.
CHAIRS AND ROCKERS FOR EVERYBODY
Send for Catalogue
No. 88-Child's High Chair with Unger Safety Guard.
Retting Furniture Co. Successors 10 RETTfNG & SWEET
3 8 Stred
Grand Rapids
Michigan
FINE Parlor Furniture, Odd Chairs, Divans, Co-lonial
Snfas. Library Suites, Moms Chairs
The most appropriate dIllliv:na. best materials. (;(InBtI'Uetion and 6niab.
Lodge furniture. Club Furniture Pulpit furnitul't
D~ and estimates furnished lor F'me Ordered Work. Catalogue of Wile and
Chl1l'ch fumiture on application
THE CREDIT ~UREAU OF THE FURNITURE TRADE
The LYON
FURNITURE AGENCY
ROBERT P. LYON, General Manager
CREDITS and
COLLECTIONS
IMPROVED METHODS
Grand Rapids Office, 412-413 Houseman Bldg.
GEO. E. GRAVES,· Manager
CLAPPERTON & OWEN, Coul1sel
THE STANDARD REFERENCE BOOK
CAPITAL, CREDIT AND PAY RATINGS
CLEARING HOUSE OF TRADE EXPERIENCE
THE MOST RELIABLE CREDIT REPORTS
COLLECTIONS MADE EVERYWHERE
PROMPTLY REUABL Y
Smith, & Davis Mfg. Co.
ST. LOUIS
METAL
MAKERS OF
BEDS THAT DO
BEDS
WITH STANDARD .... JJ
...,
Standard Reversible Rail
Patented July 1.5, 19l}2. NQ,7(l4'iOl.
This rail is reversible in the true sense
of the word-can be used either side up
and enables the dealer to ma.ke one set
of raUs answer instead of having two
stocks, one of regular, the other inverted.
1'1..
rf)
REVERSIBLE RAILS
SOLID .. .. RIGID
REVERSIBLE
NOT WIGGLE
No. 328
All Iron
~
$3.75 net
The New
PAThNTED GCT. 20. 1903
Comfortable Durable
Simple N",.t
The Acme oE Perra·tion in the line of
Folding Chairs. P~;"FHCT COMI'ACTNhSS
whltn folded.
Hard maple natural finish.
WRITE FOR PItICES.
ohe
PEABODY SCHOOL
FURNITURE CO.
North Manchester, Indiana
.
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 Ibs.
No. 51
Oliver Bros. Company
LOCKPORT. N. Y.
UA
Hi_h Grade Br_s and Iron
/BEDS
Chicago Satesrol)ms moved to Furni-ture
h:x.hibition Building. 1411 M1Chi-
.l{an Avenue New York Salesroom,
U5 E, 42<1.Street.
fI". M. RANDALL
II'" YOU DON'T VISIT THE: MAR"ETS OUR
CATALOGUE WILL INTEREST YOU.
20
ESTABLISHED lS80
PUBLISHED BY
MICHIGAN ARTISAN CO.
ON THE 10TH AND 2Sn. OF EACH MONTH
OFF/CE-2-20 LYON ST., GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
ENTI!IlED AS MATTER OF THE nCOKtI CLASS
A few years ago the sta.te of IVlichigan engaged ill the
business of manufacturing furniture at the prison in Ionia
under a contract v,:ith the Cochran & .:'Uiller Fmnitur-e com-pany
to take the output. The btlsinC5;; proved unprofitable,
the state losing heavily. and ,,.,.h. en the contract expired the
board ofcolltro! refused to rene,,,,- the same. The mannfac-hirers
of tbe state of Michigan were quite active in bringing
to the attclltioll of the state authorities proof to sustain their
claim that the bl1sin~ss ..".as carried on at a Joss. Louis
Kanitz, of Muskegon; L. C. Stow. of Grand Rapids, and
Charles E. Rigley, of the l':stey Manufacturing company,
Owosso, represented the manufacturers of the state.. "VVithin
the past year the state bas commenced the manufacture of
raLjan chairs .and furniture in the prison at Tonia under can-t
a~t with the Ypsilanti Reed Chair company, and recently a
contract was entered into with the Trade Table company,
owned by the Ypsilanti corporation, for the employment of
250 prisoners incarcerated at the state prison in Jackson,
]\'1ich. The state will receive fifty cents per day for A and
t"..·enty-five ('.ents for B men, The table makers of the United
States may expect to be confronted with demoralizing com-petition
in the near future. It was generally supposed that
when the unprofitable experience at Tonia had termillated the
state of Michigan would not engage in the business of manu-facturing
furniture again, but the making of the contract with
the Trade Table company proves that a trio of politicians
with a pull is stronger than the business' judgment of the men
controlling the prisons of the state of Michigan.
The business of the manufacturers of furniture in the
southwestern states has heen seriously affected by the yelJow
fever epidemic. An idea of the seriollsness of the situation
is furnished in a letter from 1. "\,T. C. "Vright, the manager of
the New Orleans Furniture .Manufacturing company:
"Nearly all our fal':tories (the company operates five) are
partially tied up by the quarantine incidental to the fever
prevailing here. "Vhen dealers send in orders we do not
know whether we can fill them or not, because of the ob-struction
to freight caused by quarantine." The outlook is
nol encouraging for business. If goods were shipped to
certain localities the men ordering the same might not be
alive when the same ',Nere ready for delivery.
------~
A report is current to the dIect that a number of manu-facturers
located in the south have signed an agreement not
to o~,cupy space in the :xposition buildings of Chicago, Grand
Rapids and New York In Jannary. Their withdrawal will not
affect the rn\lrkets materially. The exposition plan for sell-ing
furniture has become an established feature of the busi-ness.
If the southetnerswithdraw, more trade will be gained
by the manufacturers who remain in the market.
The Ordways operated a chair factory in Massachusetts.
The people of Bristol, Tenn .. offeTed a bonus which tempted
the Ordways to move to that town. The condition's for mal1~
L~ __
ufacturing chairs in Tennessee are not those that prevail in
"!\lassachl1setts. The Ordways could not make the business
profitable in Tennessee, therefore dosed the factory and re-turned
to Massachu!:ietts, leaving liatilities amounting to
$.,5,000 unsecured. A receiver in bankrnptcy will attempt to
secure something for the creditors. By the "vay, what was
the name of the wise man who uttered a remark about "let-ting
well enough alone"?
A traveling furniture exposition has been suggested. For
instance ,if the people of Cincinnati should feel the desire for
the presence of one thousand buyers and as many manufac-turers
and selling agents, they need only lease l\ll1sic Hall
and offer its occupancy to the leading manufacturers of Chi-cago,
Grand Rapids. Ne\y York and other furniture centers
free of expense for a month. Baltimore, Boston, Philadel-phia
and other cities might prove attractive for the exposi-tion
seller of furniture ullder similar conditions. The idea is
presented for w!Jat it is wott1J.
The cost of the "keep" of salesmen ill the exposition towns
Juring the furniture selling season is held up for contempla-tion
by the manager of a furniture tnaaufactnring corpora-tion
selling their Olltput to prize soap coq.:oratiol1s as a guud
and sufficient reason why the manufacturers of furniture
should withdraw from tIle expositions. \'\Tou{d tlle cost le
less if the salesmen were traveling on the road \'v-hi Ie the
buyers were making the rounds of the exposition towilS?
The movement inaugurated in thc southern states pro-posing
that manufacturers of furnitllre ,...i.thdraw their lines
from the furniture expositions ,'vas inaugurated by firms en-gaged
in handling government contracts. In the northern
states the movement is championed by a corporation that
disposes of a great part of their outl)ut to prize soap distri-bution
and scheme houses. Fit leaders for such an ill-advised
movement.
The little town of Mebane, N. C. was stirred up consid-erably
a short time ago by tllC loading and dispatching of a
train of thirteen cars containing furniture for the government
buildings ill Panama. The goods were manufactured by the
White Furniture company and passed the critical inspection
by government experts successfully. Thc \Vhites arc proud
of their success and the government is satisfied.
When it is understood that twenty thousand persons are
employed by the mail order houses of Chicago and probably
as many more by the premium distributing or scheme ho'uses,
the nature of the work undertaken by the National Retailers'
association-the abolishment of such concerus~wilt he, in a
measure, comprehended.
The withdrawal of out-of-town lines from the furniture
expositions will not affect Grand Rapids. So long as the
buyers find it profitable to visit the :~diehigan furniture center
for the purpose of buying goods the manufacturers of Grand
Rapids will have fresh styles and perfect work for their con-sideration.
If all manufacturers had practical pulls that would enable
them to sell their output to the state a.nd federal governments
there would be no reason for their showing tlleir lines in the
exposition towns. The same is true of the manufacturers who
sell their outputs to the soap and scheme houses.
Trade Notes.
A large fl1rniturc factory. will be erected in Columbus, Ga.
Lutz & Sonhave established a furniture store in Pasco,
Fla.
The Ott Lounge company have moved from Chicago to
Pontiac, Ill.
Cron & \Valker succeed Cron & Zeemer in the furniture
business at Piqua, o.
The Automatic ¥lringer comVany, Mllskegon, Mich., have
gone out of business.
L. P. Kelly, St. Mary's, 0., has sold his furniture business
to H. C. Smith and J. D. Miskell.
H. ¥l. Potter has sold his Ittrniture and undertaking busi-ness
in Belleville, 1vJich.,to Pullen & Son.
The St. J alms Table company \'lill commence the opera-tion
of their factory at Cadillac, Mich .. early in Octoher.
I....Kauffman, of South Columbus, 0" has sold an interest
in his furniture store to 1\'1. O. \Vagner, late of Lancaster.
The Shoals (Ind.) Brass & T TOn Bedstead company, re-cently
organized in_that city, will soon commence business.
)/1. A. Taylor and others have organized the Pecos Furni-ture
company in Austin, Tex. Their ca~;ital stock is $w,ooo.
A. Dirksen & Sons, Springli.eld, 111.,have filed articles of
incorporation, with $IOO,OOO capital, to ellgage in tbe manU-II., factming business. .
The Forest City Furniture company, Rockford, Tll., at the
annual meeting of stockholders held recently, re~eleeted their
old board of directors and officers.
H. J. Lapalme and others have organized the IT. J. La-palme
comrany, of vVaterbury, Conn., to deal in furniture and
carpets. Their capital stock is $5,000.
The Anderson & Winter l\Janufacturing company will
erect a factory T05xI35 feet in size and three stories high in
Manufactured by Empire Furniture Company, Jamestown, N. Y.
Clinton, la., to which point they \'lill move their business from
Cedar Rapids.
The New York Chair company, of New York. manufac-turers
of antique furniture, have been incorporated with a
capital stock of $IO,OOO. The incorporators are Jeremiah
21
O'l,eary. Lester S. Aberley and Frederick n. Maerkle, all of
New -"{ark.
The factory of the Columbian :rvranufacturing company,
makers of mattresses and bedding, St. Johns, Mich., has' been
completely destroyed by fire with a total loss of contents.
About $500 insurance was carried.
Indianola, Neb., is experiencing a lively building boom.
Suggestive of Comfort.
Among the new blocks is that of the firm of W. H. Smith &
Son, v·,:hoare completing the erection of a .large brick furni-ture
store- to accommodate their steadily growing business.
The Knox-\\'alker Furniture company, Pine Bluff, Ark.,
have field articles of association with the secretary of the
state of Arkansas. Their capital stock amonnts to $20,000, to
which subscril:tiolls have been made amotlll(ing to $12,3°0.
Charles F. Johnson. formerly with A. B. & E. L. Shaw,
will join the selling force of "the Pooley Furniture company,
Philadelphia, on September I. The c9mpany are erecting a
large addition to their plant, which is intended to increase
their manufacturing facilities one-third.
Joserl1 V,,'nolsey has brought suit against the Freed Furni-ture
& Carpet company, Salt Lake City, charging that a rep-resentative
of the company entered his house during his ab-sence
and illegally carried away certain furniture belonging
to complainant. Damages amounting to $500 are sought for.
The l\{ajestic Bed & l\:lanufacturing company, Springfield,
0., are in the hands of a receiver. The company are indebted
for $20,000 and have property valued at $35,000. The action
was precipitated by a suit brought by Alonzo Hullinger, the
general manager, wbo c.!aimed that the company owed him
$216 back salary.
The Century Furniture company, Jamestown, N. Y. have
issued a catalogue illustrating and describing their line of
dressers, chiffoniers, sideboards, huffets. The line numbers
nearly 100 patterns. Quartered oak, dark and Tuna, mahog-any,
golden curly birch and bird's-eye maple are used in the
manufacture of these goods.
Good Cabinet Makers Need Good Benches
THAT'S THE KIND WE MAKE
HAND
SCREWS,
FACTORY
TRUCKS,
CABINET
CLAMPS
WRITE
FOR
CATALOGUE
No.8
Our No. 1 Bench
Grand Rapids Hand Screw Company
I30 South IoniaStreet, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
Canadian Representatives, RICE. LEWIS & SON. Toronto, Onl.
CABINET
MAnERS
In these days of close competition,
need the best possible equipment,
and this they can have in • . • •
BARNES·
Hand and Foat
Power Machinery
Our New hand and foot Power Circular Saw NO.4
The strongest, most powerful, and in every war the best
machine of its kind ever made, for ripping,
<:fOss-cutting, boring and grooving. Send for our New Catalogue.
-We F. ®. JOHN BARNES CO.
654 ~uby Street. ~ochford, III.
The Yeager furniture Company
ALLENTOWN, PA.
UPHOLSTERED
PARLOR
FURNITURE
and NOVEL TIES
An endless variety In Gold,
Gilt, Mabogany and Weathered
Oak Finishes.
..•~.'-.-
UlM.". •• .><III.t ..............
"WE MAKE OUR OWN FRAMES"
NEW LINE OF
- POLISHED
WOOD SEAT
ROCKERS
--IN-BIRCH
OAK ANp
MAHOGANY.
CODlple1eLine on Exhibition a.t
CHICAGO ONLY
Manufacturers' Exhibition Building
1319 MICUIGAN AVENUE, SEVENTU FLOOR
The Schirmer furniture Co.
Manufacturers
... of ...
Hall
Racks
Settees
Hanging
Racks
Center
Tables
1911-1915Elm Street, CINCINNATI,0"10
Robbins Table Co.
OWOSSO, MICHIGAN
No. 286 Improved Extension Table
Leaves stored in top
Center column does not d1vide
CATALOG AND PRICES TO DEALERS
ON REQUEST
,.
24
The Official Report.
An enthusiastic gathcrillg of the members of the )'lichigan
Retail Furniture Dealers' association convened at .Detroit,
:vrich., recently, the occasion being the anl1nal meeting of the
association.
The convention was called Oil very brief notice, and for
that reaeOH 111an)' of the dealers from the interior were unable
to be present. Letters and telegrams from a number were
received, regretting their inability to be present but pladging
the association a continuance of their moral and financial
snpllOrt. Tt was not intended that this meeting should be
called for anything more than the transaction of routine busi-ness
and the election of officers, but it turned out to be a very
enjoyable affair for all those who attended.
In his opening remarks President Barker said: "The
If ... 1.4.
(roil Bed. F.."., _.f" _. b"""" "•• m"oo, .'1
C'OlQ'" ho",' b.... ,,.j,,,m;o(>
Ifo./' ..
p...lor Tsble.
(".01<10;, "" 0' m.~op.o~: ..-_
""ood ""'.' p;."" """ ... .,.]
If•• JU.
EneD1!lon Tsble.
M.O',., I:Zi,~:~~~;~~.d'.~,
A Good Sample Advertisement.
lvlichigan Retail Furniture Dealers' association was organ-ized
September 24. 190I. On November 4 of that year ,ve had
membership of eighty. The battle was on for right principles
in trade so far as it affected the retailers of furnitnre. The
battle is still on, although the factories generally <10 not sell
to consumers.
"The national association, since organized', has taken into
consideration the mail order houses and the giving away of
furniture as premiums is also receiving its attention; and I
believe that all matter affecting the retail trade will receive
its careful consideration. r recommend that members of onr
state association give it their liberal and hearty support. I
also recommend that Ollr incoming president cause to be sent
to every furniture dealer in the .state a circular letter giving
full information as to the national association and calling at-tention
to the fact t11at it is maintained in its work by per
capita dnes raid from the treasury of the state associations.
Therefore, if the dealers wish to assist in movements
planned for the betterment of the retail trade, they must of
necessity become members of the state association. I ..v..ould
also recommend that the dues be reduced to $3.00 per annum
in order that every dealer in the state may become a member.
This wOlild leave liS $2,00 per member for om expense of
sending out circulars. letters, etc., after paying our per capita
tax of $r.oo, to the nati()J1al association. I would urge that
dealers mail all complaints to our secretary, and if they can-not
be adjusted by the state association the complaints will
be referred to the national association. [recommend the
election of three delegates and three alternates to the national
association to attend their meetings when that body is pre-pared
to receive thenl. 1 ,",,'auld also recommend that the
members be informed from time to time by our secretary of
the work which is being done, 'so that the dealers who can-not.
attend the meetings may know that their interests are
being taken care of."
The report of the executive committee showed that a Hum-ber
of. matters of interest to the members, which had been
referred by the committee to the secretary, had been adjusted
in a ma1111ersatisfactory to all those concerned. An amend-ment
to the by-la\vs was adopted, reducing the annual dues
from $5.00 to $3.00 r er year, and it was the sense of the meet-ing
that this amount would afford stlff:cient rcvenue to pay
the running exrenscs and IT-ake it easier to obtain !Jew
members.
During the rast year both the president and secretary
have corresponded with a Humber of mannfacturers through-out
the country and letters from many of these were read, an-nouncing
themselves in sympathy with the aims of the asso-ciation
and pledging themselves to confine their sales here-after
to the legitimate retailer of furniture and no longer
sell to mail order and premium houses; and a resolution ,'vas
llnanimollsly adopted commending the action of these ma:l-ufactnrcrs
and pledging to them the !filpport and patronage
of 0111' members.
It was the sense of the meeting that in so far as it was
consistent with their bnsiness, the members should, in mak-ing
their purchases. favor and ratronize such buildings and
such lines of goods as are shown in exhibition buildings which
are used exclusively for wholesale purposes at all times.
A resolution was adopted expressing the regret of the
members at the death of the former vice president, B. F.
Cotharin, of Flint. Mr. Cotharin was a pionccr in this associ-ation
movement, and bis presence was' sadl; missed at this
meeting.
Plans for incrcasing the membership were considered and
the secretary instructed to carry them out and to use the
funds ohthe association in the furtherance of these plans.
A rcsolution was adopted commending the work being
done bv the national association and pledging the continued
support of the l\.lichigan association in the work wbich the
national has undertaken in the orga:,i7.ing of other state asso-ciations
and the strengthening of the associations alrcady
forllled. The election of officers resl1lted as follows. Presi-dent,
James ),-1. Keenan, Detroit: first vice president, George
B. Gallup, Jackson; second vice president, \Vill Hanson, Mon-roe;
secretary-treasurer. Charles C. Roscllbury, Bay City;
executive committee, D. M. "regner, chairman, Grand Rap-ids;
W. E. Barker, Dctroit; F. J. Schutt, 1'\'lol1l1tClemens;
Charles A.H ager. i\larquette; T. R Donovan, Saginaw.
The elect;o:, of the l~resident was made on the third ballo~.
j\,{r. Barker v,,·as re-elected ont he first and second ballots, hut
declined the honor. 1Ie cxpressed bis appn~ciation of the
honor ~'hich had already been conferred upon him by the
association. and of the further honor ,vhich they proposed to
confer by his re-election. bnt thought for the good of the as-sociation
that it would be wisc to elect someone efse to the
office. It was hard for the members to g-ive Hp Yilr. Barker,
as he has sexved th('. association wi!'.cly and well.
Mr. Lewis also declined re-election as secretary-treasurer,
expressing himself of the belief that a chang-e in that off-ice
would also be beneficial, and he fHrtller stated that his per-sonal
affairs duril1g the coming year would scarcely give him
time to do justice to the duties of secretary~trcast1rer.
Resollltions were unanimol\sly adopted expressing to 1\1r.
Manufactured by Northern Furniture Co" Sbeboygan, Wis.
Barker and 1\1r. Lewis the thanks and appreciation of the
members for the excellent seT\'ice rendered the association
during their terms in office.
The meeting then adjonrncd, s\lbject to the can of the
president. Tile meeting was called strictly for bl1siness pur-poses
and no elltertaitllnellt was c011templated. However.
the members of the Detroit association are an exceedingly
Manufactured by Udell Works, Indianapolis, Ind.
hospitable lot, and they were not to be denied the privilege
of entertaining: those who were present, and during the day
and previolls to the meeting plans were hastily perfected for
giving the visitors a good time. A special car was arranged
for that took the members from the city to the Belle Isle
bridge, ..".here they boarded a launch and were taken to Belle
Isle. After the mee1illg adjourned the members again went
aboard the launch and were taken to a popular resort on the
25
Canadian shore and served with a fish and game dinner.
Other refreshments and cigars were fmnished in abundance.
After rctH1"11ing from the Canadian shore a Dumber of the
members left the yacht at Belle Tsle and returned to the city
in automobiles. Altogether it was a very enjoyable occasion,
although no plans had been made beforehand for any enter-tainment.
Sues an Undertaker for Carelessness.
Charles A. :"IcGowan, a liveryman at "Vest hope, N. D.,
has started a novel suit which may bring out some fine points
of law in his action for damages against Benjamin Roman-son,
an undertaker at Souris, for $.=i,600. :rVlcGowan claims
that 11(', (',11gage.d Romallson to ("mhallH the remains of his
wife so that they might be sent to Northwood, her old home,
fnr burial. F-I e asserts that the undertaker perfo:med the
service so negligently and nnskillfully as to make them
ManufaClurlOd by \Voodard Furniture Co., Owosso, Mich.
wholly worthless, and that by the time the body had reached
Nortl1'wood it vvas in such a condition that it was impossible
to bold all orderly ft111cral or to allow relatives and friends
tn view the remaim;. lh. );JC.GOW'a11 seeks the $5,(>00 as a
rJtlietus to his outraged feelings and the intense mental agony
and mortification he has suffered as a result of Romanson'S
carelessness.
At a special election held at St. Johns, Mich., a proposi-tion
to bond the city fOf $15,000 to purchase the real estate
and building of the Table company was carried by a large
majority. It is expected that at least two new factories will
be established there-a furniture factory from .Chic.ago and
an automobile factory from Detro-it.
A. D. Gibson & 'Co., retail fUfniture dealers,Memphis,
Tenn., are enlarging their quarters, having leased additiot}al
warehouse room, giving them the entire Main street building,
in which a handsome art department will be installed.
26
THE ONLY CASTER CUP THAT WILL NOT MAR OR SWEAT
A New Caster CUP. a Furniture Protector and a Rest
We guamntl!'e perfect .satis-faction.
We know we have
the (tilly perfect c-a'!iter cup ever
made. This cup is in two sizE's,
as follows: 2~ inch and 3 inch,
and we use the cork bottom.
You know the Test
Small size, $3.60 I)e, 100
Large size, 4.60 per 100
Try it and be CDIlVilJced.
:Eo" O. B. Gratld Rapids.
Our Concave Bottom Card
Rlock does not touch the sur-iace,
but upon Ihe rim. permit-ting
a circulation of air under the bluck, thereby preveotintr moisture ..r
marks of any kInd. ihis is the only card block of its kind on the market.
Price $3.00 per 100
Grand Rapids Caster Cup Co" 2 ''''wood A".. Grand Rapids, Mich.
Also can be bad at LUSSKY. WHITE & COOLIDGE. 111-113Lake St.. Chicago
ROCKFORD UNION
FURNITURE CO.
ROCKFOJ{[), ILL.
Buffets, Bookcases,
China Closets
\Ve lead in Style, COllstruct:oll
and Finish.
SEE OUR
CATALOGUE.
Furniture Factory for Sale
A fir~tclass factory, at present making tables, in
~ood .sourhern location near to splendid timber
supply, arId having first-class transp0r1ation facili-ties,
]s for sale. If parties will investigate before
July 15th, _an advantageolls offer will be made.
Information about plant will be furnished hy
M. V. RICHARDS,
l.and and Industrial Ag'ent. Southern Railway,
WASHINGTON, D. C.
CHAS. S. CHASE, Agent.
612 Cbemical Building,
ST. LoUiS, MO.
M. A. HAYS, Agent,
225 llearhorll StTl~et,
CHCAGO, ILL
• fOUR TRAINS C" ICAGO TO .t..ND fROM
Lv Gd. Rapids 7:10am Ar ('h1cag:o 1:15pm
Lv Gd. Rapids 12:051111 Ar Chicago 4:50pm
Lv Gd, R",p,ds 4:25 pm daily Ar ClJicago H>:55pm
Lv Gd. Ravids 11:.'0"m dail)' Ar Chica~ 6:55am
Pulltnan Sleeper, open 9:00 pm on 11:30pm train every day. CaE...service on
all day traillS. 5t'rvice ll. la carte.
PeTe Marquette Pad..,r cars on all day trains. Rate reduced to 50 Ce'TltS.
T"REE TRAINS D E T R 0 I T . TO AND fROM
Leave Grand Rapids 7:)(1 atn Arrive Delroit H::,S am
Leave j;,alld Rapids 11:25 am daily Arrive DeuQit 3:25I>m
Leave Grand Rapids 5:20 pm Arrive Detroit 10:05 pm
Meals served a 1a cane' on trains leaving Gral',1 Rapids at 11:25am and
5::10 pm. Pere Marquelle Parlor Cars on all !Tail'S; ~ea! late. 2s cents.
"ALL OVER MICHIGAN"
H. J. G RAY, lHS [RICT PASSENGER AGIi;~"l,
PHONE1168 GrandRapids,Micb.
QUARTER-SAWED
INDIANA
WHITE OAK VENEERS
CHOIC~ FIGURI<; I<;XTR<I. WIDTHS
When writing for pric('~. mention widths required
and kind of figure preferred.
HOFFMAN
BROTHERS CO.
Fort Wayne Indiana
W~manufacture the larg-
Cifltline of FOLDING
C H AI R S in the United
States, suitable for Sunday
Schools, Halls, Steamers and
all Public Re$orts.
We al"io manufacture Bral's
Trimmed Iron Bed... , Spring
Beds, Cots and Cribs in a
Iarg"ft variety •.
Send for Catalogue
and Pric'es to
Kauffman Mfg. CO.
A~"LA~D, 0"10
Morton House American
......Plan
Rates $2.50 and Up
Hotel Fantlind European
.....rlan
Rates $1.00 and Up
lhe Noon Dinner Served ~tthe fanllind
for 50c: is the FINEST IN THE WORLD
J. BOYD PANTLIND. Prop.
WHY NOT GO BY BOAT?
BfTWEEN
Chicago
AND
Grand Rapids
fore $2_00 one "'By
3.75 RoUl:ld Trip
Leav~ Chica2"Q7;45 p.m. daily
Leavr::Grand Rapids7:40p.m. daily
Reserve berths at 103 Adams St., Cbicago, Docks foot Michigan Ave.
91 Monro~ Street, Grand Rapids. Mich.
~----------------------- ----
Worked Raised Postal Order Game.
The Racine (\Vis.) yapcrs print a story of a young man
giving the name of William 1'. Crane, who is believed to have
defrauded one of the local furniture de,alers of about $30.
None of the dealers, however, witl admit the "touch." The
presence of the same [:erson is greatl] desired in Chicago,
where he "vorked at least eight furniture dealers. The first
seen of the man ..v.as about two weeb; ago, when he visited
the Belle City FUfniltlTe Store. At tbat r1ace lIe presented
a rostoffice lllOney order for $50, drawll at the Kenosha
oft-lee. He asked to have the ordc'- cashed there, 1mt was re-fused.
He next went to the Thronson Flli"tlitllfC company.
where he Llsed different tactics. He bought a s.ideboard and
offered a postoffice order ill payment. \Vhen the clerk re-fused
to accept it the str<lnger asked that the sir!eboard be
delivered to 1431 Owen avenue all the following :\lonrlay,
where the teamster could collect al lhe house.
Meeting with poor success at tllese places, he shifted to
27
stranger was at the Northwestern depot, where it is thought
he boarded a train for Mi.lwankee.
Initial Appearance of "The Busy Store News."
Stewart Brothers, of Columbus, 0., have just issued th("
tirst number of "The Busy Store News-," a periodical named
afler and published ill the interests of their well-known hO'lse
fllfllishing establishment in that city. "The Busy Store
News" is a neat TOXT2 inch, eight-page "illustrated magazine
of fashions in furniture and kindred subjects," of special in-terest
to theil· present and prospective patrollsin the retail
trade. The n~agazine, which' i5 to be issued monthly, is
printed on good p:\)er in plain, rearlable type, and contains
enlivening bits of store news on everyone of its pages. Each
department of the store is represented, and in many instances
half-tone cuts of the different flool's and displays are effect-ively
llsed. Bright al1d crisp little verses and short articles
written in h'mnorol1s vein are well distributed through its
Manufactured by Manistee Manufarturi!lg Company, Manistee, Mic.:h.
the jewelry store of \Vicgalld Brothers. \ivhere he wanted to
purchase a phol10grat:h on the same terms. He met with a
cold recertion there also, and again he hied himself to a fllT-niture
dealer, this timc visiting the Porter Fnrnitt1re com-pany,
where he })nrchascd another sideboard and asked that
it be delivered to the number 011 Owen avenue. lvInnday
morning there \,,-'ere two sideboards loaded on wagons and
taken to O\'<"en avemte, hnt the dr-ivers co,lld lind no such
number as given by the stranger. and they were retul'tled to
the stores. It has been learned that the stranger rosed as a
carpenter contractor who was to build a large fiat building.
(I e had engaged rooms on \Visconsill street and on Sunday
morning asked the landlady for the location of a nice church.
as it was his usual custom to a~tend divine service on the
Sabbath. Son ..e.. of the other l~()ardeTs at the 11011seare ac-customed
to having beer at the table, and it ..v.as tbought ad-visable
to take that beverage from the bill of tare for that
day on account of the Christian-like demeanor of the new
boarder. Imagine their surprise when he readily accepted
the invitation to join them in a drink. The last scen of (he
pages, making in ail a periodical well worthy a place on the
library table.
A Check and the "Money;'Refunded" Plan.
l-1 e h<J.donly a check for $57, and needed $7 at once. rhe
banks were aU closed and he tried half a dozen friends, in
vain Then he thought of a lJig department store where his
face was known to the cashier.
··Can you cash this. check for me?" he asked.
"I could for merchandise," the cashier replied, "but I
COllldn't give you money for all of it."
"Suppose I buy fifty doHan;' worth, can you give me the
change ?"
"all, yes, there's no trontIe about that."
So the man with the check went to the jewelry deI'art-ment,
pick~,d out a fifty-dollar watch, paid with the check, got
seven dollars' ~hange, and two days later returned the watch
and got llis fifty dol1ars. "Handy, this scheme of the stores
takillg things back," he said.
28
Observations of a Representative of the Artisan.
Evansville, Aug. 25.-Tt was with a feeling of admiration
and surprise tbat 0111" of the l\'lichigan Artisan's representa-tives
visited for the tir~:t time the city of Evansville in the
middle of the present month. Admirably located on the
banks of the Ohio river, rich in historic associations with the
departed red man and the frontiersman ofa hundred yea1"S
ago, this city, above whose limits rises the smoke from scores
of humming factories, impresses the visitor at once as one
of the . 1110st wide-a. wake and p.fogressive cities in -the south.
The proverllial hospitality of the south is also one of the
n~arked d:aracteristics of Evansville'>; atmosphere with which
the visitor comes in contact. One cannot help becoming" im-bued
with the feeling that in this attractive city there is
"something doing" all the time and that a mueh greater city
is t11C future of Evansvilk
Ma'lat{er Karges, of the Karges Fmnittlre company, rc-rOtts
t: ade with his conlj:'any thus (ar this year as very good,
with the exception of the interruption ,"vhich has COIJlL' to
their sOLlthern trade Oil account of the yellow fever epidemic.
The company's trade from the western states continues to
be holding ant in good shape.
The Evansville Furniture company, manufacturers of
bedsteads. wardrobes, safes, tallies, oak chamber sllites, chairs
and rockers, and jobbers o( all kinds of furniture, is one o(
the largest and most prominent in the big list of Evans\cjl1c's
furniture industries. :o..lr.HGus" Nonwei1cr states that a brand
new line of case goods, entirely new stuff, is beiJlg gotten
out, prices ranging from $6.00 to $20.00; oak bedroom suites
with prices up to $50.00. A new line of chiffoniers is also to
form another department of this company's big output.
Philip Nonweiler, the president 'aud treasmer of the Ev-ansville
Furniture company, at this writing is seriously ill
with typhoid fever. Grave fears arc entertained as to the
outcQrre, owing to the fact that R'lr. Nonwciler is about sixty-five
years of age.
The American Ph'arnI<1caJ company, 2D5 Upper First street,
Evansville, are manufacturing a polish that is making Evans-v.
ille famolls. This article is called ;'Natl's Red Star Polish,"
for furniture, pianos. ollice allJ bar fixtures, iron beds, car-riages,
automotiles, etc. tt is the only perfect polisher and
cleaner that insmes that peculiar factory finish. It contains
110 acid, dries instantly, does 110t leave the furnitme gummy
or sticky. aud is endorsed and used hy the largest furnitLlre
factories and dealers. The reputation of "Nall's Red Star
Polish" is such that it has been on the market Ior tell years
and never a customer disappointed. There is no disagree-able
or offensive odor connected \..i..th it, and it has the back-ing
of such widely known fllrnitme <:ompanies and other con-cerns
as the Karges Furniture company, Crescent Furnitllre
company, T ndiana Furniture company, Evansville Desk com-pany,
Eli D. Miller F.olding Bed company, City National
tank and the Old State National bank, of Evansville; the Re-liable
Furniture company, Memphis, Tenn.; Rhodes-Haverty
Furniture comr:any, of A.tlanta, Ga.; ]. VV.Gleaves & Son, of
Paducah, Ky., as well as hundreds of others who use and
recommend tl1(~same. The "Nall's Red Star Floor Polish"
is the only polish for Jloor use, as it gives the appearance of
hardwood floors, leaving a polish instead of an oily, greasy
surface, which is the the great objection to floor oils, as tl~ey
rresent an llnsighlly appearance ,aud accumulate dust and
dirt.
7IR'T' I >S' 7IJ"l
;;;;SF·
The American Pharmacal company enjoy a very large
trade, not only generally. all these goods, but especially so in
the south.
Mr. J. H. Rohsenberger, manager of the American Phar-macal
company, spent a ten-day trip in the early part of the
present month in the cast, including a trip to Buffalo and also
several cities in the state of Ohio.
The Globe Furniture company will from now on make a
full line of dining room and hall furniture, was the st<l.te-ment
recently made by Secretary-Treasurer TIenjamin Bosse
to the Michigan Artisan's representative. l\ll previous lines
thal have been made will be continued and not dropped, but
K. U. goods will be cut out and go to the Bosse Furniture
Company, whose fine plant is an addition to tbe Globe Futni-lure
company. All lines dropped by the Globe will he made
in the Bosse factory.
The Bosse Fnrniture company have a strong line for the
coming fall and spring trade. This company opened up ill
their splendid new plant June I. The Bosse factory is a struc-ture
.39DX60, exclusive of the boiler house. l\Ianager ,Ed-ward
Ploeger says business is such tbat the plant has been
kept btlSy right along and the trade is g~od from all seetions
of the COUll try.
V\o'illiam A. Koch, secretary and treasurer of the Evans-ville
Metal Bed company, returned Augitst 16 from a short
tri) to St. Louis.
The Evansviite Metal Bed company haye issued a Heat
condensed catalogue entitled ;;~lidst1tnmer Musings" on the
Hanner line. This comp,'wy occupy one of the most. com-plete
factories of its kind in the United States and in work-manship
and finish the line is a top notcher.
l\lanager Smith, of the Smith Chair company, says his
company are having an excellent trade this year, notwith-standing
the fact that 1904 was the biggest year in their his-tory.
The Smith Chair company manufacture a standard line
of wood, cane, dOllble cane, cobbler, tufted cobbler and fancy
veneer seat chairs and rockers, all kinds of child's chairs are
also manufactured. Notwirhstanding their fire jn May, the
company were ready for business on June '1. The line of
fancy chairs and rockers has been largely increased this
year. The Smith Chait· company have men in their employ
who have been with the comj: any continuously the past forty
years and who turn out for their em:Joyers the old Boston
rockers and the old Douglas office chairs-goods that are
being manufactured in EvansvitJe by this' COlTIpanyonly.
C. 1.. Vt/ood, of Grand Rapids, representative for Winslow
Brothers & Smith company, manufacturers of glue and gela-tine,
Chicago, visited the local trade on the 15th inst.
William L. C.aldwell, J ndianapolis representative for L. J.
11cCIoskey & Co., makers of varnishes and japans, Phila-delphia,
was in Evansville on the 15th inst., calling on the
furniture trade.
The Boeksteg~ Furniture company have just added a uew
department to their line in dressing tables made in quartered
oak, and also a large addition to their regular line in exten-sion
and library tables made in quartered oak, imitation quar-tered
oak and solid oak. These additions are all new patterns
and are very sllbl't.1nrial in make-up and attrnctive jn appear-ance.
Manager Jourdan rc;orts the company's tra~le as very
good and up to last year in volume.
E. A. Schor, formerly receiving teller for the City National
bank, of Evansville, recently resigned his position to be~
come the bookeeper for the Karges Furniture company.
P. B. Fellwock. the bookkeeper for some time past ,."ith
the Karges Furniture company, has, with two brothers, or-ganized
the Fellwock Roll & Panel company. His hrother
William was formerly engjl~eer, and his l::rotherFred was a
cabinet maker, also in tbe employ o( the Karges Furniture
cnmpany. The Fcllwock Roll & Pand comrany have taken
the building fonnerly occupied by the Bosse l'l1rniture com-pany
on .Fourth avellue and Illinois street.
l-]. N. Hall, of Grand Rapids, Ivlich., has takcn the man-agement
of the Evansville Bookcase & Table company. A
numbcr of new improvements are to be made, including a
ncw factory addition, to be located on Second avenue and ad-joining
the present plant, located corner Second aVe11l1C and
Ohio street. vVork Oil the new structure '\vill begin Septem-ber
T. It '\vill be three stories high, with basement, and will
be ul.adc o( brick. Manager 1-1 all intends gethllg O\lt an entire
llew line of goods, "I'·hich will be ready for the market next
January. Mr. Hall is a well-known gentleman to the furni-ture
trade at large, having had a large experience in the man-agement
of various furniture enterpriscs; and is also well
known as one of the best designers in the trade,
Manager Reitz, of the Standard Chair company, made a
trip east during the 6rst half of the current month.
The Buehncr Chair company have been having' a splendid
trade sincc July I. I\{anager T-I. J. Lichtellfeld says tr:de bas
been picking up rapidly since that tlate, and a big part of the
trade ls coming in from Texas. The Buehner Chair company
are one of the oldest h1rniture companies in Evansville, hav-ing
b"een established the past forty years. l\lanagcr Lictell-feld
has been with the company since J872, having worked
his way up to his present position. Tho::; company's trade
comes largely from Texas, Tcnnessee, Kelltucky, Illinois and
Indiana.
H. H. Schu, the treasurer o[ the Crescent FnTllitui"e com-pany,
anf! TvIrs. 5cht1 returned fro111 a two wceks' pleasnre
trip east, including Niagara l'al1s.
The Crescent Furniture company are having a good vol-ume
of trade this year, is the statement of Treasnrer Schu.
The company's trade is not confined to any particlliar sec-tion,
but is general and comes from all parts of the United
States. The Crescent line is being displayed in Chicago, 10
the Karpen building, 187 IHichigall avenue, with Hall &
Knapp.
The Artisan's representative called on the Grote lVranllfac-turing
company, f01.1ndet"s and machinists, 117-129 Third
avenue, and in interviewing Mr. Grote fonnd thal lhis con-cern
is doing an excellent busilless this year. This concern
has been established eighteen years. 'Vhile the tradc comes
generally from all. sections, this company enjoy an especially
large measure of business from the states in the south.
The Hohenstein-Hanmetz l<urniture company, manufac-turers
of fine furniture, arc one of the recent additiol1s to the
big list of Evansville's furniture manllfacturing- industries.
This company manufacture a complete line of music cabinets
and parlor tables made in mahogany an'(J oak. 1v(essrs. G. A.
Hartmetz and Alhert Hohenstein c.ompose this concern.
They state that a new department will be opened by the addi-tion
of a line of ladies' desks, ,,·,:hich 'will be ready fur the
J an nary season, J906.
One of the best-know"l1 Evansville concer11S to the furni-ture
trade is Conrad Haase, manfadurer of conches, lounges
and mattresses a11(l jobber in sprillgs and cots. This COllccm
is one of the oldest in Evansville, having becn established in
J860. An excellent trade is enjoyed from the south and im-mediate
vicinity of Evansville.
The Evansville Spring Bed company, manufadl1rers of the
Sllfprise sp6'ng bcd, are one of the smaller concerns of Ev-ansville.
The goods, guaranteed not to sag, dust and vermin
proof and combining the features of ease, durability and com-fort,
make this article one of the strong ones of its kind in the
furniture field. Henry Huck, proprietor, says he is having a
good trade on these goods, the demand for them coming
especially from sOl1thern Indiana and Kenttlcky.
The Indiana Furnitllre COtnl)ally aYe one of the big {1.1rni-ture
plants of Evansville. President Herman G. Menke states
29
the concern IS having a very fair trade this year, the demand
for goods being genera1.
ScheIosky & Co., manufacturers of dining, kitchcll, office
al1(l restaluant tables. arc having in mind the erection of a
considerable addition to their present furniture plant, the de-mand
for their goods being such,states Mr. Riehl, that it
would seem at this time an imperative nccessity that a larger
plant be put up.
A visitor among the furniture factorics finds, among other
important industrics, tlWl of the Specialty Furniture com-pany,
manufacturers of chamber suites, odd dressers and chif-foniers
at Indiana street alld Elsas avenue. Secretary-Treas-urer
H. J. Ruschc states that a department of high priced
suites will he one of the additiollS to this comrany's line, the
goods being in plain oak alld quartered oak.
The Evansville Veneer co~npany, one of the new concerns
of this city, organized recently, have their new plant in op-eration
and located Oil the Belt Line. Business with this
company is rushing, the capitalizati'on being $35,000. Man-ager
Talge, who has becn in the veneer business for twenty-fOlll
years, is at the head of this ne'\\' and enterprising com-rally
and its principal owner. T\.Jr. Talge was formerly sec-retary
and treasurer of the Talge Ma'lOgany company, In::li-
A FLORENTINE INTERIOR.
anapolis. Iud .. and was also for a number of years with the
I,'rost Velleer company, of Indianapolis. The company have
OTle of the most complete veneer plants in the United States,
the building being of brick. with cement floors, and almost
fire proof. It is probably the best equipped plant for pro-ducing
all kinds of veneers. The company turn out sawed
oak and all kinds of rotary cnt stuff. It.is equipped ,,,,ith a
230-horse-power engine. Fifty hands arc employed and trade
is coming from all sections. The plant started operations
on Decoration day. A very well lighted and commodious
o f-Ticc, completely equipped throughout, has been built sep-a:-
ate from the main plant.
Benjamin M. Cohen, traveling represcl1tative for the Hick-son
1\lal.lufactnr111g company, of Mill1cic, Ind., was in Evans-ville
on the 16th and 17th inst. Mr. Cohen covers Illinois,
lv] issol1ri and Iowa for his company and 'has just taken on St.
r .ollis also as his territory.
Thiel & v\lelter, of Bellingham,- Wash., have bought Oltt
the local holdillgs of the Standard Furniture company, which
am.onntf:d to ab()llt $25,000. They will move their stock and
fixtures inlO the new store.
30
? :c.
HORN fiROS. MFG. CO.
281 to 291 W. Superior St .. CHICAGO. ILL.
MANUFACTURERS Of'
Chamber Suites. Odd Dressers. Chiffoniers
UDiES' DRESSINGT4BLES to match
Made in Golden Oak, Genuine Maho~any Veneered, Birdseye Maple,
White Enamel Highly Pohsbed or Dull Finisb.
We also make II line of PRINCESS DRESSERS from $1300 uP. In
Quarter-Sawed Oak, Mahogany and BirdsEye Maple, Veneered
If you have not received OUt Spring Supplement, ask for it.
SOME. OF OUR. NEW DRESSERS -Made In Quarter_Sawed SAMPLES SHOWN BY PECK & HILLS 1319Michigan Avenue, and
Oak. Oval or Square 61.... HALL & KNAPP, 187 Michigan Avenue, Chicago,
SUElBYVILLE
DESK CO.
MAN\lFACTURlU:S OF"
Office Furniture
MAHOGANY AND IMITATION
QUART£.RED QAK. PLAIN OAK
[n Three GradeJ
4 full Line. Up-to-Date. Exhibited
EIGHTH FLOOR.·
1319 Michigan Avenue
A A Chicago ~A
Write for Latest Catalogue.
SHEL8YVILLE, • • • INDIANA
Machines for
a II purposes,
and at prices
within the
reach of all.
EveryI,(achine
has our guar·
anlee against
breakage for
one year
Embossinu and DrOD
Garvinu Ma6hin6S
"RotarY Style" for Droll Carvinos, Embossed MouldinG, Panel$. Etc. "Lateral Style" lor Laroe Capacity Heavy Carvings and
Deep Embo$$ings
We have the Machine you want at a satisfactory price. Write
for descriptive circulars. UNION EMBOSSING MACHINE CO. INDIANAPOLIS, IND.
31
SALESMANSHIP A SCIENCE.
Plays an Important Part Throughout One's Business Career
-Failures Without It.
\Vhen the avcrag-c y01111g man has settler! dowll to a se-riolls
contemplation of his opl:ortunitics in life. he m.akes a
mistake if one of his fIrst recogllitiollS or business principles
has 1I0t bee'l to 1 tit the abl11ty for ~alesH::anshll) <It Ullce upon
a p:destal. There, tinally, t1111st be his o:ljWrtllnity. From
the comn::Ollcst of levels of the proposition to the highest
possibilities in ct1slncc:s ethics, salesmanship is in the Sl1-
rremacy. \J\,'ithout it the prcrlllccr and the consumer alike
are diEappointed a:lC1 estranged .
.:'.10nc:.: in the last allalysis is a mere medium of exchange.
1f some"where in the unexplored depths of the arctic circle
of Alaska another Pike's peak of virgin gold sudr1cnly should
he discoverer!' grlld as this medium of excha11gc and metal
of nllal reclem::tioll virtually would go the 'rIcay of the old
shell wampum of the aborigine. Thus, with mOl1ey as the
medium of exchange only, salesmanship becomes to the citi-zen
a facl'lty that enters il1to every material rela~ioll of his
civilized life. The 111an who contracts to give the fruits of
hand or crain to a trade or a rro(e"sioll bas made a sale of
these commodities. .A. nel ill th:'s manIler tJlis first sale that
he has ever made may be the most serious sale that he is evcr
called UpCJtl to 1l1ake. "Uo yon know, 1 came near going il1to
tJat bt1~int'~s V1.+cn 1 was a yotl1lg [nan," is an expression so
often heard of me11, with an intonation of regTet in the utter-anct:'.
Always it is the speaker's morc or less ripencd judg-ment
in rrotest against his tirst tad deal in selling his future
to an unpronta1:::1e avocation.
Tn the aspects of ~alesmallship from its material ~:ide, it
is the common acce]ltance that the perSOll ,vho succeeds in
exchanging goods for money is the 011C qlesman embodying
all of salesmanship in the transaction. This is a half truth.
It is through the intervention of money as the mcdium of
exchange that this idea. is current. The whole :=;er"ice of
money to a man is to allov\" of his choosing anyone of a
score of things that should a:: pEal to him after the sale of
his work has been accomplished. [n our complex civiliza-tion
the art of salesmanship becomes as ho::elessly lost as
arc the processes of putting a cntting edge upon a copper
chiseL Some of the best types of the prodllcer in the best
lines of competition arc hopeless fail tires because of this lack
of salesmanship in the highest sense. "\Ve have made a suc-cess
of manufactnring hcyclcs for the British trade after it
haJ cost \1S $25,000 in arlvcrtising and eXj'erinlentation," said
the manager of an American factory \-vhich 110W has a hranch
house in Liverpuol. "\Ve took hold of the wrong end of the
proposition, determining that we would sell the American
type of wheel to the Englishman. But after hvo years and
the loss of n1a~ly thot13and dollars, we arc makillg the Eng-lishtran's
",-heel just as the Englishman wants it, and our
lo:-eig'n traJe has incrcased until brctllch houses are now
necessary in T.ivcrpool and London.
Here a man lcarn~d saiesmanship after a long lessoll-learned
it as so many have to do, through the avenue of pro-duction.
Art for art's sake is SO:lH'thing to command the ad-miration
for the ma,} who ma1'~es f<lcrihces.- But business
merely for the sake of business becomes an absurdity.
Window Trimming Art Opens Nc,v Employment.
:\ profession of recent development, but Ol1e which has
a.lready heen re(lueed to a science, is that of window trim-
1111l1g. This work, which less than ten Yf.:ars ago was doue
by any clerk, is now one of the most im.ortant a ivertising
branches of every large reta] establishment. In small towns
all over the country the mereLants employ a man for this
one position, while metropolitan fir::::::) maintain s::ecial de-partments
to dress their windows.
1t is a profession whi(;h pays its followers according to
their ...·.o..r.t.h. not according to how long they have followed
1t. A boy may start in a window tri;11ming department: draw-illg
$5 a week for carrying tbe stock to the Ulan who does
{}le trimming itself, and by karning the merdandise 8lJd the
test lllethods of displaying it, raise himself to a I:osition
cO;l1n~andillg- $60 to ~ICO a ,,,,eek. Almost any yo"ltllg man of
artistic tastes and talent, combined with a -good memory, is
ca:-ah1c of becoming an expert window' dresser wl~en once
he ha.s learned the stock. Perha:s one of the most impor-tant
requisite:, of a good decorator is a rosres~ion of knowl-edgc
of feminine 1a::,te5; Tn addition to the fel11ini~c idea of
bea;1ty he must po.~se!'s a knowledge of color. He, must in-stinctively
and by rule know what colors associate with each
other without friction,
\iVindow trimming ,is work that cannot be 'done by the
clock The window trimmer must forget the item of time
entirely. At times during a [ale he may have little or
nothing to do, and again just before one may have to work
twenty-four hours at a stretch to get his work done 011 time,
The pay of a window trimmer averages about $25 for the
mall of experience. A beginner may be paid $5, he may be
paid -$20, entirely according to I...is ability. But if he is a
window trimmer of ability and makes it his business to know
the merchandise carried by his firm, he will be found out and
his pay raised proportionately. Good window trimmers are
alv,'a?s ill demand. It must not I:e thought that a rlccorator
hts no t[ouLles. He has. The head trimmer must 1:::ea man
of tad, or he is sure to clash with buyer and merchandise
n:an. Fa~'h may have a different idea all how a certain line
should be displayed. It thcn becomes the trimmer's business
to listen to the other two men, profit by their views, do the
job the way he thinks best, and still satisfy his superiors.
IF YOU HAVE NEVER TRIED OUR
RUBBING gol1 AND
'POLISHING
VARNISHES DETROIT FACTORY
YOU HAVE YET TO LEARN THE
WHY NOT PUT IT TO
FULL POSSIBILITIES OF THIS CLASS
THE TEST BV GIVING US A TRIAL ORDER
OF GOODS
CANADIAN FACTORY
PHILADELPHIA BALTtMORE
BERRY BROTHERS, LIMITED, VARNISH MANUFACTURERS
NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO ST. LOUIS CINCINNATI SAN FRANCISCO
FACTORY AND MAIN OFFICE, DETROIT CAl'fAOfAI'I FACTc;:IRY. WAL,ttERVlLL£, ONT,
JAMESTpWN, N. Y.
MANUFACTURERS OF
DRESSERS AND
CHIFFONIERS
hI Plain and $!!!artered Oak,
MahogaNy fwd BirdJt_'Y£
Maple.
PERMANENT EXHIBITS
AT ---- ... ---------
Chicago and New York
Grand Rapids Foremost Line of
OFFICE DESKS
Ahead of all previous efforts in
the Manufacture of a complete
line of Cheap, Medium and High
Grade
ROLL AND FLAT TOP
OFFICE DESKS
NEW FALL CATALOGUE MAILED
TO DEALERS ON REQUEST.
VALLEY CITY DESK COMPANY
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
33
LUCE FURNITURE CO. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
Makers of Medium Priced
CHAMBER AND DINING
FURNITURE
SEND FOR CATALOGUE
Mentkln Michigan Arlisan
The Better Way.
It is surprising how many people accept infericir articles
simply because they are led to believe they are cheap. "Cheap
stuff" is almost invariably expensive in the long run, as in
most cases it is worthless. This is particularly true in the
furniture business. In order to sell twelve chamber suites
fOf $100 the manufacturer must combine cheap ILimber \yith
cheap labor, cheap varnish and cheap trimmings, ard the
result is that no matter how low the price at which it is sola
to the consumer, he has raid too much-has in reality been
"buncoed" out of his money. Abont the first discovery· he
makes is that the cheap man who did the fitting in the factory
used the cheap pressed drn:wer pulls, hastil.y fastened them
with orc,linary screws, which, becoming loose, have work,~d
Ollt and become lost, while the pull has dropped doV\'o, prob-ably
bent out of all resemblance to the original. The bale
has fallen out and the drawCf front, poor as it ",;a,; in the
11rst place, has been scratched up and marred, making a 'bad
job '''lorse. Then he goes to the merchant with his '2.dmplaillt.
The merchant throws the blame onto the manufacturer, who
in turn throws it back onto the merchant, "who ins:sted on
having twelve suites fOr a hundred dollars. It is hard to
EN SUITE
fasten the responsibility where it belongs, but that does not
help the fellow who was "buncoed."
Now all of tbis trouble, at least so far a6 the pulls are
concerned, could have been avoided by the use of the Tower
patent fastener, which wouldeost no more with the' fasteners
than without them, and whatever else might have l:appened
to that pjece of furniture, "the pulls would never become loose
and would last as long as the furniture" held together. If
merchants insist on cheap suites let" the'm also insist that the
Tower patent fasteners (made by the Grand Rapids Brass
eomrany) shall be llsed on every dresser, chiffonier and com-mode.
So long as they cost no m0t:e than other makes of tte
same grade that does not have them there is .tbsolutely no
valid excuse for the merchant not insisting en them. This is
the better way.
Take the Graham & Morton Line steamers between Chi-cago
and Grand Rapids.
THE NEW BANQUET TABLE TOP
as well as
Office,
Dining
and
DiteclO'O'
Tables
are our
specialty
Stow & Davis Fumiture Co. Grand Rapids, Mich.
Write for Catal~e. Gel samples of BANQUET TABLE TOP.
Grand Rapids
Faney Furniture Company
GRAND RAPIDS. MICH.
======= NEW UNES OF =======
WRITING TABLES
MUSIC CABINETS
BOOKCASES
LADIES' DESKS·
In Mahogany, Oak. Imitation Mahogany and Maple
NO ORDER TOO SMALL OR TOO LARGE TO RECEIVE PROMPT ATTENTION
CATALOGUE TO DEALERS ONLY
Chicago, Aug. 2$.-Following the period of marked ac-tivity
of the July season, has come the qt1ie~time at the ex-position
buildings, thereby illustrating the oljd and well-worn
saying, "After the storm comes the calm." I Howe\'er, not-withstanding
the between-season atmosph~re is again in
evidence, buyers continue to drop in daily at I:F9 and T4J I
Michigan avenue, as well as at the other exposition buildings.
August being a vacation month, a number bf furniture men
have been taking short lay-offs of a fe' ....d~ys' or a week's
duration and at the same time having their grasp on business
affairs at their respective offices.
In a recent interview with Vv· . .F. Johnson, treasurer of the
Ford & Johnson comr;any, the Michigan Artisan was favored
with the following statement:
"The new Ford & Johnson company, which recently pur-chased
the Frankfort interests, now includes the follovving
factories and departments: The Hitchcock chair factory, the
Ford & Johnson factory, the V\'estern Cane Seating company,
at Michigan City, Ind.; the]. S. Ford, Johnson & Co. and the
Vv'estern Chair company, at Chicago; the Frankfort Chair com-pany,
the Southern Varnish Works, the Kentucky River Lum-ber
company, the Kentl1ck Chair company, at Frankfort, Ky.;
the Cincinnati Chair company, at Cincinnati; the Connecticut
Chair company, at Nev,' Haven and Kew York City, and the
Hartford Rattan company, at Hartford, Conn. It is the in-tention
of the new company to improve the old Frankfort
line, both in construction and style as well as .finish of the
chairs. The improvement is already showing, and it is said
by those who have seen the goods that they are already 50
per cent better than they were before. The carload business
will be dOlle from Frankfort, although there \-villbe a line car-ried
in Chicago for the northern trade.
"A branch bouse will be opened in Cincinnati, where goods
of hoth lilles will be warehoused and the Cincinnati trade as
,,,,ell as the trade of the adjacent territories will be taken care
of by this branch. A branch will also bc opened in Atlanta,
Ga., where goods of both lines will be warehoused and which
will take care of the trade of Atlanta and adjacent territories.
This gives to the Ford & Johnson company a very strong and
extended line. The standard of the high grade goods wilt be
kept up, being improved from time to time, as they have al-ways
been, alld the i'rankfort line will be brought up to as
near the same high standard as possible.
"The Ford & Johnson compallY have found it necessary to
take the fourth floor in their building at 1435 vVabash avenue
in order to exhibit the entire line. On this floor is shown the
Frankfort line, together with the fibre rush and Malacca
goods and the miS!:iion furniture, which ,vas made in the
\\Testern Chair company factory at Michigan City. The Chi-cago
house will be the main office, from ,,,,hich the general
business from all the factories will be attended to. The line
runs now from the c.heapest long post oak chair that can be
made, up to the best of box seat diners and office chairs. The
Ford & Johnson company will adopt the same policy with the
Frankfort line as they always have with their own, that is,
they will constantly get out new patterns, so that the line
will always be up-to-date in every respect. It is probable
that within a year the entire line will be made over."
The Columbia Feather company, Chicago, have had an un-usually
good tradc the present year. Manager Green states
that the volume of business done dltring the J ul}" season cx-ceeded
in volume that of all preceding exhibition seasons.
7I:R..-'T' I >5' JI.l'l
by 7 r *i
. 35
The company had its exhibit in January and July at the Manu-facturers'
Exhibition building, 1319 Michigan avenue. The
Columbia Feather company have an established reputation
for straightforward business methods, and the real secret of
the success with which they have met lies in their method of
operating their factory. Their arrangements for purchasing
raw stock in feathers are far-reaching, enabling them to select
the most desirable qualities, and their machinery and facilities
are unequaled for sorting, deodorizing and perfecting their
stock.
"Veribest" values in brass and iron bedsteads is a state-ment
'''''hich tells the truth in a nutshell about the splendid
and substantial line of the Art Bedstead company, Thirty-seventh
and Rockwell streets, Chicago, Ill. There is n0
stronger line in the Chicago market today in its particular
field than that of the Art Bedstead .conipany.
The]. D. Freese & Sons company, 284-290 Homer street,
Chicago, are manufacturing one of the strongest and most
substantial lines extant of tabourettes, chiffoniers, bookcases
and Chautauqua desks, and. the company are enjoying an un-usually
excellent trade on their line at this season of the year.
The Lustre Chemical company, 1303 Michigan avenue, are
manufacturers of the famous Lustre Furniture Polish, a prod-
11ctused and endorsed by over 1$,000 dealers. It is a perfect
cleaner and polish, excellent finish preserver and a good fire
extinguisher. This enterprising company have adopted an
effective plan this season by the purchase of several thousand
children's mission Morris chairs, which will be distributed
among the patrons of the Lustre Chemical company.
The Central Mannfacturing company are enjoying an ex-cellent
trade this year on their fine line of desks. Secretary
~Tormann states the trade is a general one, not being con.
fmcd to any particular section.
F. C. Horner, formerly with "AI" Austrian, has taken a
positic)11as city salesman with the Kennedy Furniture com-pany,
Chicago. Mr. Horner spent a week at his home in De-troit
during the month. Although he refuses to admit the
fact, there is a persistent rumor that Mr. Horner is about to
become a Benedict.
Lucas M. Maher has accepted a position as desk clerk with
the FlIflliture Exhibition Building company, 14IT Michigan
avcnue.
F. C. Coggeshall, of the \~Tohenne Specialty company.
Zeeland, M1Ch , was in Chicago on the 24th and 25th inst.
Charles A. Fisher ,& Co., are opening a new warehouse in
~Iinneapolis for the distribution of. the company's product
111 the northwest. Messrs .. Fillmore & Son, commission mer-chants,
will be in charge of the warehouse, which will be lo-cated
at 803 Sykes building. At'St. Louis the warehouse has
been placed in charge of Mr. J. M. Kellogg, salesman with
Fisher & Co., who spent the July season in Chicago.' The
new branch which was opened at Peoria, II!., June I, is in
charge of P .."V. Peoples.
Charles A. Fisher, of C. A. Fisher &. Co., was in St. Louis
August I2, 1.1 and 14. Mr. Fisher found Martin Lammert,
Jr., of the Lammert Furniture company, just starting out for
a vacation. '
Secretary Charles G. White of the Manufacturers' Exhi-bition
Building company, returned all the 17th inst. from a
two weeks' stay at Charlevoix.
President \Y'. L. Paul, of the Lustre Chemical company,
has bcen spending most of the month of August at Hamlin
Lake, near Ludington, where his family have been 'resorting
since June T.
Excavations are now being made at the southeast 'corner
of 1vIichigan avenue and Fourteenth street for the erection of
an engine house. The structure will adjoin the Furniture
Exposition building, 1411 Michigan avenue, and wil'l be built
of stone. It is to be two stories in height with a frontage of
fifty feet and a depth of ninety-five feet. The engine house
36
,,\'ill be one of the best equipped of its kind ill the country ami
will be completed within ninety rlays. The agitation for the
location of snch a huilding somf:where in this vicinity has
been going on for the past ten years, and with the rapid de-velopment
of Michigan avenue as a furniture and automobile
c~nter the need has become more and more pronounced.
Lyman Lathrop, of the Lathrop company, spent a part of
August in the south making his usual fall trip after the Juty
season, through the states of Missot1ri, Texas, Oklahoma, In-dian
Territory, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.
Secretary Nds Johnson, of the Johnson Chair company,
spent a week in August at Lake Delevan with his family,
who have been staying at that popular resort since June 1.
:\·lr. Johnson also has been spending Sundays at Lake Dele-van.
The marriage of Mr. Robert A. Ford, general sales man-ager
and purchasing agent of the Ford & Johnson company,
and Miss Frances Van Meter, of Mattoon, Ill., will take place
at 8 o'clock Tuesday e,relling, September 12th, at the home of
the bride. Following the ceremony the bridal pair will make
a trip through the East. Miss VanMeter is the daughter of
Mr. John Van Meter, formerly proprietor of the Charleston
Mercantile company, of Charleston, Ill.
Frank S. Rolfe left the 17th inst. for a business trip to the
Pacific coast.
"Hank" Johnson, salesman for McAush, Dwyer & Co.,
left August 24 for a two weeks' trip to Duluth, after which he
w'ill make a two weeks' business trip to the East, making
Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore and the metropolitan
district.
W. E. Niemann, of the Niemann Table comrany, spent a
week at Lake Delavan during the latter part of August.
Ralph G. Messersmith has taken a position with the Fur-niture
Exhibition Building company and on the 21st ins!.
took charge of the office at the Furniture Exhibition Build-ing
company's warehouse. During the month of August he
has been temporarily helping out at the office, 1411 Michigan
avenue. Mr. Messersmith at one time was book keeper for
the Manufacturers' Exhibition Building company.
Miss Irene Kevel, stenographer for the Fl1rnitur~ Exhibi-tion
Buliding company, spent a three weeks' vacation during
the month of August at South Haven.
Michael Tahl, traveling for the Burkhart Furn,itl1re com-pany,
was in Chicago on the 18th inst. ":rvlike" came in from
Milwaukee, where he did a good stroke of business and was
on his way to his home in Dayton to spend a few days.
J. J. O'Connor, buyer for the Chicago House Wrecking
company; was in the Chicago market making purchases for
the furniture department of his company on the 19th inst.
The Chicago Housc ""rrecking company is one of the most
unique business companies in the world and was organized
and established during the year of the Chicago World's Fair.
The company docs an immense jobbing and mail order busi-ness,
located at Thirty-Fifth and Iron streets, and are the
coming competitors of such big concerns as Sears, Roebuck
and l\!lontgomcry \Vard Co. "It is thc only concern of its
kind in the world in the mail order business that buys all
Birdseye
View
of
Chicago.
kinds of material."saic1 Mr. O'Connor. \Ve are always look-ing
ahead for job lots, receivet·'s sales, etc., and we sell our
stuff to quite a large extent to the big auction houses in the
country, and also do a big business in ),lexico, Canada and
the Eastern islands. We have been, and still are, making it
one of our objects to buy up everything connected with the
hig expositions. The :first one was the World's Fair, Chicago.
The retail value of the Pan American outfit which we pur-chased
in its entirety, even to the nails in the buildings, was
twenty-two million dollars. We also purchased practically
the whole of the St. Louis exposition, the retail value of
our purchase in the furnitme department being six hundred
and fifty thousand dollars. At present it looks as if we
will buy the whole of the Lewis & Clark Exposition at Port-land,
Oregon. The old Rock Island depot is one of the
buildings we purchased, re-erecting it on our present site
for our own use. We also bought the old \Veddell Home at
Cleveland a year ago. For our furniture department we have
a building I25Xl50 feet and three stories high. If there
should be a slump in the furniture business this fall we
stand ready to buy the output of the furniture manufacturers
and will buy their plants also."
President J, W. Pugh, of the Furniture Exhibition Build-ing
says it is expected that work will be begun at once for
the erection of an addition on the lake end of the big furni-ture
warehouse, the addition to have a frontage of 270 feet,
THE CORRECT
Stains and fillers.
THE MOST
SATISFACTORY
first Goaters and
Varnishes
MANU#"JIICTURCD DNLY U Y
CHICAGO WOOD FINISHING CO.
259·63 ELSTONAVE."'2·16 SLOAN ST.
CN I CAe o.
with a depth of J20 feet and seven stories in height. When
completed the 'warehouse will have a frontage of 700 feet.
It is expected to have the addition completed this falL
Rumors have been current of late that the new Southern
Hotel is to have a new and imposing front built to supplant
the present building of five stories facing on Michigan ave-nue.
If the project should be carried out it is stated that
the new front building will be from twelve to fourteen
stories high and be a strictly up-to-date structure iri all res-pects.
The n:anagers of the Kew Southern state, however,
that the project is still in an indefinite shape.
Harry S. Smith of the \Volverine 1'fanufacturing com-pany
and Cadillac Cabinet company, left August T4th for a
short trip to Minneapolis, St. Paul and other points in the
northwest, and on his return, accompanied by his family,
left for Marquette, Mich., and viciuity for a short period of
recreation.
Secretary-Treasurer G. W. Merwin, of the Lustre Chem-ical
company, accompallied by tifrs. Merwin, went to Ham-
37
Mr. Bert Peak, salesman with F. T. Plimpton & Co.,
and a member of Company E, First Illinois Cavalry, left
August 18 for Springfield to attend a ten days' encampment
of his regiment.
F. T. Plimpton, the commission merchant, was at St.
Louis alld Springfield August 17, 18, 19,
~h. A. H. Finch, for thirteen years with the Heywood-vVakefie1d
company, four years of whicbwere spent as sbi.>
ping clerk and nine years as salesman, and the last three
and one-half years as a commission rqan, will sever his con-nection
with the furniture business. On September loth Mr.
Finch will leave for a trip to Pueblo, Colorado Springs,
Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles. San Francisco, Port-land,
Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane. He will also make a
trip through the state of vVashingtoll with the view of
locating in some of the cities of Washington and engaging
111 business for himself. Mr. Finch will not decide until
he is on the ground what kind of business he will engage in.
George \\T. Corley, traveling representative of the Wol~
Manufactured by tbe Grand Rapids Fancy Fumiture Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.
En Lake, near Ludington, on the 21St inst. to spend a two
weeks' outing \'v·ith President W. L. Paul, of the same com-pany,
whose family Lave been spending several months at
that resort.
Mr. A. H. \Vherry, of \-Vherry Bros., Pawnee City, Neb.,
accompanied by Mrs. Wherry, was a furniture buyer who
visited the Chicago market August 19. "Pawnee City is
quite an old town,' said Mr. Wherry when asked. "and, as
the name suggests, is of Indian origin. The town Las a pop-ulation
of 2,500. Just a few miles out there used to be an
Indian reservation which was opened up by the government
some years ago for settlement. At the time the land could
be bought for $10 an acre and now sells for $60 per acre.
Pawnee City is in an agricultural region and is therefore a
farming tOW11. Corn, hogs and horses are raised in that
section. The city is comparatively wealthy, as we have prob-ably
thirty people there whose average w'ealth is $50,000,
Our concern has been established the past thirty years. \Ve
are in the furniture, carpet and undertaking business and
find trade this year very good. I am here picking up a mixed
car lot of furniture. Mrs. \Vherry and T will spend a week
at South Haven, Mich., before we return to Pawnee City."
verine JVlanufactnring company, Cadillac Cabinet company,
Yeager Furniture company, and J. C. vVidman & Co., arrived
from his home at Atlanta, Ga., on the 12th inst_, and left
for a trip through his western territory, including the Pacific
coast, on the 15th inst.
Paul Plimpton, of F. T. Plimpton & Co., commission mer-chants,
left on the 14th inst. for a trip through Iowa and
Illinois.
Edwin F. Hawks, president of the Hawks Furniture com-p~
ny, Goshen, Illd., was in Chicago on the 22nd inst., and
\vhilc here engaged space 011 the eighth floor of the Manu-facturers'
Exhibition Building, where the Hawks line will be
displayed with F. T. Plimpton & Co., who were in charge of
the Hawks line last July on the second floor of the annex.
\\lith the Hawks line shown on the eighth floor, Messrs.
Plimpton & Co.'s lines will cover in all about nine thous-and
feet.
President Harvey Banta, of the Banta Furniture company,
was in Chicago on the 22nd inst.
In the furniture trade the least a man will accept on the
installment plan is the most he can get.
Richmond Chair Co.
==== RICHMOND, IND. ====
The Standard Line of
DOUBLE CANE CHAIRS
===AND ROCKERS===
WRITE FOR CATALOGUE MENTION MICHIGAN ARTISAN
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'FLAS goods during
an 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.
H. liB.
Mention Michigan Artisan
FEATHER
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
$1.85
A pair for a Genuine All-Geese Feather Pillow,
size 20 x 26 inches. A. C. A., Art or Linen
Ticks, any color. Terms, less 5 per cent for cash
10 days. Order direct under our guarantee of
satisfaction.
COMPANY
MICHIG7IN
Adver ising Built $300,000 Business in a Year.
The fo110 ing interview with a prominent dealex of Seat-tle,
Wash., gi es but another striking illustration of the value
of judicious a lVE'xti.sing:
"We starte in a year ago, and we now have a bu~iness of
$300,000 built 1.1p by advertising," !:iaid Mr. C. B. Teale, of
Teale-Hills urnitl1re company, the progressive furniture
hOllse. "\Ve elied absolutely upon oLlr ad~'ertising to bring
us business. Ve had a very inconspictl01lS entrance-atmost
• no display at 11-in the front of OUT store.
"We belie ed in the evening paper-they go-and the
store was cro ded from the vcry (Irst. YOll see, an evening'
pa{:cr here l,a" a great advantage. At all. eastern llC\VS points
the news of t! c day is over before they go to press. Thus
they get all th news that usually goes 111tomorning papers.
"How do y u know its value?"
"\Ve have uvertised special articles."
"For instan e?"
"\Vell, a ja.r iniere stand--and sold 1$0 in a day."
Mr. Teale dded that they had taken the prorlb of their
first year and 'ut them into advertising this year.
ew Concerns Enter the Field.
The City Fu niture company, of Columb1.ls, Miss., has been
incorporated w th a capital stock of $25,000. Among the in-cm})
orators are T. H. Eggleston and Joseph \\T. Lee.
The (omme 'cial Cabinet compauy have taken out a char-ter
of jl1c()q~or tion to engage in the manufacture of fixtures
with $39,000 capi al. The incorporators are Gustave Schaety,
Louise Kirmese and Frank Doerfler.
The Hourn- aJley company bas been org'anized at Tem-pleton,
2\1ass., wi h the object of dealing in all killds of furtli-hue.
The capita stock is $45,000, at a par value of $100. The
officers are: Pre ident, George VV.Bourn, and treasurer, Lu-cien
N. Hadley, 10th of Teinpleton.
Luman 1'. Fa ley, forrnerly ..v..ith H. B. Graves, of Roch-ester,
N. Y., has ssociated with M. D. Crippen to engage in
the furniture bus' less under the -finn name of Crippen & Bai-ley.
The firm wdl make a specialty of repairing, refinishing,
renpholste.rillg an order cabinet work
GRA D RAPIDS-CHICAGO LINE.
Graham &' Mort Steamers and Grand Rapids-Holland In-terurban.
Shortest and ost convenient route between Chicago and
Grand Rapids. A l~steeJ steamers connecting at Holland with
special boat cars n the Holland double-track interurban for
Grand Rapids.
39
When it comes to Leather
Furniture, ~ality Tells.
Good Leather work is in demand,
and selling better every day.
Dealers should satisfy themselves that
they are selling Reliable Leather. Buyers
of Leather Furniture expect it to wear a
life time. If the Leather is right, uphol-stering
properly done, frames built as they
should be, it will last a generation or two.
Our "R~LIAN CE" brand is the
best natural grain Furniture Leather we
have ever been able to find, and we guar:"
antee it to give satisfaction.
Our New general Catalog No. '7 shows a large num-ber
of Couches .. Davenports, Adjustable Sofas; and Sofs Beds
in RELIANCE Leather. It is free to dealers.
:Jamestown Lounge Co.
SpeciaHs/S in the Md7lufacture of Leather Furniture
JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK
GLOBE SIDEBOARDS KARGES
WARDROBES
Are the
BEST
ON THE
GLOBE
lor the •
money
ARE GOOD
WARDROBES
aOOO"TTLE'
CONSTRUCTION
FINiSH
GET OUR
CATALOG. Prices right
WIHTE FOR
CATALOGD"
Mention
Michigan
Artisan
when
writing
KAKors
runnlTunr (0. Furniture
Company
[yansyille.
Indiana
EVANSVILLE
INDIANA
In writing mention Michigan Arti:;all
BOCfiSTEGE
FURNITURE CO.
EVANSVILLE, IND.
48 in. diameter, made of Plain and Quartered Oak
Makers of the
HSU PE=R lOR"
Extension. Parlor and Library Tables
NEVIl CATALOGUE JUST ISSUED-GET ONE
b
runSVlllr "WARDROBES
tUunnunr co.
EVANSVILLE, IND.
QUALITY OUR FIRST
CONSIDERATiON
That is why onf line is
justly named the "Good
Value Line," "Ve have
made a complete
change of patlerns. for
1905, and if yO\l want
goods that are made
right and al the righl
prices, caU and $ce
Bedroom Suites
Dressers
Washstands and
Chiffoniers
Assorted {:al' lots and
New Stocks our Specialty
Our new catalng has
jllst beeu issued all d
sent to thetrade. Ifyall
h a \' e not received it,
write us. It shows the
largest line of moncy
makers ever offered.
line Shown at 1319
Michigan Ave., 2d Floor
Chicago, Ill.
Also at our own Sales-rooms
at Evansville. Ind.
TO
MATCH
Chamber
Suites
made by all leading
manufacturers, m
- Date Created:
- 1905-08-25T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Grand Rapids Public Library (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
- Collection:
- 26:4
- Subject Topic:
- Periodicals and Furniture Industry
- Language:
- English
- Rights:
- © Grand Rapids Public Library. All Rights Reserved.
- URL:
- http://cdm16055.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16055coll20/id/25