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- Issue of a furniture trade magazine published in Grand Rapids, Mich. It was published twice monthly, beginning in 1880. and GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC LIBRARY Twenty-seventh Yea.r-No. 18 MARCt! 25, 1907 Semi-Monthly THE MONARCH PUSH BUTTON CHAIR EVERY PATTERN OF OUR WELL KNOWN L I N E OF MORRIS CHAIRS WILL BE E QUI P P E D WITH THIS PUSH BUTTON ATTACHMENT. The Monarch is Perfection, Comfort and Utility. Ramsey -Alton Mfg. Co. :\otc the ,simple yet abso-lutelyrigid construction. Fully guaranteed and pro-tected by .D, S. Letttrs P<ltent Nos, 653,452 a11d PORTL'IND, MICH. 648.715. Will Exhibit on the Ground Floor of the Ashton Building (Formerly Pythian Te:nple), Grand Rapids, in July, 1907. A SHERATON DRAWING ROOM. ""' MAKING GOOD "!v'laking good" is a hobby with us---:making good LEATHER FURNITURE for one thing,--the best. "Reliance" Natural Grain .Leather--is the handsomest and -most dependable brand of M. B. Fumiture Leather manufactured, but we ask no more for ··'Reliance" Leather work than many charge for inferior grades. If something cheaper is wanted, buy our "Oakdale" No. I Natural Grain stock~~~we are quoting this at speCial low figures. The "Oakdale" quality is fully equal to the average market best. Some manufacturers of Leather F umiture use Grain Leather for the wearing surface and "Split" or "Deep Buff' for hands, backs and trimmings. We condemn this practice ~-~"We me no "Split" Leather-·~no "Deep Buil"~-nothing but Natural Crain stock. ElG CAT Aloe SENT TO DEALERS UPON APPUCATIO!". JAMESTOWN LOUNGE COMPANY JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK Woodard furniture Co. OWOSSO, MICHIGAN· OUR 1907 LINE of Mahogany, Circassian Walnut, BIRD'S-EYE MAPLE, Quarter Sawed Oak, Curly Birch BEDROOM fURNITURE is the sensation in the Furniture Market today. It's the kind the best merchants everywhere are buying. If you are not onto this, get next quick. If you say you saw this in the Michigan Artisan we will let you into a get rich scheme that beats anything you ever saw. WRITE FOR CATALOGUE 1 The Ford & Johnson Company "EVERYTHING IN CHAIRS" When in Chicago do not fail to see our immense display at our salesrooms, 1435·37 Wabash Ave. Many new patterns. l06CI Solid Mahoa-any. ==== SEEOUR==== Complete Dining Room Snites•.Oak and Solid Mahogany. Chair, and Rockers··All Kinds. Mission F urniture--AII Finishes. Children's Go-Carts and Carriages. Reed and Rattan Rockers. Fib,e Rush and Malacea-- The Ideal F urnitu'e, ===GENERAL OFFICES=== Sixteenth St. and Indiana Ave., Chicago. =~=~-SALESROOMS~- CHICAGO BOSTON, MASS. ATLANTA. GA. 1433-35-37 Wabash Ave. 90 Canal St. Marietlaand Bartow Slg. NEW YORK 202 Canal St. CJNClNNATI, O. FRANKFORT, KY. 47 E. Sixth St, 106C7 Solid Mahogany. THE GREATEST LINE of the GREATEST MANUFACTURERS --------- OF --- CHAMBER FUR;NITURE Every Dealer Wants It Because Everybody Buys It. SLIGH FURNITURE COMPANY, Grand Rapids, Mich. Manufacturers of BEDROOM FURNITURE EXCLUSIVELY. New Spring Line ready. We operate the largestfactory in the world producing chamber furniture. L pe 2 Beautiful Bedroom Suites In our new catalogue we are showing a number of beautiful bedroom suites. With our enormous variety of styles and designs, (for example, one dresser case is provided with seven different styles of mirror, and each is made up in four different finishes, making a total of 28 different designs to choose from), it is very easy to make up bedroom suites to please any and every customer that might come into your store. Our new catalogue is now ready showing hundreds and even thousands of hand-some and new designs. We have more white and birdseye maple than any other manufacturer in the .United States. No one else can give you the splendid grading of price that we offer, from the lowest to the highest. Elegant simplicity is the popular rage in furniture this year. We have always been leaders in high grade simplicity, and now we are enjoying a total business far in excess of that done by any one of our competitors. You had betterget [amdzar with our new linejust as quick as possible. There is money in itforyou. Send for our NEW CATALOGUE. Northern' Furniture Company SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN L . GRAND RAPICS PUBLIC LIBRARY ~,-; .. 27th Year-No. 18. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH., MARCH 25, 1907. $1.00 per Year. HOW TO "GINGER UP" THE SALESMEN. D. M. Wegner's Interesting Response to a Hypothetical Question Propounded by the Artisan. "Suppose yoUr force of salesmen had become indifferent and careless, showing a lack of energy and ambition, what means ",vould you use to put 'ginger' into them, wake them up and cause them to put forth their best efforts to increase your business? The hypothetical question was put to D. 1'1. \A/egner, of \Vegner Brothers, prominent household in-stallment dealers of Grand Rapids, Mich" by a representa-tive of the Artisan. "\Vc11, I don't know," was the response. "I \vish yOlt would go anJ interview somebody who does know and then tell us just how to do it-we may want to know just what to do in such a case some of these days." Mr. \Vegner did not drop the suhject, however. Contin-uing, he said: "Many salesmen need urging at times, some of them quite frequenl1y. Sometimes the best salesman may falloff in his ,,,,ark He may not kno"\v or notice it hims('.1£, but his employers notice it. In such a case, if the man is of Ole right 50rt, all that i5 necessary is to call his attentioll to the fact. vVhen the force shows lack of ambition, and it is necessary to brace them up, the placing of a new man among them will have the desired effect, if the newcomer is able to set a good pace. As they do not like to be outdone by a new man, his presence stimulates them to greater exertion. "Our men are all on the salary system. \ATethink that better than the commission plan, because when we pay a man a straight salary he will recognize our right to ask him to do other things than sell goods, and it is frequently to our advantage to have him do so. vVhen a lllan is work-ing on commission he can not be expected to give attention to anything except selling goods. However, we encourage our men to increase their sales. v\Then we hire them they understand that they are expected to seH a certain 8.mount. Lf they exceed the amount agreed upon they arc allowed a commission upon the excess or, perhaps ttpon the total of their sales. Sometimes we agree upon an incrtase ill salary when a man has shown his ability to maintain a cer-tain average, and sometimes we ~dlow a commission or make an increase in salary without any previous agreement. Any of these plans will serve to 'ginger up' the force if they are the right kind of men. 'It is a difficult matter to secure capable. efficient sales-men in such a business as we arc conducting. It is not like a department store, where you can place a man behind a certain connter and it don't matter whether he knows any-thing about any other department or not. Here the sales-man must have good common sense, and possess a large fund of general knowledge. He must know all about furni-ture, and must be well posted on carpets, curtains, stoves, ranges, baby cabs and all kin{ls of household utensils, and then-he must know how to use his knowledge and ability." Asked as to the method used by his house for keeping '1- account of stock, 1fr. \Vegner said: "-It is very simple. Our stock account is ke.Pt just as carefully and accurately as our ca,sh book. Vie use the card system, and "\~otk it so perfectly that we can take a complete and correct inven-tOty at any hour. As the stock comes in each pattern is given a card on which the number of pieces are noted. As sales are made they' are deducted and the card shows the number of pieces in stock at any dme. ';\Ve have. no particular system for checking deliveries," said Mr. \Vegner, when that subject was mentioned. "We never require a receipt for goods. If required to prove delivery we would have to depend on the shipping clerk and the men on the wagon, but we have had no trouble of that kind-nothing worse than leaving goods at the wrong door or with the wrong person where the house was occupied by more than one family, and such mistakes are easily cor-rected." The state authorities have been investigating the Nebraska Retail Lumbermen's Association on the charge of maintaining a trust, but after three long hearings, have been ullable to uncover anything tending to substantiate the charge. The matter has not been closed, however. Steam in a ket.tle is as useful as reading about sUccess without action. THE CORRECT Stains and fillers. THE M.OST SATISFACTORY first toaters and Varnishes /JIIANUFAr:rURCt1 ONLY UY CHICAGO WOOD FINISHING CO. ZS9·63 ELSJ[)N AVE'NDZ-16 SLOA.N ST. CHICACO. 4 ·:f'~MICHIG.7IN " 7 i THIS PUSH BUTTON distinguishesthe "ROYAL" Morris Chairs from the other kind MORRIS CHAIRS ·-~FROM-~ $6.00 to $30.00 CATALOGUE UPON APPLICATION Royal Chair CO. STURGIS, MICH. Story of the Factory Lights. The lights of a hundred windows blinked in the early evening as a crowded ferryboat cut its way acro.ss the Eas.t River, says the New York Sun. The building which loomed like a big shadow save for the lights was a factory. A Long Islander remarked to a friend: "\Ve are going home, but think of the people who are still at work in that factory. I cross on this ferry five days in the week, and generally about this hour, and r never look at the lights in those windows without a feeling of sadness for those who are detained there." "I understand your feeling," replied the friend, "but I chance to know something about the concern that operates that factory which may cause you to think better of it." , "One of the stockholders, who, by the way, is not oftcn seen about the factory, established a custom a good .many years ago which -is st-ill in vogue. Every s-ingle man or woman, for both are employed there, who has been in the concern more than a year is presented by this stockholder when he or she marries with a complete set of household iurnitttre. "The furniture is new and placed in the flat or house to be occupied by the newly ri1arried before the ceremony takes place. 1 happen to know of more than twenty~five couples that have b~en beneficiaries of this stockholder's kindness. "That is not all. \II/hen a baby is born to any couple this oM stockholder places a sum of mo'ney in a savings hank, to the credit of the firstborn, to draw interest, until the ehild becomes of age, Then the money, principal and interest, is paid to the grownup. "On the occasion of the birth of the child its mother is preseJ?-ted with a sewing machine if she has none, and if she has, ~~ith some other article to help her in her work So you see, that building contains something besides hard labqrand late hours, Six Years of Telt Have THE"ROYAL' PUSHBUTfON MORRIS CHAIR I" ElltablisLed Supremacy "Every employee who has not been benefited, knows that he or she has some incentive to stay there at work a little later than you and I stay in our offices." When it Pays to Break the Lamps. I have no intcrest in the sale of electric lights or fixtures or any kind of illuminating apparatus for that matter, but from a carefUl examination of the question I have come to the conclusion that the benefit to workman and work is greatest where incandescent lamps are renewed when their lighting efficiency falls say 25 per cent, says a writer for Woodcraft. Where the supply of current is generated in the shop plant and not at an outside source of energy, it can easily be seen whether the voltage is kept normal or not. A higher pressure rapidly drives off the carbon particles from the filament and these coat the inside of the glass globe with a black deposit that makes the lamp very inef-ficient. The high preS-SUTegives a good light for a short time only and after -that the illumination falls off for the reasons given. The filaments also break more readily under the high voltage conditions. As a matter of fact a lamp sbou19 not be used until the filament breaks. When the light becomes inefficient for the workman, it pays to break the lamp anyway, Morocco is not attractive to the seller of furniture. The natives sleep on the floors or on the stones in the streets. They would not know how to use spring beds, and but few have chairs. Brass pans upon short legs answcr the pUrposes ofa table. Some of the legs are beautifulJy carved. "Central" did not have much sympathy for the subscriber who complained that he had been -at the 'phone ten minutes; "That is nothing," she sweetly murmured. "I have been here all day." 5 REX r::::~]MATTRESS CHAS. A. FISHER & CO., 1319 Michigan Ave., Chicago. WRITE FOR BOOKLET AND PROPOSITION Warehoul!eS: ST. WUIS. MO. KANSAS CITY, MO PEORIA. ILL. LINCOLN, lLL MINNEAPOUS, MINN. CHICAGO. ILL. SYSTEMS MAY BE EXPENSIVE When Followed Too Closely They Tend to Cut Out or Decrease Dividends. Vv'hile talking with John Mowat, the veteran superin~ tendenL of the Grand Rapids, (Mieh.) Chair factory, recently, a representative of the l\Jjehigan j\rtiSall asked him to de-scribe his system for keeping account of supplies and mater-ials. such as glue, varnish, trimmings, fixtures, etc. "V'le havn't any system of that kind" was the reply, and Mr. Mowat continued. "You remind me of a young man who went into a table company a few years ago. He was to manage the concern and proposed to have it well organized. Before he started in he came to me and confidently informed me that he wished to ask a question. He said that I could answer his query or not, just as I pleased. I thanked him for that privilege, and he said: 'I want to get at your system for figuring cost, or get yOU to recommend a good system.' "I answered that man just as I have you~1 told him we had no system for figuring cost. \Vhen he asked for my opinion as to the best system, I told him the best way to get at the cost of a piece of furniture was to guess at it. He was surprised of course, but I assured him it was all right, and that it all depended 011 the guess-that if he proved a good guesser his factory would pay dividends; if not he would probably have occasion to become acquainted with the sheriff. "Of course I overdrew or exaggerated the matter a little. \Ve have to figure cost closely, but we do not need an elaborate system, and I think a man who does not thoroughly understand the business would do better to guess than to use too much system. At any rate the young man who insisted on having a system for his table factory failed in about two years. "1'1Iere's too much system in many factories. loVe do not think it necessary to have any deftnite system for keep-ing track of supplies, Our glue comes jll, a certnin number of barrels, twice a month. The varnish is bought on C011- tract, and ordered ,...hen wanted. The foremen who use these and ?ther materials in their departments help them-selves, and it is vcry seldom that we have to caution a man about wasting materials. "Systems are all right, they may be necessary, but I think that in many cases they cOst more than they saVe. At any rate I have noticed that as a rule the factories that pay the largest dividends .are those that have the least red tape in their management. K a system of rules, records, reports and dlC like will insure success. They may help a little under certain conditions, but they are more liable to have an opposite effect." An incident tending to corroborate Mr. Mowat's state-ments as to the policy of the Chair Company, is recalled by Grand Rapids furniture men. It is related that a few years ago after the company' had put out a new line of b0.okcases, E. H. Foote, president alid general manager, sald to the superintendent: "John yOU made a mistake on the cost of those book-cases. \!Ve are not making as much as we figured on them; you must have figured the cost too low." "\\Tell, I'll look it over," said Mr. Mowat, "and if it's wrong I'll change it." "Never mind," said ll'1r. Foote, "I can fix it easier. "I'll just change the selling price." Edison as a Prophet. Thomas A. Edison recently announced his retirement f/"Om the busine;<;s of invention. It appears that as a pastime he has taken up prophecy. In a recent interview he de-scribes. our large cities 'one hundred years hence. He says they wdl be free from smoke and steam and that the chim-ney will be a thing of the past, while the waste of coal and other fuel ~'ill be stopped throu~h the use of electrieity, generated dlrect from the fuel Without the aid of engine, boiler or dynamo. In factories each machine witI have its individual motor. Houses will be heated electriea11y and most of the cities' noises will cease. Skyscrapers will be ul1i\'ersal in the business section, and the streets will be bridged over at different heights to facilitate transit from one side to the other. He estimates that buildings will then average thirty stories in height, and the greater number will be constructed of concrete and steel. Such buildings, he says. will stand a thousand years or longer. His new battery, he says, ·will make electricity porta hIe for street vehides or airships, An irritated manufacturer declares that the legislature should make legal provision whereby the minds of the de-signers of furniture could be sent to an asylum twice each year for readjustment. Perhaps he has been read.ing the testimony of the experts in the Thaw triaL A new black stain for producing Circassian mahogany is Rppropriately called "Pittsburg." 6 A Fine Catalogue. The De.troit Folding Cart Company's 19{}7catalogu~ of Ideal folding go-carts and baby carriages is as handsome as'it is useful to the dealer in baby carriages and go-carts. The front cover contains an illustration of a stork pushing an Ideal go-cart in which is a little child all smiles c.ntl hap· piness. The book contains forty~eight pages of illustrations and descriptive matter, there being fifty-live cuts of go-carts and carriages, and thirteen cuts of parasols. The variety is sufficiently large to meet a'll de'mands. The cut shoV(n here-with gives one an idea of what the catalogue contains. These go-carts are manufactured under their own patents, taken out in the United States, Canada and Great Britain. The Ideal line is made up to gratify all desires; a variety of small street car folders, medium folders and three-quarter sleep-ing folders, that remain closed when folded, and do not have to be locked. The sleeping go-carts, in both three-quarter and full size, have adjustable backs and dashes. Other illustrations from this catalogue will be shown in future numbers of the Artisan. Bargain Day in a South Dakota Town. Merchants at Milbank, S. D., recently conducted a unique bargain day, and the result of their experiment passed beyond the expectations of the most sanguine and enthusiastic mem~ bers of the organization which originated the clever idea. The merchants offered prizes to the farmers bringing the biggest load of people to town. One of the dealers hung up a cash prize of $50 for the farmer who brought the most people on one vehicle. Other merchants offered goods worth $50 or more for the same thing. The farmers were not slow to seize the opportunity to make some easy money.' They began 'arriving in town before the sun rose. Blocks of ten and fifteen were brought in, and they were considered large, but later in the day the loads were made up from twenty~fi.ve to fifty and seventy-five people. One farmer capped the climax by bringing to town 142 persons. The offer of prizes certainly had the desired effect. One of the Milbank papers describes the scene enacted there on the great day, saying that at about 1o'clock Gust Angerhofer drove up to Schneider & Ne'1son's with a load of fourteen persons. He was shortly followed by August Woette with a load numbering sixty persons. A little while later came the load that knocked the persimmons from the bush, that of Berner Bros. & Trapp-the load numbering by actual count 142 men, women, children and babies. The rig which brought this big loa.d was constructed from three sets of bobs, upon which was built a platform from thr-ee-inch planks measuring thirty-four feet long and twelve feet wide. Across the front end for the driver was a full 1ength wagon· box. As the rig was coming along the road the rear bob Droke and the end dragged on the ground and spilled a lot of folks, or the load would have numbered over 200 souls. Many cities in Minnesota, as well as the Dakotas, are adopting schemes similar to the aIle mentioned above for the furtherance of their business radius. The merchants know that farmers living at greater distances are attracted to the town wide awake enough to go after the business, and, after the first visit, they are likely to come again. Trouble for Organized Undertakers. John Knight, an undertaker and embalmer of Spokane, Wash., is fighting the Funeral Directors' Association of that state. He accuses the undertakers of the state of having banded together, forming a virtual trust, their object being to extort exorbitant prices faT thelr work and to crowd out competition. Also claims that the embalmers' bill, recently introduced in the state legislature, is the work of members of the association and that it will work incalculable harm to both the non-association undertaker and the public. "There is an unwritten law among association under-takers that they must get a certain price for certain articles," says Mr. Knight. "They do not have a printed list that I know of, but their prices are usually very high. "Some time ago an undertaker in this city took a dead man off a train. He charged $1,800 to bury him. I know that it did not cost him over $150. "A casket sold here for $200 costs the undertaker about $100. These undertakers are fairly fleecing the people all the time." As a reason for refusing to act with the state associ-ation Mr. Knight mentions first, the restrictions put Upon the members, especially the rule that prohibits them from advertising. He is also dissatisfied with the embalmers' law, and charges favoritism in its enforcement. Why Not Order? Say a dozen or more Montgomery Iron Display Couch Trucks sent you on approval j) If not satisfactory they can he returnedat no expense to you whatever, while the price asked is but a trifle, com~ pared to the convenience they alfotd and the economy they represent in ,the saving of 8.001 ~ace. Tbirty-two couches mounted on the MontgomeryIron Display Couch Trucks occupy tbe same floor tpace as. twelve dis-played in the usualmanner. Write for catalogue givingfull descrip-tion and price in the dilferenl finishes, to-gether with iIIustrati0D3 demonstrating the use of Ihe Giani: Short Rail Bed Fastener for Iron Beds. Manufacturedby H. J. MONTGOMERY PATHNTJ<S Silver Creek, New York, U. S. A. DeniW Wire and Iron Co.• CaaadJau MaI1U-factuten. Lmdon, Onl. Altruistic Advice to Merchants. We shou"ld not lose sight of the truism that "example is stronger than precept." Retail dealers should all be on good terms with each other, says the St. Paul Trade. They should do even more than this-they should plug for each other's interests, notwithstanding some of them may be handling the same line of goods. Talk for each other; never miss an opportunity of saying a good word for your fellow merchant, send customers to each other, teU your customers what a nice satisfactory coat your wife purchased of your dry goods merchant up the street; or what a lovely bracelet she purchased of your 'local jeweler, or what nice, fresh groceries John Jones always keeps at reasonable prices; or what an elegant range you purchased for your wife at your hardware store, how nicely -it bakes, and how much better and more economical it is, in the end, to pay a little more and get a good reliable article than to get anything cheap in the furniture line thinking to save a few dolla.rs. When you all get to pulling together as you should, each patronizing and boosting the other; when yOll stop howling abollt the catalogue house evil and instead go right after the business with every fair, honest, legitimate and up-to-date method at your command, buying as low as possible and selling on as close a margin as is consistent with good busj·· ne5S principks, \ve think, if you will take pains to look into the matter, yoU will find that th<-re will be a decided falling off In the receipts at your raihvay station, of cata-logue house goods. Carpet Manufacturers Form a Selling Pool. A majority of the ingrain carpet manufacturers in Phila-delph. 1. and Vicinity have signed an agreement to consolidate their :interests and form a selling pool with "V. & J. Sloane of New York as the selling agents. 1'1aurice E, Masland was chairman of the committee appointed to carry out the scheme and he reports that nearly all of the manufacturers have "signed up':' and he expects all the others to do so. lt is declared that for several years the manufacturer:. of ingrains have had good reason to be dissatisfied with the condition of their business, and they see no way tl):mprove the situation except by going into a selling pool. The pro-posed pIan will enable them to dispense with their travdin; salesmen and reduce the cost of marketing their products from sixtecn to about three per cent. -VV, & J. Sloane were selected as !)elling agents becausl' they have branch houses in many cities, east and wesc. They are to guarantee all ':LCCQunts.They are expected l:) inve~t about $2,500,000 in the enterprisc, and it is promrsc,I tlIa retailers will be allowed to share in the saving efiectcil by the arrangemenc, New Use for Table Tops. The story of the detection of the smuggling of saccha-rine in hollow table tops is told :in an action by the King's counsel against Lewis Aarons, Isaac Spilberg and Morris ::'a60n, a'll living in the East End of London. In June last it was discovered that Aarons had imported from Rotterdam under a false name what were apparently half manufactured round table tops. Suspicion being aroused, Aarons' premises were raided and saccharine was found to the amount of 200 pounds, worth $1,000, packed in the table tops, which were hollow. The Metropolitan Grille and Mantel Company, to man-ufacture grills, mantels and fret work, has been organized in Brooklyn, NY., by Jacob Kl:inkowstein and others. Capital, $1,000. Gilbert McElveen, manager of the McElveen Furniture Company, Pittsburg, Pa., died recently in Naples, Italy-a victim of tuberculosis. 7IRTIS'7I~ . 7 f; &ii MANUFACTURERS OF HARDWOOD LUMBER &. VENEERS SPECIAL TIES: ~1."\''1?E'gQUAORA.K VENEERS MAHOGANY VENEERS HOFFMAN BROTHERS COMPANY 804 W. Main St., FORT WAYNE, INDIANA The New Banquet Table Top III well as OFFICE, DINING and DIRECTORS' TABLES ,aft QUI:' .l;Jecialty. STOW & DAVIS FURNITURE CO., ~~~ .... Write for Catalogue. Get $/Impks of BANQUET TABLE TOP. WE manufacture the larg~ est line of FOLDING CHAIRS in the United States) suitable for Sunday Schools, Halls, Steamers and all Public Resort'. We also manufacture BraslS Trimmed Iron Beds, Spring Beds, Cob and Cribs in a 1arlte variety. . Send for Catalocu_ and Prices to Kauffman MfS. CO, "'S"LAMP. 0"10 EXCEPTIONAL FACTORY OPPORTUNITY Do you wish to find an opening for a CHAlK FACTORY or would you like to remove to somE: more favorable locahon ? If so, it would repay rou to at once :reqUf'st infoTmatiOIl about a fine location in thegre9t timber section ol Southeast Missouri along the ... Liberal inducements are offered to secure 9 bona fide proposition em-ploying not less than forty men. Good di-<uibutin& facilities lor finished ptoduu. CorrespOildenc~ is invited regarding thIS and other excellent opportunities [or furl1iture, mattress. iron bed and other factories along our Hnes. SendfQrindltstriat descriptive mo,tleraoaut the Rock lstand- Prisco. M. SCHULTER. Industrial Commissioner, Rock hiland-Frisco Lines, 1t44 Fri$CO a,da., ST. LOUIS. MISSOURI, 7 8 Upham Manufacturing -Co. MARSHFIELD, WISCONSIN Never have we offered a line that compares with our present productions. Very low prices. Prompt Shipments. THE LINE WITH BUT LITTLE COMPETITION Send for catalog illustrating the greatest variety of· designs made under one roof. Suites Wardrobes Chiffoniers 277 SIDEBOARD • Dressers Sideboards Buffets, Etc. SALESROOM: 1323 Michigan Ave., CHICAGO. 1918 DRESSER 9 FROM THE LINE Of THE UPHAM MANUFACTURING CO•• MARSHFIELD. WIS. , l ._ 10 ~MICHIG.7·"lNc a 0;71:RTI.52'JmLN ~- five Complete Lines of Refrigerators Challenge Refrigerator Co. GRAND HAVEN, MICH., U. S. A. at Opalite Lined Enameled Lined Charcoal Filled and Zinc Lined Zinc Lined with Removable Ice Tank Gakanized Iron Lined Stationary Ice Tank Send for new C!\ U,l.OGUf. iIIlnd let us nilme yo .. price Our New nand and root Power Clroular Sill" No.4 The strongest, most powerful, and in every way the best machine of iu: kind ever made, for ripping, . c:ross-cutting, OOrioc and grooving. Cabinet Makers In these days of close competition, need the best possible equipment, and this they can have in • . . . BARNES' Hand and Foot POWER Machinery Send for our New Catalogne. "W. F. ®. JOHN BARNES co. 654 ~uby Street, ~ochford, Ill. -~ EXPENSIVE CASKETS. How Funerals Furnish Evidence of the Prevailing Pros-perity of the Country. "The prosperity of the country is in no m;lllllec more dearly shown than in its present day expenditures for funer-als" says an undertaket', to the New York Sun. "YVe are se:Uing now a greater number than ever before of the more expensive kinds of burial caskets, and among these a larger !lumber than ever of caskets of the more elabopte and costly forms of construction. "The most expensive sort of burial casket now to be found in stock is one that sells for $2,2;'50; a mahogany casket this, elaborately carved and beautifully trimmed with costly materials. J'he sate of such a casket ,,,,ould not be considered a remarkab1e incident in the trade. "There are now sold large numbers of hurial caskets at $200, $300 and $400 each; these ;{re carved caskets of oak or mahogany. Then there are various sorts of caskets that arc cloth covered, silk covered or plush covered; these each to be found in various colors and shades of colors, as well as in white and in black, and many of which are costly; and among these various sorts of more expensive caskets that I have described-of ,...o..od, or cloth or plush covered-the sale of a casket at $1,000 ,.,..ould not be unusual. "You understand that fewer and fewer people are now-adays buried in the old style coffin, which has now been in great measure supp'lanted by the modern burial casket; and T can think of no change in our customs that has been kinckr to us than this new way. "The olel time, once universally used coffin was the verv symbol of death; the burial casket is as different from th~ coffin in shape and appearance and finish as it is possible to make it. Vie may not forget its use, but the caske::t does not inspire the old time coffin's dread, and it may of itself be beautiful. It may not lessen, but it may soften our sorrow. "By no means all of the burial caskets sold are expensive, in fact the great majority of them are caskets of compara-tively moderate cost; but, as I have said, we sell a greater number than ever of the more expensive kinds, and among these a greater number than ever of caskets of elaborate and costly character. "TJle expenditure of the money that some of these cask-ets cost, to be put in the ground, would doubtless seem to many people a ","'asteful extravagance, but I think there is another view to be taken of it. If a man of large means should want to huy a casket not suited to his circumstances I should persuade him to buy a suitable one, if I could, just as if a man of limited means should come to me and want 1I to buy a costly casket I should dissuade him if I could, but I know of no reason why a man with ample means desiring to buy a costly and beautiful casket should not buy one in accordance with his inclinations, and I should regard this as neither extravagant nor ostentatious, but simply as a mani-festation of his 'love for his dead. "There is !>till another view that may be taken of the subject of costly burial caskets, this being one that perhaps may never have occurred to you, The $2,250 casket of which I spoke to yOU occupies seven months in the building; it is something that can not be made by machinery or in a hurry, and in the course of its construction it will have given more or less employment to a score or more of persons, including men and women, to whom, in the form of wages, a large part of the money that will finally be received for- it is p'ai.:1out in advance. ;;Somc of this money goes thus to the men who got out the log from the forests whence it came, and some to the men on the vessel that brought it to this country. Here some part of the money is paid to the sawyers who saw the log and some part of it to the cabinetmakers who fashion the casket into its first form. ';For the carving alone, all hand work and requiring months for the labor, there is paid out $600. The casket is fastened together with brass screws and copper nails-some· thing to the makers of these; it has a copper inner lining-some of the money for the casket goes to the coppersmith. The varnisher and the rubber must be paid; and some of the money goes to the weavers of the silk with which the casket is lineel, and some goes to the casket's upholsterer, as other parts go to still others whose labor may b~ required upon it. "In fact if we were to go back to the miners who mined the metals which, in finished forms, are contained in it, and to those engaged in the original processes of production of all its other various materials, and to those who in various ways took part in assembling them, we should find that not a bare score of people, but a hundred, or maybe more, were in some way concerned in it, and viewed in that light we might not look upon the amount paid for the costly casket as an expenditure of extravagance. "And for that matter, as to the distribution of the amounts paid for them, the same would hold true as to all caskets, whether costly or inexpensive, in greater or less degree; as it 'would hold, indeed, as to all funeral expenses of whatever nature; for it must be clear upon a moment's reflection that, however deeply we ourselves may mourn our own dead, to the exclusion of all things else, yet none of us can die and have a Christian burial without thereby con-tributing in some measure to the means of existence of many still surviving." CJlNAblJlN F"JlCTORY,WALKERVILLE ONTARIO CHICAGO, CINCINNATI, ST. LOUIS, SAN FRANCISCO. BERRY BROTHERS' Rubbing and Polishing Varnishes MUST BE USED IN FURNITURE WORK TO BE APPRECIATED THEY SETTLE THE VARNISH QUESTION WHEREVER TRIED WRITE TODAY FOR INFORMATION AND PRICES. FINISHED SAMPLES ON REQUEsT. BERRY BROTHERS. LIMITED VARNISH MANUFACTURERS DETROIT NEW YORK, BOSTON, PHILADELPHIII, BALTIMOflE. 12 BAMBOO FURNITURE. Growth of the Material and How It is Worked to Produce Pleasing Effects. Bamboo is a tree-like plant belonging to the grass family. It is hollow with a very shiny surface. Its growth is very rapid, having been known to sometimes grow two and one-half feet in a day. Transplanting is necessary to obtain good bamboo. A healthy root is planted and four ODD CHAIRS. or five inches is left above ground. The crop of shoots is destroyed for three successive years, then the fourth crop is allowed to grow. Many kinds of bamboo arc imported from the tropics, as well as from Japan, for the manufacturer of furniture. There is the natural pine color mottled with brown; the very dark brown, flecked with green and green marked with the natural pine color.' A very small species of red, much like some of our red willow, is used for stems in low reHef. Still other species are used for flowers, buds and leaves. Many Americans have practically failed in the manu-facture of bamboo furniture because of the ram-shackle method' of making joints. As soon as the furniture is sub-jected to heat, it straightway falls to pieces, demanding re-gluing or even wiring to keep in place. Y. Nagatomo came to America from Japan, several years ago, landing at Seattle, where he hired himself out to a certain bamboo manufacturer. Not being satisfied with the quality of the work done, he decided to go into business for himself. He also decided to make furniture that would stay together, so established himself in Tacoma. Thoroughly familiar with bamboo and its possibilities, and having been a designer in Japan, he bunt up a most flourishing business. His first reformation was to fill the hollow stem with hard wood, for several inches each side of where a joint was to be made, thus making a perfectly solid joint to be screwed or bored into without splitting. His arrangement of tiny shelves and corners for brie-a-brac, bespeaks the Japanese artist. Each tiny shelf is often panelled at the back with Japanese Matting, with a natural floral design worked out in low relief upon it with cut and carved leaves, buds and blossoms of bamboo. At a distance, this low relief looks like some beautiful oriental embroidery. Mr. Nagatomo fills orders in any part of the United States. He still designs for firms in Japan, and always has time to explain the quality and strength of his wares. MABEL WOOD. Lumbermen Plead "Not Guilty," Nearly two hundred members attended the fifteenth annual meeting of the National Wholesale Lumber Dealers' Association held at Washington, D. C. last week. The annual report of President Lewis showed that the past year was one of great prosperity to the lumber industry of the United States. He referred to recent' charges made in Con-gress to the effect that the association was a trust and a monopoly. "To the charge that we form a lumber trust," he said, 'Iwe plead not guilty," MUSIC CABINET. LADIES' DESK-BAMBOO. PLANT STAND. BOOKCASE. BOOKCASE. HANGING HAT RACK. BAMBOO DESK.. CORNER CHAIR. 13 L"'ORNERCURIO CASE. LADIES' DESK. BAMBOO FURNITURE DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED BY Y. NAGATOMA. TACOMA, WASH. 14 OUR NEW 1907 LINE ,OF ALASKA REFRIGERATORS with side ice chamber is made in twenty-one styles, zinc lined, white enamel and porcelain lined. Our cataloguewill interestyou. Write for it. THE ALASKA REFRIGERATOR CO. Exclusive Refriger$lOf Manufacturers. MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN. EASY MARK AND MR GROUCH. Both Must be Endured but Neither is an Absolute -Necessity, This world seems to be made up of all sorts of classes of people, ranging from the easy mark at one end of the line to the chronic kicker at the other. Of the two extremes it is hard to tell which is the worst, the genuine easy mark or the everlasting kicker, says the Merchants' JournaL Of course Easy Mark is agreeable. He never gets in anybody's way, or if he does he is ready to apologize and get out at once. People get onto him right away. They understand that he can be worked and they work him; work him to a fare-you-well The butcher knows that Easy Mark won't roaf if he gets a tough piece of meat when he ordered tender-loin. Somebody has to get the poor meats, and Easy Mark is the most pleasant customer to deal with. The grocer understands that he can put off inferior vegetables on Easy Uark and that good-natured man will stand for it, The hired man also understands that if he neglects his work Easy Mark will let it go without saying anything about it. If there is a job left over that the hired man ought to have done, Easy Mark will go and attend to it himself. So it goes. They all hand "lemons" to the excessively good-natured man. Men come to him to get him to sign notes with them and then let him pay the notes. After he has been stuck for their debts, they never even thank him for his accommodation. Easy Mark never gets rich. It isn't in the nature of things that he should. He is probably indus-trious and saving so far as his personal expenses are con-cerned and mak<is a good deal of money, but there are plenty looking for chances to get it away from him, . But then Easy Mark has this much compensation: He is gen~ eraIIy conceded to be a good man. He hasn't any enemies to speak of, People are even ready to hand him honors that don't cost them anything and mean work for him. For example, if there is a public function of some sort there is- a·' lot of work to do. Easy Mark is universally selected as one of a committee to do that work. He goes uncomplainingly and Joes it. He works like a dray horse for nothing. He turns the ice cream freezer all day before the night of the church festival. There were other members of the com-mittee on refreshments but they slid out and left the matter to Easy Mark. They know he will do it and not kick about it. In fact they get a fool idea somehow that he really enjoys doing that sort of business. All the way through life Easy Mark has to pull on the short end of the double-tree, but when he finally dies the papers say that he was a splendid neighbor. On the other extreme there is Grouch, the kicker. Grouch was born kicking and he keeps it up until they caTTy him out to the cemetery. You can bet there is nobody getting any the best of Grouch if he knows it; and he is always look-ing for it. v\rhen he cats at a hotel he makes the waiters jump sideways. He commences to grumble right away as soon as he goes to bat and keeps it up. Of course the waiters hate him and talk mean about him when they get 011t in the kitchen, but you bet they wait on him. If they don't do that there· will be something doing right away and a good deal. of it. He grumbles. at the gas man and he grumbles at the plumber. Furthermore, while the gas man and the plumber say things about Grouch that ought to make his ears burn, they do get a move on them and tend to his work and let Mr. Easy Mark's work wait. Grouch has a chronic row with every merchant he does business with. He grumbles about the kind of meat the grocer gives him, and rather than have him chewing the rag continually the butcher picks out the best pieces for him. The merchants hate him; the clerks despise him, but they all wait on him. They have to or have a row. Grouch generally has a kick to register with the city council, and oftentimes he is right: He keeps jawing and prodding the city officials and does make them give more attention to the duties they were e'1ected to perform. Grouch does some good; in fact he does a good deal of good, but he is mighty disagreeable. Everybody cusses him and he is pointed out as the meanest man in the town. When he dies everybody says that it is a good thing that he is gone and that he will make trouble, no matter whether he lands in heaven or the other place. As between Grouch who grumbles at everything and quarrels with everyboqy, and Easy Mark who never complains about anything and lets everybody impose on him, it is better perhaps to be Easy Mark, but there is no use to be either. There is no use to be grumbling and chewing the linen continually and treat-ing everybody as if they were trying to do you up; and neither, on the other hand, is it well to let everybody make a .foot mat of yOU. There is a time to be good natured and a time to kick. There is a time to let disagreeable things pass and then there are times when it is the proper thing to get up and roar. If nobody kicked the world would be run by dead beats and grafters and honest men would have no chance whatever. The really good citizen is the one who is nearly always good natured; who doesn't do much grum-bling but who can make things sizz if the occasion really demands it. He Loved Her Not. Before the furniture show window. Lover-"What! Steal that davenport for you. It is not an easy undertaking." Swcetheart-"You wouldn't mind spending three years in prison if you should be caught, to please me?" Thomas M. Buckley, furniture dealer, Le Roy, New York, has made an assignment for the benefit of creditors. COST MARK SYSTEM. Various Methods Used by Merchants to Conceal Their Margins of Profits. Speaking of old fashioneJ cost marks, says a writer ill the Jewelers' Circular, a majorky of the cost marking systems now in use are impracticable,! being either unwieldy or too easy to solve. I The first systems were b~sed on the use of words con-tajnillg ten lett"",rs, no two like, each letter representing ~ num~ra1. Probably the mo t venerable of the words still III use IS: Vl ASH Iii N G T 0 X 12345167890 somewhat less tasilY decipherable by the cu,- l!;IVE UP 567890 I BYE AlfD KOST 123 4~6 7890 Such markes as these arb no secret if one sets himself to pick them out. Usually ad that is necessary is to .find out what several of the ten letter1 are, and then fix upon the ones most likely to represent 1,1 ;'; and O. Such secret cost marks can be figured out in j1thisway in five minutes ~ome-times. Other merchants use tbe letters in this way: ABCDiEFGHIJ 1234$67890 I Another, tom~r, is: DONT 1 2 3 4 Another one is: follows: ZYXW1vUTSRQ 1 2 3 4 15 6 7 8 9 0 Still other systems take ~vE',rysecond letter in the alpba- , bet or every third letter, be~jnning at either end. The crowning argument! against these 1iystems is that all betray the fact that they ~re cost marks. B I X on a tag can mean nothing but costj What does it matter? ynly this, that the more the cus-tomer's mind is diverted fr0im thoughts of what the article costs the dealer, the more lrikely he is to be favorably im-pressed with the article its~lf. The solution of the pro~lem lies in using a cost mark which will appear to be somrthing else. An ideal cost mark is the one that has an easil1 remembered key; that may be transmitted by voice; that isl so simple in form as to minim-ize chances of error in writ~;ng and reading, and that is not 'what it seems. The following is such a onc: "1 2 3 4." To use it: 1 doubles tHe figures placed after it, 2 adds 50 per cent to the figures placed after it, 3 deducts a third. 4 deducts a half. The cost mark key is always the initial letter. To i[Justratc its US!; In marking the cost on~an article costing 60 cents, one may write it in f011r ways 130,240, 390,4120--as the initial 1 means to double the folle -iug figures, the initial 2 means to add 50 per cent to the foIl wing figures, the initial 3 means to deduct a third from the t~l1owing figures, etc., thus: 130 (2x30) is -60; 240 (40 plus sb per cent) is 60; 390 (90 minus a third) is 60, and 4120 (12: minus a half is 6D)_ In writing the cost on he goods under this system the abbreviation "No." or the s'gn - is placed before the cost. Thus the customer is led t believe that it is the number of the article instead of the c st mark. This makes it a great advantage in a conversatio between the clerk and the man-ager or proprietor before a customer. For instance, the custo er is protesting against the price. The clerk may think a reduction wise, and that it will be granted by the manager, ilir he may desire the manager's indorsement of the price. I Or, as 71RTIoS.7U'J 2 • 7 .. • 15 Thc manager does not have to examine the tag or ask its price to learn the cost. He simply asks; "What number is it?" The letter or hieroglyphic system wou-Id not permit this simplicity in such a case. The writer in the Jewelers' Circular has failed to men-tion a cost mark that was very popular twenty-fivc or thirty years ago, and is still uscd by many merchants, being rarely deciphered by buyers. It is madc out of a double cross, such as the children use in playing "tit-tat~tow-three in a row." The cross is made. like this: The character is then marked in this way: 1 9 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Thus a key for the cost mark is formed. Then it is broken up :md the nine digits are expressed as follows: r LI L ::J 0 C -, n L 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 More Trouble for Country Merchanu. The Farmers' Union in Mississippi has inaugurated a new price system that may prove a stumhling block fer country merchants. The idea is to send to m,;:mher~ of the union bulletins giving the maximum price they should be charged for any commodity. These will be issued a::: oiten as changes in prices occur. It is planned to have the members keep the conte.nt8 of these circulars secret, and to force the coltll!:ry merchants to cut off a considerable portion of what ':he:, have b~en charging, in the form of what the Farmers' Onion calls "e_,<- cessive profits." STAR CASTER CUP CO. NORTH UNION STREET, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. (PATENT APPLlKD FOR) 'Ve baveadopted celluloJd as II base for our Caster Cups. making the best cup 0....the markel. Celluloid is a great improvement over bases wade of other w!lterial. When it is necessary to wove a pif'ce supported by cups with celluloid ba~es it can be done wlth ease, as the bases are per-feetly smooth. Celluloid does not sweat, and by the use of these cups tables art! never marred. These cups are finlshed in Golden Oak and ,"Villte Maple, finished light. l.f you; will try ~ sample order of tlwle goods yo'l(.-will desire to handle them tn 'luanlitus. PRICES: Size i3{ inches $5.50 per hundred. Sb:e 27.1'itlcbes 4.50 per hundred. f. o. b. Grand Rapids. TRY A SAMPLE ORDER. 16 Sellers Sample Good Always. Try Order NQ.46. Sinlile Con •• $Z.OONet. GENUINE TEMPERED ALL STEEL WIRE MATTRESSES MANUFACTURED BY $2 SMITH CD. DAVIS MFG. CO., St. Louis, Mo. MAIL ORDERS TO ftit(~en (abinds of OualilJ Sell at sight. and make a greater profit than other lines of kitch"" cab-inets. Send for catalogue. Th. BEST 01 QUALITY I•• lust mODey. We haore doubled our capacit)' And will be better IIble to lake care of our trad" thaa before. We lolicit your palroDqe. C. F. SCHMOE & CO. SHELBYVILLE, IND. SPRATT'S CHAIRS ARE THE JOY OF THE CHILDREN. Our new CHILD'S MISSION ROCKER was a winner from the start. Wriu fir CAtalogiaand prim. Our" llne is larie and prices are right. We make CHAIRS 10, GROWN-UPS as well as CHlLDREN. GEORGE SPRATT & CO. Sheboygan, Wis. Say you saw Ikis ad intbe Mithiglitt drti-san. MUST HAVE "ALL-ROUND" SALESMEN. An Installment House Can Not Be Run on the Depart-ment System. After the interview \'v"jth 1-Ir. \'Vegner, which appears else"."here in this number of the Artisan, the reporter called all Herbert G. Hefferan, manager for Heyman"s, the big installment house all Canal street, Grand Rapids, 1\1ich., and asked him fOT an expression of his ideas on the subjects disCllssccl by 11t. 'vVegncr. "That's a big proposition," said :)1r. Hefferan. "The best salesmen never need much urging, but many of them become listless or get a tired fcding at times and it is difficult to brace them up. Personal encouragement or careful criticisl1l will do it sometimes, but I think a better way is to have a meeting of the whole force to consider the matter of pushing sales and asking each one to express his opinion, and make suggestions. If the purpose is to Pl.lt pressure on a certain man the discussion can easily be turned to his particular ,\ 17 -feel that they are pretty wel1 acquainted with him and have no misgivings about asking questions. V\lhen they arc ready to look at a bedroom suite they must be taken up to the next floor; up again for the dining room furniture, and still further for the parlor goods. It will not do to introduce them to a new man in each departmrent or on each floor. They w·il1 not enjoy making a new acquaintance at each step. They may like the first man, they might not like the next one and before they get through they may meet one who displeases them to such an extent as to spoil the sale. "\Ve have tried the department plan for assigning sales-men. and it won't work. 'ATealso tried the placing of each man all a certain floor, but it was a failure. We have cut the store into four geJleral divisions. with a man to have general supervision of each, and that is as far as we have been able to use the depa.rtment plan. Each and every man must have the range of the ,,,ho1,(:house, and he must not only have the manners, tact aIld ability necessary for a good salesman, bt1t he must possess ~neral knowledge, and specific information that will enahle him to handle anything A Beautiful Napoleon Foot Bed No. 842 From the Line of the Hard Mfg. Co., Buffalo, N. Y. ddects or short comings, and if he is good for anything he will take the hint and try his hest to get into the game. ·"\Vc never have to break in what you would call 'green-horns' in an establishment like this. Vo/eshould have experi-enced salesmen, btlt we are not always able to get them. \Ve can get able and experienced furniture salesmen, carpet men, _~tove experts or curtain and drapery salesmen, but in an installment house, all those should be combined in one and it is difficult to find such men. "The best we can do is to get a man \"ho has been SllC-cessfu1 in one of those lines, and anow him to leam the others by experience, and it takes time to do it. No matter how good a man may be, on furniture for instance, he [s liable. to fall down when he goes jllto the stove or some other line. It will not do to assign each man to a certain depart-ment and keep him out of all others. Each must be an <111- around man, and in addition to being a good salesman he must be well up on everything in the house. «You see it is this way: A lady or perhaps a happy couple come in to buy an outl-it. They start in with the kitchen furniture. They select a stove, and by that time they are we1l pleased with the salesman who is serving them that his customers may want-he must be able to tell them anytbil1g they want to know or that we want them to know about the goods. You can readily understand why it is difficult to become it successful salesman in an installment hOllse. "Vile do not use the card system in our stock account we have the stock ledger in which the goods are entered ,""hen they come in, and they are checked out from the sales slips by the ofl-i.ce force. The sy~tem works very well, at least we never have any difficulty in finding out just what we llaVC in stock without gojng olit of the office." How to Handle "Kickers." /\ "kick" is always a- "boost" if you treat it right. The customer who comes into your store and kicks because she is dissatisfied with a purchase is a benefit to your store. It puts yOll on to the fact so that you can rectify the evil. Satisfy her right _then and there. and invite kickers to come in and make their complaints. Satisfy a customer who is dissatisfied and immediately yOll have. made a friend who will always have a good word for yOUr store. 18 ·f'~MICHI..G. .77IN • EST A.BLISHED 1880 ,;!~, , , ' I I I \ , , .::..i~, \ '- I;? ,..~f.;, ,,,,,::~ ,-~~, ~ ~ -""""'!!O ~ _ c _ PUeL.ISHI!!:D 8V MICHIGAN ARTISAN CO. ON THE 10TH AND 25TH OF EACH MONTH O......ICe:-2-20 LYON ST .• GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Vienna, Austria, appears to be leading all other cities in the matter of municipa1 ownership. For several yeats the city has owned the gas, water, lighting and street rail-way plants, and now proposes to take the undertaking and the brewery business out of private hands. With that pur-pose -in view the municipality has just paid half a million dollars for the business and equipments of two undertaking companies which had, practically, a monopoly of the busi-ness and has also established the largest and best equipped brewery in the city. Whether. the authorities had the under-taking business in view when they built the brewery is not stated, but many will believe that the beer will tend to boost the volume of business in the undertaking line. *1* *)* *1* *!* Quite a "rumpus" was stirred up by the newspapers of Michigan recently on account of the purchase outside of the state of $600.00 worth of furniture by a committee of the house of representatives, Jor use in the chamber of that body. The committee journeyed to Chicago and indulged in a round of "sight-seeing" a,nd fcasting that cos.t the state nearly as much as the furniture. A lot of leather covered d<lvenports, purchased at a cost of $30.00 each, will last until the close of the session if handled carefully. The capitol building at Lansing is now well supplied with folding beds and davenports. These were undoubtedly needed. The occupants of the capitol are a sleepy lot. *r* *1* *r* *1* The retail merchants' organizations seem to be making headway in their campaign against the mail order houses. They are forming anti-parcels post clubs in rural sections, with a view of applying pressure to congressmen, and have thus enlisted the aid of many county newspapers. They are also encouraged by the conversion of two prominent dallies, the Chicago Journal, which gave evidence of its change of heart by a severe attack on the parcels post proposition, and the 1\Jinneapolis Tribune, which announces that here-alter all advertisements for mai1 order business will be barred from its columns. *1* *1* *r* *1* Manufacturers of bedding claim that seventy-flve per cent of their orders are furnished by dealers in dry goods. This condition is not creditable to dealers in furniture. There is no reason why the regular dealer in furniture should not handle every article needed in furnishing a bedroom. By his failure to do so he neglects a fine opportunity to add to his income. There arc nice margins in the sale of bbnkets, sheets, pillow cases, and kindred goods and there is no reason why the dea1er in furniture should not share more largely in this trade. '1* *r* '1* *1* Judge Hunt of San Francisco has decided that the earth- Quake -clause in an insurance policy relieves the company only when the building is completely destroyed before the fire starts-that when fire destroys a building that has been only part tally wrecked by the earthquake the company is certainly liable for what the building was worth after being damaged by the shock. That seems to be a sensible de-cision. *1* *1* *1* *1* Will there be another advance in the prices of furniture before the fall season of trade opens? Ask the manufac~ turer, In turn the manufacturer will ask the lumber man, the glass bevelers and the railroad magnates, and finally the manufacturers' association. *'* *1* *1' *1* Advances in prices made by the furniture manufacturers last faU seem small when compared with the action of the wagon makers who at the meeting of the national associ-ation in Chicago,- recently, ordered a raise of 50 per cent, to take effect on April 15. *1* *1* *1* 'r* To "ginger 'I1~J' salesmen: Increase their pay with every additional thousand to their sales over the corresponding quarter of last year, .and reduce it in the same proportion with loss of sales for a corresponding amount for the same period. *1* *r* *1* *,* Complaints of the scarcity of cars are still heard in all Quarters, and thc present selling season promises to be pro-longed. The goods mostly in demand are used in furnishing summer homes. Buyers are Quite impatient over the delays. *'* *r* *1* *1* Salesmen who would increase the number and size of their orders must never misrepresent the goods they sell. The temptation to pervert or stretch the truth should ever be throttled. By selling the customer what he wants he call be depended upon to buy what the honest dealer has to sell. *1' *1* *1* *1' If you must relate your "talc of woe," hire a hall. Don't impose upon the time and patience of those who are so unfortunate as to be ass-ociated or are compelled to come in contact with you. ** '$* .* Why not visit the expositions in July Mr. Stay-at-Home Buyer? You would learn many valuable lessons about the business of buying and selling merchandise that never dawned on your mind. ** ** *:4< Sanderson, of Phi1adelphia, is the most notorious dealer in furniture in the United States, but no one envies him his notoriety. ** ** ** The salesman who wastes his substance feels like a mil-lionaire for a night and a fool for a week. "'* ** *'" Close shots don't count in hilliards or business. Only those that hit the- mark are effective. >i:>i: ** ~" The conversation of grumblers and knockers is flot so pleasant as the howling of the wind. Evidence of Prosperity. As an indication of the enormous business being trans-acted by the railroads, A. H. Smith, general manager of the New York Central, tells how that railroad recently broke all records for the number of loaded cars handled in one day. The record was broken by 1,312 loaded cars. A total of 31,440 cars were handled between New York and Buffalo-more than 23,000 being loaded. These cars would make a train 246 miles long. In addition to the freight trains, 1,000 passenger trains were moved, making a total passenger train 75 miles long. An army of 49,7M men were required to handle these trains, exclusive of clerks, accountants and men employed on construction work. In operating them for 24 hours by the manual controlled signals, there were approximately 500,000 signal indications to be read and obeyed. J Bricklayers Opposing Use of Cement. The industrial world is interested in a contest between brick and cement as materials for construction that is now going forward. Cement is yielding more and morc to the demands of C011struction and fast becoming a formidable rival of brick and stone in all classes of work in which they were once used exclusively. It has also entered the field of street paving. There is still some prejudice against con-struction entirely of concrete, and for smaller dwellings in particular the rule is to build foundations and basement walls of concrete and the superstructure of hrick a5 yielding more readily to the approved lines of architectural beauty. But the architects are fast leaming to blend concrete into artistic forms. The principal objection to cement from the view point of the workman is thilt it can be laid by unskilled Jabor, while the bricklayer of today ranks with the best paid work-men in the country, drawing from $5 to $7 for a day of eight hottrs. Cement blocks, a rival of brick distinct from the monolithic concrete, are beillg used now for the erection of smal1 homes. These arc said to be jn many ways the equal of those built of brick or stone, but they arc erected with cheaper labor and so cost less money, says the St. Joe News. In some parts of the country the bricklayers and brick manufacturers are aligni.ng themselves against the groWillg use of cement, but the wisdom of their course is open to debate. Since they have begun to build fourteen-story sky-scrapers ,vholly of cement and independent of brick or brick-layers, it would seem that the favoritism for it as a building material has gone beyond the point where thc attempt of the opponents to stop its use at the ground line can he suc-cessful. Says Demonstrations Are Useful. "\Vell that's a hard question to answer," said H. C. Smith, l\lanager of \i\linegar Bros. Canal street store, Grand Rapids, l\1kh., when asked to talk on the matter discussed by 1vlr. \Vegner on another page in this number of the Arti~ san. ""V hen a salesman bec.omes indifferent or careless in his ..Y. ork, and fails to brace up after having his attention called to the matter, it is time to let him go and try another. A little talk. however, will generally cause a man to mend his ways and do his best, unless he is looking for a change. 19 SHELBYVILLE DESK CO. MANCFACTURERS OF OFFICE DESKS Mahogany, and Imitabon Qyartered Oak, Plain Oak in Three Grades. I SPECIAL I"EATURES A SQUARE DEAL Write for late!t Catalogue. SH ELBYVI LLE, IND. "Demonstrations by experts from the factories also have a good effect on the salesmen. We have them frequently. Just now we are having experts demonstrating the merits, advantages and possibilities of OUT gas stoves in both stores, and the salesmen will certainly gain much information that may be used to advantage in dealing with customers. "Of course demonstrators can not do much in the fur-niture departments, but it is a good thing for salesmen to talk with expert finishers, upholsterers, etc., from the fac-tories. A man never learns too much ahout the goods. To know all about how an article is made makes it easier to gain the confidence of a customer." Michigan to Tax Catalogue Business. State Senator Kane, of J\H. Pleasant, proposes to have the IVlichigan legislature enact a law that will require cata-loguemail order houses to pay taxes or take out licenses for doing business in that state. He has had a conference with the state attorney general, who is said to have expressed the opinion that such a law can be enacted, and enforced, but details as to how it can be applied to concerns whose headquarters are outside of the state have not been described. That the l;nv is expected to hit the big maj] order houses of Chicago is apparent from Senator Kane's declaration that it is not right to allow such concerns as Montgomery Ward & Company, and Sears, Roebuck & Company to draw tens of thousands of dollars from the people of Michigan with- OLlt paying even a cent for the support of the state govern- Inent." That l\1ichigan senator who proposes to levy a tax on those who fill mail orders from his state has tackled a doubtful proposition. A law for that purpose, in order to be valid, would have to cover all kinds of business, and would apply to the man who sells lumber as well as to those who sell soap and low grade furniture, and it is difficult to see how the tax could be collected. It would seem to be easier, and perhaps more effective, to tax those who give the orders than to collect from those who fill them. In other words, make it a tariff measure for the protection of 1Iichigan dealers, and then the scheme would appear in its true nature-so ridiculous that its sponsor would dis-own it. 20 The Luce Fumiture Co. INVlTES ATTENTION TO ITS LARGE u~ OF I Bed Room and Dini~ Room Furniture. ! GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Salesroom at Factory Only. Something DiffERENT in Couches No. 155 WOVEN WIRE COUC" $4.00 Net We have made for some time, Couches and Davenports with woven wire tops. Our latest essay in this line is DIffERENT. Made and shipped K. D. Easily set up. "trial order will convince. SMII" L DAVISMfG. CO.,St. Louis. THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK. No Probability of Hard Times, But it May Be Well to "Touch Wood~' Occasionally. Account<:\nts have unusual opportunities for accurate observation of business tendencies, and their opinions are entitled to respect. Professor Joseph French Johnson, dean of the Kew York University School of Commerce, Accounts and Finance, has secured from leading public accountants of several important commercial centers a symposium 011 the business outlook, which appears in the official organ of the American Association of Public Accountants, The Journal of Accountancy, edited by Professor Johnson, and in all editorial prelude to the symposium he says: "\\,!hen a man is in abounding health and begins to boast that his stomach can dissolve nails, rarebits and ground glass., the French proverb warns him to "touch wood" in humble propitiation of the fates. If a man is so confident that he fails to make this acknowledgement of hi" dependence UpOll a superior power, wise men shake their heads and predict his collapse. "During the last six months the statistics of this country's trade and industry have reached such astonishing totals that thoughtful men are beginning to fear lest people get over-confident. Never before during a prosperous period has there been so much talk about panics and crises as there is at the present time. James J. Hill, president of the Great >Iorthern Railway, is full of foreboding for all sections of the country and all industries except his own. NIr. Stuyve-sant Fish, fonner president of the Illinois Central, has pre-dicted hard times in 1'.:107and 1908. Even John D. Rockfelter has taken the public into his confidence and declared that there is likely to be much suffering and involuntary i.dleness during the coming year. Cassandra is evi.dently in the sad-dle and is megaphoning her dire prophecies throughout the land. "In view of this condition of affairs The Journal of Accountancy believed it wise to appeal to its constitutents for a calm and sane expression of opinion with regard to the outlook. Of all businc"s men accountants are the least likely to lose their heads in any speculative furor. Their training and occupation compel them to be sane, fair and conservative, It is as bad for an accountant to underestimate the assets and prospects of a client as it is to o\rcrestimate them. He knows that the client is entitled to the exact truth, and that it is his business to discover and state the truth. The Journal, therefore, has a great deal of respect for the opinions and conclusions which repre'sentative accountants have expressed in the symposium published in this number, and it is glad to note that their message to the business world is on the whole one of encouragement. Several of them have dis~ covered reasons why business men and bankers should pro-ceed ,..·.ith extra caution, but nOlle of them seems to think that the present period of prosperify is destined to be fol-lowed by immediate or disastrous reaction. "\Vhen we analyze the reasons upon which current pes-simism is based, we find more occasion for cht;er than for despair. Money is tight, the rate of interest is high, b~lllk reserves arc low, to be sure, but those are inevitably the phe-nomena of good times. "Vhat is the quality of the loans and discounts? That is the vital question, and with respect to it we have little evidence one way or the other. Railroads and other corporations cannot borrow the capital they need and must, therefore, retrench and forego certain contemplated improvements and extension. That situation is also the pro-dud of good times and does not furnish the slightest reason for believing that railroads will do less business this year than last. But wages have risen and cut into profits. So have prices risen and the railroads appear to be doing things that arc equivalent to an advance of rates. The administra- 21 tion, by attacking business interests, especially the railroads, has destroyed confidence and given enterprise a fatal check. That argument is urged by interests who want the people to let them do as they please and do it in the dark. The Inter-state Commerce Commi:;sion may possess undue power, yet no fair man expects that it will exercise that power unduly 01" unjustly. "But the situation is critical and Roosevelt is liable any day to thrO\",,-a bomb that will rip things up. Quite so, but the President is a very shrewd and practical man, and no man or corporation doing business on the square is afraid of him. President Roosevelt and Governor Hughes of the state of New York will dOUbtless do unexpected things this year; but we are certain they will not wittingly do anything to injure the material interests of the people they represent. Grand Rapids Caster Cup Co. 2 Park wood Ave., Grand Rapids. Mich. ""'~ are now putting 011 the best Casler Cups with ~or" bases evof'r offeree; to the trade. iht:se aTe fillished in Golden Oak and White Maple )n a light finish. These goods are admirable for polished floors and funl-lture rests. T hey will not sweat or mar. . PRICES: Size 2U inches $4.00 per hundred Size 2%"inches······ 5.00 per hundred Try a Sample Order. F. O. B. Grand Rapids. "The worst that can he said -..",ithregard to the busii\ess outlook is this: \Ve have had three years of ripping pros-perity, and experience warns us that a change is due. That, however, docs not mean failure, panic and distress. More likely it means mere1y a patlse for adjustment to the new con-ditions. ~Tages and salaries must be brought up to the higher price-level of the necessaries and comforts of life. New capital must be created before ncw enterprises can be undertaken. New gold must be mined before bank reserves can support larger credits. These are facts that cannot be denied, but they predict merely a breathing-spe[J, not a panic. Nevertheless, as we sny jt, it is well to "touch wood." An Antique Hunter's Lucky Strike. A \'\ioman who makes a fad of collecting antique furni-ture and old blue china had a peculiar experience recently. She lives in' one of the larger interior cities of York State, and when a man from New England came to town with a fine collection of old mahogany she, was among the first to inspect his stock, which contained a grandfather's clock that struck her fancy from first sight. It was a fine old specimen of Colonial furniturc and it somehow appealed particularly Lo her, but the price was more than she felt she could afford. The first day she didn't buy it, but went home to think it over, with the result tha.t the following mnrning she purchased the coveted article. After its arr:val at her home she began investigating the ncw purchase, when what was her surprise to discover that tIle name pajnted inside the clock was that of her own great-grandfather, who had lived in Roxbury, Mass. He was not the maker, but the former owner, as she afterward discovered, and now she doesn't wonder that she was so closely drawn to the old timepiece. 22 TABLES OR TEN-CENT COUNTERS. Yankee Ingenuity Ignores Precedent and Makes for Progress of the Nation. American business men are never bound by precedent, and to this bet the United States largely owes its. present position as the greatest business nation of the world. A short time ago a consignment of street Celrs was made in East St. Louis for use at Los Angeles, Cd. The usual custom is to load new rolling stock of this kind on flatcars for ship-ment. "\A/hy not run them out to Los Angeles on their own wheels?" suggested the venturesome spirit of Ingenuity. "Such a thing has never been done," replied cautious Prece-dent." "That's 110 reason why it can't be done.." replied Ingenuity, and the cars were made ready. They were fitted with a temporary equipment of couplers and air brakes, and a train of twenty-four cars and a caboose was started. Oilers rode in the caboosc to watch for hot boxes and the scheduled sp.eed of fifteen miles an hour was maintained. c This was the first instance in which street cars have been run on a railroad track. Mak~.ts of American' agricultural imp.lements have been more aggressive than almost any other dass of Americans in pushing their wares into foreign markets. One Illinois concern sent a man to Asia Minor with instructions to stay there until he opened the market. Catalogues, samples, much talking-nothing could over-come the precedent of two or three thousand ycars of plough-ing with bullocks and a crooked stick. After three years of failure the Illinois man got it into his head that these Asiat-ics were closely related" to the inhabitants of his Qcighboring state of Missouri and would have to be shown. He showed them. He rented a piece of ground and divided it in half. One side he ploughed with an lliinois plough, harrowed it with an Illinois harrow and planted twenty pounds at wheat with an Illinois wheat drill. The other half was ploughed with native bullocks and a crooked stick, wasn't harrowed at all, and was planted with sixty-six 'pounds of wheat sowed broadcast. Everybody waited for the harvest. Thc Illinois half produced a 10 per cent g~eater yie1d! and the Asiatics were reminded that less than one-third as much had been sowed on it. After that Asia Minor became a good market for Illinois agricultural machinery. Americans like to buy East Indian rugs, but the native designs have not proved entirely pleasing to Yankee tastes. Therefore a company of American carpet makers went to India! bought ten large factories employing 15,000 workmen, and began the business of making Indian rugs with Ameri-can designs. The material used! the dyes and the methods of weaving areal! Indian. Last year $400,000 worth of rugs were made in these American factories in India and" sent to the home market in this country. Que day last summer two business friends were chatting at a club in a manufacturing town in the Middle West. One of these men was a manufacturer of furniture and the other was a huyer for a cha~n of tcn cent stores located in pros-peroustowns in the Mississippi Valley. The furniture manufacturer was lamenting the fact that the dun season was upon him, that many of his expert work-tilen whom he would have to layoff woulddri{t away where he could not locate them when the rush came on a few months later. The buyer scenteu a business opportunity, and asked the other if he would be wiliing to turn out stuff at cost in order to keep his organization intact. The manufacturer said he would, and they figured all over "the back of the bill of fare. Result: An order for several tra"inloads of little stand tables which were sold at 10 cents apiece in the various stores of the buyer's combi-nation. \iVith the multiplication of inventors and inventions came an increase in the problem of how to manufacture small articles without the forced expense o,f erecting a fac-tory especially for the purpose. Some' factories took in jobs, but this method often proved unsatisfactory to an in-vcntor who wished his model to havc more attention than that generally paid to a side line. So necessity has again borne a c.hild. A specialty fac-tory in Rhode Island has a plant equipped with a'll kinds of machinery. The concern makes nothing foritseH, but merety sits by a.nd waits for customers. It wilt undertake on a 'moment's ,notice the manufacture of anything from a campaign button to an airship model. Steel Box Cars in Favor. Experiments with steel baggage and passenger cars hav-log proved entirely successful, attention is now being given to experiments that are expected to result in perfecting the steel box car. It is understood that some of the biggest railroad systems, induding the Pennsylvania, New York Cen-tral and Rock Is'land soon will make contracts for a large number of such equipment. The new box .car weighs 37,800 pounds, or about twelve -per cent less than the standard box car u~ed on the Harriman lines. The strength is such that property can be much better protected in transit, and that in turn will permit of more speed" The venture is made by men who have spent years in this industry, and who be-lieve that the time is not far distant when there will be no wood construction in any freight train. Thi5 may even come about in advance of the solid steel passenger train, as badly as that is thought needed. Don't Fight the Fads. There is a general moral in the story of a retail hard-wareman in a medlum-sized city of Ohio who cursed the automobiles and dedared he would have nothing to do with them. The owners and drivers put on an extra spurt when-ever they saw him, so as to kick all the dust they could into his eyes. There was another hardwa"reman in the same line who stocked up on automobile accessories, made friends with the owners and sold thcm all the goods he could. The moral is to be found in the two balance sheets at the end of the year. Expressed in words, it is like this. Don't fight the fads. Sell what the, people wart. American Furniture in Mexico. There arc several furniture factories in Mo terey, Mex-ico, but they are all small and there is said to be an excellent demand for American furniture in that part of the country. The people there are prosperous, and morc pro ress\ve than thos"e in any other section of Mexico. Many of them are wealthy, and they demand the best and most ad ern out-fits for their homes and offices. There are se erathouses in Monterey that handle Amcrican furniture exc usive(y, and they are reported as having an enormoustrad in roll":top desks, sectional bookcases. file cases and high rade chairs. Keep On Keepin' On. lf the day looks kinder gloomy An, your chances kinder slim, If the situation's pttzzlin' And the prospects awful grim An' perplexities keep pressin,' Till all hope is nearly gone, J us' bristle up, and grit your teet An' keep on keepin' on, 23 GEESE Do Not Grow BETTER FEATH RS and DOWN THAN THESE PILLO S ARE FILLED WITH. _ WRIT THE ------- SCHULTZ 8 HI~SCH COMPANY 260-262 S. DESPLAINEg ST., CHICAGO, 10' ,~. 190 7 Illustrated Catalogue an~ Price List. That. will tell yOll all about il. We would 1ikr 10 have you say that you saw this in === the Michigan Artisan.: No, 160 Plain Oak Front. Height 76 inches. Base 421126 inches. The White Directory Poplar top. Two large drawersin base. Largecup-board space with sliding shelf. 4 spice cans. Plate rack. 5°li~~~bi'~id~~~ 1 bread board. Canopy, 2 cllpboard spaces. 2 drawers. 2 tilting sugar biTls, 1 large china closet, Finish, Golden oak, gloss or wax. Brass trim-mings. CONTAINS A CAREFULLY COMPILED LIST OF MANUFACTURERS OF FURNITURE, PIANOS, ORGANS, INTERIOR FINISHES AND KINDRED INDUSTRIES Now Ready. Send inyour order. No. 161 Satin Walnut. Same as above. Finish, Natural wood, dull mbbed. WHITE. PRINTING COMPANY PRINTE1S, ENGRAVERS, PUBLISHERS, BINDERS 2-20 LYON ST., GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. C. f. SC"MOE, Shelbyville, Ind. The New UNION FURNITURE CO. "PE.RFE.CT" FOLDING CHAIR ROCKFORD, ILL. China Closets Buffets Bookcases Comfortable Durable Simple Neat The Acme of Perfection in the line DE Foldil:lg Chairs. PERFECT COMPACTNESS wh~n folded. We lead in Style, Confuudion and Finish. See our Catalogue. OUT line on permanent exhibi. tion 7th Floor, New Manufact. urers' Building, Grand Rapids. WRITE fOT PIHCHS The Peabody School Furniture Co. North Manche.ter. • • Indiana GLOBE SIDEBOARDS .--------- ARE THE ------------: BEST ON THE GLOBE FOR THE MONEY GET OUR CATALOGUE. Menti.. the MICHIGAN ARTISAN when writing. Globe Furniture No.257. Price $18.50. Has 48 Inch Top,S Legs and is Highly Polished. It's One of the "SUPERIOR" There are many more, all Peaches, Pie and Puddin~. Send for Catalogue and get a taste. THE BOCKSTEGE fURNITURE CO. EI/4NSI/ILLE IND. Company EVANSVILLE, INDIANA. Kar~es War~ro~es are Good Wardrobes GOOD Style Construction Finish PRICES RIGHT Write for Catalogue Karges Furni!urs CompanJ. EVANSVILLE •. IND. --..-- MAKE MONEY MR. DEALER BY SELLING THE D055r KITCHEN CABINETS CUPBOARDS SAFES and WARDROBES Best Goods lowest Prices The "Ell" fO No S<ock LOING BEDS 4RE E LI 0 complete without the Er E PROFrTR~I~N"D I eds in Mant 1 " ERS • MILLE R &. Co • and Upd,ht. • EWVn!t'De: .f.o..rmeut."sanJdndlparnicaos IlVANSVILLIlDIlSK CO. Manni.c(m you to send us an order. Write E DESK S on ethfSe t~ll[lHtkheet BEdST VALUE OF or neweatalollUe• to ay. It will pay FURNITURE CO., Evansville, Ind. 26 ~MI9 ..HIG?1N , NEW NEBRASKA IDEA. Legislative Scheme to Stimulate Cash Imports Supported by Business Interests. Men with great bank accounts, or plenty of idle money, on which they object to paying taxes, may be accommo~ dated in Nebraska in a very short time if an act now before the Legislature is passed, which is entitled "an act to create a board of immigration, industry and commerce and defining its duties,providing for the appointment of advisory secre-taries, and defining their Qualifications and compensations." The intent of the bill is plain on its face, the idea being to offer to men of wealth from the outside world who have large sums of idle money in hank an opportunity to bring it to Nebraska, place it in hanks -for safety and not be in fear of paying a large tax on it. In fact, under the provision of this law, there will be no tax whatever, although it is not put in just that way. The board created is composed of the governor, treas-urer of state and attorney-general, together with such advis-ory secretaries as shall be appointed from time to time. Any man who comes to Nebraska may declare himself to be a citizen of the state, so far as the provisions of the law arc concerned, and thereupon seek and secure appointment of advisory secretary on this board. Upon being appointed his compensation will be equal to the amount .of taxes he may pay on his deposits in banks, and will be paid to him promptly on presentation of tax receipts. He may secure the benefits and protection of this law when he enters the state and declares his residence, although sueh declaration does not make him a voter until he has 1ived in Nebraska the constitutional six months. The bill is, well supported by industrial and commercial bodies of the state, who argue that ~ew Jersey has invited the trusts, that Texas has passed bountiful exemption laws, and that South, Dakota has hid for the divorce immigration and why should not Nebraska secure the ready cash? Received a Shove. From the Furniture vVorld.-The White-McCarthy Fur-niture Company is now seven weeks old. Charles G. White is president, C. A, McCarthy, secretary, while Walter Crow is the rematnmg stockholder. The firm commenced bus-iness just in time to 't-ateh the convention trade and received a splendid "shove." Mr. Ctow will soon head a corps of salesmen upon the road while Mr. 'VVhite will have charge of the Chicago office, Char'les G. White, secretary of the Manufacturers' Ex- "hibition Building Company, resigned once more, a few weeks ago, but it is now rumored he will be re-elected just the same at the April meeting. Joseph S. Myers will in all prob-ability be asked to remain in the executive chair. Manages the Sales; Not the Factory. ]. W. Flesh has not severed his connecdon with the Cron-Kills Company, but has added to his duties and respon-sibilities the management of the sales department of the L. C. and W. L. Cron Company. Bedroom Suite No. 14~8 Made by Nelson·Matter FurnitW'e Company. Grand Rapida, Mich. How to Measure Men. A subordinate; was speaking to the boss about another subordinate. "He: isn't much good," he said. ",""That's the matter with him?": asked the boss. "I don't know," said the subordinate, "but there is something about him that doesn't seem just right." I He had nothi*g to gain by making this statement and he would have gaiined nothing had he left it unsaid. But it started the boss tHinking. He began to watch the man who had been the subject of the conversation. He found that he went about his work quietly and patiently, that he I was neat in his manner, that he always was on time, and ,never broke his neck to get out ahead of the others when quitting time came. He could see nothing remarkable in the I way he worked, hut, on the other hand, there Was nothing iabout his work that was slipshod or badly donc. ' So the boss w~nt to the man who had told him that he didn't like the m~n's work, and he asked him again if he could point out a~y specific defect. "I can't" the lather confessed, ;;but I still have that fee'lillg." I "The trouble,"'1 sai.d the boss kindly, "is not with what you were looking at but with the way you looked. You did not want that man to please you particularly. True, you had nothing agai.wst him. You simply were indifferent to him. That is the wrong way to size up men. An experience of thirty-five years has taught me that if you "vant to see the best in a manijand want to get the best out of him the thing to do is to qxpect it. Remember this." Too manv merl size up other men as beneath themselves or as inferio; to tllemselves. Too many men bring -in ver-dicts against othe~ men without first getting all the evi-dence. Clothes, little mannerisms, the state of the judge's digestion, whether! or not the world has been good to h1m :~~el~~\~I~~neS;e~:'i~:~:nhg~:~ee~e~~il:t:hOe ~re~ce'ption that Judgments of f man's ability based upon such accidents and ulterior thingsl as clothing, manner, or the like are bad judgments. They ~r('. no worse intrinsically than judgments made upon the mall's ability, but made with a wcjudiced or an -indifferent eye. Kothing is truer than that we get what we give. This app~(es to our impressions of others. 'Nork-ers who expect their fellow-workers to be good workers wiI! be surprised at the number of times that their impres-sions are confirmed by the event. Those who gq through life looking for defects, turn-ing a thing over tal pick flaws in the back, surveying this or that with glances that are born of distrust or dislike, such folk are not capable of coming to judicious and sane con-clusions about any~ody cIsc. If they afe employed in posi-tious in which some of their work consists in the estimating of other men they are worse than a passive badness. They are actual, living drawbacks to the success of their employers' business. For they: do not use charity. They do not allow for the personal equation. To everything they bring the hard and fast rule and that is no method to use in measur-ing men. The ""vise know this. The foolish are forced to learn it sooner or later. 1'he Call of the Farm. ';Oh, I knor the grass is budding And I "1'ant to watch it bud, To see the I polecats dam the creeks Vv'ith dams of sticks and mud; To watch the grapenuts ripen, and To hive the bumble bee- For it's Spring Lake and the frog farm I kllOW is calling me. PAUL F. MARKOFF, Los Angeles, Cal., March 17, '07. FURNlTURE POLlSH We offer a polish guaranteed to produce a BRILLIANT and PERMANENT lustre on any finished wood. A dealer's trade builder. Send for sample J4 gross, $3.75. Our Superior Repair Finish never fails to remove burlap marks and mars; and, used with crystal shellac and a set of our colors, [aniline, to match any finish] will repair deep scratches and jams, and reproduce the original finish, at once. A boon to factory or store. Repair outfit complete, with colors, one $3 25 quart finish, and instructions for use, • Send for Samples. Grand Rapids Furniture Polish Co. 20 S. Fuller St•• Graftd R.aplds. Mich. AutoDlaUc: Phone 8226. Thousands In Use Furniture Dealers need have no more fear. With the use of Cline's Caster Cup one table may be placed on top of another without injury. Made in two sizes in the follow-ing finishes: Oak, Mahogany and Rosewood. Special pre-pared feet bottom} preventing sweat marks, scratching, etc. Price: 2]4 in. per 100. $3.50, 3Yain. periOD. $4.50 We also manufacture the mOlt reliable Card HoMer on the market. Write for our uew 40 palre Catalogue. L. Cline Mfg.Co.• 1239W.b •• hAve .• Chicago Hall's, the Polish that is making Evansville Famous NaII's Red Star PolM!. dries iJUtantly and never :lOltens or IifUntS. No dillBereeab!e Of offensive odor. Never settles or evaPOfltes. A lrial order always make. a pennanent cus-tome[. Bn~ out the 6uMb and llil'eS new life to fumitun'!. Thil polPb is free from acid. Can be used by any chlJd. Guaranteed to give satisfa&on. Sold in I; 2, 5 aDd 10 aaIIOn....m.and in bartelso also put up in 2. 3.and 6 oz, bottleI retaifmllfor 10c, 15c and25c. nIIowio(/ a IibetaJ prODt to the retailer. Write· for pnces and ~ate quantity wanted. A per[ed Polish and Cleaner for Furniture,' Office and Bar Fis.ture •• Piano., Ollrau •• Bicycle., Iron Bed .. Carriuel and Automobile •• We refer you to the Crescent Fumiture Co.• The EVlll6villeDesk Co•• The Eli D. MiUer Folding Bed Co:, and lhe City National Bank of EvaMVille. AMERICAN PHARMACAL CO" ~,. '''ST .T., Evansville, Ind. Morton House American ......Plan Rates $2.50 and Up Hotel Pantlind European ......Plan Rates $1.00 and Up GRAND RAPIDS. MICH. Tho Noon Dinner Served at the Pantlind for 500 is the fINEST IN THE WORLD J. BOYD PANTLIND. Prop. 27 28 A SAMPLE OF THE BIG MICHIGAN LINE "IDEAL" THIS FINE HOOD GO-CART COMPLETE· FOR $20.50 MANY OTHER STYLES. SOME LESS IN PRICE. SOME MORE. OUR FAMOUS SPECIALTIES The New 20th Cenlury Box Spring (WITH F1E:N1QIo'ABL£CO\l£Fl) Double Deck Bed Springs, Folding Bed Springs Woven Wire Mattresses Cots, Couches and Stuffed Mattresses A great v'lriety of styles and construction to select from. Let us know your wants. Will be pleased to furnish catalogues on application. WE MAKE A FULL UNE OF FOLDING CARTS. GO·CARTS AND BABY CARRIAGES. If you have nor reccived a Catalog' we will be pleased 10 ,mail same upon requeu. Detroit Folding Cart CO. DETROIT, MICHIGAN The Ford & Johnson Co. MANUFACTURERS Are you handling Fibre Rush? If not you are missing profit-able and easy sales. Fibre Rush and Malacca Furniture sells quick-ly to discriminating trade because of its Lightness, Durability, Artistic effects and its beautiful Color, the FIBRE RUSH GREEN-a soft, natural green that is restful and pleasing to the eye and harmon-izes so we'll in any place. No. 3772}i FIBRE RUSH Stock carried and delivered from any of the following warehouses: CHICAGO CINCINNATI ATLANTA NEW YORK BOSTON PERCENTAGE AS A SPUR. Effect of a Conversation Overheard by an Employer in the Theater. /\. lesson which I learned from one of my c-Jerks about two years ago ha!i resulted in a great increase in the profits of my retail business, and incidentally a raise in his own salary and in the pay of every other salesman in the house, says Sheridan H. Grallalll, in System, the "Magazine of Business." It was one of those lessons which come by chancc-T overheard him talking to a friend in the theater; for I sat just behind them. "Vvorking pretty hard now, Bert?" asked the other man. " Not a bit of it," answered my salesman; "just loafing and waiting for the end of the year. The Christmas stock is all .in, hut the people can't see their own advantage nor 29 year opens, and if I have sold $20,000 worth of goods by December 31, next year's sales will be figured on that basis, no matter whether I have gained this year just enough or four times enough to warrant my $100 increase in salary. ")1" 0 man who is wise will make his work for next year harder when he has no hope of extra reward this year. Why should I add two or three thousand dollars needlessly to the amount which I must sell next year?" "\i\lhy man, that's all wrong," was the answer. "There ought to be some way of encouraging you fellows to work hard all the time, to keep your sales up through dull seasons and rush season, and make every single year a 'long step ahead of the previous one." That conversation set me to thinking. r didn't hear or see much of the play, but I got a good many hundred times the worth of my ticket in the ide~s that salesman and his companion had given me, If the increase in a clerk's salary Front View of a Grand Rapids (Mich,) Retail Furniture House. the humanity to the clerks in buying early, so the holiday trade will a.ll come with a tllsh, and then we can let the green extra crew handle most of it." "But I should think you would be hustling to make a good record and get a raise of wages the first of January," said his friend. "Don't worry, my SOl1," responded the clerk. "That's all fixed. T figured the first of October that I'd increased my sales enough beyon.:1 the first nine months of last year to entitle me to our conventional raise. So now I'm just resting on my oars. No use making the amount much larger. "You see we don't get all increase in proportion to the gains we actually make. If we raise our last year's sales by a certain percentage we arc entitled to an increase. "I've been in this place six years and my sa1ary has been raised $100 a year regularly. That's the rule for a· profitable salesman in our store." "But don't you get a bigger raise jf yOU deserve more?" queried the stranger. "'1 should think yOU would be paid a certain percentage of your sales." "No, I suppose that's the basis the rule originally fol-low, ed, but now we get a stereotyped raise or none at all. "At first I tried every year to make my sales show a greater proportionate increase than they ever had before. Now T am too wise for that, and so is every salesmall who has been in the store very long. "For the gains of one year arc: forgotten when the next is theoretically based on his sales, why shouldn't it be actually? \.~lhy should a limit be set to his progress? Since then we have been paying salesmen an actual per-centage of their sales, with the result that their efforts do not cease October first or on any other date. They know that the size of their salary for next year depends on ellery dollar they sell. If at the end of the year a man has sold more than he has been paid for, he gE',tsa Christmas present of the balance. So his efforts affect not only next year's salary, but this year's. The new system has worked so well that we a·re elab": orating it. J..len are more willing to work for a pres'ent reward than for one that will be postponed six months or a year. So we have begun to compare each man's monthly sales with the average sales in that department during the corresponding month of last year. If ten men in the dress goods department sold $30,000 worth of goods last November, then the standard sale for each man in that department in November of this year is $3,000. Any man who sells more than this amount is help-ing to raise the standard of the store, and he finds his pay envelope correspondingly thicker at the e:nd of the month. This plan is too new for me to give figures on its results, but I know that our salesmen work harder, our customers go away better pleased with the service, and our sales are increased. Vv'e pay rriore money to the salesmen, but bear in mind that it is only a percentage of our ine-reased receipts. 30 ·~~MIPjIIG7JN Large Profits in Fire Sales. That immense profits may be made out of so-called fire sales was demonstrated in Grand Rapids, Mich. not long since. A department store was badly scorched. The mana-gers had no difficulty in showing that the loss exceeded the insurance and arc said to have received all that could have been collected on the policies even if the stock had been com-pletely destroyed. After, the insurance had been adjusted at $118,000, a "fire sale" was inaugurated. Preparations for disposing of the damaged goods had been started immedi-ately after the firemen _had the flames under, control. There had been no such saJc. "in the city for a long time, and it was a great success, many of the goods being-.dispi::i.sed6{at prices higher than they were marked before thefirc. It is told that the managers, finding that they could not supply the demand for "damaged" goods took stock that had not been touched by smoke or water, trumbled it about and turned the hosc on it to give it the appearance of having been damaged, and then marked up the prices. They also finance' and magazine writer: At the time I was selling a new "code" book, says the writer. 1 knew Mr. Lawson was one of the heaviest private users of the wire in the country, and believed I could interest him beeaus,e the code would save him money. Getting through his secretary all right, I found myself ushered into ?vIr. Lawson's private office. He sat at his heavy rich desk in the midst of many papers and the still more multitudinous decorations and brie-a-brae that filled his office. My opening talk brought not a word from Mr. Lawson; only a nod. He evidently was listening to what I was say-ing and appreciated it, although his, eyes were fixed on some pap'ers on. his desk. 1 went on to the' next section of m'y, talk. showing how valuable this thing would be'to him. Still not a word; only a 'second nod. There was only one ,thing left to say or do-to make my stereotyped ending of the interview, which consisted of fill- Made by Lentz Ta.ble Co., Nashville, M1ch sent abroad and picked up wherever they could be found, over $50,000 worth of all kinds of stale, she1f worn goods, wet them a little, put them -in w-ith the "fire" goods, ani disposed of them at much marc than the usual profits on clean stock As an instance of the profits realized, it is told that a sideboard, only little damaged, that had been selling at $25 was put out in the morning with a notice that the highest bid received during the day would take it. An hour or two later it was marked "first bid $10." The sccond bid was $15, and then they ran up to $20, $25, $30, and it was actually sold for $35, cash down, before noon. Other prices of furniture purposely slightly marred were offered on the same plan and nearly all were sold at figures higher than were asked for them before the fire. The managers are said to have made profits, almost equal to the amount of their insurance, out of their "fire" sale. Surely therc arc great possibi.lities in a fire sale when conditions are favorable. Signed Without a Word. The following story is told of Thomas W. Lawson, the famous carnation connoisseur; speculator, enemy of 'high ing out a contract and in a suggestive manner slipping it along the desk. Mr. Lawson saw it coming. He reached for it and signed his name, handed it back to me, and turned his attention again to the papers on his desk. Absolutely not a word had he said. He had not opened his lips. I am.in the peculiar position of having interviewed Mr. Lawson, gotten his order and yet not knowing the sound of his voice. "opklna .. d " .. riel SII. Cincinnati, O. "eRry Schmit &. Co. M~SOIl' UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE '02 LODGE AND PULPIT. PARLOR L18RAJlY. HOTEL AND CLUB II.OOM The Sargent Mfg. Co. MUSKEGON, MICH. Bachelors' Cabinets Ladies' Desks Extra Large Chiffoniers ------ Aha Manufactureq and Exporters of _ ROLLING CHAIRS Chairs adapted to all kinds of invalidism. both for house and street use. OVER FORTY DESIGNS TO SELECT FROM Total Wealth of the United States. The total estimate of the valuation of the national wealth in 1904 was $107,104,192,410, according to a special report issued by the census bureau on wealth, debt, and tax-ation, which represents an increase in the four-year period from 1900 to 1904 of $18,586,885,635. This advance has no parallcl in the history of the United States, except in the decade from 1850 to 18M. In 1850, when the first estimates of tbe national wealth were made, the figures were only $7,135,780,228. The most potent cause for the increase from 1900 to 1904, it is stated, was the reaction from the low prices of the period of depres-sion from 1893 to 1896. The annual increase of wealth per family from 1890 to 1904 was $182. The various forms into which the nation's wealth is divided, with their valuatiotls, arc as follows: Real property and improvemellts taxed. Real property and improvements exempt. Live stock. Farm implements and machinery. J\Hg. machinery, tools and implements. Gold and silver coin and bullion .. Railroads and their equipment .. Street railways. Telegraph systems. Telephone systems. Pullman and private cars. Shipping and canals .. Privately OW11Cd water works. .$55,510,228.057 6,S31,244.,57'O 4,073,791,736 8H,989.8Hil 3,297,7;)4,180 1,998,003,303 11,244,752.000 2,219,966.000 227,400,000 ;}85,840,000 123,000,000 846,489,804 275.000,000 31 Musket;!on Valley Furniture Co. Mu.l<e~on MicL••• Odd Dressers Chiffoniers Wardrobes Ladies Toaets Dressing Tables Mahogany Inlaid Goods Ladies Desks Music Cabinets Privately mNned light and power stations .. Agricultural products . lVhnufactured products. Imported merchandise. Mining products. Clothing and personal adornments. Furniture, carriages and kindred property. Line on sale in New jlfanujac-lurers' BltUd-ing, GRANE RAPIDS. 562,851,105 1,899,379,652 7,409,291,668 495,543,685 408,066,787 2,500,000,000 5,750,000,000 The total public indebtedness of the Continental United States in 1902 was $2,789,990,120, and the total per capita indebtedness was $35.50. The total indebtedness of the national government for the same year was $925,011,637', and the per capita indebtedness was $11.27. Japanese Genius Masters Bamboo. A few years ago an attempt was made by factories in the East to make furniture out of an imitation of bamboo. They turned American woods into the desired dimensions and then smoked, stained and po1ished them untl} they re-sembled the tropical product. The experiment was a fail-ure, however. The designs were faulty and pieces were so small that it required great skill to make perfect joints, and the furniture would not hang together. An effort to use gelluine bamboo was also tried without ;tnything like satis-factory success. Other Americans have tried to make bam-boo furniture, with indifferent results, but, as shown by an illustrated article in this issue of the Artisan, there is one American factofY that seems to be entirely successful in that line. It is oWl1ed and managed by a Japanese, who is an expert in designing and also in manipulating the material. White Printing Co. HIGH GRADE CATALOGS =========IGRAND RAPIDSM, ICH.,=======~ COMPLETE 32 $25.00 for this Complete Suite Mirror 10x30. Top 20x42. Top ISx30.. Choice of Weathered or Early English finish. Let us send you a sample. You will uot be disappointed. 6 or 8 ft. 45 Incb top. CHARLES BENNETT FURNITURE CO. ~atalo'u, on "qu"t. CHARLOTTE, MICHIGAN PUTTY AND PAPIER·MACHE MAHOGANY. More About the Graft in Furnishing Pennsylvania's Capitol Building. The committee appointed by Governor Stuart to make fur-ther investigation of the frauds perpetrated in the erection anJ furnishing of Pennsylvania's capitol building has progressed far enough to show that the graft was much more extensive than'was supposed when the methods of John \V. Sanderson and others were exposed last fall. It is reported that astoundw ing discoveries have followed each other with such rapidity that the investigators are dazed with the enormity and variety of swindles connected with the construction and furnishing of thc capitol. It is now believed that whcn the investigation is com-pleted it will be found that not a single item among the tho1Jsands that" make up the total of $31,000,000 that has been expended on the building will be found unpadded by the thieves who participated in the gigantic robbery_ The substitution of papier-mache for mahogany and of birch for oak affords an idea of the character of the work of the builders. It was testified by John 'F. Wilt, of the firm of \Vilt & Sons, subcontractors under George F. Payne & Co., who worked in conjunction with Sanderson & Co. in furnishing the capitol, that he sold two rostrums to Payne & Co. for $2,060. For these rostrums the state paid $35,144 for the one in the state senate rODm and $55,604.80 for the one in the house caucus rOom, a total of $90,748.80, or $88,688.80 more than the price paid by the subcontractor. It was also developed through the witness that while he had furnished "designed woodwork" in fourteen rooms of the capitol for $28,724, Sanderson & Company had co'llected $155,369.60 for the same work from the state. Mr. Wilt testified that he had an understanding with Architect Huston that a great deal of finished woodwork which he furnished' should be putty composition. It is in imitation mahogany and cost fifty per cent less than mahogany. The latter had been charged for, however. Murray Gibson of the firm of John Gibson & Sons, of Philadelphia, who was an unsuccessful bidder against Sand-erson for painting and decorating the capitol" testified that the cost to the state was $1.990 cents a foqt more under the Sanderson contract than it would have been if the work had been done under his bid. Thermostatic apparatus for heating, which cost the Scott -Engineering Company, Philadelphia, $18,645, was explained by Robert Scott, a member of the firm, subcontractors under Sanderson. The state paid Sanderson $39,408 for the work. It has been discovered by counsel for the capitol investi-gating commission that the total cost for "monumental art bronze, standards, chandeliers and brackets" in the capitol is $2,258,955.96, instead of $2,049,522.96, the figures given in the j\),int statement of ex-Governor Pennypacker and Auditor Genera1 Snyder. The increase is due to the discovery of $137,600 charged by John H. Sanderson for "modeling and sculpture work with patterns," and $71,833 for "additions and alterations in the electrical equipment of the building." Besides charging by the pound for the chandeliers, Sand-erson is said to have also obtained $100 per foot for making each model. In "the senate this model cost $13,300, which was based on "square measurement," both breadth and height of fixtures being taken. The General Specialty Company and Metal Art Com-pany, of Philadelphia, who were unable to meet financial obligations have settled with their creditors, paying 20 per cent cash and the remainder in notes running thirty, sixty and ninety days. - -- -- --~~~-~~- To Our Western Patrons NOTE: There has been no change in the management of our CHICAGO FACTORY.. the same practical men who have brought it to its present high standard continue in our employ. BE NOT DECEIVED. I WE CAN MATCH ANYTHING I FILTLHATEWiRll DRY BONE HARD OVENRI G H T The great majority-in fact just about all 01 the manufacturing trade ask for a filler to be hard dry the day after filling. We can do better than that. USE OUR FILLER AND YOU CANNOT DIG IT OUT OF THE PORES THE ============= NEXT DAY ============== IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR VARNISH TO PENETRATE THE SURFACE IT SANDS OFF IN A POWDER THAT WILL LEAVE YOUR SAND PAPER CLEAN AFTER THE WORK IS DONE. The Barrett-Lindeman Company IN CONSOLIDATION WITH The IJawrence-McFadden Co., Ltd. 61·63·65·6N1o. Ashland Ave., CHICAGO. 1400-2-F4rankford Ave., PHILADELPHIA. Inset .~MI9rIG7!N The Universal Automatic CARVING MAClllNE ==== 'PE~FORMS THE WORK OF 25 HAND CARVERS And does the Work Better than it can be Done b~ Hand -------MADE BY-~----- UnIOn [noosslno M'(Dlnt (0. Indiana poll .. Indiafta Write lor Information. Price. Etc. Plain and Beveled Mirrors, Bent Glass for China Cabinets, Plate Glass for Desks, Table Tops and Shelves. The Pittsburg Plate Glass Company MANUf"ACTURIU:S AND JOBBERS 011' OUf facilities for supplying furniture manufacturers will be understood when we state that we have 10 Glass factories, from Pennsylvania to Missouri; and 13 Mirror plants, located as follows: It needs no argument to show what advantages may be derived from dealing directly with us. New York .Boston Philadelpblu. Buffalo Cinciooatl St. Louis Minneapolb. Atlanta :Kokomo, Ind. Ford City. Fa. IDgb Point, N. C. J)a,venpori Crystal City. Mo. Also, our Z2jobbing houses cartY heavy stocks in aU lines of glass, paints, varnishes aDd brushes and are located in tbe cities named below: New l"ork-HudlWn and Vandam St8. Butfalo-3'12-4-6aB Pearl Street. B08ton--U-49 Sudbury, 1-9 Bow;ker. Sts. Brwklyn.--635 and 637 Fulton Street. Chleag0-442-4.52 WabaBh Avenue. PbUadelphJa-Pitcalrn BullilIng, Arch Cincinnati-Broadway and Court St.. and Ele,,_th 8t8. St. Lottl-eor. 7th and Market St8. Davenport-410.416 Scott Street. MtnneapoUs---300-tiilO S. Third st. CleveIand--149-51~58 Seneca St1'eet. Detrott-Il3"-lJO Larned St., E. Omaha-1608-10-12l Harney Street. Plttsburgh-IOI-103 Wood Street. St. PauI-lW9~51 Mimle8o$a. street. Milwaukee, Wis-l92-494 Market St. Atlanta, Oa.--30, 82 and 8018. Pryor St. &chester, N. Y.-Wilder Buildlna', Main Savannah, Ga.--';'74lli-749Wbeatou Street. and ::Exebange Sts. Kansas City--F:Itth 8Qd Wyandotte 8ts. BaItimore-221-223 W. Pratt Street. Birmingham, Ala.-2nd Ave. and 29th St. extending AGENTS FOR THE COULSON PATItNT CORNER POSTS AND BATS. WABASH INDIANA GLOBE VISE AND TRUCK CO. Offic::e321 South Divi.ion St .. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Mfrs. of High Grade Wood Workers Vises AND Factory Trucks Qilallt~ and Price talk in factory trucks and . we can Joter-est you. Will yOU send 11S your address and let us write you about them? Writ~for Prices B. WALTER & CO. Mon.fa"."" of T ABLE SLIDES Exclusively WRITE FOR PR1CES AND DISCOUNT SOM.ETHING NEW WE have perfected a new GOLDEN 04K OIL STAIN without the use of asphaltum or add. This stain is the strongest and most penea trating stain on the market. It entirely penea trates the wood, leaving no surplus on the sur-face to penetrate with the filJer. Samples furnished on application. ORAND RAPIDS WOOD FINISHINC COMPANY Sl5arlS E:Ll$WOATH AilE .. OMAND RAPIDS. MICH. We have over 12different styles of factory and warehouse trucks to offer, also a compLete lir.e of wQodworki.ng vi.ses and bencMs. This Machine Makes the Money ========== BY SA VI NG IT ========== It makes a per/ect imitation of any open grain because it uses tbe wood itself to print from, and one operntor and a couple of boys can do more work with it than a dozen men with any other so-called machine or pads on the market. That's why it·s a money maker. It imitates perfectly PLAIN or QUARTERED OAK.1MAHOGANY.WALNUT. ELM. ASH or any other wood wUh open grain WRITE 'tHE ~-- -------.-.~ PosseJius Bros. Furniture Manufacturing Co., Detroit, Mich. FOR PRICES AND FULL PARTICULARS. MENTION THE MiCHie AN ARTISAN. Inset Inset Oran~Da~i~sBlow Pi~e an~Dust Arrester (om~anl THE LATEST device for handling shavings and dust from at! wood-working machines. OUf eighteen years experience in this class of work has brought it nearer perfection than any other system on the market today. It is no experiment, but a demonstrated scientific fact, as we have several hundred of these systems in use, and not a poor one among them. OUf Automatic Furnace Feed System, as shown in this cut, is the most perfect working device of anything in its line. Write for our prices for equipments. WE MAKE PLANS AND DO ALL DETAIL WORK WITHOUT EX-PENSE TO OUR CUSTOMERS EXHAUST FANS ANDPRESSVRE BLOWERS ALWAYS IN STOCK Office and Factory: 20&-210 Canal Street GKAND KAPIDS. MICH. CltlzeD. Pbone 1283 Sell. Main 1804 OUR AUTOMATIC FURNACE FEED SYSTEM • BOYNTON &. CO. ~ ~ -=-- = ! : ..:~!.-':.~t-=-":Cl:.!TO:"~t'I:.:.;I':'~:":.:.:"':.:.:.:.:..:.::~~o~ ~~~ ~~~ ~-~- -~-- SEND FOR CATALOGUE Manufacturers of Emb~ •• ed and Tumed MouIdinKll, Embo81ed and Spindle Carvings, and Automatic Turnings. We also manu_ facture a large Hne of Embo.ed Oma. menb for Couch Work. 419-421 W. FIfteenth St., CHICJl.GO.ILL FOLDING BED FIXTURES Profitable fixtures to use are those which give the least trouble. They are made by Folding Bed Williams in many styles and designs, suitable for every folding bed manufactured. Furniture Cast-ings, Panel Holders, Corner Irons, etc. New ideas and inventions constantly being added to the line. F', B. WILLIAMS 3812 VINCENNES AVE., CHICACO Manniacturer.oi Hardware Specialties tor tb", Furniture Trade. Established 1~78. 7IRTl.5'A1"I ~ .. 1 7"+ ~ Inset FOX SAW SMOOTHEST GR.OOVES FASTEST CUT LEAST POWER LONGEST LlFE We'll IIiladly lid) YOU all about It. DADO HEADS GREATEST RANGE QUICKEST ADJUSTMENT ..E.A.ST TROUBLE PERFECT SAFETY Also Machine KolveJ'. MiteI' Machines. Etc. PERMAKENT ECONOMY FOX MACHIN~ CO. We offer exceptional value in Reversible and One-Way Cutters for Single and Double Spin-dle Shapers. Largest lists with lowest prices. Greatest variety to select from. Book free. Address SAMUEL J. SHIMER & SONS MILTON. rENNSYLYANIA, U. S. A. 185 N. Front Street. Grand Rapids. Mlch Wood Forming Cutters THE KNOB THAT WONT COME OFF NO·KUM·lOOSE WOOD KNOBS 2 inch "A" The face of knob" A" is veneered with specially selected fancy stock, same as used in making cross band veneers, presenting a beautiful and attractive appearance wben finished. TOILET SCREWS: Hi to 2 inch knobs can be furnisbed as toilet screws to order only with standard bolt 3~ incbes long and patent drive nut and washer. Section of "A" GRANO RAPIDS BRASS COMPANY, Grand Rapids, Mich. CUT shows tbe construction of our line of Wood Knobs. Tbe metal nut is clinched into tbe wood at its front end",pre-venting turning or pulling out. To tbe back end of the nut is riveted a steel base, having projecting spurs wbich enter tbe drawer front. The knobs are beld in place by a screw and corrU-gated spur washer, which avoids any possi-bility of unscrewing. All goods are smootb-ly sandpapered, and shipped only in tbe White. Regular screws furnisbed will take drawer fronts % to l}i thick, lon~er screWs to order. Stock knobs will be kept in mabogany only. Otber woods to order. Inset Johnson's Tally Sheet ---I'"OR:---- HARDWOOD LUMBER NOT LIKE OTHER TALLY SHEETS. C. A. JOUNSON, Marshfield, Wis. "Rotary Style" for Drop Carving"" EmbOl!l8ed Mouldings, Panels.. EMBOSSING AND DROP CARVINC MACHINES. Machine8 10J' all pOrpll8eS, Rnd at prlceg within the reach of aU. Every machtne.luuio our guarantee against bl'l'lokage for one Y"l?ar. "Lateral Style" for lal"ge capacity heaVy Carvinp and Deep EwboBBJngs. We have the Mtulblne you want at R satisfactory price. Write for detHlrlptive clreu.la.r8.. Also make dies for aU :makes of Ma-chines. UNION I:MIIOSSING, MACHINI: CO., IndianapolIs, Ind. 7IR.TI.s'~ & 9 ...e INSIST ON HAVING MorrisWoo~3 Sons'Soli~Stetl Olue~int (utters for there are no otber., U Ju.... t a.r &ood." They cut a clean perfect joint always. Never burn owing to the GRADUAL CLEARANCE (made this way only by us), require little grinding, saving time and cutters. No time wasted setting up and cost no more than other makes. Try a pair and be convinced. Catalogue No. 10 and prices on application. MORRIS WOOD&. SONS Thlrt:r-two years at 31-33 S. 'Canal Street ..CHJCAGO,ILL. P. H. ~eddinger Carving Worlis (Formerty Cincinnati Oat'Ving Works of Oincinnati, 0.) CARVINGS and FURmTURE ORN AME'NTS of all kinds. EVANSVILLE. IND. By sending me a small order I will convince you that I am the man who can make your carvings. ONE TRIAL WILL DO THE BUSINESS. - -- ------------------------- Inset Ou.r Clamps received GOLD MEDAL at World'. Fatr, St. Loute. Write l<>rprices and particulars, Black Bros. Machinery Go. MEN"DO,.A. ILL. V!tNEER PRESS (Patented June 30, 1903.) CHAIN CLAMP (Patented June 30,1903.) CABINET CLAMP. 60.ton New York ----- -------------OFl'ICESi-------~--------- Jamestown High Point Clnolnnatl Detroit Grand Rapids Chicago St. Louie Mlnneal)oU. A.saclate OfftceB ..nd Bonded AUorneya in all Princ.lJ)al clUe. The Furniture Agency WE PRODUCH:RESULTS WHERE OTHERS FAIL WRITE FOR :P ... tlTlcuL ....as AND YOU WILL SEN'tl us Y OU"R B'(ISINE:';OS. Our Complaint and Adjustment Departm.ent Red Draft. Collect. H. J. DANHOf. Mlchigo.n Mo.nager. "No-Kurn-loose" Mission Knob This is the latest style in Mission Knobs. It is made in plain and quartered oak, and takes the same finish as the drawers it is designed to go on. We make a toilet screw to match. We also make the uNo-Kum-Loose" Knobs in birch, maple, walnut and mahogany in many sizes and styles, and carry in stock a full line of Quartered Oak, Walnnt and Mac.ogany. (PATENT APPLIED FOR) WADDELL MANUFACTURING CO., GRANDRAPIDS,MICH. SAY yOU SAW THiS AD IN THE MICHIGAN ARTISAN, MARCH 10TH EDITION. New 200 page Catalogue for 1906 Free. B. T. &. B. Shle O. Krl.lfeG. rit\d.er. Full Automatic. Wet Of dry Saw and Knife Fitting Machinery and Tools [~n""Br1.~·~I.~~~,~J~1 Baldwin. Tuthill ®. Bolton Grand Ilaplds. Mich. . Filers, Selters, Sltafocen.er$, Grinders, Swaaes, Stretchers, Brazing and Filing Clamtls, Knife Balances, Hammerinl:l Tools. lnves~~~~ our Bolton Band Saw Filer for Saws 7i inch UD. PALMER'S Patent Gluing Clamps USE A MORTON KILN IT WILL END YOUR DRY KILN TROUBLES Does not warp or check lumber. THE MOST PERFECT MOIST AIR KILN ON THE MARKET. At'e tb. most aucoe .. lul Piling Clamp. Made For tbe followlog reason. They clamp in1!itantlly any widthotdtmenslon stock, no ad-justing clamps to fit the work, the7 book .• toDee to tbe desired width. ~~d iustelttly-throw out the level.' R.Dd. t;Qke the.m aft'. Tb"" work .cao be removed as fast as it can be haDdled. 410 the ~a.mP hi placed OVel' the work and 10$& Into the .0006 below it, the dl.'@w is alike on-booth skies. prevents all lipringing 11.0matter bow wide the stGck may h. Impollldble fol' them to slip; the wedge has S6lTRted edge and canoot be moved when clamp is closed, hammer all YOQlike. VnJindtedpowel'; great strength and dumbUlty; malleable :Iron and steel; the kmu:kle Joints are socket joints, not rivef;s. AltboO#h tlre best they cost yon less" For further iDtGl"DlBttonuk for catalope N(II"4. TRUC~S, CANVAS DOORS, RECORD-JNG TaERM:OMETERS alld other sup-plies. Write for catalog H which tells HOW TO .DRY LUM:IlER. MORTON DRY KILN CO. 218 LA SALLE ST.,CHICACO~ A. E. Palmer. Owos.o. Mich. Duplicate Orders Attest Satisfaction Regarding their "A B C" MOIST AIR KILN THE AMERICAN LUMBER co.. Albuquerque, N. M., write .. II *..* * The receipt by you of a duplicate order from us is evidence of our satisfaction with the Kiln. and we believe the fact of Qur havinl'f placed duplicate order with you is as strong a testimonial as one could givet and you may use this letter assllch." Shan we .end YOUour Catalofllue No. 166 !II A? AMERICAN BLOWER COMPANY, DetroIt, MIch. NEW YOR.K CHICAGO ATLANTA LONDON AMERICANS IN CUBA. Pouring Millions Into the Island and Will Soon Control All Its Industries. (Written for the 1\-fichigan Artisan by John D. Case, secretary of the Sligh Furniture Company, of Grand Rapids, Mich., who recently rctuf11cd from a few weeks sojourn in the "I s]and Republic.") The island of Cuba has attracted the attention of many of our people in the past few years as indicated by the large numher of tourists ,,,,ho make that place their objective point. That they are charmed with the beautiful climate and foreign character of the island is evidenced by the crowded condition of the steamers sailing to Havana, and the hotels which can't increase fast enough to accommodate them. That mally are impressed with the future possibilities of the island is evidenced by the investment of over $160,000,000 by citizens of our o\..-n COllntry in the past few years; why not, when ten acrcs of good land there, costing thirty dollars per acre, will yield as large a revenue as 100 acres of land here, costing $100 per acre? Think of it for a minute! )Jo frost, no irri-g, nion, no fertilization. \..-hat a comhination! This does not apply to all lands, as there are good lands and poor lands there, just as there are here. Sugar and tobacco have been the principal products of the island, but in the past fc"\vyears many acres have been planted to citrus, fruits and vegetables by luneric8ns. The latter crop has proved to be very profitable. The former takes abollt tive years to begin bearing \vell, and iLs success is not yet assured, but the prospects are very encouraging. The few orchards that have reached the bearing period have produced the finest quality of fruit in large quantities, and are held at $750 or more per acre. The future value of lands must be determined by their productiveness, and from all indications that value is soon going to be mallY times greater than at present. The transportation problem is being solved very satis-factorily. 1\ ew lilies of steamers are being added from XC\.v York City to the different ports of the island, so that fruit and vegetables can be shipped to that port at less expense (including the duty), and in much shorter time than from California; another advantage is that Lhe season is earlier in Cuba than in any state of our Ilnioll, and the early products bring the best prices. The exports for the past year in fruits and vegetables have illcreased very materially. 879,000 crates of pineapples, 300,000 cocoanuts. 700,000 crates of oranges were shipped in the month of January, besides oLher products of which I have tlO statistics. Around Santo Domingo, about 150 miles east of Hav"na, arc located seventy Americans, a'll from Michigan, who own property in that vicinity; we visited many of them, espccially the Santa Clara Fruit and Cotton Company, v'''ho have over 200 acres planted to citrus fruits which will hegin bearing in a year or two. and if nothing unforcseen happens. they will certainly reap a rich re\"iard from their investment. At Ceballos. a few miles further east. is a citrus fruit plantation of 30,000 acres, partly under cultivation; the trees are just beginning' to hear fruit, and the owners predict from the present crop that in a short time they will be shipping over 1,000.000 boxes every year; if yon know what oranges are worth, fignre that out. The tendency of the new settlers is to\'..'anls the cast, on the main line of railroad running to Santiago. There are the virgin lands of 10\.vprices, capable of producing crops of great value. The cOllntry along· the railroad eastward is rolling, and in places hilly and mountainous, especially as you approach Sanitago. Comparativel:y small tracts are yet under cultivation. I ~- 33 '!v'e saw numerous tracts of timber by the way as we journeyed eastward. The trees average small, but are very sa'lable, being in demand for fence posts, raiIroad ties, tobacco poles, cigar boxes, building material and furniture. Mahog-any and cedar are the most valuable woods, but many of the other native woods have a beautiful grain and are. capable of taking a fine finish like the majuga. Then there are the lignum vitae, acana, jiqui, cottonwood, logwood and jaguey, all indigenous to that country. The better timber lands are further back from the liTle of railroad, though we saw a number of saw mills, mostly rlln by American capital, that are said to be doing a profitable business right on the main road. Some of the large tracts of timber in the interior can be bought at very low figures at the present time, the land being worth the purchase price after the timber has been removed. That means an invest-ment for the future or large capital to extend railroads to carry out the lumber. The principal mineral products thus far developed are iron ore, of good quality, copper and manganese. American capital is developing a gold mine near Holguin, on quite an extensive scale. and the managers an; confident that they will be richly rewarded for their labors. The question of what will be the future mode of govern-ment for the island is the all important subject
- Date Created:
- 1907-03-25T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Grand Rapids Public Library (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
- Collection:
- 27:18