1905-08-25 - GRPLpedia

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26th Yea.---:No. 4
PlUiSS
OF WHITE
PRINTING
COMPJ\NY,
GRA1'!O RJ\PIDS, MICH.
,,:?:~r·
-~_¥~.".
L__
NQ, 1693 QUARTERED
OAK
BUFFET
China Closet, Side Table and Extension Table
10
Match.
An up-to-date Suite. for Weathered, or Early English Finish.
And We have Others, both H~her and Lower in Price.,
As well as a long Line of
SIDEBOARDS AND BUFFETS
Somewhere in the Line we are sure 10 Meet your requirements
Our New Catalog is ready for the Dealers
OUR SECTIONAL BOOKCASE
Has many Points of SuperiQfily over them aiL
Do you know of our Case, that CB:Jl be K. D.
for Shipping, extremely easy to set up, and withal
locks so strongly· together, you can deliver as a
single piece. to your cU5tomer.
Move it around
as you wish it cannot fall apart. And yet the
price is no more than "the fall apart kind."
NEW ENGLAND
FURNITURE COMPANY
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
THE FAULTLESS
Northern
----L in e=
c ~
No fault can be found with the line that combines
DESIGN,
FINISH and
CONSTRUCTION
No. 1030 Dresser
24 x ~ Plate.
22 x 44 'f0li"
AT
Weathered
as it makes it both
Finish.
RACTIVE
AND PROFITABLE
The two qualities that make it
POPULAR with the dealer make
your
line
one of QUICK
SELLERS by showing the line
manufactured by the . . . .
Northern Furniture
Company
B
ED AND DINING ROOM FURNl'rURE
IN ALL
THE POPULAR WOODS AND FINISHES
SHEBOYGAN,
WIS.
No. 3031 Chiffonier
14x24 Plate. 20x34 Top. Weathered Finish.
l
THE McDOUGALL IDEA
McDOUGALL KITCHEN CABINETS
The dealer, who orders McDougall Kitchen Cabinets, takes no risk. We stand back of him with an
absolute guarantee which states that his customer may return the cabinet to him within thirty days after date
01 purchase and receive her money if for any reason she is dissatisliedwith the goods. We, therefore, could
not alford to send out a McDougall Kitchen Cabinet that was not well made.
TEN MILLION WOMEN have been reading about McDougall Kitchen Cabinets in their favorite
magazines. Thousands 01 these women have written us for catalogues and prices. We have referred them
to their dealers. We have inlormed the dealers of the inquiries. Thus, a McDougall Kitchen Cabinet is
half sold when the housewife enters the store to look at one that she has been reading about for months in the
magazines. During the coming season, TWENTY-FIVE
MILLION PEOPLE will read of McDougall
Kitchen Cabinets, as our advertisingcampaign for fall will be the most extensive ever conducted on an article
of furniture. If you wish to get tbe benefit of the McDougall business whicb has been created and which
will be created in your locality, write for our new catalogue which has just been issued. This will be the
/irst step toward realizing a handsome profit on McDougall Kitchen Cabinets during the coming house-cleaning, Thanksgiving, and Christmas seasons. The new line will start within reach 01 the most humble home
and will be three times as long as last year's line. A postal will bring you this catalogue.
G. P. McDOUGALL & SON,
Indianapolis, Ind., U. S. A.
The
Bissell Sweeper
like the Steinway Piano, prides itself upon its age and its reputation. This is an age when
mediocrity frequently takes refuge behind the claim of "novelty," "something new," as if
novelty necessarily meant superiority.
It therefore behooves the trade to carefully consider
the difference between the article of recognized merit and
established reputation, and that which rests its hope for
patronage chiefly upon the claim. of "novelty," "something
new," etc.
The Bissell Sweeper of today represents the highest
point of development in the sweeper art, and logically so.
We have been engaged in this business exclusively for
twenty-nine years, and have developed mechanics in this
highly specialized line that are veritable artists, and that
necessarily cannot be found outside our factory. The reasons
are plain; we have furnished the only opportunity in all this
wide world for this particular development of mechanical
skill. Back of all this mechanical development which time
and opportunity alone accomplishes, the Bissell sweeper is
absolutely the only one ever put upon the market under a sound, sincere price maintenance
policy, that insures to the dealer a good proht in the sale of our product.
Write for our special Slate and County Fair Offer.
Branches;
Nnw
YORK
TORONTO
LONDON
BISSELL CARPET SWEEPER CO.
Largest
PARIS
Sweeper
Makers
.in
GRAND RAPIDS. MICH.
the
World
Dressers
and
Chiffoniers
TO MATCH
In QUARTERED OAK. MAHOGANY.
BIRDSEYE MAPLE .nd
CURLY BIRCH
SEND FOR CATALOGUE
CENTURY FURNITURE CO.
JAMESTOWN
NEW YORK
-
---------------------
Are you watching our ad?
Have you requested one of. our catalogues?
not, you are making a serious mistake. These are all sellers, .
and price is moderate.
766
766
Chamber Suites, Sideboards, Chiffoniers
and Dressing Tables, and Odd Dressers,
in Oak and Mahogany Veneered.
. . .
OUR
If
718
BURT BROS.
NEW
2000 S. Ninth Street
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
CATALOGUE
SHOWS A MOST COMPLETE
ASSORTMENT OF
Dressers and Chiffoniers
In QUARTERED OAK
MAHOGANY VENEER
BIRDSEYE MAPLE
CURLY BIRCH
Not a Sticker in the Line
LIBERTY FURNITURE CO.
JAMESTOWN.
l__
N. Y.
26th Year- No.4.
MODERN
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH., AUGUST 25, 1905.
ELEMENTARY
EDUCATION.
English Paper Infers That Commercial Side Is Lost Track of
in the Hurry-Up System Now in Vogue.
Commenting
on modern education methods, the Birmingham (England)
Post questions their elementary value and
adV<l.l1cesthe theory of their being responsible for the development of what it calls "a discontented race." The introduction of a multiple of new subjects is commented on as imposing a great strain on the resources of the schools and on
the intelligence
of the child.
It says:
"Each snbject ill itself may be good even as part of the
curriculum of a public elementary school-though
that is a
point that is hy 110 mean>; generally conceded-but
the question that has arisen in the minds of many head teachers who
are struggling to maintain the efficiency of the institutions
of which they have charge, is whether a somewhat exaggerated importance is not being attached to fads by the more
advanced educationists, as a result of which there is a serious
danger of impairing the thoroughness of the school training
in what are reg-arded as the essentials to a sound elementary
education."
The paper approves of manual training for boys
and household work for girls, but doubts the wisdom of adding a long list of other studies such as are seldom if ever
used by the lads and lasses in later life. This mental driftwood causes a sacrifice of thoroughness, allowing too little
time for any onc subject to secure anything like a mastery
of it.
Parties interested i.n so-called hlgher education "arc,
by their desire to convert the public elementary schools into
nurseries of the universities, robbing elementary education
of much of its commercial value. vVhen it is pointed out
that only a very small percentage can ever enter the universities or even high schools, the system appears to be anything
hut what is best."
To Utilize the New Philippine
HaI"dwood.
Seattle, Wash., is to have au industrial improvement in
the form of a furniture faetory in which Philippine hardwood
will be exclusively lIsed. The faetory is to be establish~d by
M. EllaR and will be the first aile in tlle United States to
make use of this wood. The Philippine hardwood, or narra,
as it is called in the islands, is better suited for eabinet work
than oak, mahogany or teak, and the fad that it can be supplied so cheaply will make it a more generally used wood
than any other. The wood is very hard and takes a beautiful
polish, and its color, which is a deep crimson, makes it very
desirable for finishing work.
Bulk Sales Law Insures
Creditor.
The eredit men of :':lichigan,dosely
following their brethren in Illinois, have secured the passage of a bill regulating
the sale of merchandise in hl1{k. This illegitimate traffic is
now confined within bounds that thoroughly protect the in-
$1.00 per Year.
hests of the creditor. The substanee of the bill is as follows:
The sale of any stock or merehandise, otherwise than in
the ordinary c()lltse of trade, shall be void miless the seller
sha!l five days before the sale make a detailed inventory with
price list of each article to be included in sale. The purchaser -is also required to obtain from seller the names and
addresses of the seller's creditors, with indebtedness' due
each, and mail each of these creditors due notic6 of sale and
conditions. The act applies to corporations and associations
as well as individuals, but n'ot to sales by executors or any
public officer under judicial process.
Non-compliance with
the act places the pmchascr in the position of receiver, and
he IDay be held accountable f(~'r all goods in his possession
by virtne of such sale.
'
Want Law Regulating
Burial Associations.
To establish the burial associations on ,p. firmer basis and
better the condition generalty, R. L. Shanon, of Shelbyville,
Ky., introduced a resolution which was passed at the recent
annual meeting of the Kentucky Funeral Directors' association, recently held at Louisville. The resolution required the
drafting of a bill for presentation at the next session of the
legislature for the regulation and control of burial associations, similar to the control of life insurance companies, requiring a reserve fund and the direction of the insurance co~-~
missioner.
Must Purchase
Convict-Made Furniture.
The convict-labor law is the caLIse of no end of strife between local and state officials in Illinois. vVhile the iormer
are using every loophole to eScape meeting its provisions, the
latter are kept constantly 011 the alert to see that they are
enforced. Tl1e law has caused a great deal of discussion and
contention ever since it became effective, and it is doubtful ii
there is a law on the statute book against which there has
been snch a systematic attempt at evasion. Not long ago the
Pekin school board concluded that it needed some new furnitme, and they decided to get it in the open market. A discussian followed between the school and state authorities, an'd
about a week ago they placed their order for furniture with
the prison authorities.
Yet at the Pekin school board meeting reports showed that the furniture could be purchased in
the open market at a less price than from the prison authorities.
Will Sell to Plano Company.
The town board of Pan a, Ill., has voted to sell the old B. &
O. shop buiLdings and grounds. to the Plano Manufact\.uing
company. The terms are $5,000, $1,000 down and the remaining $4,000 to be paid within five years, -at five per cent interest
per annum.
The company employ daily from 75 to 1,200
metl. It is proposed that the Business Men's association subscribe $10,000 for preferred stock drawing six per cent interest.
6
ECHOES OF THE SUMMER SALE.
Stories Told and Which Might Have Been Told by the Furniture Men During the July Exposition.
Every furniture season brings out a number of good things
which are well worth passing along. Tn the rush of the huying and selling both buyers and sellers have a little time on
their hands in which in exchanging greetings
with each
other and with friends met hy the way certain tales arc related which are certainly sufficiently good to warrant a wiiler
ciretdation than that given through the certain few to whom
they are directly told. There is so much that is of the
strictly business nature which needs 'must be told during the
life of the sales that these good things seldom get further
than those who have them at first hand. As a rule they are
the result of the gathering together of certain of the fraternity in the hotel corridors 011 the evening after business
hours, or in the morning before the various branches of the
trade scatter to take care of the day's work. The following
anecdotes are culled from a number having their birth during
the recent sale in Grand Rapids and are pres limed to be the
best of the lot.
*
*
*
"0. J.," or "Joe" Barker, as he is better known to his
friends and the boys generally, is a pretty busy man at most
times, and particularly when he is in the market either for
his own Los Angeles house of Barker Brothers or as the purchasing agent of the Pacific Purchasing company; but he is
one of the best story tellers who comes to the furniture
center.
"1 started out in life for a dentist," he said one evening at
the Pantlind, "and in order to qualify took a course in a
school at St. Louis. How I passed my final examinations
isn't necessary to this yarn. I got my sheepskin and then
hied me to my home in Colorado.
For a time I was in my
father's store trying to impress him and his friends with an
idea that I was working.
Father couldn't see it very long,
and he told me I'd better get some pra.ctica.1 experience, after
whi~h he would set me up. 1 entered the office of the leading practitioner in my tOWI1. He was a good man, but he
never overlooked an opportunity to get the best results out
of any case from a monetary standpoint.
He didn't rob his
patients, hut I guess he went the limit with them.
1 had
been there a couple of months when he went out of to .....
"'"' for
a few days. The day after his leaving an old darky with gray
whiskers came in and asked for him. I said he was out of
town, but I asked if 1 could not sen'e him. He said the doctor had him on the list for some plate work.
"Now, the old fellow, for all he was ignorant and looked
shabby, was worth a good many thousands, and the 'DOt::'
had been working him for a gold rJate and a charge of $100
thereior.
This 1 didn't know. I sized him up by the looks
and said to myself very promptly, 'Here's my chance to get
in a litt1~ laboratory practice.'
"That's all right, uncle; he's been waiting for me to get
back"
"The old gentleman didn't think I looked equal to the
part, but I got out a pan 1 thought would fit, filled it with
plaster and with much misgiving the old fellow let me insert
it in his mouth. 1 kept counting the minutes and wondering
at the same time how long it should stay in. I didn't ",'ant to
take it out too soon, and I overdid the job, for when I tried
to remove it the pan and the plaster were fast to the darky's
gums.
\\That was "worse, I spilled some plaster into his
whiskers. I pulled. The darky yelled. I told him to take it
easy, that was the way it always worked when we had a good
job. I dragged him around the office in the attempt to get
that pan out, brake the mould, nearly broke his jaw and
jerked out a handful of gray whiskers, but finally got it. That
mould was a fright, but I told uncle to corne in a f{~wdays.
He did, but. 'Doc' was there when he showed me lip and told
his troubles. He had a hard time pacifying him, but kept the
job, and when uncle had vanished gave me a raking over
whic:h I haven't forgotten to this day.
"That was my plate experience, but Thad on('. on ext raction wbich settled me with the dental business and the 'Doc'
as well. A big nigger had been arrested and lodged in jail
for killing a man. He had an Elcerated tooth and the jailer
sent for 'Doc:' to treat him. 'Doc' told me to tackle the job.
first asking if I could extract. 'Extract?' r asked, indignantly,
'I should say so.' He gave me two forceps. This is for the
molar and this for a bicuspid, he said, and told me to put
them jn separate pockets. so I wouldn't get mixed.
I
started down the street and met a friend, told him 1 was in
tlle dental business and "what I was after. \Ve )lad a few on
that and I forgot which forcep was which. I was feeling
nervy just the same. Admitted to the jail, I saw the ugliest
nigger 1 had ever cast eyes upon, with a badly swollen jaw.
I had my nerve and said sternly, 'Open your mouth.'
That
tooth was a corker. I pulled; the nigger yelled. I kept hold.
The nigger tried to kick me, but I kicked back. I got r;art of
the tooth, and while the nigger was yelling and swearing I
got his mouth ,open and jabbed in some cotton with a sedative. I left, telling him I would be back in a few hours.
The 'Doc' finished that job, but he told me that was my finish as well, and that the nigger promised if he ever got out
his first work would be to kill me. I am happy to say he got
life. But I quit the dental business."
*
'"
*
This is the story of a wine rlrummer who butted into to"wn
while the furniture season was on and only serves to show
that, contrary to general opinion, the lines of the champagne
seller ar"e not as sparkling as his goods at periods when
others hold the center' of the stage.
It would be unkind to give his name, and much more so
to tell of the hostelry against which he lodged his complaint,
hIlt he panted into the Pantlind cine night and poured out
his soul in this wise to his old friend "Sid" Steele:
"Here I've been coming to that house (mentioning it) for
years. It's home to me when I am in Grand Rapids. YOn
know that, Sid t'
Sid said "Yes," and the ...
vine circulator continued:
"I wired the hOlise I was coming and that I wanted a
room with bath. T got in last night and asked the clerk if he
had my telegram.
He said, 'Yes, we've got you all fixed.' He
had, but I didn't kJlOW at the tjme in what way. I followed
the bell hop up to the room, and it was something fierce. It
was on the top floor and small. Say, I couldn't get my grip
in there until T had moved out the rocker.
What was the
number?
715 I think. ft was away up the stairs and away
up in number I guess.
"1 jumped downstairs to that clerk and commenced to
'holler' as soon as I got on the ground floor. 'Say,' T said,
'what do you mean by putting me in such a coop?' .'That's
the best we could do; this is the furniture sea:-,:onand we're
filled to the guards.'
'Then why didn't you say so and not
hand me the bunk that you'd gotten Illy wire and had fixed
me ?'
"'Didn't we fix you?' he asked.
"'Yes,' I said, 'and I'd like to fix you.
"'''VeIl, that's the best we can do, and although I'm wrry
if you don't take it, wlly. you'll ll.1Ve to go elsewhere unless
you double lip.
"!\ow look at me Sid."
He must have weighed something less than 300.
"Do T fook like a man who wants to double up?
I
gasped and hiked back to that room after the clerk had said
he'd change me in the morning, to see if I couldn't stand it
7
one night. It looked ·WOrse the second time. TllCre was a
fire escape coming down in front of the window and it made
me think of the bars in a '\\Tillie' house. Say, it gave rnethe
creeps.
I thought I'd rather sleep in one of the Livingston
Tmkish bath beds."
"What did you do then?" asked Sid.
"l hiked dO\'\'nstairs again and took eleven drinks in seven
mi1l1ltes. That's the record to date, I think. That room gave
me the Willies and I had to take a bracer several times, a1H-l
then some."
;;Did you sleep there at all?"
"No, T took a bench in the park, and you'll have to take
me in or I'll he all to the bad."
Sid promised to care for his friend, and the Palltljnd
thereby won a llew standby.
*
If there is a sigH manual of. the furniture trade it is the
diamond.
The l~oys accLlstomed to the artistic in furniture
evince a fondness for the sparkling je,vel, and the vast majority are tasty ill their selection of the gems, seldom shm'\'iog anythillg of the flashy nature in the choosing. Taking the
general collection of stones which can be seen at these semiannual gatherings
of the furniture forces there is a big
amount of money invested ill them by thc trade at large. The
remark made to ClIarle:r Spratt when seeking to raise the
$,100,000 necessary
as the furniture trade part in his building
fund, "Do you think there's $300,000 io the entire outfit?"
reminds the writer of a quip of Jerry Simpson a oumber of
years ago.
I was with the Chicago Tribune at the time the congressional delegation came on to Chicago to look over tlle site of
the Columbian Exposition,
before voting; the five million
dollars asked of congress.
There were .<;omet\'I"O11t111dredin
the party, mainly men hl1t little known to the country at
large. They stopped at several hotels; bnt at the Grand Pacific, where I was looking after them to get views of individual
members, were Jerry S'n1pson and Senator Pfeffer.
In the
course of the rnorning I called at Jerry's r00111. I had heard
of "Sockless" Simr:son, as had others, and had lmt a vague
impression of him.
I discovered a quiet, rather studious
looking, certainly gentlemanly, man with a keen eye behi.nd
gold-bowed spectacles.
After a few remarks of a general
character T pltlnged to the main question, "\~rhat will congress do?" All Chicago was anxious to know if that appropriation "..-auld be made. This meeting was on Sunday, and
the evening before the delegation had been entertained by
Mrs. Potter Palmer, whose jewels, and especially diamonds,
were famous the country over. In a dryly humorous mallner he replied, "If congress cloes not provide, 1 think Mrs.
Palmer might perchance emulate Queen Isabella's example."
This was aU thc reply, but it gave insight into the intellectual qualifications of a man but little understood by the
couutry at large and the ready wit for which he was famous
among his intimates.
In connection with Charley Spratt's
building fund the furniture men, "v'ere it necessary, might follow the lines laid dO"v"llby the Spanish queen.
I fI rassing it might be said that it was at this time J efry
remarke(l, although he had not been a.'iked any such personal qpestioll, "Oh, yes; I "veal' socks, and they're silk, too."
*
*
He is a furniture salesman with his habitat in Grand
Rapids but traveling for a !'vTichigan factory far removed
frOI11the city of his residence.
As he might not relish having
his name used, he wilt remain in cog, yet the incident IS too
good for suppressiol1.
It 11appelled just before the sale and while getting his
lines in shape for the coming host he dropped into a coal
office here while the ""riter was present.
ITe bad bought his
fuel there for years and was accustomed to getting the sum-
mer price and paying for it as he could spare tlie funds.
This year the combination had placed in effect a sliding scale
and you paid the price in vogue when the money passed into
the hands of the baron. This he was told by the gentlemanly
clerk behind the counter.
What he had done in former years
cut no tlgure. The only way he could get the bottom prict".
was to pay in advance, and he ~aid, "\Vell, it looks to me as
though yOLl coal men wanted your customers to furnish your
capital."
The clerk iiaid it certainly did look that way, but
such were the orders and he couldn't help the salesman.
"T guess you have llS jllst where you want us and we'll
have to pay the r rice," he remarked, but without any bitterness.
"Tn this town there isn't much
show for the consumer to uo anything but take \'"hat the coal and .ice comhines hand us. There!s nothillg like realizing these things
early. The ice people have things down quite pat, but I got
even to a certain extent with them this year.
"Last season they gave twenty-five pounds daily, now tJ:1.ey
give twenty. That is, they claim to give it. T bought a pair
of scales but didn't bave much chance to work them on the
ice until my last t;ip in. 1 ::aid to my wife one day, "That
isn't any twenty pounds."
The next morning T watched for
the cart and as soon as I saw it ran down stairs. The wagon
had started, but I called it hack. The men didn't want to
come, bnt 1 yelled tmtil they came. 'What's the matter?' said
the driver in an ugly tone. ;1 want that ice weighed.'
Isn't
it aU right?' 'I don't think so,' I said. He had a thing on the
end of the cart which looked like a fire escape. He picked
up the cake. and weighed it. tongs and alL It scarcely
touched thc nineteen mark. I didn't pay mllch attention to.
the missing }}ound, but asked, 'Do you weigh the tongs every
time?'
The fellow was surprised and said 'Yes.' 'Well,' I
saiJ, 'in that case you'd better p~tt the tongs in my box; it
seems I'm paying for them;' 'Oh, we have the scales fixed,'
he said, and 1 dryly remarked I thought he had, but this went
ovcr his bead. T get close to my twenty pounds daily since
that happening, but T have often since wondered what price
thosc tongs stand the combine in at the end of the season,
after being weighed all over town and counting ·as three
pounds and more of ice with each weighing.
"There's nothing like system in business, and looking after
the by-products is a big item in system. I guess the ice com- .
binatioll doesn't have to go to school to Rockefeller or the
beef trust either."
THORNTON PRESCOTT CRAFT.
Floating Exposition to Circle
World.
A thorOl~ghly twentieth C',entury ellterprise to fnrther tl,e
cause of the American export trade is that which is about to
be launched by the Export Shipping company, of New York.
They prOpose to equip a large steamer and furnish space
thereon to American manufacturers to make a display of their
product, and send them around the world on a 60,ooo-mile
trip, to consume arout fifteen months,
The plan is to allow
each concern to subscribe for forty square feet or more of
space, at $50 per square foot, to dis"[lay their goods and to
send with their exhibit a representative.
Catalogues and
circulars dcscribing the exposition and its objects will be
Issuen ill the native tongue in each COuotry visited.
Cre~
ating, as it will, wide interest in the commercial world,
where its progress will be thoroughly
advertised at every
port ·where the exposition ship calls, the opportunity is an
uIHlsual one for the American manufacturer to introduce his
goods under the most favorahle auspices in an of the most important commercial countries of the world.
Foreign made
goods arc each year being more extensievly introduced in
this country; but are the American manufacturers as a wholt'"
as aggressively working the European markets?
Every
Day
Sellers
w
IT'S THE PRICE
THAT CUTS
THE ICE
No. 214 Dresser
Plain Oak. 25142 Top. 2b28 Oval Mirror.
Drawers Veneered.
GLOSS FINISH.
PRICE,
No. 227 Dresser
Top
$8.50
Plain Oak.
22x44 Top.
AU Drawers
GLOSS
TERMS:
PRICE,
24-130Pattern
F1NJSH.
$1 0 .00
2 IH.!U·
cent off 20 da:rs
Net 60 da.,s
p. O. &. LOGAN. OHIO
MAIL ALL...
ORDERS TO
Snider
Mfg. Co.
PRICE,
$7.00
No. I Commode
Plain Oak.
No. 33 Chiffonier
Plain Oak. Wx]4 Top. Two Tap Drawers
Veneered.
14x24 Oval Minor.
20x34 Top.
Gl.OSS FINISH.
LOGAN, OHIO
PRICE,
Mirror.
Veneered.
$3.00
Exceptionally Good Values
SOME SELECTIONS
----
---FROM -
...
-----
THE
HOLLAND
LINE
No. 520 Bed-Golden
Price
Ash.
$5.50
TERMS:
2 per cent. off 20 days
60 days ne'
Holland
F umiture Company
HOLLAND,
No. 520 Commode-Golden
20x34. Top polished.
Price.
MICH,
No. 520 Dresser-Golden
Ash. Top,
21x42.
Pattern Mirror, 24x30. Top polished.
Ash. Top,
$4.00
SENDFOR CATALOGUE
Price.
$9.50
MANISTEE MFG. CO.
MANISTEE, MICHIGAN
MANUFACTURERS
SWIFT
OF
=======
SELLING
SIDEBOARDS
BUFFETS
CHIFFONIERS
ODD DRESSERS
SIDEBOARD No. 226
IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVEDA COPY OF
Selected Quartered While Oak. Golden Finish Rubbed and Polished
Bevel Palterl\ Plate, 18x36; Top, 23x48; Height. 79 in. The
lop and ill drawers ar~ full 8well.
One drawer lined.
OUR NEW CATALOGUE
WRITE FOR IT
Price, $24.00
Catalog free
Woodard Fumiture Co. gkh:n
You should see out New Fall Line of Medium Priced
BEDROOM FURNITURE
Write to us at once
for our new and beautifully illustrated Catalog, showing Dressers
and Chiffoniers a f
original designs made
in Oak. Birdseye
Maple and Mahogany; also Plain and
Qnartered
Oak
Chamber Suiles.
Everything
except
Plain Oak goods are
Polished.
in all the
Fancy Woods
befQfe placing
your order
Full line of
400 PIECES
on display
in
Grand
Rapids
Exhibition
Building
Third
Floor
Empire
furniture
Company
J4MESTOWN. N. Y.
In charge of
T.AsHLEY
DENT
New catalogUe
readY July lOth
7IR. 'T' hS' A.l"J
irk
UNDERTAKERS
"PUT
HIM WISE."
Accused One Retaliated by Asserting That the Undertaker
Had Been Working the Same Graft.
A recent case bn)11gbt to ligllt in Lucas Coullty, Ohio,
would inJicate that even a dead ranper is not withont some
value in the present-day
pursuit of the "filthy lucre."
The
case in question has also resulted in rather strained feelings
between the undertakers
and the C011l1ty burial association.
It seems that a certain woman died, and as she had paid
$1.26 dues as a member of the Lucas County Bmial association, she was given a $roo burial as the rules of the association provide. Latcr John Mmphy, the manager of the burial
a,..",ociatiol1, seemed $10 from one of the county in firmary directors for the burial of the woman on representations
that
she was a pauper.
The director was ig;norant of the provisions governing the burial association and thought that it
simply act{~d in the capacity of an undertaker.
Sorl1C of the
undertakers, however, learning of the order being issued, explained to the county official that the deceased, being a member of the association, was entitled to burial from the same,
and not from the county. Mr. Murphy, learning that certain
members bad told of the affair, asserted that many undertakers "worked" the infirmary often by getting money for
burials after they had been paid by relatives.
Mr. Murphy's
unblemished halo 01 integrity and uprigbtne.ss must now become him with much better ease and satisfaction.
Regal European
Carpets of Historic
Age.
Carpets of costly splendor and remarkable age that have
been conspicuons in the history of England arc recalled by
the recent arrival of a beantiful Persian carpet which is a
present from tlle sba to the king. The carpet is entirely hand
made, and its manufacture, despite the 11l1mber of workers
employed, took upward of three years to COlll. ktc.
It is of
most artistic and intricate design, into which tile king's
name, "Edward VII," is woven. The palatial hall of the Goldsmitbs' company contains three carpets made at the factory
at Wilton, rlear Salisbury.
The largest measmes forty feet
two inches by twenty-six feet nine inches, is of a rich crimson surrounding a center, ten feet by nine feet, consisting of
the company's arms in their heraldic coloring of blue. green,
red and purple upon a white ground, and enclosed in a border
of festooned roses with medallions at each corn(',t. in setting
the pile of this carpet, which weighs abollt 1,200 pounds, over
5,500,000 knots were, it is said, nsed.
Another company, that of the Girdlers, possei-ised a carpet
in which historic .interest is probably nnlqt1e. 1t was mant~faetured in the reign of Charles 1., at tile factory of Akbar
the Great, at Lahore, to the order of Robert Bell. The carpet, which is twenty-four feet by seven feet six inches, is
worked with the company's crcst and arms and two bales of
merchandise, on either side of which are the donor's arms
and two bales 01 merchandise bearing his initial,s and trade
mark. The prayer carpet on vie\'\' at South Kensington is a
splendid specimen, measuring
some thirty-three
feet by
twenty feet. It was purchased at a cost of £2,000. It came
originally from the mosque at Ardebil, for which it was made
in J540 by Maksoud, of Kashan, a fact which-·togcther
with
a pious maxim-is
recorded in words woven into the texture
of the carpet itself.
Two other magnificent carpets were four years ago sold
at the Municil~al Chamber at Lisbon to p.y for the repairs at
the Royal Convent of St. Antonio, to which they had beell
given by the Infanta Donna Sanche in 1500. For these ca1'pets, which are of Persian manufacture, eighteen feet square
and embroidered
with gold, the bidding was very brisk.
Starting at £888. it rapidly rose to £ 1,798, at which price
the prize, at £J,OOO below its real value, was S('.C\tred hy a
0
11
$"+
Frenchman.
A curious carpet has lately been manufactnred
at Caesarea. Tt isa representation of the battle of Trafalgar,
depicting that moment in the engagement when Ne1son received his fatal wound. The carpet, which is entirely of silk,
is seven feet by six feet. and took. two girls fourteen months
to weave it.
It was sold for £400.
Why Not?
The city fathers of St. Johns, Mich., propose to bond the
for $15,000 and purchase the table factory now located
there. The city will then lease the buitding to some manufactnring concern at a !lominal rental per year. As the city
wilt not be obliged to ray taxes, the. entire rent derived from
the building will go into the municipal treasury for the current expenses or p\.tblic improvement of the city.
This proposition doe~ away entirely with the usual custom
of offering a large honus to a concern for moving to a city.
The company, being obliged to hunt up a desirable location
and then build its factory, nsually expects some remuneration for the expense and trouble occasioned by the move.
Here the city does more than meet the company half way-it
has jtlst what it is looking for. With the city or town owning
the building, the company ,is obliged to pay rent only, and is
released from any guarantee of a specified output or working force.
In these days, when it is the desire of all of the larger
communities to own their own lighting plants, water works,
garbage systems and other public utilities, why would it not
be an enterprising and lucrative move on the part of a city to
own one or a series of stores for mercantile purposes?
The
city could purchase the available land, centrally located, and
ercct a modern business tlock or purchase such a block already built. The same would then be easily leased for some
mercantile house or for even a big department store. As an
extra inducement, light and water could be furnished free
with the rent, the same bei.ng Stll~plled from the city plants.
The rent derived from such an investment would not only
help repair rnany holes in the city's pavements, but would
also have a strong tendency to add to its general busineis inteTests and prosperity.
Why not?
city
The Business Woman of the South.
People of the north who have never visited the southern
states, have but a vague idea of the yonng women of that
region, and that mostly based on the literature dealing with
tIle ante-bellum days. Yet the girls south of the Mason and
nixon line are said to be peers of their northern cousins III
every respect, socially and in business.
A good example of
the southern type of the successful business woman is in
:vIiss "V. S. Pratt, of Atlanta, Ga., who is said to be the only
woman south of Chicago in the lumber trade.
When the
I1nn for wl1ich she was stenographer
went out of busines,
",..ithout losing a day hunting a position, she opened an office
and began operations.
Having acquired a knowledge 01 hunber and its mutations in the market, Miss Pratt was not long
ill jlToving her ability, and today she is at the- head of a firm
ha11(lling JOO cars every month.
Unoccupied
Convicts
to Make Tables.
The Jackson (Mich.) prison board has awarded the cooof 250 pri1ioners to the Tra~e Table company, of Detroit, for fifty cents a day for A men and twenty-five ce.nts
for B men-the
latter being those who are unable to do a
full day's work. The contract will give employment to a.U of
the unoccupied men in the institution.
The company hav~
another cOl1tract at the Ionia })Tison.
II act
,.
12
A High-Chair
Safety Guard.
Common among the antics 01 a child is "squirming"
around in a high chair, w"hetbcr at the table or when left
alone in the r00111. These sudden and erratic movements arc
often attended with disastrQus and sometimes serious resllits
and are a SOt1TCC of constant worry to Ole mother.
)Io"\\',
however, through the medium of the unger Safety Guard, recently perfected by 1. Unger, Iron Mountain, :Mich" the permanent location of the child can he fully established and the
mother can go about her household duties assured that "the
baby" will be fotlnd upon her return safe in its chair where
she left it.
The invention, like mally of importance in the world's
history, is so simple that one wonders why it hasn't been
thought of before.
It is in the form of an addition to the
wooden tray of every high chair. To the im,ide of, and built
with the tray, is a short wooden a?ron which comes down to
the child's lap, making it impossible for the child to get out
of its sitting position. This device, Simall as it may seem, is
Fromthe
New l:atalogue
of the Nelson-Matter
an invaluable addition to any high chair. \Vith it it is absolutely impossible for the child to stand up in its chair or to
slide down and out, in either case exposing itself to injury.
The Unger Safety Guard, although but recently placed
upon the market, has met with instantaneous success ,vith the
trade, and at thc present time nine different factories are
placing it on all of the hig-h chairs they manufacture.
The
cost is but slightly above that of the ordinary chair, and the
satisfaction it gives his customers more than compensates
the dealer for his foresight in keeping abreast of the times.
In case the manufacturer does not handle the Unger Safety
Guard, they may be obtained from the following agencies:
The Ford & Johnson company, Chicago, Ill.; Bnckstaff & Edwards company, Oshkosh, Wis., and. George Spratt & Co.,
Sheboygan, \V is.
Bissell
Carpet Sweeper Comoany Enlarge
Plant.
The Bissell Carpet Sweeper company, Grand Rapids,
Mich., are contemplating
extensive improvements
to their
plant. Tbe plalls call for a new fOllr-story building and a
general remodeling of an adjoining brick building, the whole
to cost about $25,000. The new building will be of steel and
brick, 7IX60 feet in ground area.
The building will be
equipped with fireproof vaults and fitted up in the most im-
proved ordcr
company.
for office purposes
of the big carpet
sweeper
To Lessen Drain on- Valuable Woods.
Owing to the fact that a revival of wood paving has begun in seveJ-al of the larger cities and that the pavement is
now made almost exclusively of one or two of th~ best construction woods, the forestry service of the department of
agriculture
will endeavor to secure a chea:=er and more
abundant species \vhich by proper treatment may be substituted.
A Few Dissatisfied
Ones.
It is stated on good authority that some of the table manufacturcn; are seriously considering withdrawing
from exhibiting at either one or both of the expositions.
Their reasons are that the expense is not equal to the retllrns.
It is
rel;orted that the table people have been sOlinding the case
Furniture
Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.
goods manufacturers
sition.
to see how they stand on the propo-
No Doubt of His Honesty.
It is only a few years since Woonsocket missed for good
the familiar face of hAlf" Church, for a long time deputy sheriff and chief of police, a man who was straightforward
and
blunt in all his dealings.
One day a grocer went to "AU" for information about a
certain "] oe" \Vhite, who bad applied for credit and a book at
his store, and the following dialogue ensued:
"Good mornin', Mr. Church."
"Tvlornin'."
HDo'you know 'Joe' White?"
"Yes,"
"What kind of a feller is he?"
"Putty fair!'
"Is he honest?"
'··Honest? I should say so. Been arrested twiee for stealing and acquitted both times."-TIoston
Herald.
This would be a dull old world if it were not for the
wicked trusts upon which the people spend their surplus
energy.
A
COMfORTABLE
HALL
A
COLONIAL
DINING ROOM
..
--------------------------------
----
IS
Good Locations for Plants Utilizing Timber.
Tbe "Frisco System," the St. Louis & San Francisco railroad, has just issued a one-hundred-page booklet under the
title
of
"Opportunities."
The
book,
as
its
name
implies,
gives a brief but comprehensive summary of the business op..,
portunities and openings for industries and investments in
general
in that
section
of the United
States
traversed
by the
Frisco System. In connection with the location of desirable
timber lands along its route is printed the following:
"The best sections for the location of plants utilizing timber arc ill southeast
l\Jjssol1ri and northeast
Arkansas
and in
the central and southeastern
portions of Indian Territory,
where
hardwood timber of almost all kinds can be. seemed in
great Quantities. Some very fille yellow pine timber is also
procurable in the more mountainou!'> and ronghex section!'> of
southeastern Indian Territory.
Furniture and box factories,
wagon and wagon wood\""ork, cooperage and vexleer plants
and handle factories will find an abundant supply of suitable
timber. In tIle Choctaw nation especially the pre~ent government rulings permit of the allottees to dispose of outright the
stumpage on their excess land, and the timber privileges can
be purchased at very reasonable prices on account of the
desire to have the land cleared for farming purposes.
In the
rougher portions of northern Mississippi tributary to the line
of the Fri"co, and also in the valleys of large streams crossed
by om line funning beh",een Memphis and Birmingham,
there is some fine mer<.'.hantable timber, both hardwood, gum
and cottnTIwood. Tn western Alabama there are also some
large tracts of yellow pine. timber.
Tn the 'western part of
Arkansas, tributary to om St. Paul Branch, and along the
Ozark & Cherok{'.e. Central Division, and also in southern
Missouri along the line south from Springfield to Thayer and
tributary to the CU!T{'.ntRiver Division, there is much hardwood timber that would repay investigation, in addition leaving smallex timbl::' which would be suitahle for handles,
spokes, wagon 'wood and chair stock."
gTade. 1\10re often trouble originates in plants where the
exhaust steam is used. Many engineers use too much oil on
their engines.
This passes from the cylinders into the exhaust steam and thence into the feed water. From there it
passes direetly into the boiler. Many new boilers have been
ruined in this way within twenty-four hours after they were
fired up.
In the boiler the oil has the effect of holding the water in
suspension above the plate, causing the plate to become overheated and sag from one inch to a foot. The same effect is
also brought about by the oil mixing with the mud and formillg a spongy coating on the plate. The most direct way to
America the Great Persian Rug Market.
It is stated that about nine-tellths of the rt1g trade of
Persia finds its way directly or indirectly to the United
States. \iVhat are regarded as the most beautiful of the Persian rugs are the product:1 of the Tabriz looms. In one large
factory in that city over 1,000 lads are employed on rugs of
all sizes and design.
These lads work with gJ;"eat rapidity
and earn from $2.50 to $3.25 per month.
A few years ago
aniline dyes were' use'dextensively
in coloring the yarns to
these rugs, but the effect was quickly felt in decreased sales
and the government prohibited the entry of the dyes. The
Persian rug trade, vorhich was sadly demoralized in 1902, is
slowly recovering, and the demand in America is increasing,
while the manufacture is being extended in a normal and
healthful manner. This applies particularly to the wool rug:-;.
The silk rug trade, on account of competition, is still below
its former footing, and many smaller factories in this line
have discontinued operations.
Danger from Oil in Boilers.
A common trouble experienced by stationary
engmeers,
and one that is apt to prove expensive as well as dangerous,
is that occasioned hy oil in the boilers_ The result is usually
a badly warped sheet and an expensive loss of time until the
damage can be repaired_
The oil may find its way into the boiler in several ways.
Sometimes it is intentionally thrown in by the engineer to
help break up scale or prevent the same. vVhere a small
quantity of good oil, free from animal matter, is used little
harm results, but in many cases the lubricant is of an inferior
Manufa('tured
by Century
Furniture
Company,
Jamestown,
N. Y.
overcome the trouble ,is to clean out the boiler and tank and
theH~after fIlter the feed water.
Death of Jacob Fihn.
Jacob Fihn, a well-known furniture dealer of St. Louis,
:\"Jo.,died August 9 at his home in that city. Mr. Film, who
'\,,'as forty-four
years of age, has been a residept of S1. Louis
since he came to this country, twenty-four years ago, from
Kieff. Russia, in order to escat=:ebeing forced' to enlist in the
imperial army. This he did through 110t heing ill sympathy
with his g-overnment.
He is survived by a widow and five
children. Mr. Film was one of the buyers at the July exposition in Grand Rapids.
Chain of House Furnishing
Stores.
Application has been flled for the incorporation
of the
Prince Furnitmc company, to be capitalized at $100,000. The
lllcorporators are H. L. Haltzell, Daniel F. Printz and Samuel
H. Fulmer.
The company arc to conduct a series of stores
for the sale of house furnishings,
furniture, carpets, etc.
Headquarters will be established at Reading, Fa.,
This is one of our Famous Non-Dividing
Pillar Tables
THESE ARE 'THE ONLY
TABLES 'THAT ARF:
PERFECT IN
CONSTR UCTION
ANY
DEALER
THAT
ONE OF THESE
FAIL
No. 340
Price,
..
.
,
..
ORDER
'TRIED
NO'T
ONE
$19.50
Choate-Hollister
Furniture
JANESVILLE,
The T. B. LAYCOCK
MANUFACTURING
TO
HAS NOT
SHOULD
COMPANY
Co.
WIS.
400 Pieces of Parlor and
Library Fumiture
MANur ACTURERS OF
Colonial
Repro-
Iron and Brass Beds, Cribs
Child' s Folding Beds, Spiral and
Woven Wire Springs
Cots, Cradles, Etc.
ductions,
Odd Pieces
and Suites in
Louis XV,
Louis XVI,
Sheraton,
Heppelwhile
and
TO MAKE MONEY. HANDLE OUR GOODS
CATALOGUE ON REQUEST
Chippendale
De~gns.
Also large
EVERY DEALER SHOULD HAVE ONE OR
MORE OF OUR No. 550 MATTRESS AND
SPRING
DISPLAY
RACKS,
WRITE FOR
BOOKLET ILLUSTRATING
IT
"
line of
Leather
Rockers,
Chairs and
Couches.
The T. B. Laycock
INDIANAPOLIS.
Mfg. CO.
IND.
CENTURY
FURNITURE
I59 Cantil Street, Grand Rapids, Mich.
CO.
17
PROTECT
THE
BAIHES
For the benefit of future geoel'ations
see that YOllr high chairs have the
Unger Safety Guard
attached. Cost is only $1.00 per dozen over the ~rdinary_ YOll get
2Sc pel' chair more, besides giving your customer a highly superior ·article.
Showing high chair table
No. 1221 Y; Buffet
<ita,rlered oak. Highly poli~hed. Base, 25 x 50. f Tench bevel mirror, 44 x 14.
Finished golden. Bevel gl"Jl~duol's. Silver drawer lined inside
of dosels and drawers varnished.
Price.
$27.50
with guard attached.
Showing how
the children
slide down and
out of the
old slyle chair.
Showing how
the child cannot
possibly slide
out or stand up
in chair.
If
your
mall1Jfacturer
not
No• .1401 Sideboard
Quartered oak. Highly poli.hed. Base, 25 x 52. French bevel mirrof, 40 x 18.
Finished golden. Heavy veneered effects. Silver drawe, lined.
Closets and drawel's varnished inside.
Prlc.e.
$35.00
Goods
that are mild.,
110
weIllhat
fail
THE WAIT
10
they come to you with a guarantee
please your trade.
FURNITURE
POR.TSMOUTH.
OHIO.
cannol
CO.
does
k'" them,
from
Ill:'!
order
Murl)hy Chair Co.,
Detroit, Mich.
American Go-Cart
Co.,
Detroit, Mich.
Waldcutter & Co.,
Toledo. o.
E. L.ThompsDn & Co.
Baldwinsville.
Mass.
Nichols & Stone.
Gardner. Mass.
Canada Furniture Manufacturers,
Ltd., TOl"(Jnto, Onl.
Th.e Ford & 10lms0l1 Co., ChicalJO. III.
Buckstaff & Edwards Co·, Oshkosh. Wis.
Geo. Spratt & Co , Sheboygan; Wis.
Any of these will see your wants supplied.
I. UNGER, Patentee.
Iron Moun~.
Mich.
Danis~T~oseDou~h
which are haunting you about Olsen Desks.
Do you think that because they are cheap
they can't be good?
That is al! wrong.
Olsen Desks are as careful!y and intelligently made as those costing twice their price.
By "intelligently made" we mean keeping al ways
ia mind the service they are to render.
Every drawer slides without catching, every curtain
runs smoothly, the pigeon-boles are convenientl.v.arranged,
the whole desk is just the neatest affair imaginable.
The woods are selected with great care and the finish is
faultless.
The only thing cheap about Olsen Desks is their price.
These facts ought to banish al! your doubts.
Don't delay putting Olsen Desks in stock another minute.
When they arrive and you see how readily they sel! you'lI
be sorry you didn't order them before. Write now.
o. C. S. OLSEN
All the kids are in love
with Spratt's Chair
GEO. SPRATT
SHEBOYGAN,
&. CO.
Retting Furniture Co.
3 8 Stred
Grand Rapids
Michigan
Successors 10 RETTfNG & SWEET
& CO.
WIS.
CHAIRS AND ROCKERS
FOR EVERYBODY
Send for Catalogue
FINE
Parlor Furniture, Odd Chairs, Divans, Colonial Snfas. Library Suites, Moms Chairs
The most appropriate
Lodge furniture.
No. 88-Child's
High Chair with Unger Safety Guard.
D~
dIllliv:na. best materials. (;(InBtI'Uetion and 6niab.
Club Furniture
and estimates furnished lor F'me Ordered Work.
Chl1l'ch f umiture on application
Pulpit furnitul't
Catalogue of Wile and
THE CREDIT ~UREAU OF THE FURNITURE TRADE
The
LYON
Grand Rapids Office, 412-413 Houseman Bldg.
GEO. E. GRAVES,· Manager
CLAPPERTON
FURNITURE AGENCY
ROBERT
OWEN,
Coul1sel
THE STANDARD REFERENCE BOOK
CAPITAL, CREDIT AND PAY RATINGS
CLEARING HOUSE OF TRADE EXPERIENCE
THE MOST RELIABLE CREDIT REPORTS
P. LYON, General Manager
CREDITS
&
and
COLLECTIONS
COLLECTIONS
IMPROVED METHODS
MADE EVERYWHERE
PROMPTLY
REUABL Y
Smith, & Davis Mfg. Co.
ST.
LOUIS
1'1..
rf)
METAL
WITH
BEDS
STANDARD
REVERSIBLE
~
No. 328
All Iron
.... JJ
...,
OF
MAKERS
RAILS
$3.75 net
Standard
Pillars, 1 1-16 inches.
Filling, 3-8 and 5-16 inch.
Head, 56 inches.
Foot, 40 inches.
Sizes: 3 feet 6 inches and 4 feet 6
inches.
Weight, 67 Ibs.
SOLID
..
Patented
RIGID
..
Reversible
Rail
July 1.5, 19l}2. NQ,7(l4'iOl.
This rail is reversible in the true sense
of the word-can be used either side up
and enables the dealer to ma.ke one set
of raUs answer instead of having two
stocks, one of regular, the other inverted.
REVERSIBLE
BEDS THAT DO NOT WIGGLE
.
The New
Oliver Bros. Company
LOCKPORT. N. Y.
UA
PAThNTED
GCT.
20.
Comfortable
Simple
Durable
N",.t
The Acme oE Perra·tion in the line of
Folding Chairs.
P~;"FHCT COMI'ACTNhSS
whltn folded.
Hard maple natural finish.
WRITE
FOR
ohe
North Manchester,
/BEDS
Chicago
PItICES.
PEABODY SCHOOL
FURNITURE CO.
No. 51
Hi_h Grade Br_s and Iron
1903
Indiana
Satesrol)ms
moved
to Furni-
ture h:x.hibition Building. 1411 M1Chi.l{an Avenue
New York Salesroom,
U5 E, 42<1.Street.
fI". M. RANDALL
II'"
YOU DON'T VISIT THE: MAR"ETS OUR
CATALOGUE WILL INTEREST
YOU.
20
ESTABLISHED
PUBLISHED
MICHIGAN
ON THE
10TH
OFF/CE-2-20
BY
ARTISAN
AND 2Sn.
ufacturing chairs in Tennessee are not those that prevail in
"!\lassachl1setts. The Ordways could not make the business
profitable in Tennessee, therefore dosed the factory and returned to Massachu!:ietts, leaving liatilities
amounting
to
$.,5,000 unsecured.
A receiver in bankrnptcy will attempt to
secure something for the creditors.
By the "vay, what was
the name of the wise man who uttered a remark about "letting well enough alone"?
lS80
CO.
OF EACH
MONTH
LYON ST., GRAND RAPIDS,
ENTI!IlED AS MATTER OF THE nCOKtI
MICH.
CLASS
A few years ago the sta.te of IVlichigan engaged ill the
business of manufacturing
furniture at the prison in Ionia
under a contract v,:ith the Cochran & .:'Uiller Fmnitur-e company to take the output. The btlsinC5;; proved unprofitable,
the state losing heavily. and ,,,...hen the contract expired the
board ofcolltro!
refused to rene,,,,- the same. The mannfachirers of tbe state of Michigan were quite active in bringing
to the attclltioll of the state authorities proof to sustain their
claim that the bl1sin~ss ..."as carried on at a Joss. Louis
Kanitz, of Muskegon; L. C. Stow. of Grand Rapids, and
Charles E. Rigley, of the l':stey Manufacturing
company,
Owosso, represented the manufacturers of the state.. "VVithin
the past year the state bas commenced the manufacture of
raLjan chairs .and furniture in the prison at Tonia under cant a~t with the Ypsilanti Reed Chair company, and recently a
contract was entered into with the Trade Table company,
owned by the Ypsilanti corporation, for the employment of
250 prisoners incarcerated
at the state prison in Jackson,
]\'1ich. The state will receive fifty cents per day for A and
t"..·enty-five ('.ents for B men, The table makers of the United
States may expect to be confronted with demoralizing competition in the near future.
It was generally supposed that
when the unprofitable experience at Tonia had termillated the
state of Michigan would not engage in the business of manufacturing furniture again, but the making of the contract with
the Trade Table company proves that a trio of politicians
with a pull is stronger than the business' judgment of the men
controlling the prisons of the state of Michigan.
The business of the manufacturers
of furniture in the
southwestern states has heen seriously affected by the yelJow
fever epidemic. An idea of the seriollsness of the situation
is furnished in a letter from 1. "\,T. C. "Vright, the manager of
the
New Orleans
Furniture
.Manufacturing
company:
"Nearly all our fal':tories (the company operates five) are
partially tied up by the quarantine incidental to the fever
prevailing here. "Vhen dealers send in orders we do not
know whether we can fill them or not, because of the obstruction to freight caused by quarantine."
The outlook is
nol encouraging for business.
If goods were shipped to
certain localities the men ordering the same might not be
alive when the same ',Nere ready for delivery.
A traveling furniture exposition has been suggested.
For
instance ,if the people of Cincinnati should feel the desire for
the presence of one thousand buyers and as many manufacturers and selling agents, they need only lease l\ll1sic Hall
and offer its occupancy to the leading manufacturers of Chicago, Grand Rapids. N e\y York and other furniture centers
free of expense for a month.
Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia and other cities might prove attractive for the exposition seller of furniture ullder similar conditions.
The idea is
presented for w!Jat it is wott1J.
The cost of the "keep" of salesmen ill the exposition towns
Juring the furniture selling season is held up for contemplation by the manager of a furniture tnaaufactnring
corporation selling their Olltput to prize soap coq.:oratiol1s as a guud
and sufficient reason why the manufacturers
of furniture
should withdraw from tIle expositions.
\'\Tou{d tlle cost le
less if the salesmen were traveling on the road \'v-hiIe the
buyers were making the rounds of the exposition towilS?
The movement inaugurated in thc southern states proposing that manufacturers
of furnitllre ,....
ithdraw their lines
from the furniture expositions ,'vas inaugurated by firms engaged in handling government contracts.
In the northern
states the movement is championed by a corporation that
disposes of a great part of their outl)ut to prize soap distribution and scheme houses. Fit leaders for such an ill-advised
movement.
The little town of Mebane, N. C. was stirred up considerably a short time ago by tllC loading and dispatching of a
train of thirteen cars containing furniture for the government
buildings ill Panama.
The goods were manufactured by the
White Furniture company and passed the critical inspection
by government experts successfully.
Thc \Vhites arc proud
of their success and the government is satisfied.
When it is understood that twenty thousand persons are
employed by the mail order houses of Chicago and probably
as many more by the premium distributing or scheme ho'uses,
the nature of the work undertaken by the National Retailers'
association-the
abolishment of such concerus~wilt
he, in a
measure, comprehended.
------~
A report is current to the dIect that a number of manufacturers located in the south have signed an agreement not
to o~,cupy space in the :xposition buildings of Chicago, Grand
Rapids and New York In Jannary.
Their withdrawal will not
affect the rn\lrkets materially.
The exposition plan for selling furniture has become an established feature of the business. If the southetnerswithdraw,
more trade will be gained
by the manufacturers who remain in the market.
The Ordways operated a chair factory in Massachusetts.
The people of Bristol, Tenn .. offeTed a bonus which tempted
the Ordways to move to that town. The condition's for mal1~
L~ __
The withdrawal of out-of-town lines from the furniture
expositions will not affect Grand Rapids.
So long as the
buyers find it profitable to visit the :~diehigan furniture center
for the purpose of buying goods the manufacturers of Grand
Rapids will have fresh styles and perfect work for their consideration.
If all manufacturers had practical pulls that would enable
them to sell their output to the state a.nd federal governments
there would be no reason for their showing tlleir lines in the
exposition towns. The same is true of the manufacturers who
sell their outputs to the soap and scheme houses.
21
O'l,eary. Lester S. Aberley and Frederick n. Maerkle, all of
New -"{ark.
The factory of the Columbian :rvranufacturing company,
makers of mattresses and bedding, St. Johns, Mich., has' been
completely destroyed by fire with a total loss of contents.
About $500 insurance was carried.
Indianola, Neb., is experiencing a lively building boom.
Trade Notes.
A large fl1rniturc factory. will be erected in Columbus, Ga.
Lutz & Sonhave established a furniture store in Pasco,
Fla.
The Ott Lounge company have moved from Chicago to
Pontiac, Ill.
Cron & \Valker succeed Cron & Zeemer in the furniture
business at Piqua, o.
The Automatic ¥lringer comVany, Mllskegon, Mich., have
gone out of business.
L. P. Kelly, St. Mary's, 0., has sold his furniture business
to H. C. Smith and J. D. Miskell.
H. ¥l. Potter has sold his Ittrniture and undertaking business in Belleville, 1vJich.,to Pullen & Son.
The St. J alms Table company \'lill commence the operation of their factory at Cadillac, Mich .. early in Octoher.
I....Kauffman, of South Columbus, 0" has sold an interest
in his furniture store to 1\'1. O. \Vagner, late of Lancaster.
The Shoals (Ind.) Brass & T TOn Bedstead company, recently organized in_that city, will soon commence business.
)/1. A. Taylor and others have organized the Pecos Furniture company in Austin, Tex. Their ca~;ital stock is $w,ooo.
A. Dirksen & Sons, Springli.eld, 111.,have filed articles of
incorporation, with $IOO,OOO capital, to ellgage in tbe manU-II.
,
factming business.
.
The Forest City Furniture company, Rockford, Tll., at the
annual meeting of stockholders held recently, re~eleeted their
old board of directors and officers.
H. J. Lapalme and others have organized the IT. J. Lapalme comrany, of vVaterbury, Conn., to deal in furniture and
carpets. Their capital stock is $5,000.
The Anderson & Winter l\Janufacturing
company will
erect a factory T05xI35 feet in size and three stories high in
Suggestive
Manufactured
by Empire Furniture
Company, Jamestown,
N. Y.
Clinton, la., to which point they \'lill move their business from
Cedar Rapids.
The New York Chair company, of New York. manufacturers of antique furniture, have been incorporated with a
capital stock of $IO,OOO. The incorporators
are Jeremiah
of Comfort.
Among the new blocks is that of the firm of W. H. Smith &
Son, v·,:hoare completing the erection of a .large brick furniture store- to accommodate their steadily growing business.
The Knox-\\'alker
Furniture company, Pine Bluff, Ark.,
have field articles of association with the secretary of the
state of Arkansas.
Their capital stock amonnts to $20,000, to
which subscril:tiolls have been made amotlll(ing to $12,3°0.
Charles F. Johnson. formerly with A. B. & E. L. Shaw,
will join the selling force of "the Pooley Furniture company,
Philadelphia, on September I. The c9mpany are erecting a
large addition to their plant, which is intended to increase
their manufacturing
facilities one-third.
Joserl1 V,,'nolsey has brought suit against the Freed Furniture & Carpet company, Salt Lake City, charging that a representative of the company entered his house during his absence and illegally carried away certain furniture belonging
to complainant.
Damages amounting to $500 are sought for.
The l\{ajestic Bed & l\:lanufacturing company, Springfield,
0., are in the hands of a receiver. The company are indebted
for $20,000 and have property valued at $35,000.
The action
was precipitated by a suit brought by Alonzo Hullinger, the
general manager, wbo c.!aimed that the company owed him
$216 back salary.
The Century Furniture company, Jamestown, N. Y. have
issued a catalogue illustrating and describing their line of
dressers, chiffoniers, sideboards, huffets. The line numbers
nearly 100 patterns.
Quartered oak, dark and Tuna, mahogany, golden curly birch and bird's-eye maple are used in the
manufacture of these goods.
Good Cabinet Makers Need Good Benches
THAT'S THE KIND WE MAKE
HAND
SCREWS,
FACTORY
TRUCKS,
CABINET
CLAMPS
WRITE
FOR
CATALOGUE
No.8
Our No. 1 Bench
Grand Rapids Hand Screw Company
I30 South Ionia Street, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
Canadian Representatives, RICE. LEWIS
&
SON. Toronto, Onl.
CABINET
MAnERS
In these days of close competition,
need the best possible equipment,
and this they can have in • . • •
BARNES·
Hand and F oat
Power Machinery
Our New hand and foot Power Circular Saw NO.4
The strongest, most powerful, and in every war the best
machine of its kind ever made, for ripping,
<:fOss-cutting, boring and grooving.
Send for our New Catalogue.
-We F. ®. JOHN BARNES CO.
654 ~uby
Street. ~ochford,
III.
The
Yeager furniture Company
ALLENTOWN,
PA.
NEW
UPHOLSTERED
PARLOR
FURNITURE
and NOVEL TIES
LINE
OF
- POLISHED
WOOD SEAT
ROCKERS
--IN-
An endless variety In Gold,
Gilt, Mabogany and Weathered
Oak Finishes.
BIRCH
OAK
ANp
MAHOGANY.
..•~.'-.UlM.".
"WE
MAKE
•• .><III.t ..............
OUR
OWN
FRAMES"
CODlple1eLine on Exhibition a.t
CHICAGO
Manufacturers'
ONLY
Exhibition
1319 MICUIGAN
AVENUE,
The Schirmer furniture Co.
SEVENTU
Building
FLOOR
Robbins Table Co.
OWOSSO,
MICHIGAN
Manufacturers
... of ...
Hall
Racks
Settees
Hanging
Racks
Center
Tables
1911-1915Elm Street,
CINCINNATI,0"10
No. 286 Improved Extension Table
Leaves stored in top
Center column does not d1vide
CATALOG AND PRICES TO DEALERS
ON REQUEST
,.
24
The Official Report.
capita dnes raid from the treasury of the state associations.
Therefore,
if the dealers wish to assist in movements
planned for the betterment of the retail trade, they must of
necessity become members of the state association.
I ....
vould
also recommend that the dues be reduced to $3.00 per annum
in order that every dealer in the state may become a member.
This wOlild leave liS $2,00 per member for om expense of
sending out circulars. letters, etc., after paying our per capita
tax of $r.oo, to the nati()J1al association.
I would urge that
dealers mail all complaints to our secretary, and if they cannot be adjusted by the state association the complaints will
be referred to the national association.
[recommend
the
election of three delegates and three alternates to the national
association to attend their meetings when that body is prepared to receive thenl.
1 ,",,'auld also recommend that the
members be informed from time to time by our secretary of
the work which is being done, 'so that the dealers who cannot. attend the meetings may know that their interests are
being taken care of."
The report of the executive committee showed that a Humber of. matters of interest to the members, which had been
referred by the committee to the secretary, had been adjusted
in a ma1111ersatisfactory to all those concerned.
An amendment to the by-la\vs was adopted, reducing the annual dues
from $5.00 to $3.00 r er year, and it was the sense of the meeting that this amount would afford stlff:cient rcvenue to pay
the running exrenscs
and IT-ake it easier to obtain !Jew
members.
During the rast year both the president and secretary
have corresponded with a Humber of mannfacturers
throughout the country and letters from many of these were read, announcing themselves in sympathy with the aims of the association and pledging themselves to confine their sales hereafter to the legitimate retailer of furniture and no longer
sell to mail order and premium houses; and a resolution ,'vas
llnanimollsly adopted commending the action of these ma:lufactnrcrs and pledging to them the !filpport and patronage
of 0111' members.
It was the sense of the meeting that in so far as it was
consistent with their bnsiness, the members should, in making their purchases. favor and ratronize
such buildings and
such lines of goods as are shown in exhibition buildings which
are used exclusively for wholesale purposes at all times.
A resolution was adopted expressing the regret of the
members at the death of the former vice president, B. F.
Cotharin, of Flint. Mr. Cotharin was a pionccr in this association movement, and bis presence was' sadl; missed at this
meeting.
Plans for incrcasing the membership were considered and
1.4.
Ifo./' ..
If•• JU.
(roil Bed.
p...lor Tsble.
the secretary instructed to carry them out and to use the
EneD1!lon Tsble.
F..".,
b"""" "•• m"oo, .'1
(".01<10;, "" 0' m.~op.o~: ..-_
ho",' b.... ,,.j,,,m;o(>
M.O',., I:Zi,~:~~~;~~.d'.~,
""ood ""'.' p;."" """ ... .,.]
funds ohthe association in the furtherance of these plans.
A rcsolution was adopted commending
the work being
A Good Sample Advertisement.
done bv the national association and pledging the continued
support of the l\.lichigan association in the work wbich the
lvlichigan Retail Furniture
Dealers' association was organnational has undertaken in the orga:,i7.ing of other state assoized September 24. 190I. On November 4 of that year ,ve had
ciations and the strengthening
of the associations
alrcady
membership of eighty. The battle was on for right principles
forllled. The election of officers resl1lted as follows.
Presiin trade so far as it affected the retailers of furnitnre.
The
dent, James ),-1. Keenan, Detroit: first vice president, George
battle is still on, although the factories generally <10 not sell
B. Gallup, Jackson; second vice president, \Vill Hanson, Monto consumers.
roe; secretary-treasurer.
Charles C. Roscllbury,
Bay City;
"The national association, since organized', has taken into
executive committee, D. M. "regner,
chairman, Grand Rapconsideration
the mail order houses and the giving away of
ids; W. E. Barker, Dctroit; F. J. Schutt, 1'\'lol1l1tClemens;
furniture as premiums is also receiving its attention; and I
Charles A.H ager. i\larquette; T. R Donovan, Saginaw.
believe that all matter affecting the retail trade will receive
The elect;o:, of the l~resident was made on the third ballo~.
its careful consideration.
r recommend that members of onr j\,{r. Barker v,,·as re-elected ont he first and second ballots, hut
state association give it their liberal and hearty support.
I
declined the honor.
1 Ie cxpressed bis appn~ciation of the
also recommend that Ollr incoming president cause to be sent
honor ~'hich had already been conferred upon him by the
to every furniture dealer in the .state a circular letter giving
association. and of the further honor ,vhich they proposed to
full information as to the national association and calling atconfer by his re-election. bnt thought for the good of the astention to the fact t11at it is maintained in its work by per
sociation that it would be wisc to elect someone efse to the
An enthusiastic gathcrillg of the members of the )'lichigan
Retail Furniture
Dealers' association
convened at .Detroit,
:vrich., recently, the occasion being the anl1nal meeting of the
association.
The convention was called Oil very brief notice, and for
that reaeOH 111an)' of the dealers from the interior were unable
to be present.
Letters and telegrams from a number were
received, regretting their inability to be present but pladging
the association a continuance
of their moral and financial
snpllOrt.
Tt was not intended that this meeting should be
called for anything more than the transaction of routine business and the election of officers, but it turned out to be a very
enjoyable affair for all those who attended.
In his opening remarks President
Barker said:
"The
If ...
_.f" _.
C'OlQ'"
25
office.
It was
hard
for
the
members
to g-ive Hp Yilr. Barker,
wi!'.cly and well.
Mr. Lewis also declined
re-election
as secretary-treasurer,
expressing
himself
of the belief that a chang-e in that off-ice
would also be beneficial,
and he fHrtller stated
that his personal affairs duril1g the coming year would scarcely
give him
time to do justice
to the duties of secretary~trcast1rer.
Resollltions
were unanimol\sly
adopted
expressing
to 1\1r.
as he has sexved th('. association
Canadian
shore
and served
with
a fish and game
dinner.
Other
refreshments
and cigars were fmnished
in abundance.
After
rctH1"11ing from the Canadian
shore
a Dumber
of the
members
left the yacht at Belle Tsle and returned
to the city
in automobiles.
Altogether
it was a very enjoyable
occasion,
although
no plans had been made beforehand
for any entertainment.
Sues an Undertaker
for Carelessness.
Charles
A. :"IcGowan,
a liveryman
at "Vest hope, N. D.,
has started
a novel suit which may bring out some fine points
of law in his action for damages
against
Benjamin
Romanson, an undertaker
at Souris,
for $.=i,600.
:rVlcGowan claims
that 11(', (',11gage.d Romallson
to ("mhallH
the remains
of his
wife so that they might be sent to Northwood,
her old home,
fnr burial.
F-I e asserts
that the undertaker
perfo:med
the
service
so negligently
and nnskillfully
as to make
them
Manufactured
by Northern
Furniture
Co" Sbeboygan,
Wis.
Barker
and 1\1r. Lewis
the thanks
and appreciation
of the
members
for the excellent
seT\'ice rendered
the association
during
their terms
in office.
The meeting
then adjonrncd,
s\lbject
to the can of the
president.
Tile meeting
was called strictly
for bl1siness purposes
and no elltertaitllnellt
was c011templated.
However.
the members
of the Detroit
association
are an exceedingly
ManufaClurlOd by \Voodard
Furniture
Co., Owosso, Mich.
wholly worthless,
and that by the time
N ortl1'wood
it vvas in such a condition
to bold all orderly
ft111cral or to allow
tn view the remaim;.
lh. );JC.GOW'a11
rJtlietus to his outraged
feelings
and the
and mortification
he has suffered
as a
the body had reached
that it was impossible
relatives
and friends
seeks the $5,(>00 as a
intense mental agony
result
of Romanson'S
carelessness.
Manufactured
by Udell Works, Indianapolis,
Ind.
hospitable
lot, and they were not to be denied the privilege
of entertaining:
those who were present,
and during the day
and previolls
to the meeting
plans were hastily
perfected
for
giving the visitors
a good time.
A special car was arranged
for that took the members
from the city to the Belle Isle
bridge, ..."here they boarded
a launch and were taken to Belle
Isle.
After the mee1illg adjourned
the members
again went
aboard
the launch and were taken to a popular
resort
on the
At a special election
held at St. Johns,
Mich., a proposition to bond the city fOf $15,000 to purchase
the real estate
and building
of the Table
company
was carried
by a large
majority.
It is expected
that at least two new factories
will
be established
there-a
furniture
factory
from .Chic.ago
and
an automobile
factory
from Detro-it.
A. D. Gibson
& 'Co., retail fUfniture
dealers,Memphis,
Tenn.,
are enlarging
their quarters,
having
leased additiot}al
warehouse
room, giving them the entire Main street building,
in which a handsome
art department
will be installed.
26
THE ONLY CASTER CUP THAT WILL NOT MAR OR SWEAT
A New Caster CUP. a Furniture
QUARTER-SAWED
Protector and a Rest
We guamntl!'e perfect .satisfaction.
We know we have
the (tilly perfect c-a'!iter cup ever
made. This cup is in two sizE's,
as follows: 2~ inch and 3 inch,
and we use the cork bottom.
You know the Test
INDIANA
VENEERS
WHITE OAK
CHOIC~ FIGURI<;
I<;XTR<I. WIDTHS
Small size, $3.60 I)e, 100
Large size,
4.60 per 100
Try it and be CDIlVilJced.
O. B. Gratld Rapids.
:Eo"
Our Concave Bottom Card
Rlock does not touch the suriace, but upon Ihe rim. permitting a circulation of air under the bluck, thereby preveotintr moisture .. r
marks of any kInd. ihis is the only card block of its kind on the market.
When writing for pric('~. mention widths required
and kind of figure preferred.
HOFFMAN
Price $3.00 per 100
Grand Rapids Caster Cup Co"
2 ''''wood A"..
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Also can be bad at LUSSKY. WHITE & COOLIDGE. 111-113Lake St.. Chicago
ROCKFORD UNION
FURNITURE CO.
ROCKFOJ{[),
ILL.
Buffets,
Bookcases,
China Closets
\Ve lead in Style, COllstruct:oll
and Finish.
SEE
OUR
BROTHERS
Fort Wayne
A fir~tclass factory, at present making tables, in
~ood .sourhern location near to splendid timber
supply, arId having first-class transp0r1ation facilities, ]s for sale. If parties will investigate before
July 15th, _an advantageolls offer will be made.
Information about plant will be furnished hy
Indiana
W~
manufacture the largCifltline of FOLDING
C H AI R S in the United
States, suitable for Sunday
Schools, Halls, Steamers and
all Public Re$orts.
We al"io manufacture
Bral's
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Beds, Cots and Cribs in a
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Send for Catalogue
and Pric'es to
Kauffman
CATALOGUE.
Furniture Factory for Sale
CO.
Mfg. CO.
A~"LA~D,
0"10
Morton House
American
......Plan
Rates $2.50 and Up
Hotel Fantlind
European
.....rlan
Rates $1.00 and Up
M. V. RICHARDS,
l.and and Industrial Ag'ent. Southern
WASHINGTON,
D. C.
CHAS. S. CHASE,
612 Cbemical
Agent.
Building,
ST. LoUiS, MO.
Railway,
225 llearhorll StTl~et,
CHCAGO, ILL
TRAINS
fOUR
TO .t..ND
fROM C" ICAGO
•
lhe Noon Dinner Served ~tthe fanllind
for 50c: is the FINEST IN THE WORLD
M. A. HAYS, Agent,
J.
WHY
Lv Gd. Rapids 7:10am
Ar ('h1cag:o 1:15pm
Lv Gd. Rapids 12:051111
Ar Chicago 4:50pm
Lv Gd, R",p,ds 4:25 pm daily Ar ClJicago H>:55pm
Lv Gd. Ravids 11:.'0"m dail)' Ar Chica~
6:55 am
Pulltnan Sleeper, open 9:00 pm on 11:30 pm train every day. CaE...service on
all day traillS. 5t'rvice ll. la carte.
PeTe Marquette Pad..,r cars on all day trains.
Rate reduced to 50 Ce'TltS.
T"REE
.
TRAINS
TO AND fROM
H.
PHONE 1168
OVER
J.
G RAY,
AND
Grand Rapids
fore $2_00 one "'By
3.75
RoUl:ld Trip
Leav~ Chica2"Q 7;45 p.m. daily
Leavr::Grand Rapids7:40p.m.
daily
MICHIGAN"
Grand Rapids,Micb.
BOAT?
Chicago
DET R 0 IT
lHS [ RICT PASSENGER AGIi;~"l,
GO BY
Prop.
BfTWEEN
Leave Grand Rapids 7:)(1 atn
Arrive Delroit H::,S am
Leave j;,alld Rapids 11:25 am daily Arrive DeuQit 3:25I>m
Leave Grand Rapids 5:20 pm
Arrive Detroit 10:05 pm
Meals served a 1a cane' on trains leaving Gral',1 Rapids at 11:25am and
5::10 pm. Pere Marquelle Parlor Cars on all !Tail'S; ~ea! late. 2s cents.
"ALL
NOT
BOYD PANTLIND.
Reserve
berths
at 103 Adams St., Cbicago,
Docks foot Michigan
91 Monro~ Street, Grand Rapids. Mich.
Ave.
~-----------------------
----
27
Worked Raised Postal Order Game.
The
Racine
(\Vis.)
yapcrs
print
a story
of a young
man
giving the name of William 1'. Crane, who is believed to have
defrauded one of the local furniture de,alers of about $30.
None of the dealers, however, witl admit the "touch."
The
presence of the same [:erson is greatl] desired in Chicago,
where he "vorked at least eight furniture dealers.
The first
seen of the man ...vas about two weeb; ago, when he visited
the Belle City FUfniltlTe Store.
At tbat r1ace lIe presented
a rostoffice lllOney order for $50, drawll at the Kenosha
oft-lee. He asked to have the ordc'- cashed there, 1mt was refused. He next went to the Thronson
Flli"tlitllfC
company.
where
he Llsed different
tactics.
He
bought
a s.ideboard
and
offered a postoffice order ill payment.
\Vhen the clerk refused to accept it the str<lnger asked that the sir!eboard be
delivered to 1431 Owen avenue all the following :\lonrlay,
where the teamster could collect al lhe house.
Meeting with poor success at tllese places, he shifted to
Manufactured
stranger was at the Northwestern
depot, where it is thought
he boarded a train for Mi.lwankee.
Initial Appearance
Stewart Brothers, of Columbus, 0., have just issued th("
tirst number of "The Busy Store News-," a periodical named
afler and published ill the interests of their well-known hO'lse
fllfllishing establishment
in that city.
"The Busy Store
News" is a neat TOXT2 inch, eight-page "illustrated magazine
of fashions in furniture and kindred subjects," of special interest to theil· present and prospective patrollsin
the retail
trade.
The n~agazine, which' i5 to be issued monthly, is
printed on good p:\)er in plain, rearlable type, and contains
enlivening bits of store news on everyone of its pages. Each
department of the store is represented, and in many instances
half-tone cuts of the different flool's and displays are effectively llsed. Bright al1d crisp little verses and short articles
written in h'mnorol1s vein are well distributed
through its
by Manistee Manufarturi!lg
the jewelry store of \Vicgalld Brothers. \ivhere he wanted to
purchase a phol10grat:h on the same terms.
He met with a
cold recertion there also, and again he hied himself to a fllTniture dealer, this timc visiting the Porter Fnrnitt1re company, where he })nrchascd another sideboard and asked that
it be delivered to the number 011 Owen avenue.
lvInnday
morning there \,,-'ere two sideboards loaded on wagons and
taken to O\'<"en avemte, hnt the dr-ivers co,lld lind no such
number as given by the stranger. and they were retul'tled to
the stores.
It has been learned
that the stranger rosed as a
carpenter contractor
who was to build a large fiat building.
(I e had engaged rooms on \Visconsill street and on Sunday
morning asked the landlady for the location of a nice church.
as it was his usual custom to a~tend divine service on the
Sabbath.
Son ....
e of the other l~()ardeTs at the 11011seare accustomed to having beer at the table, and it ...vas tbought advisable to take that beverage from the bill of tare for that
day on account of the Christian-like
demeanor of the new
boarder.
Imagine their surprise when he readily accepted
the invitation to join them in a drink. The last scen of (he
of "The Busy Store News."
Company,
Manistee,
pages, making
library table.
Mic.:h.
in ail a periodical
well worthy
A Check and the "Money;'Refunded"
a place on the
Plan.
l-1 e h<J.donly a check for $57, and needed $7 at once.
rhe
banks were aU closed and he tried half a dozen friends,
in
vain
Then he thought of a lJig department store where his
face was known to the cashier.
··Can you cash this. check for me?" he asked.
"I could for merchandise,"
the cashier replied, "but I
COllldn't give you money for all of it."
"Suppose I buy fifty doHan;' worth, can you give me the
change ?"
"all, yes, there's no trontIe about that."
So the man with the check went to the jewelry deI'artment, pick~,d out a fifty-dollar
watch, paid with the check, got
seven dollars' ~hange, and two days later returned the watch
and got llis fifty dol1ars. "Handy, this scheme of the stores
takillg things back," he said.
7IR'T' I >S' 7IJ"l
28
;;;; SF·
Observations of a Representative of the Artisan.
Evansville,
and surprise
Aug.
tbat
25.-Tt
0111"
was
with
a feeling
of admiration
of the l\'lichigan Artisan's
representa-
tives visited
for the tir~:t time the city of Evansville
in the
middle
of the present
month.
Admirably
located
on the
banks of the Ohio river, rich in historic
associations
with the
departed
red man and the frontiersman
ofa
hundred
yea1"S
ago, this city, above whose limits rises the smoke from scores
of humming factories, impresses the visitor at once as one
of the . 1110st wide-a. wake and p.fogressive
cities in -the south.
The proverllial hospitality of the south is also one of the
n~arked d:aracteristics of Evansville'>;
atmosphere
with which
the visitor
comes in contact. One cannot help becoming" imbued with the feeling that in this attractive city there is
"something doing" all the time and that a mueh greater city
is t11C future of Evansvilk
Ma'lat{er Karges, of the Karges Fmnittlre company, rcrOtts t: ade with his conlj:'any thus (ar this year as very good,
with the exception
of the interruption
,"vhich has COIJlL' to
their sOLlthern trade Oil account of the yellow fever epidemic.
The company's trade from the western states continues to
be holding ant in good shape.
The Evansville
Furniture
company, manufacturers
of
bedsteads. wardrobes, safes, tallies, oak chamber sllites, chairs
and rockers, and jobbers o( all kinds of furniture, is one o(
the largest and most prominent in the big list of Evans\cjl1c's
furniture industries.
:o..lr.HGus" N onwei1cr states that a brand
new line of case goods, entirely new stuff, is beiJlg gotten
out, prices ranging from $6.00 to $20.00; oak bedroom suites
with prices up to $50.00. A new line of chiffoniers is also to
form another department of this company's big output.
Philip N onweiler, the president 'aud treasmer of the Evansville Furniture company, at this writing is seriously ill
with typhoid fever. Grave fears arc entertained as to the
outcQrre, owing to the fact that R'lr. Nonwciler is about sixtyfive years of age.
The American
Ph'arnI<1caJ company,
2D5 Upper First street,
Evansville, are manufacturing a polish that is making Evansv.ille famolls. This article is called ;'Natl's Red Star Polish,"
for furniture, pianos. ollice allJ bar fixtures, iron beds, carriages, automotiles, etc. tt is the only perfect polisher and
cleaner that insmes that peculiar factory finish. It contains
110 acid, dries instantly,
does 110t leave the furnitme gummy
or sticky. aud is endorsed and used hy the largest furnitLlre
factories and dealers.
The reputation of "Nall's Red Star
Polish" is such that it has been on the market Ior tell years
and never a customer disappointed.
There is no disagreeable or offensive odor connected \....
ith it, and it has the backing of such widely known fllrnitme <:ompanies and other concerns as the Karges Furniture company, Crescent Furnitllre
company, T ndiana Furniture company, Evansville Desk company, Eli D. Miller F.olding Bed company, City National
tank and the Old State National bank, of Evansville; the Reliable Furniture company, Memphis, Tenn.; Rhodes-Haverty
Furniture comr:any, of A.tlanta, Ga.; ]. VV.Gleaves & Son, of
Paducah, Ky., as well as hundreds of others who use and
recommend tl1(~same. The "Nall's Red Star Floor Polish"
is the only polish for Jloor use, as it gives the appearance of
hardwood floors, leaving a polish instead of an oily, greasy
surface, which is the the great objection to floor oils, as tl~ey
rresent an llnsighlly appearance ,aud accumulate dust and
dirt.
The American Pharmacal company enjoy a very large
trade, not only generally. all these goods, but especially so in
the south.
Mr. J. H. Rohsenberger, manager of the American Pharmacal company, spent a ten-day trip in the early part of the
present month in the cast, including a trip to Buffalo and also
several cities in the state of Ohio.
The Globe Furniture company will from now on make a
full line of dining
room and hall furniture, was the st<l.tement recently made by Secretary-Treasurer
TIenjamin Bosse
to the Michigan Artisan's representative.
l\ll previous lines
thal have been made will be continued and not dropped, but
K. U. goods will be cut out and go to the Bosse Furniture
Company, whose fine plant is an addition to tbe Globe Futnilure company.
All lines dropped by the Globe will he made
in the Bosse factory.
The Bosse Fnrniture company have a strong line for the
coming fall and spring trade. This company opened up ill
their splendid new plant June I. The Bosse factory is a structure .39DX60, exclusive of the boiler house.
l\Ianager ,Edward Ploeger says business is such tbat the plant has been
kept btlSy right along and the trade is g~od from all seetions
of the COUll try.
V\o'illiam A. Koch, secretary and treasurer of the Evansville Metal Bed company, returned Augitst 16 from a short
tri) to St. Louis.
The Evansviite Metal Bed company haye issued a Heat
condensed catalogue entitled ;;~lidst1tnmer Musings" on the
Hanner
line. This comp,'wy occupy one of the most. complete factories of its kind in the United States and in workmanship and finish the line is a top notcher.
l\lanager Smith, of the Smith Chair company, says his
company are having an excellent trade this year, notwithstanding the fact that 1904 was the biggest year in their history. The Smith Chair company manufacture a standard line
of wood, cane, dOllble cane, cobbler, tufted cobbler and fancy
veneer seat chairs and rockers, all kinds of child's chairs are
also manufactured.
Notwirhstanding
their fire jn May, the
company were ready for business on June '1. The line of
fancy chairs and rockers has been largely increased this
year. The Smith Chait· company have men in their employ
who have been with the comj: any continuously the past forty
years and who turn out for their em:Joyers the old Boston
rockers and the old Douglas office chairs-goods
that are
being manufactured in EvansvitJe by this' COlTIpanyonly.
C. 1.. Vt/ood, of Grand Rapids, representative for Winslow
Brothers & Smith company, manufacturers of glue and gelatine, Chicago, visited the local trade on the 15th inst.
William L. C.aldwell, J ndianapolis representative
for L. J.
11cCIoskey & Co., makers of varnishes and japans, Philadelphia, was in Evansville on the 15th inst., calling on the
furniture trade.
The Boeksteg~ Furniture company have just added a uew
department to their line in dressing tables made in quartered
oak, and also a large addition to their regular line in extension and library tables made in quartered oak, imitation quartered oak and solid oak. These additions are all new patterns
and are very sllbl't.1nrial in make-up and attrnctive jn appearance. Manager Jourdan rc;orts the company's tra~le as very
good and up to last year in volume.
E. A. Schor, formerly receiving teller for the City National
bank, of Evansville, recently resigned his position to be~
come the bookeeper for the Karges Furniture company.
P. B. Fellwock. the bookkeeper for some time past ,."ith
the Karges Furniture company, has, with two brothers, organized the Fellwock Roll & Panel company.
His hrother
William was formerly engjl~eer, and his l::rotherFred
was a
cabinet maker, also in tbe employ o( the Karges Furniture
cnmpany.
The Fcllwock Roll & Pand comrany have taken
29
the building
fonnerly
occupied
by the Bosse l'l1rniture
company on .Fourth avellue and Illinois street.
l-]. N. Hall, of Grand Rapids,
Ivlich., has takcn the management
of the Evansville
Bookcase
& Table company.
A
numbcr
of new improvements
are to be made, including
a
ncw factory addition,
to be located on Second avenue and adjoining
the present
plant, located
corner
Second
aVe11l1C and
Ohio street.
vVork Oil the new structure
'\vill begin Septem-
the concern
IS having
a very fair trade this year, the demand
for goods being genera1.
ScheIosky
& Co., manufacturers
of dining, kitchcll,
office
al1(l restaluant
tables.
arc having
in mind the erection
of a
considerable
addition
to their present
furniture
plant, the demand for their goods being such,states
Mr. Riehl, that it
would seem at this time an imperative
nccessity
that a larger
plant be put up.
ber T. It '\vill be three stories
high, with basement,
and will
be ul.adc o( brick.
Manager
1-1 all intends gethllg O\lt an entire
llew line of goods, "I'·hich will be ready for the market
next
January.
Mr. Hall is a well-known
gentleman
to the furniture trade at large, having had a large experience
in the management
of various
furniture
enterpriscs;
and is also well
known as one of the best designers
in the trade,
A visitor among the furniture
factorics
finds, among other
important
industrics,
tlWl of the Specialty
Furniture
company, manufacturers
of chamber
suites, odd dressers
and chiffoniers at Indiana
street alld Elsas avenue.
Secretary-Treasurer H. J. Ruschc
states
that a department
of high priced
suites will he one of the additiollS
to this comrany's
line, the
goods being in plain oak alld quartered
oak.
The Evansville
Veneer co~npany, one of the new concerns
of this city, organized
recently,
have their new plant in operation
and located
Oil the
Belt Line.
Business
with this
company
is rushing,
the capitalizati'on
being $35,000.
Manager Talge, who has becn in the veneer business
for twentyfOlll years, is at the head of this ne'\\' and enterprising
comrally and its principal
owner.
T\.Jr. Talge was formerly
secretary and treasurer
of the Talge
Ma'lOgany
company,
In::li-
trip
Manager
Reitz, of the Standard
Chair
east during the 6rst half of the current
company,
month.
made
a
The Buehncr
Chair company
have been having' a splendid
trade sincc July I. I\{anager T-I. J. Lichtellfeld
says tr:de bas
been picking up rapidly since that tlate, and a big part of the
trade ls coming in from Texas.
The Buehner
Chair company
are one of the oldest h1rniture
companies
in Evansville,
having b"een established
the past forty years.
l\lanagcr
Lictellfeld has been with the company
since J872, having
worked
his way up to his present
position.
Tho::; company's
trade
comes largely from Texas, Tcnnessee,
Kelltucky,
Illinois
and
Indiana.
H. H. Schu, the treasurer
o[ the Crescent
pany, anf! TvIrs. 5cht1 returned
fro111 a two
trip east, including
Niagara
l'al1s.
FnTllitui"e comwceks'
pleasnre
The Crescent
Furniture
company
are having
a good volume of trade this year, is the statement
of Treasnrer
Schu.
The company's
trade is not confined
to any particlliar
section, but is general
and comes from all parts
of the United
States.
The Crescent
line is being displayed
in Chicago,
10
the Karpen
building,
187 IHichigall
avenue,
with
Hall
&
Knapp.
The Artisan's
representative
called on the Grote lVranllfacturing
company,
f01.1ndet"s and
machinists,
117-129 Third
avenue,
and in interviewing
Mr. Grote
fonnd thal lhis concern is doing an excellent
busilless
this year.
This concern
has been established
eighteen
years.
'Vhile the tradc comes
generally
from all. sections, this company
enjoy an especially
large measure
of business from the states in the south.
The Hohenstein-Hanmetz
l<urniture
company,
manufacturers of fine furniture,
arc one of the recent additiol1s to the
big list of Evansville's
furniture
manllfacturingindustries.
This company
manufacture
a complete
line of music cabinets
and parlor tables made in mahogany
an'(J oak.
1v(essrs. G. A.
Hartmetz
and Alhert Hohenstein c.ompose this
concern.
They state that a new department
will be opened by the addition of a line of ladies'
desks, ,,·,:hich 'will be ready fur the
J an nary season,
J906.
One of the best-know"l1 Evansville
concer11S to the furniture trade is Conrad
Haase, manfadurer
of conches,
lounges
and mattresses
a11(l jobber in sprillgs and cots.
This COllccm
is one of the oldest in Evansville,
having becn established
in
J860. An excellent
trade is enjoyed
from the south and immediate
vicinity
of Evansville.
The Evansville
Spring Bed company,
manufadl1rers
of the
Sllfprise
sp6'ng bcd, are one of the smaller
concerns
of Evansville.
The goods, guaranteed
not to sag, dust and vermin
proof and combining
the features
of ease, durability
and comfort, make this article one of the strong ones of its kind in the
furniture
field.
Henry
Huck, proprietor,
says he is having a
good trade
on these goods,
the demand
for them
coming
especially
from sOl1thern Indiana
and Kenttlcky.
ture
The Indiana
Furnitllre
plants of Evansville.
COtnl)ally
President
aYe one
Herman
of the big {1.1rniG. Menke states
A FLORENTINE
INTERIOR.
anapolis.
Iud .. and was also for a number
of years with the
I,'rost Velleer
company,
of Indianapolis.
The company
have
OTle of the most complete
veneer plants in the United
States,
the building
being of brick. with cement
floors, and almost
fire proof.
It is probably
the best equipped
plant for producing
all kinds of veneers.
The company
turn out sawed
oak and all kinds of rotary
cnt stuff.
It.is equipped
,,,,ith a
230-horse-power
engine.
Fifty hands arc employed
and trade
is coming
from all sections.
The plant
started
operations
on Decoration
day.
A very well lighted
and commodious
o f-Ticc, completely
equipped
throughout,
has been built sepa:-ate from the main plant.
Benjamin
M. Cohen, traveling represcl1tative
for the Hickson 1\lal.lufactnr111g company,
of Mill1cic, Ind., was in Evansville on the 16th and 17th inst.
Mr. Cohen covers
Illinois,
lv] issol1ri and Iowa for his company
and 'has just taken on St.
r .ollis also as his territory.
Thiel & v\lelter,
of Bellingham,Wash.,
have bought
Oltt
the local holdillgs
of the Standard
Furniture
company,
which
am.onntf:d to ab()llt $25,000.
They will move their stock and
fixtures
inlO the new store.
30
?
:c.
HORN fiROS. MFG. CO.
281 to 291 W. Superior St .. CHICAGO. ILL.
MANUFACTURERS
Chamber Suites.
Of'
Odd Dressers.
Chiffoniers
UDiES' DRESSINGT4BLES to match
Made in Golden Oak, Genuine Maho~any Veneered, Birdseye Maple,
White Enamel Highly Pohsbed or Dull Finisb.
SOME. OF OUR. NEW DRESSERS
Oak.
Oval
or Square
61....
-Made
In Quarter_Sawed
We also make II line of PRINCESS DRESSERS from $1300 uP. In
Quarter-Sawed Oak, Mahogany and BirdsEye Maple, Veneered
If you have not received OUt Spring Supplement, ask for it.
SAMPLES SHOWN BY PECK & HILLS 1319Michigan Avenue, and
HALL
& KNAPP,
187 Michigan
Avenue,
Chicago,
UElBYVILLE
DESK CO.
S
MAN\lFACTURlU:S
Office
OF"
Furniture
MAHOGANY AND IMITATION
QUART£.RED QAK. PLAIN OAK
[n Three GradeJ
4 full Line. Up-to-Date. Exhibited
EIGHTH
FLOOR.·
1319 Michigan Avenue
A A Chicago ~ A
Write for Latest Catalogue.
SHEL8YVILLE,
• • • INDIANA
Embossinu and DrOD
Garvinu Ma6hin6S
Machines for
a II purposes,
and at prices
within
the
reach of all.
EveryI,(achine
has our guar·
anlee against
breakage for
one year
"RotarY Style" for Droll Carvinos, Embossed MouldinG, Panel$. Etc.
UNION EMBOSSING MACHINE CO. INDIANAPOLIS, IND.
"Lateral
Style" lor Laroe Capacity Heavy Carvings and
Deep Embo$$ings
We have the Machine you want at a satisfactory
for descriptive circulars.
price.
Write
31
SALESMANSHIP
A SCIENCE.
lishtran's
",-heel just as the Englishman
wants
it,
lo:-eig'n traJe
has incrcased
until
brctllch
houses
necessary
in T.ivcrpool
and London.
Here
a man lcarn~d
saiesmanship
after a long
learned
it as so many have to do, through
the avenue
duction.
Art for art's sake is SO:lH'thing to command
miration
for the ma,} who ma1'~es f<lcrihces.But
merely for the sake of business
becomes
an absurdity.
Plays an Important Part Throughout One's Business Career
-Failures Without It.
\Vhen
the
avcrag-c
man
y01111g
has
settler!
riolls contemplation
of his opl:ortunitics
mistake if one of his fIrst recogllitiollS
or
dowll
to a se-
in life. he m.akes a
business principles
has 1I0t bee'l to 1 tit the abl11ty for ~alesH::anshll) <It Ullce upon
a p:destal.
There, tinally, t1111st be his o:ljWrtllnity.
From
the comn::Ollcst
of levels of the proposition
to the highest
:\ profession
of recent
development,
but Ol1e which
has
a.lready heen re(lueed
to a science,
is that of window
trim1111l1g. This work, which less than ten Yf.:ars ago was doue
by any clerk, is now one of the most im.ortant
a ivertising
branches
of every large reta]
establishment.
In small towns
all over the country
the mereLants
employ
a man for this
one position,
while metropolitan
fir::::::) maintain
s::ecial
departments
to dress their windows.
1t is a profession
whi(;h pays its followers
according
to
their ........
·orth. not according
to how long they have followed
1t. A boy may start in a window
tri;11ming department:
drawillg $5 a week for carrying
tbe stock to the Ulan who does
{}le trimming
itself, and by karning
the merdandise
8lJd the
test
lllethods
of displaying
it, raise
himself
to a I:osition
cO;l1n~andillg- $60 to ~ICO a ,,,,eek.
Almost
any yo"ltllg man of
artistic
tastes
and talent,
combined
with a -good memory,
is
ca:-ah1c of becoming
an expert
window'
dresser
wl~en once
he ha.s learned
the stock.
Perha:s
one of the most important requisite:,
of a good decorator
is a rosres~ion
of knowledgc of feminine
1a::,te5; Tn addition
to the fel11ini~c idea of
bea;1ty he must po.~se!'s a knowledge
of color.
He, must instinctively
and by rule know what colors associate
with each
other without
friction,
are
diEappointed
a:lC1 estranged
.
.:'.10nc:.: in the last allalysis
is a mere medium
of exchange.
1f some"where
in the unexplored
depths
of the arctic circle
of Alaska another
Pike's peak of virgin gold sudr1cnly should
he discoverer!'
grlld as this medium
of excha11gc
and metal
of nllal reclem::tioll
virtually
would go the 'rIcay of the old
shell wampum
of the aborigine.
Thus,
with mOl1ey as the
medium
of exchange
only, salesmanship
becomes
to the citizen a facl'lty
that enters
il1to every material
rela~ioll of his
civilized
life.
The 111an who contracts
to give the fruits
of
hand or crain to a trade or a rro(e"sioll
bas made a sale of
these commodities.
.A. nel ill th:'s manIler
tJlis first sale that
he has ever made may be the most serious
sale that he is evcr
called UpCJtl to 1l1ake. "Uo yon know, 1 came near going il1to
tJat bt1~int'~s V1.+cn 1 was a yotl1lg [nan," is an expression
so
often heard of me11, with an intonation
of regTet in the utteranct:'.
Always
it is the speaker's
morc or less ripencd
judgment in rrotest
against
his tirst tad deal in selling
his future
to an unpronta1:::1e avocation.
IF
YOU
HAVE
gol1
DETROIT
YOU
HAVE
YET
TO
YORK
BOSTON
NEVER
TRIED
OUR
AND
VARNISHES
LEARN
NOT
PUT
THE
IT
BERRY BROTHERS,
NEW
\iVindow
trimming
,is work
that cannot
be 'done
by the
The window
trimmer
must forget
the item of time
entirely.
At times
during
a [ale
he may
have
little
or
nothing
to do, and again just before
one may have to work
twenty-four
hours at a stretch
to get his work done 011 time,
The pay of a window
trimmer
averages
about
$25 for the
mall of experience.
A beginner
may be paid $5, he may be
paid -$20, entirely
according
to I...is ability.
But if he is a
window
trimmer
of ability and makes it his business
to know
the merchandise
carried
by his firm, he will be found out and
his pay raised
proportionately.
Good window
trimmers
are
alv,'a?s ill demand.
It must not I:e thought
that a rlccorator
hts no t[ouLles.
He has.
The head trimmer
must 1:::ea man
of tad,
or he is sure to clash with buyer and merchandise
n:an.
Fa~'h may have a different
idea all how a certain
line
should
be displayed.
It thcn becomes
the trimmer's
business
to listen to the other two men, profit by their views, do the
job the way he thinks best, and still satisfy
his superiors.
clock
RUBBING
'POLISHING
FACTORY
WHY
lessollof prothe adbusiness
Window Trimming Art Opens Nc,v Employment.
possibilities
in ct1slncc:s ethics, salesmanship
is in the Sl1rremacy.
\J\,'ithout it the prcrlllccr and the consumer
alike
Tn the aspects
of ~alesmallship
from its material
~:ide, it
is the common
acce]ltance
that the perSOll ,vho succeeds
in
exchanging
goods for money
is the 011C qlesman
embodying
all of salesmanship
in the transaction.
This is a half truth.
It is through
the intervention
of money
as the mcdium
of
exchange
that this idea. is current.
The
whole
:=;er"ice of
money
to a man is to allov\" of his choosing
anyone
of a
score of things
that should
a:: pEal to him after the sale of
his work has been accomplished.
[n our complex
civilization the art of salesmanship
becomes
as ho::elessly
lost as
arc the processes
of putting
a cntting
edge upon a copper
chiseL
Some of the best types of the prodllcer
in the best
lines of competition
arc hopeless
fail tires because
of this lack
of salesmanship
in the highest
sense.
"\Ve have made a success of manufactnring
hcyclcs
for the British
trade after it
haJ cost \1S $25,000 in arlvcrtising
and eXj'erinlentation,"
said
the manager
of an American
factory
\-vhich 110W has a hranch
house in Liverpuol.
"\Ve took hold of the wrong end of the
proposition,
determining
that we would
sell the American
type of wheel to the Englishman.
But after hvo years and
the loss of n1a~ly thot13and
dollars,
we arc makillg
the Eng-
and our
are now
TO
FULL
THE
POSSIBILITIES
TEST
LIMITED,
PHILADELPHIA
FACTORY
BALTtMORE
AND
CANADIAN
MAIN
BV GIVING
OF
US
VARNISH
CHICAGO
OFFICE,
ST.
THIS
A TRIAL
FACTORY
CLASS
OF
GOODS
ORDER
MANUFACTURERS
LOUIS
CINCINNATI
DETROIT
CAl'fAOfAI'I
SAN
FRANCISCO
FACTc;:IRY. WAL,ttERVlLL£,
ONT,
JAMESTpWN, N. Y.
MANUFACTURERS
OF
DRESSERS AND
CHIFFONIERS
hI Plain and $!!!artered Oak,
MahogaNy fwd BirdJt_'Y£
Maple.
PERMANENT
EXHIBITS
AT ---- ... ---------
Chicago
and
New
York
Grand Rapids Foremost Line of
OFFICE DESKS
Ahead of all previous efforts in
the Manufacture of a complete
line of Cheap, Medium and High
Grade
ROLL AND FLAT TOP
OFFICE DESKS
NEW FALL CATALOGUE MAILED
TO DEALERS
VALLEY
ON REQUEST.
CITY DESK COMPANY
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
33
LUCE FURNITURE CO.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
Makers of Medium Priced
CHAMBER AND DINING
FURNITURE
EN SUITE
SEND FOR CATALOGUE
Mentkln Michigan Arlisan
The Better Way.
It is surprising how many people accept infericir articles
simply because they are led to believe they are cheap. "Cheap
stuff" is almost invariably expensive in the long run, as in
most cases it is worthless. This is particularly true in the
furniture business.
In order to sell twelve chamber suites
fOf $100 the manufacturer
must combine cheap ILimber \yith
cheap labor, cheap varnish and cheap trimmings, ard the
result is that no matter how low the price at which it is sola
to the consumer, he has raid too much-has in reality been
"buncoed" out of his money. Abont the first discovery· he
fasten the responsibility where it belongs, but that does not
help the fellow who was "buncoed."
Now all of tbis trouble, at least so far a6 the pulls are
concerned, could have been avoided by the use of the Tower
patent fastener, which wouldeost no more with the' fasteners
than without them, and whatever else might have l:appened
to that pjece of furniture, "the pulls would never become loose
and would last as long as the furniture" held together.
If
merchants insist on cheap suites let" the'm also insist that the
Tower patent fasteners (made by the Grand Rapids Brass
eomrany) shall be llsed on every dresser, chiffonier and commode. So long as they cost no m0t:e than other makes of tte
same grade that does not have them there is .tbsolutely no
valid excuse for the merchant not insisting en them. This is
the better way.
Take the Graham & Morton
cago and Grand Rapids.
Line steamers between Chi-
THE NEW BANQUET TABLE TOP
as well as
Office,
Dining
makes is that the cheap man who did the fitting in the factory
used the cheap pressed drn:wer pulls, hastil.y fastened them
with orc,linary screws, which, becoming loose, have work,~d
Ollt and become lost, while the pull has dropped doV\'o, probably bent out of all resemblance to the original.
The bale
has fallen out and the drawCf front, poor as it ",;a,; in the
11rst place, has been scratched up and marred, making a 'bad
job '''lorse. Then he goes to the merchant with his '2.dmplaillt.
The merchant throws the blame onto the manufacturer, who
in turn throws it back onto the merchant, "who ins:sted on
having twelve suites fOr a hundred dollars.
It is hard to
and
DiteclO'O'
Tables
are our
specialty
Stow & Davis F umiture Co. Grand Rapids, Mich.
Write for Catal~e.
Gel samples of BANQUET
TABLE
TOP.
Grand Rapids
Faney Furniture Company
GRAND RAPIDS. MICH.
=======
NEW UNES OF
=======
WRITING TABLES
MUSIC CABINETS
BOOKCASES
LADIES' DESKS·
In Mahogany, Oak. Imitation Mahogany and Maple
NO ORDER TOO SMALL OR TOO LARGE TO RECEIVE PROMPT ATTENTION
CATALOGUE TO DEALERS ONLY
7I:R... 'T' I >5' JI.l'l
by
Chicago, Aug. 2$.-Following
the period of marked activity of the July season, has come the qt1ie~time at the exposition buildings, thereby illustrating the oljd and well-worn
saying, "After the storm comes the calm." I Howe\'er, notwithstanding
the between-season
atmosph~re is again in
evidence, buyers continue to drop in daily at I:F9 and T4J I
Michigan avenue, as well as at the other exposition buildings.
August being a vacation month, a number bf furniture men
have been taking short lay-offs of a fe' ....d~ys' or a week's
duration and at the same time having their grasp on business
affairs at their respective offices.
In a recent interview with Vv· . .F. Johnson, treasurer of the
Ford & Johnson comr;any, the Michigan Artisan was favored
with the following statement:
"The new Ford & Johnson company, which recently purchased the Frankfort interests, now includes the follovving
factories and departments:
The Hitchcock chair factory, the
Ford & Johnson factory, the V\'estern Cane Seating company,
at Michigan City, Ind.; the]. S. Ford, Johnson & Co. and the
Vv'estern Chair company, at Chicago; the Frankfort Chair company, the Southern Varnish Works, the Kentucky River Lumber company, the Kentl1ck Chair company, at Frankfort, Ky.;
the Cincinnati Chair company, at Cincinnati; the Connecticut
Chair company, at Nev,' Haven and Kew York City, and the
Hartford Rattan company, at Hartford, Conn. It is the intention of the new company to improve the old Frankfort
line, both in construction and style as well as .finish of the
chairs. The improvement is already showing, and it is said
by those who have seen the goods that they are already 50
per cent better than they were before. The carload business
will be dOlle from Frankfort, although there \-villbe a line carried in Chicago for the northern trade.
"A branch bouse will be opened in Cincinnati, where goods
of hoth lilles will be warehoused and the Cincinnati trade as
,,,,ell as the trade of the adjacent territories will be taken care
of by this branch. A branch will also bc opened in Atlanta,
Ga., where goods of both lines will be warehoused and which
will take care of the trade of Atlanta and adjacent territories.
This gives to the Ford & Johnson company a very strong and
extended line. The standard of the high grade goods wilt be
kept up, being improved from time to time, as they have always been, alld the i'rankfort line will be brought up to as
near the same high standard as possible.
"The Ford & Johnson compallY have found it necessary to
take the fourth floor in their building at 1435 vVabash avenue
in order to exhibit the entire line. On this floor is shown the
Frankfort line, together with the fibre rush and Malacca
goods and the miS!:iion furniture, which ,vas made in the
\\Testern Chair company factory at Michigan City. The Chicago house will be the main office, from ,,,,hich the general
business from all the factories will be attended to. The line
runs now from the c.heapest long post oak chair that can be
made, up to the best of box seat diners and office chairs. The
Ford & Johnson company will adopt the same policy with the
Frankfort line as they always have with their own, that is,
they will constantly get out new patterns, so that the line
will always be up-to-date in every respect.
It is probable
that within a year the entire line will be made over."
The Columbia Feather company, Chicago, have had an unusually good tradc the present year. Manager Green states
that the volume of business done dltring the J ul}" season cxceeded in volume that of all preceding exhibition seasons.
7
r *i
35
The company had its exhibit in January and July at the Manufacturers' Exhibition building, 1319 Michigan avenue. The
Columbia Feather company have an established reputation
for straightforward business methods, and the real secret of
the success with which they have met lies in their method of
operating their factory. Their arrangements for purchasing
raw stock in feathers are far-reaching, enabling them to select
the most desirable qualities, and their machinery and facilities
are unequaled for sorting, deodorizing and perfecting their
stock.
"Veribest" values in brass and iron bedsteads is a statement '''''hich tells the truth in a nutshell about the splendid
and substantial line of the Art Bedstead company, Thirtyseventh and Rockwell streets, Chicago, Ill. There is n0
stronger line in the Chicago market today in its particular
field than that of the Art Bedstead .conipany.
The]. D. Freese & Sons company, 284-290 Homer street,
Chicago, are manufacturing one of the strongest and most
substantial lines extant of tabourettes, chiffoniers, bookcases
and Chautauqua desks, and. the company are enjoying an unusually excellent trade on their line at this season of the year.
The Lustre Chemical company, 1303 Michigan avenue, are
manufacturers of the famous Lustre Furniture Polish, a prod11ctused and endorsed by over 1$,000 dealers. It is a perfect
cleaner and polish, excellent finish preserver and a good fire
extinguisher.
This enterprising company have adopted an
effective plan this season by the purchase of several thousand
children's mission Morris chairs, which will be distributed
among the patrons of the Lustre Chemical company.
The Central Mannfacturing company are enjoying an excellent trade this year on their fine line of desks. Secretary
~Tormann states the trade is a general one, not being con.
fmcd to any particular section.
F. C. Horner, formerly with "AI" Austrian, has taken a
positic)11as city salesman with the Kennedy Furniture company, Chicago. Mr. Horner spent a week at his home in Detroit during the month. Although he refuses to admit the
fact, there is a persistent rumor that Mr. Horner is about to
become a Benedict.
Lucas M. Maher has accepted a position as desk clerk with
the FlIflliture Exhibition Building company, 14IT Michigan
avcnue.
F. C. Coggeshall, of the \~Tohenne Specialty company.
Zeeland, M1Ch , was in Chicago on the 24th and 25th inst.
Charles A. Fisher ,& Co., are opening a new warehouse in
~Iinneapolis for the distribution of. the company's product
111 the northwest.
Messrs .. Fillmore & Son, commission merchants, will be in charge of the warehouse, which will be located at 803 Sykes building. At'St. Louis the warehouse has
been placed in charge of Mr. J. M. Kellogg, salesman with
Fisher & Co., who spent the July season in Chicago.' The
new branch which was opened at Peoria, II!., June I, is in
charge of P .. "V. Peoples.
Charles A. Fisher, of C. A. Fisher &. Co., was in St. Louis
August I2, 1.1 and 14. Mr. Fisher found Martin Lammert,
Jr., of the Lammert Furniture company, just starting out for
a vacation. '
Secretary Charles G. White of the Manufacturers' Exhibition Building company, returned all the 17th inst. from a
two weeks' stay at Charlevoix.
President \Y'. L. Paul, of the Lustre Chemical company,
has bcen spending most of the month of August at Hamlin
Lake, near Ludington, where his family have been 'resorting
since June T.
Excavations are now being made at the southeast 'corner
of 1vIichigan avenue and Fourteenth street for the erection of
an engine house. The structure will adjoin the Furniture
Exposition building, 1411 Michigan avenue, and wil'l be built
of stone. It is to be two stories in height with a frontage of
fifty feet and a depth of ninety-five feet. The engine house
36
Birdseye
View
of
Chicago.
,,\'ill be one of the best equipped of its kind ill the country
will be completed
within
ninety
rlays.
The
agitation
for
ami
the
location of snch a huilding somf:where in this vicinity has
been going on for the past ten years, and with the rapid development of Michigan avenue as a furniture and automobile
c~nter the need has become more and more pronounced.
Lyman
Lathrop,
of the Lathrop
company,
spent a part
of
August in the south making his usual fall trip after the Juty
season, through the states of Missot1ri, Texas, Oklahoma, Indian Territory, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.
Secretary Nds Johnson, of the Johnson Chair company,
spent a week in August at Lake Delevan with his family,
who have been staying at that popular resort since June 1.
:\·lr. Johnson also has been spending Sundays at Lake Delevan.
The marriage of Mr. Robert A. Ford, general sales manager and purchasing agent of the Ford & Johnson company,
and Miss Frances Van Meter, of Mattoon, Ill., will take place
at 8 o'clock Tuesday e,relling, September 12th, at the home of
the bride. Following the ceremony the bridal pair will make
a trip through the East. Miss VanMeter is the daughter of
Mr. John Van Meter, formerly proprietor of the Charleston
Mercantile company, of Charleston, Ill.
Frank S. Rolfe left the 17th inst. for a business trip to the
Pacific coast.
"Hank" Johnson, salesman for McAush, Dwyer & Co.,
left August 24 for a two weeks' trip to Duluth, after which he
w'ill make a two weeks' business trip to the East, making
Philadelphia, Washington,
Baltimore and the metropolitan
district.
W. E. Niemann, of the Niemann Table comrany, spent a
week at Lake Delavan during the latter part of August.
Ralph G. Messersmith has taken a position with the Furniture Exhibition Building company and on the 21st ins!.
took charge of the office at the Furniture Exhibition Building company's warehouse.
During the month of August he
has been temporarily helping out at the office, 1411 Michigan
avenue. Mr. Messersmith at one time was book keeper for
the Manufacturers' Exhibition Building company.
Miss Irene Kevel, stenographer for the Fl1rnitur~ Exhibition Buliding company, spent a three weeks' vacation during
the month of August at South Haven.
Michael Tahl, traveling for the Burkhart Furn,itl1re company, was in Chicago on the 18th inst. ":rvlike" came in from
Milwaukee, where he did a good stroke of business and was
on his way to his home in Dayton to spend a few days.
J. J. O'Connor, buyer for the Chicago House Wrecking
company; was in the Chicago market making purchases for
the furniture department of his company on the 19th inst.
The Chicago Housc ""rrecking company is one of the most
unique business companies in the world and was organized
and established during the year of the Chicago World's Fair.
The company docs an immense jobbing and mail order business, located at Thirty-Fifth and Iron streets, and are the
coming competitors of such big concerns as Sears, Roebuck
and l\!lontgomcry \Vard Co. "It is thc only concern of its
kind in the world in the mail order business that buys all
kinds of material."saic1 Mr. O'Connor.
\Ve are always looking ahead for job lots, receivet·'s sales, etc., and we sell our
stuff to quite a large extent to the big auction houses in the
country, and also do a big business in ),lexico, Canada and
the Eastern islands. We have been, and still are, making it
one of our objects to buy up everything connected with the
hig expositions. The :first one was the World's Fair, Chicago.
The retail value of the Pan American outfit which we purchased in its entirety, even to the nails in the buildings, was
twenty-two million dollars. We also purchased practically
the whole of the St. Louis exposition, the retail value of
our purchase in the furnitme department being six hundred
and fifty thousand dollars.
At present it looks as if we
will buy the whole of the Lewis & Clark Exposition at Portland, Oregon.
The old Rock Island depot is one of the
buildings we purchased, re-erecting it on our present site
for our own use. We also bought the old \Veddell Home at
Cleveland a year ago. For our furniture department we have
a building I25Xl50 feet and three stories high.
If there
should be a slump in the furniture business this fall we
stand ready to buy the output of the furniture manufacturers
and will buy their plants also."
President J, W. Pugh, of the Furniture Exhibition Building says it is expected that work will be begun at once for
the erection of an addition on the lake end of the big furniture warehouse, the addition to have a frontage of 270 feet,
THE CORRECT
Stains and fillers.
THE MOST
SATISFACTORY
first
Goaters and
Varnishes
MANU#"JIICTURCD
DNLY
U Y
CHICAGO WOOD FINISHING CO.
259·63 ELSTONAVE."'2·16 SLOAN ST.
CN I CAe o.
37
with a depth of J20 feet and seven stories in height. When
completed the 'warehouse will have a frontage of 700 feet.
It is expected to have the addition completed this falL
Rumors have been current of late that the new Southern
Hotel is to have a new and imposing front built to supplant
the present building of five stories facing on Michigan avenue. If the project should be carried out it is stated that
the new front building will be from twelve to fourteen
stories high and be a strictly up-to-date structure iri all respects. The n:anagers of the Kew Southern state, however,
that the project is still in an indefinite shape.
Harry S. Smith of the \Volverine 1'fanufacturing company and Cadillac Cabinet company, left August T4th for a
short trip to Minneapolis, St. Paul and other points in the
northwest, and on his return, accompanied by his family,
left for Marquette, Mich., and viciuity for a short period of
recreation.
Secretary-Treasurer
G. W. Merwin, of the Lustre Chemical company, accompallied by tifrs. Merwin, went to Ham-
Manufactured
Mr. Bert Peak, salesman with F. T. Plimpton & Co.,
and a member of Company E, First Illinois Cavalry, left
August 18 for Springfield to attend a ten days' encampment
of his regiment.
F. T. Plimpton, the commission merchant, was at St.
Louis alld Springfield August 17, 18, 19,
~h. A. H. Finch, for thirteen years with the HeywoodvVakefie1d company, four years of whicbwere spent as sbi.>
ping clerk and nine years as salesman, and the last three
and one-half years as a commission rqan, will sever his connection with the furniture business. On September loth Mr.
Finch will leave for a trip to Pueblo, Colorado Springs,
Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles. San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane.
He will also make a
trip through the state of vVashingtoll with the view of
locating in some of the cities of Washington and engaging
111
business for himself.
Mr. Finch will not decide until
he is on the ground what kind of business he will engage in.
George \\T. Corley, traveling representative of the Wol~
by tbe Grand Rapids Fancy Fumiture
En Lake, near Ludington, on the 21St inst. to spend a two
weeks' outing \'v·ith President W. L. Paul, of the same company, whose family Lave been spending several months at
that resort.
Mr. A. H. \Vherry, of \-Vherry Bros., Pawnee City, Neb.,
accompanied by Mrs. Wherry, was a furniture buyer who
visited the Chicago market August 19. "Pawnee City is
quite an old town,' said Mr. Wherry when asked. "and, as
the name suggests, is of Indian origin. The town Las a population of 2,500. Just a few miles out there used to be an
Indian reservation which was opened up by the government
some years ago for settlement.
At the time the land could
be bought for $10 an acre and now sells for $60 per acre.
Pawnee City is in an agricultural region and is therefore a
farming tOW11.
Corn, hogs and horses are raised in that
section. The city is comparatively wealthy, as we have probably thirty people there whose average w'ealth is $50,000,
Our concern has been established the past thirty years. \Ve
are in the furniture, carpet and undertaking business and
find trade this year very good. I am here picking up a mixed
car lot of furniture.
Mrs. \Vherry and T will spend a week
at South Haven, Mich., before we return to Pawnee City."
Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.
verine JVlanufactnring company, Cadillac Cabinet company,
Yeager Furniture company, and J. C. vVidman & Co., arrived
from his home at Atlanta, Ga., on the 12th inst_, and left
for a trip through his western territory, including the Pacific
coast, on the 15th inst.
Paul Plimpton, of F. T. Plimpton & Co., commission merchants, left on the 14th inst. for a trip through Iowa and
Illinois.
Edwin F. Hawks, president of the Hawks Furniture comp~ny, Goshen, Illd., was in Chicago on the 22nd inst., and
\vhilc here engaged space 011 the eighth floor of the Manufacturers' Exhibition Building, where the Hawks line will be
displayed with F. T. Plimpton & Co., who were in charge of
the Hawks line last July on the second floor of the annex.
\\lith the Hawks line shown on the eighth floor, Messrs.
Plimpton & Co.'s lines will cover in all about nine thousand feet.
President Harvey Banta, of the Banta Furniture company,
was in Chicago on the 22nd inst.
In the furniture trade the least a man will accept on the
installment plan is the most he can get.
Richmond Chair Co.
====
RICHMOND, IND.
====
The Standard Line of
DOUBLE CANE CHAIRS
===AND ROCKERS===
WRITE FOR CATALOGUE
MENTION
MICHIGAN
ARTISAN
Strong
Construction
has been the ATLAS
hobby for twenty years.
Some of the most exacting buyers in the
country have been continuous purchasers of
A'FLAS goods during
an of that period. This
demonstrates that the
designs and prices have
always been "right," as
well as indicating satisfactory and pleasant
business relations.
ATLAS
FURNITURE
COMPANY,
Jamestown,
N. Y.
$1.85
A pair for a Genuine All-Geese Feather Pillow,
size 20 x 26 inches. A. C. A., Art or Linen
Ticks, any color. Terms, less 5 per cent for cash
10 days. Order direct under our guarantee of
satisfaction.
H.
liB.
Mention Michigan Artisan
FEATHER
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
COMPANY
MICHIG7IN
Adver ising Built
$300,000
39
Business in a Year.
The fo110 ing interview with a prominent
dealex of Seattle, Wash., gi es but another striking illustration of the value
of judicious
a lVE'xti.sing:
"We starte
$300,000 built
Teale-Hills
hOllse. "\Ve
us business.
• no
display
in a year ago, and we now have a bu~iness of
1.1p by advertising,"
!:iaid Mr. C. B. Teale, of
urnitl1re company, the progressive
furniture
elied absolutely
upon oLlr ad~'ertising to bring
Ve had a very inconspictl01lS
entrance-atmost
at
11-in the
front
of
OUT
store.
"We belie ed in the evening paper-they
go-and
the
store was cro ded from the vcry (Irst. YOll see, an evening'
pa{:cr here l,a" a great advantage. At all. eastern llC\VS points
the news of t! c day is over before they go to press.
Thus
they get all th news that usually goes 111tomorning papers.
"How do y u know its value?"
"\Ve have uvertised special articles."
"For instan e?"
"\Vell, a ja.r iniere stand--and sold 1$0 in a day."
Mr. Teale dded that they had taken the prorlb of their
first year and 'ut them into advertising this year.
When it comes to Leather
Furniture, ~ality Tells.
Good Leather
ew Concerns
The City Fu
incorporated w
cm})orators are
The (omme
ter of jl1c()q~or
Enter
the Field.
niture company, of Columb1.ls, Miss., has been
th a capital stock of $25,000.
Among the inT. H. Eggleston
and Joseph \\T. Lee.
'cial Cabinet compauy have taken out a chartion to engage in the manufacture of fixtures
and
selling
work is in demand,
better
every day.
Dealers should satisfy themselves that
they are selling Reliable Leather. Buyers
of Leather Furniture expect it to wear a
life time. If the Leather is right, upholstering properly done, frames built as they
should be, it will last a generation or two.
Our "R~LIAN CE" brand is the
best natural grain Furniture Leather we
have ever been able to find, and we guar:"
antee it to give satisfaction.
Our New general Catalog No. '7 shows a large number of Couches .. Davenports, Adjustable Sofas; and Sofs Beds
in RELIANCE Leather.
It is free to dealers.
with $39,000 capi al. The incorporators are Gustave Schaety,
Louise Kirmese and Frank Doerfler.
The HournaJley company bas been org'anized at Templeton, 2\1ass., wi h the object of dealing in all killds of furtlihue. The capita stock is $45,000, at a par value of $100. The
officers are: Pre ident, George VV.Bourn, and treasurer, Lucien N. Hadley, 10th of Teinpleton.
Luman 1'. Fa ley, forrnerly ....
vith H. B. Graves, of Rochester, N. Y., has ssociated with M. D. Crippen to engage in
the furniture bus' less under the -finn name of Crippen & Bailey. The firm wdl make a specialty of repairing, refinishing,
renpholste.rillg an order cabinet work
GRA
Graham &' Mort
D RAPIDS-CHICAGO
LINE.
Steamers and Grand Rapids-Holland
terurban.
In-
Shortest and
ost convenient route between Chicago and
Grand Rapids. A l~steeJ steamers connecting at Holland with
special boat cars n the Holland double-track interurban for
Grand Rapids.
:Jamestown Lounge Co.
SpeciaHs/S in the Md7lufacture
JAMESTOWN,
of
Leather
NEW YORK
Furniture
KARGES
GLOBE
SIDEBOARDS
Are the
WARDROBES
BEST
ON THE
GLOBE
ARE GOOD
WARDROBES
lor the •
money
"TTLE'
aOOO CONSTRUCTION
FINiSH
GET OUR
Prices right
WIHTE
CATALOG.
Mention
Michigan
Artisan
when
writing
FOR
CATALOGD"
KAKors
runnlTunr (0.
In writing mention Michigan Arti:;all
Furniture
Company
EVANSVILLE
INDIANA
[yansyille.
Indiana
BOCfiSTEGE
FURNITURE CO.
EVANSVILLE,
IND.
48 in. diameter, made of Plain and Quartered Oak
Makers of the
HSU PE=R lOR"
Extension. Parlor and Library Tables
NEVIl CATALOGUE
b
JUST
ISSUED-GET
ONE
runSVlllr
tUunnunr co.
EVANSVILLE,
"WARDROBES
IND.
TO
MATCH
QUALITY OUR FIRST
CONSIDERATiON
Chamber
That is why onf line is
justly named the "Good
Value Line," "Ve have
made
a complete
change of patlerns. for
1905, and if yO\l want
goods that are made
right and al the righl
prices, caU and $ce
Suites
made by all leading
manufacturers, may
be procured of the
Bedroom Suites
Dressers
Washstands and
Chiffoniers
AD~lAll
M
Assorted {:al' lots and
New Stocks our Specialty
Our new catalng has
jllst beeu issued all d
sent to thetrade.
Ifyall
h a \' e not received it,
write us. It shows the
largest line of moncy
makers ever offered.
tUUnnUut CO,
Henderson,
line Shown at 1319
Michigan Ave., 2d Floor
Chicago, Ill.
Also at our own Salesrooms at Evansville. Ind.
Ky.
ACross the Ri.ver
from Evansville
Mixed cars loaded with Evansville goods
1905
1858
E. Q. SMITU
CUAIR
======COMPANY======
MANUFACTURERS
OF
WOOD, SPLINT, DOUBLE CANE, CANE,
COBBLER, TUfTED LEAT"fR SEAT
C"AIRS AND ROCKERS
No.145
Reception Rocker
Veneered Rolled Seat
Quartered Oak
Finished Golden
The "Ell"
fOLDING BEDS ~~tfrfW'~Nm
No Stock complete without the Eli Beds in Mantel and Upright
ELI
D•
MILLER
Indiana
Write for cuts and prices
& C O. Evansville,
Office and Warerooms, Cor. Third and Division 5t8.
Factory and Supply Mill, Foot of Oak St.
------EVANSVILLE,IND
..
------
"On the
SLY
Confidential
admissions
we copy the
of" enterprising/'
" progressive
U
SLIGH"
manufacturers.
Dealers
who handleourline
know that
there's
a
difference
between
making
SLY lines
and reproducing the
SL I G H
line. Even
Large5t Fa.ctory In the World devoted e.duslvely
to the production
or Cham.ber Furniture.
those manufacturers who have taken our goods apart and used tbe pieces for their cutting orders,
know the difficulties, of making SLIGH goods, for they have been unable to produce
SLIGH goods even by such methods.
We object to the "Butchering"
SLIGH
FURNITURE
GRAND
RAPIDS.
COMPANY
MICH.
A Stub· Toed Truth
This is the Fa.mous Rockford Line,
That shows tbe spirit of the time;
That gives the men:hant joy and ease
Because it's mad~ to always please.
It's full of perfect Art in wood
Pronounced by every critic good
The finish shines like polished glass,
And outwears any of its class.
It's merit's sung from shore to shore
By those who use it more and more.
You're kindly asked to join the throng,
So let your orders come along.
The Music is in Our New Catalogue.
Will Also be Sung by
Pa.rlor Cabinets
Music Cabinets
OUI
A,k for it
Jolly Salesmen
ROCKfORO.
ILL.
DinW~I~~~E.:ks DO(KronofDAnrAnO flnUnr m.
Framed Mirrors
ROCKFOR.D.
ILL.
Shaving Stands
Cheval Mirrors
Dressing Tables
Dressing Cha.irs
With Palent Adilhllable Mir'((ll'l!
Anol~er
Schultz & Hirsch Co.
"American"
MANUFACTURERS
~HOLESALE
Victor,
OF AND
DEALERS IN
FEATHERS
is the
T"'umph
of our
No. 99 Redil\i~ Roc.kd
"Wylie" Adjustable Chairs
and Rockers
FEATHER PILLOWS and
BEDDING SUPPLIES
260 and 262 South Desplaines Street
"SIMPLY
PULL
UP
tHE
ARMS"
CHICAGO
J\ TRJ\DE:
J\ TRJ\DE:
O"r BIG
O"r BIG
CJ\TJ\LOG
CATJ\LOG
for you"
for your
Little
Little
Posial
Posta.]
No. 19 Mission Rocker
Pric~ and
Goods
"will do
the rest"
~
Tnt
No. 1607
__
~
Makersof
--------
LADIES'
PARLOR
DESKS,
MUSIC
CABINETS,
LIBRARY BOOKCASES, HOUSE FURNISHINGS
A"fDI(An
CUAID
COMPAnT
FURNITURE
SAMPLE
ROOMS;
NEW YORK CITY-New York Fumiture Excha.nge.
428 LexiD~on Avenue.. Fifth Floot, Space 33. in
c~rse of Eastern RePresentative, Goo. C. DYe!.
CHICAGO-Furniture
Exhibiticm Building, Fourth Floor,
in cha«re <i Roth &. SulIi'lan.
Seymour
THE
Indiana
UDELL
INDIANAPOLIS,
No. 124 Library Chair
WRITE
FOR
WORKS
INDIANA
CATALOGUE
.I
__
--
-------------------------------~
44
2
The High Reputation of the Alaska Refrigerator
IS SUSTAINED
BY ITS MERITS ONLY
Economy, simplicity and durability are combined to make a PERFECT
REFRIGERATOR.
When in the mar~et let us hear from you and
we will be pleased. to mail catalogue and quole prices.
The ALASKA REFRIGERATOR CO.
EXCLUSIVE REFRIGERATOR
New York Office, 35 Warren St.
Muskegon Letter.
The manufacturers
of furniture and kindred goods are
fully employed on orders and the season promises to be a
satisfactory one. At the office of the Muskegon Valley Furniture eOlTII:any the Artisan learned that the company's representatives on the road are taking many good orders and that
the big factory is nnder operation to its full capa:.:ity. Their
line of bedroom fllrnitt1fC is an uncommonly strong one in
both medium and fine grades. Collections are fairly easy.
~'fanager Cunningham, of the Sargeant Ma.nufacturing
company, is not given to boasting, but the fact that a full
crew of men is employed ten hours per day tells the story of
the company's condition.
The new line has proven successful. The weathered oak finish has the call.
Manager Steph('.ns, of the Moon Desk company, is busily
engaged upon a new catalogue illustrating their line of desks
for all purposes. It will be ready for distribution 50011. The
line is a strong one in every particular.
The Grand Rapids Desk company are preparing to improve their dry kilns and enlarge their capacity.
MANUFACTURERS
MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN
The Alaska Refrigerator company ha ...
·e closed a very satisfactory year's business and their mammoth factory is shut
down for repairs.
Five large boilers, each capable of sustaining a pressure of 150 pounds to the square inch, and a
ntltnber of wood-cutting machines will be installed. Heavy
purchases of lumber have been made. Their stock on band is
valued at $40,000 and contracts have been made for future delivery amounting to $85,000. Important changes will be made
in the li'ne. During the year ending August I the company's
sales amounted to over $400,000. The growth of the business
since 1895 has been remarkable.
The line tlllmbered only a
dozen cheap cases ten years ago, but it has grown so fast
that the several departments of manufacture require separate
and distinct catalogues to represent the output.
While the
sales of the company during the period mentioned amounted
to millions, the losses on account of bad salesmanship do not
average $100 per year. At a recent meeting of stockholders
the old board of directors was re-elected, with a single exception-C.
C. Bil1inghurst taking" the place of Charles T.
Hills, deceased.
The officers elected by the directors were
There's no Ring
around this Moon
and the only storms brewing
are those which are in store
{or dealers who have to "go
up against" Moon fJ!.!fafity
and prices. Its the line to
fight the Mail Order houses
with. Proof of this statement costs but the price of a
postal request fir our catalogue.
MOON
DESK
MUSKEGON,
MICH.
CO.
45
as follows: President, A. V. Mann; vice prei-iident, Thomas
Htlme; secretary and general manager, J. H. Ford; treasurer,
Paul S. Moon.
Jamestown.
There is nothing truer than the old adage, "N othing succeedi-i like success." \Vhen the firm of A. C. Norquist & Co.
was established, in 1881, by A. C. and C J. Norquist, in a
small shop 011 East Second street, even the most optimistic
little thought that it would ever reach 'its present proportion.
III 1883 F. O. Stranhl1rg and A. P. Norquist were admitted
to the partnership, which continued until 1885, when Mei-isrs.
Stranburg and C. J. Norquist withdrew and 'sold their interest
to the remaining parties.
Tn 1889 F. O. 1\ orquist ....
vas admitted to the partnership.
In 1888 the firm \vas obliged to
move from its quarters,which
had grown entirely too small,
and build a factory of their own. The ever increasing busiIless demanded additions to this plant from time to time, and
in 1904 this was one of the largest, if not the largest. plant in
the city devoted to case work
On May 6 of this year this
factory was totally destroyed by fire, A. P. Norquist rerishing in the Rames. F. O. Norqu-ist and A. C. Norquist, together with the widow of A. P. Norquist. immediately let the
contract for a new brick factory 200x54 feet, four stories
high, with separate building 40x40 for hoiler and engine
room, and a dry kiln capacity of 100,000 feet. The firm was
incorporated under the' name of The A. C. Norquist & Co.,
November I, 1904, with the following officers: A. C. Norquist, president; F. O. Norquist, secretary and treasurer.
This firm make bedroom furniturc only. and with a -reputation
firmly established, both as to the integrity and honesty of the
firm and the good quality of their production, arc enjoying a
success which is justly merited.
The Bailey-Jones company's new building is well under
way and nearty ready for occupancy.
Thi~ building wilt be
used mostly as a ware rOom and will give much needed space.
Shearman Brothers company report business much better
than the spring season.
W. 1. Blystone, of the Blystone :Mannfacturing company,
has recently returned from a much needed vacation. He had
a splendid trip of six weeks' traveling through Oregon and
Alaska. Mr. Blystone reports business good.
Bimebal-1gh Brothers have recemly enlarged their line of
cribs by adding some mission styles. The indications for fall
trade are good. Business the present season is better than
for the past eighteen months.
They are manufactllring a
better grade of goods than for several years past.
Marcus Norquist, of the Century Furniture company, has
gone east on a short businCi-iStrip. This concern report business very good.
1\'1r.Ericson was not a politician, but his worth was recognized in all quarters regardless of parties. Three years ago
he was appointed by the mayor to the park commission.
In
the spring of 1905 he was appointed a member of the board
of public works and was elected secretary to that body. Mr.
l;:ricsoll was a member of several temperance and benevolent
societies and was intensely active in church work. He was
one of the lirst members of the Swedish Mission Church
when it Wai-iorganized.
1\1r. Ericson was fifty years old at
the time of his death. He leaves a wife, three daughters and
one son.
The Sargent Mfg. Co.
MUSKEGON,
MICH.
Bachelors' Cabinets
Ladies' Desks
Extra Large Chiffoniers
AlIO Maoumcturenl and Exporten of -------
ROLLING
CHAIRS
Chairs adapted to. all kinds of invalidism. both for
howe and street use.
OVER FORTY DESIGNS TO SELECT FROM
Muskegon Valley Furniture CO.
-~----'--MUSKEGON,
MICH.------
Odd
Dressers
Chiffoniers
Death of LawTence E. Ericson.
It is with deep regret that we announce the death of Lawrence E. Ericson, secretary and trea!;urer of the Atlas Furniture company .. Mr. Ericson came to this country from Sweden twenty~five ye.ars ago and was one of the fOlluders of the
Atlas Furniture company, a concern which had its beginning
twenty-one years ago. He has been its secretary since its inception. The company began business in the old Academy
building, on Harrison street. After a brief existence at this
location, the young but flourishing company moved to Randolph, where for several years it was located. About twelve
years ago the company returned to J amei-itown, where the
present large plant was efitablished. In the years that have
since elapsed the company have become one of the most
prosperous in the city. It is capitalized at $100,000, but the
stoc.k is rated high above par. Most 01 the success of the
firm is due to Mr. Ericson's able tnanagcment.
Wardrobes
Ladies'
Toilets
Dressing
Tables
Mahogany
Inlaid
Goods ...
46
The Factory
That Doernbecher
Built.
Not so many years ago F. C. Doernbecher worked al the
bench as a wood carver in the factory of the Berkey & Gay
Furniture cornpany, Grand Ra1:ids, and later in the factory
of tIle Mu,skegol1 Furhiture
company, in Muskegon.
In l1is
work he tried to execute the designs a little better than his
shopmates and soon was recognized as a master of his craft.
But Mr. Doetllcecher was determined to possess something
more substantial than the mere recognition of his ability as a.
workman, and in the conrse of time he took his departure for
the far west and brought up at Chehalis, Ore. Here, "with
others, he erected a small factory and commenced the manuhctttre of low-priced furniture.
The goods were well made
ill attractive desiglls and the trade quickly took t],e output
and called for more.
Larger facilities were required, and
·ROOKWOOD
and a general line of
fANCY TABLES
after several enlargements
of the factory at Chehalis Mr.
Doernbecher resolved to move to Portland on account of the
larger facilities for shipping and natmal advantages for doing
business.
A large factory was erected and equipped at an
expense of $100,000 and the company commenced making
f11Tnitute in better grades. The business has steadily grown,
and the company is now recognized as the most important
in the furnitnre ma11\lfacturing industry on the Pacific coast.
M.ankato Firm to Furnish Orphans'
Home.
John Klein &To., of Mankato, Minn., have been awarded
the contract for furnishing the furniture, iron beds and cribs
for the new orphans' home in course of erection at Wabasha,
rVlinn. The furniture will be manufactnred by a 11innesota
firm which is able to compete with Ch,icago and eastern
houses in prices, Cjnality and workmanship.
SMIT", OAT 3 CO.
DETROIT,
MICH.
Send for our
New 150 Page
Write for Cuts and Prices
CATALOGUE
,AJl.AJI:
One of the most complete expositions
of cheap and medium pn~d
PALMER
MfG. CO.
1015 to 1021 Palmer Ave.
DETROIT,
MICH.
CHAIRS and ROCKERS
IN THE
SENT TO
COUNTRY
DEALERS QNLY
UPON REQlJE:ST
INDIANAPOLIS, ~ INDIANA.
BALDWINSVILLE.
• MASS.
47
American Go=Cart Company
DETROIT,
The furnitl1re makers of Detroit arc busy. This has been
so oft repeated that it is an old story, yet none the less true.
Detroit is much more of a furniture producing city than those
not intimately acquainted with the facts are a\"iare of. There
are not more than a half dozen cities in the United States
whose anl1ual outplt of furnit\1rc exceeds that of Detroit.
Tn
chairs, reed and rattan furniture, children's carriages and gocarts, rar!(H, library and dining tables. Detroit stands in the
very front rank, and with the Detroit Cabinet company making fine and medium cedroom furniture, in addition to fancy
cabinet ware, and the Detroit Furniture ?vlanufacturing company making cheap and medium priced bedroom furniture,
this branch of the furniture business has assumed large proportions.
Brass and iron beds, woven wire and other mattresses, couches and parlor furniture are made in large quantities, as are also hat racks, settees and china closets.
The Murphy Chair company are having the largest busi]less this year in their history.
They will have a lot of new
ratterns of chairs for January r, 1906.
The Palmer ]\;Janufactllring company arc having a fine rUll
of busincs!-i in parlor and library talJ1es and pedestals.
Their
Rookwooc1 finish grows steadily in popll1arity wit.h furniture
merchants.
The Pioneer 1Ianufactming
company are having a rme
trade in reed and rattan rockers and baby carriages.
Smith, Day & Co., are making an excellent line of chairs
and rockers in low and medium prices and have a widely extended trade.
The American Go-Cart company have brought nut a new
folding table with solid side rail under the top. The legs fold
i11 under the top and are held in place by a wooc1en tar or
adjustment spring that works automatically.
It is called the
"A. G. c." folding table and is patented.
One of the newest and best things in metal folding be·ds
is made by the Standard Metal Furniture compaJ1y. It works
on an entirely different rrinclpk lron1. any other fo1ding bed.
The mattress anfi spring fold up close to the wall, while the
two ends fold in front of the srring holding it in J:.'lace. It is
inexpensive, takes up bllt very little room, looks well and is
a first-rate piece of fmniture.
Frederick B. Smith, president
of the Wolverine
Manufactnring- compal1y, ·is president of
the Standard Metal Fmnitme company. while Frank H. Lawton is manager of the factory.
]VIr. Lawton is an olc1~time
furniwre 111anand has seen the ins and onts of the furniture
business from almost every standpoint.
His career in the
furniture business datcs Lack over a period of twenty-three
years. His first experience was \Nith 1. H. Dewey, as an apprentice ill his chair factory, where hc worked jIve years;
then after five years with Htibtard & Eldredge he went into
the great department
store of Sibley, Lindi-iey & Kerr as
buyer in the furniture department.
From there he went on
the road for Oliver Brothers, the well-known makers of brass
beds. All of the above were Rochester houses. and he brings
to the Standard Metal Furniture
company rive experieIlce
and lots of energyanu
cnterprise.
·The company are rapidly
coming to the front as onc of the leading metal bed factories
of the country.
High Water Postponed Building.
High water in Rock river, which has prevented the laying
of fonndatiol1s, has compelled the Central Furniture company, Rockford, Tll., to postpone the plans for the enlargement of their plant one year.
MICH.
four
Beautiful
different
Carriages
ond
sizes
Reed Chairs
in
and Rockers
that are
60-
Trade
Bringers
Carts
No. 343
Our carifully
Rooker
constructed lines are winning
customers each season
hundreds
rif
new
Catalog "A" of Children's vehicles for the asking
New Chair Catalog ready In Jnly
REMEMBER
English Folding Go'Carls are BUILT TO STAND
THE RACKET. Not prison made.
Murphy Chair Co.
MANUFACTURERS
A COMPLE.TE.
DETROIT, MICH,
LINE.
Pioneer
Mfg. Co...
DETROIT. MIen.
Re6ll furniture
Babu Garrlaoes·
Go·Garts
Our good~ wlll be sbown at
PECK & FI1LLS, Ma.nufa.<:turt!rs" Exhibition
Bui,ldillg,
I$<9 MiclU,]:lI.nAveuue,
CHICAGO.
., ILLINOIS
48
Our
Oak and Mahogany
DINING
EXTENSION
TABLES
Are Best Made, Best Finished, Besl Values,
Made from Thoroughly Seasoned Slock
All
No. 434 Dining Table
Top 54x54. Made iu Quartered
Oak and Mo.ho(l3llY. Full Pol~
ished. Nickel Casters
.
.
LENTZ
TABLE
NASHVILLE,
CO.
MICHIGAN
Manistee Company's New Catalogue.
The Manistee Manufacturing company made a fine display
of sideboards, buffets, chiffoniers and odd dressers at J 3T9
Michigan avenue, Chicago, in July, and are now reaping the
benefit of their enterprise.
The goods arc made in oak and
mahogany, and just to show what kind of a designer Charley
Elmendorf, the manager, is, there is one sideboard bas~ with
two tops that he designed several sca,sons since in which the
sales have amounted to more than $44,000. Charley is thcJrougly practical in everything he does and is building up a
steadily increasing trade from year to year. Their new catalogue, just received from the press, shows a line of forty-one
patterns of sideboards. ranging in price from $9.50 to $44.00;
twelve buffets, from $13 to $28; twenty-eight chiffoniers, from
$5.. to $23·50, and sixteen dressers, from $6 to $T2.50. This
,0
is a line that appeals to the average furniture dealer in any
town or city, and as the goods are well made and finished
right, it is but natural that they should have a good trade.
Buys Wynne Furniture Plant.
C. W. Young, of New Albany .• Miss ..•has bought, through
the receivers, the plant of the Wynne Manufacturing company, Little Rock, Ark., the consideration being $5,720. The
plant.
The plans call for a new four-story buildin and a
An advertising novelty just put out is in the form of an
ear lap and is made of paper. The advertiser's name is on the
inside, while the side that is exposed reads "Hot Air Pro~
tector."
FURNITURE
MANUFACTURERS
in search of good points to which ther. QQn
remove their factories, wherc they Will be
tribatalY to tine hardwood
timber, call be
accommodated
alone the
This system has recently constructed
lines
of railroad In the Southwest that open up
sections that offer tbe following advantages
to the Manufacturer:
Green, Gold and Brown "Daylight Special"
-elegant fast day train,
"Diamond Special"-fast
night train-unsurpassed for convcnience
and comfort,
Bultet·llbrary cars, complete dining can,
parlor cars, drawIng-room
and buffet
sleeping cars, reclining: cbalr can,
Through tickets, rates, etc" of I. C. R. R.
agents and those of connecting lines.
A. H. HANSON,
GEN'L PASS'A AOT., CHICAGO.
Cheap timber of cxcellent Q"u.1ity
within a small radius of miles.
Excellent distributing
facilities for
finished product_
One of the finest markets for furnitun: in the world.
WHITE
PRINTING
COMPANY
Engravers
Printers
"Binders
Electrotypers
Liberal inducements and co-operation from local industrial
ganizations.
Send for a ~y
of handbook
tion, entitled, 'Opportnnitiea."
or-
of Informa-
M. SCIIUL TER.
Industria' Commissioner,
FriscoBide.
St. Lo.u, Mo.
Catalogs Complete
2 to 20 Lyon Street
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
49
The Use of Bric-a-Brac.
During the July exhibition in Grand Rapids, and to a certain extent in Chicago as \vel1, the:r:e were three topics widely
discussed in the daily issues of the furniture papers. The
furniture clearance house project, witb--its method of handling
the exhibition samples, and its year-around agency for dealers needing Grand Rapids representation, \vas one; what to
do with the "stickers'! v.:as another, and the third v...
·as the a(lvlsability of using bric-a-brac to help sell furnitt1re. V..,r
e
treated \vith the "sticker" f\uestioll in am August sale article
in the July Artisan, and it occurs tOllS that a great deal can
be said in favor of bric-a-·brac .vhi.ch, it rather -appearell. got
·poor support froIn such buyers as cx[n-essed themselves.
Furnitme dealers as a rille are not artistic, nor do they
hire; people for their artistic taste, as do the proprietors, of
some other businesses. The reason for __
ibis is that the fmnitun~ dealer, in the past more particlllady, happened, gre\v 011,
himself as it were. In the old days .he was a cabinet maker,
and l1nsold 01' unclaimed st"l1ffhecam-e in time a small stock.
Marc could be sold than he could inake, so he bought, 10- sell
again. Or he started in a s~11allway, as a second-hal\d dealer,
or a repairer, and opportunity made him a regular dealer.
More often in later years the traveling man, tired of greasy
breakfasts and car seat bedrOOt"i1S,
after saving a little money,
OllCllCd[tp a store in some growing town and built up a busi.ess which from his traveling standpoint seemed a perpetual
rest, with a good income on the side. Nearly all dealers of
the classes mentioned feel no need vvbatever of pottery, or
plants, or electric lights to help sell their wares. They sold
in the past \;vithout any such assistance.
People need furniture, consequently must buy it, and buy it where they find it.
There is, however, a 11e",,' class of dealer coming to the
frOllt. In mally cases it is the son of the father, and with
him comc ncw ideas. In some other instances it is the artistic man, who, a clerk ior an old-time store, sees the artistic
end neglected and knows he can bring trade by attending to
it, or it is the department store opening up a furniture departmenl.
In each of these three cases yOll will generally
find bric-a-brac, and if you ,,,,ill stop and think of SllCh stores
yOLl",:ill generally find them successful.
The gospel of the
old-time dealer was that a neighbor needed a sideboard,
therefore he came into the store, \vent down the line, ,vbich
was so arranged that yOll could see nothing but the fronts,
and generally bought tbe one the dealer said was the best
for the money, or in other words, the best for the dealer.
The gospel of the prcsent up-to-date dealer is that there are
more sideboards offered in the numcrous stores than there
seem to be people who ,,,;ant them, therefore they must be
tempted into the store, and, being in, must be tempted to buy.
Modern business is founded pretty much on temptation
anyway. The man who buys only what hc needs is a good
standby for trade, but he is not such a prime favorite as the
man "..·ho buys everything he thinks he needs. The new style
dealer assists him in his thinking, puts in his show ,,,;indow
things calculated to tempt him. He has a good closet at
home, let us say, this man who needs things, in which bang
his coats and trousers, carefully stretched over the wire
hangers the agent ~onvjnced him he needed. He sees in a
furniture window an auto-valet or a many-drawered chiffonier with a \vardrobe attachment in which the dealer has
temptingly hung coats and trousers
from patent sliding
frames. This ma'l comes- along, sees the bait and buys.
Take another case.
A lady passes every time she goes down town certain furniture stores, in the widows of which are displayed china
closets and buffets from time to time. They may make an impression on her, but very often it is unconscious.
Some day
a dealer on her line of travel decorates his window with a
china closet and buffet, which he trims up home fashion with
dishes, l;:ut gLass, flowcrs and silver. Watch that lady this
time and you will find the impression made on her is not by
a.ny n\anner of means, an nncons,c.1otlsone. She
stop, note
the effect, perhaps criticise it, perhaps admire it, but every
time notice it.
\Vhy? Because it was lifelike. It looked like home. It
suggested how pretty a china closet or a buffet COllld.be made
to look, or if it did not suit her, it set her thinking how .it
could be arrang'ed to look prettier, just as the actual clothes
in the auto-valet sugge,sted to the man how convenient such
a thing was. The chances of sale \vere greatly increased by
the snggestion of actnal use. The more you can suggest
ultimate use of the article you sell, the greater the chance of
sale in any class of merchandise.
The dry goods man don't
carelessly throw a dress over a pole in his show window_ He
carefully fits it over the form cif a wax lady so that every
dress wearer in passing wants to see, not only the dress, but
the form and all. ::.:robodyknows better than he the doetrin'e
of temptation.
The clothes in the auto-valet, the dishes and silver in the
china closet, the dress 011 the wax lady, all come under the
head of brk-a-bmc, and the man \\'ho has revolved his wheels
in figuring out the relation of human nature to his business is
bound to admit that such things pay their way.
The ordinary article of furniture is not always handsome.
It rather furnishes a basis on which can be built or trimmed
an article of beauty. A plant in a jardiniere on a pedestal
calls greater attention to the advantage of the pedestal. The
dining table set for use, the china closet whose mirror back
ret-1ects some contents are greater objects of interest in a
S11O'"'' window than the bare article. And what .is true of a
window is true of a store. Any furniture store is a place of
sameness at hest, so that visitors are generally furniture
seekers.
The store, therefore, that cart induce visitors to
enter, who are not in search of furnitnre,is adding to its possible list of customers.
Bargains draw some, but there is a
class ".".ho111
bargaills don't attract.
They must be drawn by
other means, by fine show windows and tasty interiors, and
entire absence of that stiff what-do-you-want feeling that so
many furn~h\re stores have.
The best house in your city may be a cold, cheerless place
-unfurnished,
bare walls are depressing, but furnish it with
rugs, pictures and furniture in living fashion and it's another
place. So it is with bric-a-brac in even a medium grade store.
A plant here, a vase or a figure there, a touch of drapery, a
covering of high bare walls with mirrors or pictures, a strip
of carpet or matting in some of the main aisles, will make
your warehouse an up-to-date store.
Bric-a-brac, which means all these things, n:ed not be
charged off in the expense column. Such things are salable.
If Yo[1rtaste is only ordinary in the selection there are lots of
customers with the same ordinary taste who will buy. You
must know something of the habits and peculiarities of
women to run a successful furniture store today.
"0.'oman, millinery, clothes, pretty things, bric-a-brac.
Has a sideboard.
Sees a buffet at a friend's house.
\\rants a buffet.
l\'fake her rubber at your buffets.
Bric-a-brae helps.
will
An Installment
Fraud.
A representative of a Chicago firm visited Rockford, IlL.
recently and located a quantity of house furnishings that had
been shipped there from Chicago with intent to defraud. They
were purchased on the installment plan by a man known as
Ainsworth, Brown, Cummings and other appellations.
Neither the purchaser nor his wife could be found, but a writ of
replevin placed the goods in the hands of the Chicago man,
who shipped them back.
•
50
Charlotte,
Mich.
)'lichigan has many beautiful
and thriving little cities, and
among the best of them is Charlotte, the county seat of
Eaton, one of the foremost agricultural counties in the state.
It is located at the junction of the Grand Rapids division of
the Michigan Central and the main line of the Grand Trunk
T<lj]way. Very man}' improvements
have been made within
the last few years, not the least of which is an extensive
se\vcrage system. and paving the principal street with brick
There are many broad avenues lined on either side with heall~
tiful homes. The ~hurches and sc11001s are far beyond t11C
average in cities of this size. A good hotel, several fine
stores, a splendid public library and the finest "Mawnic
Temple in the west in a city of less than 7,0.00 inhabitant:'?
are among the sights pointed out to strangers.
The furniture merchants are Donovan & lves and Dolson Brothers,
and they have handsome stores and carry excellent stocks
of goods.
Charlotte has three fine furnitllre factories.
The Charles
Bennet Furnitttt:e company manftfacture a good lin~ pf medium and Jow priced chamber sets, chi£fo\1i~r!j and sid~boards.
Rece~ltly they have added a number of new patt~rns of chi~oniers and odd dressers in plain and ql1artered o.ai<. Bu~iness
is very good, their trade e~tending all ov~r Mi~higan, Ohio,
western Pennsylvania and ·we!jterll New Yot:~, northern Indiana and Illinois.
The Charlotte1:lannfacttlring
COUlI_ any have a ne"" <;ata]ogue of parlor, library and dining tables, ped~stals a:11d
stands. Two or three seasons ago tlley drew out of the exposition business and say tbey are weB satis6ed with their
present plan and will not return to thc expositions again.
The othcr factory i5 owned and op~rated by the John ·YViddicomb company, of Grand Rapids.
Improvements
Made by Taylor
Chair Company.
The Taylor
Chair company, Bedford, 0., ha\'e made many
improvements this year. Among them is thc completion of
the new dry kilns, painting all of the factory buildings and
pntting signs on them. A side track has also been put in,
extending to the shipping building, lumber yard, boiler house
and Inachinery building.
This factory was never so ·'well
(~l1uipped for the rapid and economical manufacture of ·chairs
~nd rockers as now. Everybody is pleased with the famons
Taylor chairs and rockers, and trade is fine.
:-.J ever in the hiMory of the n. L. Marble Chair company
bas hl1siness been so heavy as at present. In conseqnence the
company have decided to at once commence the erection oi
large buildings, new dry kilns, put in many machines, and,
in fact, nearly double their prodncing capacity.
Popular
carried.
The Deysher Furniture House is onc of the oldest
furniture concerns in Reading, having occnpied their present
location for thirty-five years.
Drove
Hearse
Through
Fi:re.
Driving through the flames from a burning barn was the
gruesome experience of a funeral party while on its way to a
cemetery near Plainwell, Mich., recently .. A barn, which \vas
located close to the highway through which the funeral procession was passing, caught fire from the sparks from a
threshing engine and was burning fiercely when the prOCession approached.
The flames, burning cinders, dense smoke
and hot air were blo\vn across the highway. The procession
halted for a time, the driver of the hearse fearing that the
heat would break the glass of the hearse and injure the
casket. Finally taking a risk of danger the driver proceeded
and the procession of carriages followed through the heat
and smoke.
The heated spot was hurriedly passed without
injury to persons or damage to vehieltes.
~ilwaul,tee Has Hopes.
Milwaukee is anticir:ating another substa:ntial addition to
its industri~s through the fact tp'!:! ag~nts of the BrunswickB~lke-Collenger cOJl1pany, of Chkago, <!:rein Wisconsin looking up pr.osp~etivc sites for a branch factory.
A tract of
fifteen acres is desired, on which a bpilding costing $60,000
will be erected.
Utah F~xture Firm Fl:!ils.
The Utah Store Fixture company, Salt Lake City, Utah,
has gone into voluntary assignment to the Utah Associatioll
of Credit ~den.
The liabilities of the firm amount to $12,000,
with assets of $10,000. Arrangements have been made with
the J. P. Paulson c.ompany to fill all contracts.
J. Desserich,
of Denver, is president of the concern.
Enlarged
His Quarters.
E. E. Gladfelter, of Ottawa, Ill., furniture dealer and undertaker, has been crowded out of his old quarters by increas~
ing business and has lately remodeled an adjoining store to
fit his requirements.
The store is said to be one of the finest
in the city.
Death of C. C. Ensign.
The Artisan llas received word of the sudden death of C.
C. Ensign, of the firm of Ensign & \Vilkins. furniture and
funeral directors, Elyria, 0. The business of the f.~111 is in
excellent condition and all o1:1igatiolls will be met f.t as early
a date as possible.
Owosso Young Man Drowned.
George L. Vance Dead.
Carl ",' oodard, tl:e yOl1ngest son of \lrs.
Lyman E.
,Voodard, of Owosso, jMich.. was drov.·ned /\ugl1st II while
Georg"e L. Vance, a veteran dealer in furniture in Joliet.
in bathing in the Shiawassee river. The unfortunate yOL111g· 111., died recently.
man \vas nineteen years oi age and the youngest of six chil
dren. He was lately employed at the office of the \Voodard
NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA,
Lumber tOillJlany. His loss \;vill be mourn eel by a wide
Via
circle of friends. both young and old, to whom he cl1(leared
GRAND TRUNK-LEHIGH
VALLEY ROUTE.
himself by his una.ssuming ways, yet courteOtls and manly
Three fast trains leave Grand Rapids 9:30 a. 1Tl. daily, exdisposition.
cept Sunday, arrive New York 10:50 a. tn., Philadelphia, 10:30
a. 111. Leave Grand Rapidsz:45 p. 111. daily except Sunday, arKeeping Pace with the Times.
rive New York 4:30 p. m., Philadelphia, 3:40 p_ n1. Leave
The Deyshcr Furniture House, Edward F. Frechafer, proGrand Rapids 5 :30 p. m. daily except Sunday, arrive New
i)rietor, Reading"Pa., has underwent extensive improvements,
York 8:40 p. 111., Philadelphia, 7:25 p. 111. Sleeping car Detroit
which add greatly to its attrac.tiveness.
The interior has beeJi
to New York on 9:30 a. m. train; sleeping cars Durand and
redecor~t('d, large display windows put in and better facilities
Detroit to N~w York on 2:45 and 5:30 p, m. trains.
provided at the storage house to handle the immense stock
C. A. JUSTIN. C. P. & T. A.
51
For Holiday Advertising
=====FOR=====
Retailers of House Fumishing Goods
WE
I SS UE
A SPECIAL
PROFUSELY
PUI\LICATION
ILLUSTRATED
ENTITLED
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
,'-..
..
.-,
,
,..
,
..
....,...
WRITE FOR SAMPLES AND PRICES.
YOU WILL FIND IN IT A GREAT
TRADE WINNER. ONLY ON~ LOT
WILL BE SOLD IN A TOWN. GET
IN YOUR ORDER FIRST.
WHITE PRINTING COMPANY
2 to 20 Lyon St., GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
FURNITURE
EXPOSITIONS.
ur ofher organizations of like character have no power to
callse their abandonment.
The greatest evil in the exposition plan is the, n~cessity
A Manufacturer Expresses His Views on the Proposition to
'which seems to rest upon many manufacturers for bringing
Discontinue the Same.
Ol1t three lines of samples for exhibition in as many tllarkets.
Editor I....
Iichigan Artisan:
I have received a circalar
If their lines wefe as strong as they should be, one line of
dated High Point, N. C, August 26, stating that at a meeting
samples, placed in Grand Rapids, would suffice to command
of the Case Vlorkers' association, held at Greensboro reorders in sufficient volume to cause the operation of their
cently, a resolution was offered favoring the abandunment of
factories the greater part of the year. Manufacturers cannot
all furniture expositions for 1906, but that action on the same
expect to obtain orders from all sections of the country by
was deferred, and the secretary of the association, C. ]. Field,
placing their goods on sale either in New York or Chicago.
was instructed to ascertain by inquiry from manufacturers of
Experience has proven that the only logical point for an excase goods throughout the United States ,....
hether they ,'muld
hibition is Grand Rapids. lam of the opinion that if there
join in such a movement. T am also adVised t.hat the replies
are two men in the Cnited States who should be thankful for
received will be tahulated and printed and copies forwarded
the prosperity that has follO\ved the exposition plan of seilto lJlalHlfacturcrs replying· to the illql1iry. }h. Field states in
ing furniture, those men are Rigley and Humm~r. The latter
his letter that he has received a reply from Charles E. Rigley,
was a country school teacher who broke into the furnitqre
the president of the Estey J.lanufacturing company, in which
lmsilless in an unexpected moment, when no one \vas lOOking,
he states that the Estey company \vould be pleased to cob11twho wisely placed his initial line on sale in Grand Rapids.
operate with other manufacturers in a movement to make but
He did llot sell many goods, but he learned a lot of things
one exhibit a year. The Este.y cornvany ,yoliid do this if
that enabled him to establish a profitable business.
He is
fronl fifty to seventy-five per cent of the exhibitors of case
worth al least $150.000, acquired since he commenced selling
goods would join in the movement. I am also fl1rther advised
goods in the Grand Rapids exposition. The Estey Manufacthat \V. B. Shober, tIle president of the Ollio Valley FLlt"l1i- turing company was a comparatively insignificant, almost
ture company favors but one exhibit a yeal". George P. H l1m- unknown, corporation before they cominenced selling goods
mer, the sccretary and manag-er of the ViTest ]\.fichigan Furill (i·rand Rapids. Their experience in that market has enniture company, is represented as favoring the abolition of
abled them to develop the great business which they enjoy
the eXP9silion plp.n of selling furniture; that said company is
at this time. Before the Ohio Valley Furniture company,
Teady to .abandon aU expositions, ,,·,..henone-half of manufacmanaged by Mr. Shober, commenced selling their goods' in
the exposition towns, they were practically unknown and
turers of case goods will agree to do the same. To my mind
scarcely able to keep their heads above water. They have
there is no question abom the future of furniture expositions.
prospered since the day that they unloaded their first samples
They are herc to stay, The dealers demand the opportuniin Grand Rapids. 'VViththese facts before me I am not pre~
ties that are afforded by the expositions to place their orders,
pared to encourage the movement inaugurated by the· tar
and ,so long as the buyers express a desire' for a continuance
heels of North Carolina. The world goes forward. notba,ckof the same, the 'North Carol.ina Case \Vorkers' association
ward.
A MANUFACTURER.
52
INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS.
American Chair Co.( Seymour) .... 43
American Go-Cart Co...
. .. 47
Alaska Refrigerator Co. __.. .
44
Atlas Furniture Co.
.
38
Barnes, W. F. & Jno, Co.
.
22
Berry Bros. . . .
.
31
)' ':
Bissell Carpet Sweeper Co. .
. . .. 3
Bockstege Furniture Co. .
40
Burt Bros.
.
4
Century Furn. Co. (Grand Rapids .. 16
Century Furn. Co. (Jamestown)...
3
Choate-Hollister Furn. Co.
. 16
Chicago Wood Finishing Co
__36
Empire Furn. Co.
.
10
Evansville Furniture Co...
41
Evansville Metal Bed Co..
.
40
Frisco System. .
.
48
Globe Furniture Co.
.40
<;i-oodrichTransportation
Co.
. .. 26
Grand Rapids Caster Cup Co.
.26
Grand Rapids Fancy Furn. Co
34
.
Grand Rapids Han Screw Co.
.
22
-- Grand Rapids & Indiana R. R
51
~
"'lilPfftn~ Bros. C~i...
.
26
Holland---FurnitU:r~'.Co. .
.
9
Horn Bros. Manlifacturing Co
30
Hot ...Blast Feather Co. .
. .38
Illinois Central R. R. .
48
Jamestown Lounge CO'.
.39
Karges Furniture Co.
. .. 40
KaUfI.m~n Mfg. Co.
.
26
Laycock, T. B., Mfg. Co..
.
16
Lentz Table Co.
.
48
Liberty Furniture Co.
4'
Luce Furniture Co. .
. .. 33
Lyon Furniture Agency.
. . 19
Manistee Mfg. Co.
10
Marstall Furniture Co..
.41
McDougall & Son, G. P.
. . . .. 2
Miller Co., Eli D.
.41
Moon Desk Co.
. .. 44
Morton House
.. _... 26
Murphy Chair Co.
.. . _ 47
Muskegon VaHey Furniture Co .... 45
Nelson-Matter Furn. Co .. 4th Cover
Page.
New Eng. Furn. Co 2nd Cover Page.
N orthem Furniture Co.
1
Norquist & Co., A. C.
.
32
Oliver Bros. Co.
.
19
Olson & Co., O. C. S
.. __18
Palmer Mfg. Co. . . .
. ... 46
Peabody School Furn. Co.
..19
Pere Marquette Ry
::6
Pioneer Mfg. Co.
.
47
Retting Furniture Co.
.
18
Richmond Chair Co...
. .. 38
Robbins Table Co. .
.
23
Rockford Union Furn. Co.
.
26
Rockford Frame & Fixture Co.
. 42
Royal Chair Co.
.3rd Cover Page
Sargent Mfg. Co. .
;
4S
Schmit & Co., Henry.
.
52
Schirmer Furniture Co.
.
23
Schultz & Hirsch Co.
. . .. 43
Shelbyville Desk Co.
. ..... 30
Sligh Furniture Co.
. .. 42
Smith Chair Co., E. Q.
. ... 41
Smith, Day & Co. . . .
. .46
Smith & Davis Mfg. Co.
. .19
Snider Mfg. Co. . . .
.. 8
Southern Railway Co...
. 26
Spratt & Co., Geo.
.
18
Stow & Davis Furniture Co
33
Union Embossing Machine C.
.30
Udell Works o.
.
43
Unger, I..............
.
,.17
Valley City Desk Co.
. .. ;2
Woodard Furniture Co...
.
10
Wait Furniture Co. .
.
17
Yeager Furniture Co
23
MISCELLANEOUS.
FOR SALE
Well established installment furnjtllTo business
in a city-of 100,000 people.
Two railr(lad shops.
Only fitst-classstorein the city. Will sell whole
or half interest. Good H~asorlS iOT selJi:Jlf_ Address, Manufacturer,
Box 54, Station "F,'
Memphis.
8-25 9-25
WANTED-Experienced
Salesman
to sel] our lirie on commission in New England.
Address "Southern Furniture Co., Atlanta, Ga."
Summer
Vacations
HYou
have not already decided where you
will spend your swnmer vacation. let
us send YOU
"Michigan in
. Summer"
a beautiful· book of photos and brief
word pictures
of
Peta6keT
Tra.verse
City
Ba.y View
Oden
M5cklnac Island
Ha.rbor Spriuil"l!I
Nea.btll,wauta.
Northport
Omena.
Wequetonsina'
and the most convenient route tOllll
Notthern Michie-an Summer Resorts.
Fishermen
W j 11 be interested
in
"WHERE TO GO F1SHlNG."
Send 21: s~mp to
C. L. Lockwood,
G.F.A .•
G.R. &1. R'y.
Grand Rapids,
Michigan.
A Guarantee of Good Printing
and Engraving.
Henry Schmit
& Co.
"opkin. aM IlarrW Su .• Cinelnbul. O.
M.A.EB'"
0 ..
Upholstered Furniture
.00
LODGE AND
PULPIT. PARLOR, L18RARY.
MOTEL AND CLUB ROOMS.
THIS PUSH
BUTTON
DISTINGUISHES THE
Royal Morris Chairs
FROM THE
OTHER KIND
FIVE YEARS
OF TEST HAVE ESTABLISHED
ITS SUPREMACY.
Morris Chairs
~~-FROM---
$6,00 to $30,00
Catalogue upon Application
PERMANENT
SALESROOM:
Fourth Floor, 1411Michigan Avenue
CHICAGO, ILL.
The Royal Chair Company
STURGIS, MICH.
,.<
I