Billboard advertising (Nov-Dec 1894)

STTtboavd J^dV^*"fcrsTtiS IN GOTHAM. ^ The Indefatigable and jlreless Indus- try of the Bill Poster. As it Appears to the Casual Observer in the Metropolis. \ We take it that in the matter of p ain indiisti7 the bill poster stands alone. • with no man worthy to be a second. The ^ bai poster is busy the year round and ! rejoices in leap years; bnt he seems to ' nuike an especially -violent effort abont this season He sleeps a little, we fancy, at other times, bnt now he scorns any '. such display :of weakness, and sticks bills '; throngh the long night as well as through ' the hurrying day. It is not likely that he wants to sleep. A building might bum down somewherey and if he were .asleep he would not get the hot and tot- tering walls covered with posters in time to catch the eye of .the man running to j get the 5 a. m. train. If he were at home in bed he, could not crowd through the : fire lines and post bills on the top story while the firemen were fighting the flames on the floor below. He loves to iA be out on the street at night, when, should he discover a fire, he can bill the front of the building and then turn in an alann.- ' If the spirit of restless industry which j pervades the ranks of the bill posters ; could be made to permeate the rest of ; the community, who dare say how much ' it would add to the national wealth? If, I for instance, the bill posting zeal conld > take hold upon the messenger boy," the [ ct^ange which would be wronght in the ,'social and business world is scarcely con 1 gt^ rfa t> l c—TFfao»«»-«pp«<»»o.-to-l>« txo^AaoQBx: "that the idea of the messenger boy will infect the bill poster. Fire nor water nor night nor storm nor policeman can stop him. The only thing -which ever gives him pause is the dreaded and hated ' sign of "Post No Bills." It must not be supposed by the unob- serving that pasting up the gigantic bills ; which cover fences and sides of houses is the bill poster's only work. These, to be sure are his great -works, the ones ; which call forth his genius; but his long, '■ steady, untiring, day-in-and-day-oi; --fe-' '; 1 bots are directed at the hnmble ash can. I ' The pile of bricks, the dry goods box, ' i the new bnildin£^ aU. attract him, but ' none of thetn give him that pure tran- I .quiljoy which he feds when a new ash ' barrel swims into his ken. He loves to • bill and rebill ast, ash barrel every mom- I ing a new bill, whether or not the old one has been damaged, till the barrel is pad- ' dcd -with paste aojd paper, upholstered in ' bills, takes on an obese aspect, becomes ' ' broader than it is long, and looks as if it I' weie wearing extremely pronounced criU' ' oline. But it is when rival bill stickers decend upon the ash cans of a given . stieet, one detachment waiting aronnd ' tbe comer till the otber has affixed its . loathed bills, and then swooping around and sticking its own over the others with ' a slap' of'wet brushes and a s-wirl of paste , -around each like red fire aronnd a pin- wheel—then it is that an ash can grows a bark like a cork tree.' Is it possible that bill posters, paradox- ical as it seems at first sight, are mes- senger boys of a larger growth? that all of the vast oceans- of energy conserved, and stored up while in the larva state of a messenger boy burst forth in riotous profusion in .'the perfect condition of bill poster? There are whole intellectual restaurants of food or thought in this idea; but we leave it to sonie'profes sional essayist-^/for^^rj Weekly. SHOW PRINTERS. Points About the People Wiio Print the Posters. . • ADVERTISERS' RICHES. If the fortunes made by judicious and wide-spread advertising in the past one hundred years rould be ascertained and added together, the snin would be of such infini'e magnitude, that even tbe mind of an expert mathematician would be utterly unable to grasp it. The Morrison Show Print Company of No. II Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, Mich., has entered the field under the guidance of Mr Jos. Cohen. It gives promise of proving a most lively competitor and a vigorous candidate for theatrical patron- age. For the time being, they will con- fine themselves to engraving on pine, and color- printing, both block and pic- torial, and type work in all its branches. " Billy" O'Malley, who for years ran the stock and shipping at the Empire in Chicago, is now engaged in a similar capacity /or the Donaldsons, of Cincin- nati. The Libbie Show Print. Company, of Boston, than which there exists no office in America better equipped for all kinds of poster printing, are making a specialty of large block and type -work for both mercantile and show advertising. 3 This well known house is one of the.^most progressive and enterprising of'aiV the Eastern firms in their line. Theyliave hold upon the estimation of a .large number of patrons, both in the commer- cial and the mimic world, and the num- ber of their customers is gro-wing at a most gratifying rate. Their unequalled facilities, rare courtesy and uncommon tact have contributed greatly towards their success and enabled them to assume their present enviable position among their competitors. The friends of C. F- Libbie, Jr. are legion. WISCONSIN BILL POSTERS. E. W. Goggin is no longer connected with the Francis & Valentine Co The following is a list of the members of the Wisconsin State Bill Posters' As sociatiou: E. A Hartman, I'resident, Mantowoc; W. C. Tiede, Racine, Vice President; Frank A. Fitzgerald, Secretary, Milwau- kee; E. J. Kempt, Treasurer. Sheboygan; Cream City BiU Posting Co, F. A Fitz- gerald, Manager, P. J Shannon, Presi- dent, Milwaukee and Suburbs; Aug. Erickson & Co., La Crosse; Henry Sarau, Oshkosh; W. C. Tiede, Kacine; Karl Stussy, Ean Claire; E. J. Kempf, Sheboy- gan; G. W. Harwell, Ashland; Mrs. John Reiner, Madison; P. B. Haber, Fond du Lac; John T. Condon, West Superior; S. H. H. Bamhart, Appleton; Wm. H. Stoddard, Janesville and Chippewa Falls; JohnB^Beberti_Menoniinee Mich. P. O, and Marinette; Geo. W. Evans, Water- town; John Mallory, Green Bay P. O. and Ft Howard; Adam Meyers, Stevens point; E- A. Hartman, Mantovroc; Jake J. Disch, Kenosha; Will Losing,Neenah P. O. and MeiiftSSrj.^kawe, Kau- katma; M. O. Rowell, Bea^^Dam; W. A. Foster, Tomahawk; E.^fo^ Palmer, Oconomowoc; A. W. Ruin^_, Grand Rapids, P. O., Centralia; 'v^^a^'yntnam, Marshfield. ._ - ^~ James Winterbum, President of the Winterbum Show Printing Company, o. Chicago, has assumed the management of the Walker Whiteside Co. and will direct tbe tours and conduct the business of that risin'g young tragedian Samuel Booth has again opened up, much to the gratification of his numer ous friends in the show business. He is located at No. 332 Seventh Avenue, New York, where he has a splendidly equipped establishmtnt. Posters judiciously used jdeld the promptest returns of any advertising medium extant. They will not sell goods, however. Neither -wil} circulars, newspapers, or any other medium, but they -will render -valuable aid to the salesman who does. . Mauberret's Show Printing House, of New Orleans, the oldest and best show printing concern in the South, believe that BH.1.BOAKD Advertising is a good thing, and give substantial evidence of their endorsement in the shape of a subscription and an advertisement, which appears in this issue on another page. H. J. Anderson, manager of the En- qoixer Job Rooms, of Cincinnati, has succeed in producing results in ziifco- graphic printing that are truly wonderful. The Show Printers' Association, of which Thos. S,. Dando and Moncrlef Cleliand are the ruling spirits, has ac- complished more real good in the matter of adjusting credits and affording im- munity from loss to the members of the Association than - any similar organ- ization or movement that has ever beer projected. Twenty-six show printing cojice'ms are members of the league which is flourishing splendidly. The dues in comparison with the services rendered are merely nominal. Inquiries should be addressed to Moncrief Cleliand No. 34 S. Third St, Philadelphia, Pa. A SPECIAL OFFER. To every person subscribing for Bill- board Ad-vertising before December Francis & Valentine have entirely ist, 1894, we will send, postpaid, A Hand-. recovered from the effects of their recent some Calendar for 1895. To avail-your self of this offer, you must send Money Order for90c, with subscription blank properly filled out, to reach us not later than December ist 1S94. Many of the bill posters who advertise in Bii,i<BOARi> Advertising not only benefit themselves, but the whole town in which they are located, as welL'' ' disastrous fire, and are now located at No 517 Clay Street, San Francisco. They carry in stock a complete line of the Donaldson pictorial paper. Hennegan & Co.j, erf' Cincinnati, are rapidly building up a splendid business. Their growing-patronage has twice dur- ing the last year necessitated their en- larging their facilities. Y:- It is significant that among the vast number of failures which occurred dur- ing the recent panic, but one show printing house went under, {The Em- pire of Chicago) and its downfall'was directly attributable to a combination of circumstances totally outside of its reg- ular business. Ed. Sprague. formerly of the Empire is now .with the Central Show Printing Company, of Chicago. E. C. Thutber, (Charley) with the Shober & Carqueville Company, is as genial, pleasant and welMiked as ever. No one has more friends among show- men than Mr. Thurber. The Ault & Wiborg Co., of Cincinnati, is one of the most progressive ink houses in the country. The rapid growth of this concern has been truly phenomenal. Their inks are known far and wide, and their label on a can of ink is a guarantee of excellence. Their poster inks are «n- doubtedly the best in the country. The ink used on this publication is from the above-firm. HOLIDAY TRADE. It behooves bill posters to get started right now and secure some of the Holi- day Trade Don't let the newspapers have it aU. See your merchants, expiate on the advantages of the boards as a holiday advertising medium. It won't take lonig to' convince them. Start one and they will all follow. Send to Don* aldson for a sample of their new Holiday Foster—it will interest your patrons and start 'em thinking. A HORSEY TALE. Pittsburg has the reputation of pos- sessing the greatest hustling aggregation of bill posters of any city in the CDuntr>-. Seldom, indeed, does a box or a barrel of any description escape these enterprising bill stickers, but it remained for one of their number to gain a record second to none by posting a half-sheet, .^r.^-' the- carcass of a horse while tbe body was •till warm. .... '■> >i»saaaa -ii|gB,a i MK S« ^flboafd *\dv^ytrsrr|2 MANY FINANCIAL LOSSES. The season just ended has proved, with a few exceptions in widely distant and isolated localities, the most disas- trous that Fairs and Races have experi- enced in a decade. Last year, it is true, those few brave souls who undertook to buck the World's Pair, especially those in territory immediately adjacent to Chicago, experienced a cold and chilling frost of most pronounced severity and depressing effect, but a great many fairs in the extreme East, South and West did well. This year, however, bad business was general From every direction comes reports of very light attendance, deficits and great financial loss. Truly this is a very uncertain world. "What's thkt?" "The world's all right—its the Demo- crats !" Well, maybe so, maybe so. •A PERTINENT SUOaESTION. There is nothing that -will contribute in a greater degree towards the success of next year's fair than an early start. New Year's day next ought to see the officers elected and the organization perfected of every fair that is to be held during the season of 1895. A thousand and one advantages accrue to the soci- eties who adopt this course, not the least of which is that it leads to an early decision in the matter of the fair date, and tends greatly toward avoiding the endless annoyance and vexation which usually attend the settlement of this important question. Decide upon your date early and let the laggards worry. Cyrus T. Fox is the Secretary of the Berks County Fair, resident at Reading, Pa. P. P. Kispert, the efficient and hustling Secretary of the Fair at Jefferson, Wis. which is held under the auspices of the Jefferson County and Rock River Valley Agricultural Society, reports very good business, considering the season. There is some talk of making the track at this point a fu'il mile.' Geo. M. Robinson finally acknowledges absolute defeat. He made a splendid effort to place the Elmira Inter-Slate Fair on a paying basis and displayed marked ability in the methods he em- ployed. Floods and the general depres- sion proved too much for him, however, and the Elmira Pair, as a consequence, at least as far as Mr Robinson's connection with it is concerned is a thing of the past. The Hamilton County Fair, which was held at Carthage, Ohio, was the most successful ever held in the history of the Society. Thirty thousand people were in attendance on There has been a marked improvement in the last few years in the qualit3- of the fair posters. Some of the designs issued last year were real works of art. This year will see many more of a high order. The Danville (Ills.) Fair, in addition to the general depres- sion w hich affected all alike, had the additional drawback of a very wet week. The weather was simply vile, and the wonder is that the showing made, though but poor, was not worse than it really turned out. The Danville Fair and Trotting Association, under whose auspices the Fair is held, is regularly incorporated, and has been, we believe, since 1890. They have one of the best mile tracks in Northern Illinois, and no doubt will retrieve next year, .:.-ir unhappy experience this season The Helleberg Photo-Graving Co., are getting some wonderful results in the way of half tones and line cuts Their latest production in color plates are truly marvelous. The Tolbert Combination of Horses and Riders gave their exhibitions at a great number of Fairs this season. They were accorded great receptions wherever they appeared Read the "Special Notice." The Brockton (Mass) Fair is one of the few that came through with a balance on the right side of the ledger. Arthur M. Plato, of San Francisco, the hustling Secretary of the Pacific Coast Bill Posters' Association, is in New York closing contracts to cover the entire Pa- cific coast. W R. Bumitt, of Honey Grove, Tex , is one of the live bill posters of Texas who takes great interest in his calling. AN OPPORTUNITY—WILU VOU QRASP IT? We intend to make Billboard Ad- vertising especially valuable lo Secre- taries of Fairs, and all who are interested in Fairs and Races. To accomplish this we desire to have the co-operation of every Fair Secretary in the country; we want yon to subscribe and advertise, when possible, and correspond -with us, giving us such information as you may have, asking ns for points on which you wish to be enlightened. In return for your subscription, we intend, as far as it is in our power to do so, to' make our paper of such -value to yon that you would not be without it for five times the amount of the'subscrij tion We -will, from time to time, introduce illustrations and articles on the "Best way to adver- tise a fair," "What are the best attrac- tions for fairs, and where to obtain the same," "New plays," etc ^ Directors have heretofore ex perienced great delay and much vexation in obtaining the prop* er "Special Attractions'' for their 'Fairs., sometimes not en- gaging them until the last week not giving them time to adver- tise same properly, and when your special attractions are not advertised they loose We will ns business tions to I whom we know to be reliable and of a high order will be per- mitted to advertise in our paper. No fakes or humbugs. Try a years subscription, and our word for it, you -will be am- ply repaid by its monthly visit. SPECIAL OFFER Every one sending lis a year's subscription by DeceiTiber 1st, "Will 4 receive free, a [laDdsoiDe CaleDdar! / ^PPJ^I A I MOTPir^F* ^^ ^"'-''^''y P^"^^"- stibscridlng for 'BILL'SOJ^RfD A(bVE'kTISIJlG, before (Dec- ^* Cwl/VL* l^Vl 1 Iv/Ef ember 2sl,iiSp4, ive zailL send, prepaid,^a Handsome Calendar for iSg^.