The billboard (Jan-June 1898)

^ysfr; 1 ^'"?'-"^"-' to ?H£ BILLBOARD W: "*^tf?^ Minneapolis, Minn., April 13, 1898. "The Billboard:" Gentlemen—Inclosed find fifty-one votes for P. F. Schaefer, Chicago, for the ambas- sador to England to represent the bill pos- ters of the United States I hope the members of- the association will take an interest in the voting contest and see that P. P. Schaefer goes to England, as if he is made the popular choice it will help the association; as everything of that kind will. Yours truly, GEO. J. SHBREK. • " • Redbank. -Ni J.t April 9, 189S. Editor "Billboard:" Dear Sir—This being iny first letter to "The Billboard," I wish to inform you how the big medical, men.-advertise Redbank. Dr. Miles, of Enrtftrt, Ind., had distribut- ing done here In., January- I do not know whether men or boys did the distributing. The large circulars were thrown broadcast from one side of the street to the other and in yards. I know a young man here who kept a store at that time, and he got about two dozen-to use to wrapping groceries, etc. The distributing was miserably done. Since then. H. E- Bucklgn & Co. had advertising done here, advertising Dr. "King's New Dis- covery and Bueklen's Arnica Salve. The work was done well, as far as I could learn, but one colored fellow had a few samples, selling them at ten cents each. I do not know where he got them, but be had them. A few days ago. I saw two little boys with, their small express wagon full of little book- lets advertising remedies of Dr. Williams Medical Company, of Schenectady, N. T. Bergen & Mossie, druggists, bad their names stamped on all of them, and the boys were giving them away in lots of from two to ten, and losing them, too, as they ran along the Grain-O has been advertised here also by placing samples in the grocery stores for customers to get. I got over a dozen myself. I asked the clerk for one, and he gave me a handful. I know people here who go from store to store and get samples wherever they are kept. They say that they like Grain-O, but will not buy any as long as they can get so many sample packages free. I do not see why advertisers advertise in this way, but this is the way most of them advertise in Redbank. Wishing "The Billboard" every success, I • am yours truly, L. O. SUMMBRSETT, Manager United Dist- and Bill Posting Co. p. s.—I like "The Billboard" better than any other paper I have ever read. Omaha. Neb., March 14, 1898. Mr. W. H. Steinbrenner, Cincinnati, O.: Dear Sir—Having gotten into my mind that at the coming I. A. of D. Convention next July an effort will be made to agree or set- tle upon a. schedule of prices for : distribut- ing advertising matter, I beg leave to call your attention to the enclosed clipping which I found in the last number of the Omaha Daily Bee: '■'.": . ! "Many cities are hilly, but Duluth is the peer of them all in this respect," said W. S. Reed. "The city is built on the side of an enormous bluff, which rises almost perpen- dicularly out of the lake. The houses set in their little niches in the bluff look like they had been dropped there, and were held in place by the dent made when they lodged. A level place for a building site hgas to be blasted out of the solid rock which consti- tutes the bluff. Although it is. very. hard work to get around in Duluth. one feels re- paid for the climbing when looking about the surrounding country, which is so plainly in view from all parts of the city, and par- ticularly when watching the vessels that abound -oh. the lake." The end I have in view is that you may remember, when the matter is before the . eonvention. to warn the members against making the rules so - firmly ironbound that . there wil be no discrimination in favor of distributors who work these: places that are so '•hilly" that they require much more time and strain of men and teams than level, compactly built places like Chicago. Distributors in such hilly, uneven places should be free to charge such a price as will leave them as fair a profit as those who have-' the level places. Omaha and Council Bluffs are hard places to- work. Galena. 111., is another "hilly" place. In all of these places many houses can be reaehed only by climbing long flights of stairs, then walking several feet to the house. There, also, houses are In many cases scattered, and much time and tramp- ing Is required to supply each house with a paper. Those who take Jobs at the cheap rates soon find that they can not do honest work at any profit, so they waste the paper in the easy sections, leaving the suburbs and hard places unsupplied. After watching Mr. Fischer's distributing for ten years, notiag how wearisome he finds the work, comparing small profit with the expenses in the form of wear and tear to his team, etc.. I am forced to say that instead of working cheaper he should rather ask more. Often after a hard day's work he will say: •■We ba-<pe done a big day's work, but it .-wilt hardly pay expenses, being in the suburbs.'" Only this evening he made that remark, and now while I write he is sitting by the table trying to sleep In his chair, uncon-, scions that I am "telling tales out of school." But while the suburbs of.the "hilly" places . are the hardest to distribute, they are in the case of patent medicines, at any rate, the most likely to be profitable to the adver- tisers, because the suburban people can't call a doctor so quickly as those in the city proper, nor so cheaply, consequently they ara. more likely-to try the-.medicines repre- - sented by the ads. As distributors can not work for the mere glory of helping the advertisers, but must have a fair margin of profit in justice to both themselves and their families, I have felt compelled to lay this matter thus plain- ly before you, believing that no one has the interest of the distributor more closely at heart than you. Mr. Fischer greatly enjoys his correspond- ence with you, admires your push-ahead way of managing: your work, and the 1. A. of D. and rejoices at your success with both matters. Rest assured that I appreciate the "honorary" favor you propose to secure for him next. July. It at the close of the convention in Chicago you find it convenient to come here and take in the Trans-Mississippi Expositor. I shall be pleased to entertain you as my bus- band's valued friend. I remain sincerely, ANJIE FULLER FISCHER. P. S.—To be more explicit about Mr. Fis- cher's experience in this last job of distrib- uting, he adds to his remark about doing a fair day's work. "We covered territory four by six miles square, and only put out 1,450 papers, and could not have put out more than 900 if it had not been for the team. I did not make enough to pay the men's wages, and nothing for my own or the team's time." With such an experience every time he puts out a job of samples, you can see at a glance that he must have a fair price to begin with, or literally give his labor and time to the advertisers. But with a fair price to begin with, he can make up in the easier parts .of -the city what Is lost in canvassing the hard parts, and so make a just distribution. A. F. F. Billboard Pub. Co., Cincinnati: Hurrah for Brother Ramsey! Please credit bim with the votes of our firm and of J. E. Campos. We received the April -"Billboard" yester- day. Will send you for May ad. in few days. Please state in next issue that we withdrew our application to the International Bill Po-t ers* Association on being admitted to the A. B. P. A. Also, that we have recently ar- ranged with Mr. J. E. Campos, the I. A. D. member in this city, that all distributing contracted by us will be put under bis di- rection and supervision. Mr. Campos has removed from 39 Dayton street, and will hereafter be found at our office 19 Congress street E. We are most desirably located, being in the business center, and only a few steps from the famous Pulaski House, -which is the popular hotel with commercial men' and agents. Respectfully, Bernard and Anderson. Troy. N. Y., April 3, 1898. Billboard Publishing Co., Cincinnati, O. Gentlemen:—! have only been a subscriber a few months, but wish I had found your paper before. Will you kindly change my address on your list, as I am going to Kingston to open a sign shop in that town about April 12, , with bulletin board and bill posting com- bined! H. B. MARKS. Eastport, Me., March 23, 1898. Editor "The Billboard". Gentlemen:—Last May Mr. Arthur Gore, representing Liedenberg Co. Cigars, of New York, sent me paper to post on my boards. The work was promptly done in a satisfac- tory manner, and bill forwarded. I have never receive the amount of my bill, which was $17.50. I have tried all ways and means in my power to' collect. -I have repeatedly -writ- ten to Seidenberg & Co., and they give me no satisfaction. Here is a sample letter: "If you have any claim, it is against Ar- thur Gore, and not us. and w* **-. to be bothered any further with such let- ters." This Arthur Gore's address is corner Wey- basset and Page street. Providence. R. I. I wish you would expose this Seidenberg & Co.. as they are beats, and I want to warn all my brothers in the craft to have nothing, whatever .to do with. them. Post none.of their work, as they -will never pay a bill poster if they can beat him out of his honest money. . I have no spring contracts as yet, but have had inquiries from four parties. I think the war scare must be the cause. '■':■- Yours truly, James Muldon, City Bill Poster.. The Billboard Publishing Co., Cincinnati, O. Gentlemen:—Enclosed find fifty cents, for which please keep sending me the "Bill- board" for the Next six months, as I think it Is worth more than all others, to any per- son doing a distributing business, even in such an isolated district, as .this.. I .heartily endorse all that Reid says of the scale of prices. There should be no fixed scale, for In such.districts as this, it ought to be at least two or three times as much as in closer settled districts; Don't forget to contine my paper for six months: commencing with the May issue, and oblige, . ^ Yours, etc.. JOHN V. FISHBURN. . Shelbyville, Ind., April 14, 1898. Editor "The Billboard": I was highly pleased to read Bro. Hues- ted's letter in your last issue. There is an all-right fellow, and he is going to get there with both feet Long may. he wave. I enjoy greatly reading letters from the craft, but am not much of a hand to write them myself. Since my last report to you we have done the following, work: Opera house work, Vogle's. "Darkest America," "On the Yu- kon," "McCarty's Mishaps" (two nights), Davfe' U. T. C. Co., .Berwells Fairies, Hen^ nessey LeRoyles.' "Other Peoples' Money." John Griffiths' "Faust" and Beech and Bow- ers Ministrels. We have also posted eight- sheet stands for Foley's Honey of Tar, two- sheet stands for Grain-O. National Collect- ing Agency, eight-sheet stands of American Tobacco Co., "Dukes Mixture," and eight- sheet stands for Monarch Bicycle. We have made distributions for Kilmer Co., South Bend; Dr. Schoop, Kondons Catarrh Jelly, Chase Medicine Co., Paine's Celery Com- pound. Dr. Burkhart. -Miles' Nervlue, Lydia E. Pinkham and Brant Co., Mich. Considering our fine plant, bill posting is not as forward as it should be at this time of the year. $aiu Hoke's idea of how bill boards should be erected in a recent issue, has the practical ring to it, as is endorsed by your Uncle Tom, but we would like for jam to be-a-little, more practical, and send more . posting this way. Yours, CHAFEE. Springfield, O.. April IS. Bjllboard Publishing Co., Cincinati. O. Gentlemen:—Enclosed you will please find coupon for one vote for my old friend Geo. M, Leonard, of Grand Rapids, Mich. 1 am sorry I did not think of it sooner, and put in a number for George. I really think he is the best man we could send to represent the bill posters of America. He is a cool, level-headed man. He is one of the oldest bill posters in the country. He knows the business from start to finish, and be is an all-round, up-to-date bill poster, and a royal good fellow, socially. I. for one, should like to see bim the win- ner of the contest, and if he is the one to represent us across the water, I am certain of one thing, no one who had voted for. him would be sorry he had. Yours, H. H. TYNER. Editor "The Billboard": Sickness has compelled us to lay aside our pen for some months, but we are on ■ the mend and ready for business again. "The Billboard" is brim full of good things from cover to cover, and we eagerly look for each number. The distributing business has been fairly good. Among the firms -who have done dis- tributing the past months are Wool Soap and Madame Yale. This, was the poorest distributing we ever saw done in Omaha. Children bad their hands and pockets full of the picture cards of Wool Soap, and they were stuck into every crevice that could be found. We counted twenty-five on one tel- graph post. Madame Yale's books were put out by a department store, drug department, and thrown everywhere, not even church doors being exempt. The Celluloid Starch Com- pany put out a large amount of samples. Pink Pills Co.. Miles Nervine Co., Hood, Chattanooga Almanacs; Bajantyne Remedy Co., Dr. Morses' Almanacs, Dr. Joynes & Sons Almanacs. Lydia' Pinckham and a local company are being put out together now. The Morse Almanac was poorly done. The Dr. Chase Company, of Philadelphia, are now distributing, and are having a fine pile ofwork done, both in Omaha and Coun- cil Bluffs. The Miles Nervine Agent is using the lo- cal distributor, as we saw four band on one street yesterday, but fully one-third of the houses in the north-east and south-east parts of the city are not visited, apparently owing to lack of system and the ignorance of the distributors. The Peruna Company are reported as hav- ing done a lot of distributing in February- three to a coal shed. That the fools are not all dead, and that frauds continue to reap a rich harvests, is evident from the advertisements that appear in our Sunday papers. Ten dollars and twenty dollars (per M) are 'offered by Chicago'parties-for vehicle distributors, and they only ask ten cents and a stamp for posting to us. That $10 and $20 would be a very accept- able price to all'poorly paid distributors, but none in ours, thanks. We do not bite so easily. "Responsible Distributors—$10 per 1000. Send ten cents for particulars, contract and samples. Crescent Co., 1451 Montana street, Chicago." "Reliable man to tack up advertising signs: $12.50 -weekly; steady work; send 10 cents for postage, samples, etc. Young Med- icine Co., 2429 North Colorado street, Philadelphia, Pa." Yae above two ads. appear n the Omaha Bee for March 20th. None of our wholesale druggists ever heard of the Young Medi- cine Co. The bill boards are full of all kinds of posters, and the bill posters are evidently reaping a harvest, while Gunning, the only Gunning, is covering the vacant lots with bulletin boards. Where, oh where, is $am W. Hoke? . "Who is W. D.. Redington? He wants us to part with our shekels, that we may be honored by having our names In his direc- tory. Thanks, W. D., but we will bold on to them until we know who you are. Some inquiries have been made as to the whereabouts of the Nebraska Distributing Agency.. All such parties are referred to Waters, the agent of the G. G. Greene Co., or to the Mitchell Plasbi Co., or the Lydia Pinkham Co. AJAX. Danville, Va. Editor "Billboard:" Dear Sir—You will please note In the col- umns of your valuable journal the facts and circumstances regarding the treatment to- wards us (Messrs. R. T. Morris Son Manu- facturing Company, Durham, N. C.) by .1. H. West, the bill poster in Greensboro, N. C, a town of only 10,000 population. In wbicb this man seems to hold an absolute mon- archy. It is my desire to show him up to the world for the protection, of. advertisers, ; To begin with, which was due. to me not being- posted In bill posting, be charged me for posting two-sheet posters when my'wbrk Is only a one sheet, and six cents for a two weeks' showing, at that. This is robbery No. 1. He put jay work In bunches in alleys and side streets, when my agreement was that should be scattered in prominent places. ■This is robbery No. 2. To end with, he covered three-fourths of my work in ton days. This is robbery No. 3. Please tbow this man up. .Very truly yours. T. O. TUTTLE. Ady. Agt. for R. F. Morris & Son. mfg. Co. Editor "Billboard:" I wish for the benefit and protection of all who advertise iu the way of bill posting to give you an idea of what may be expected in High Point, N. C. It seems the very same man. West, of Greensboro, N. C, who did me to a finish there, claims to own the business in this town, but another put in his claim there by the name of Coke Smith. I gave him twen- ty-five posters ot place in scattered places. I found to my dismay and disgust that be had tacked twenty of them In one buncb, and tho other five I fulled' to find at all. Beware of west, of Greensboro, and Smith, ot High Point. N. C. T. O. TUTTLE. Adv. Agt. Dayton. 0., April 11. 1898. Editor of -The Billboard."i Cincinnati. O.: Dear Sir—I have been distributing for the past four years in Dayton, and have only received two complaints from 'advertisers, and these advertisers were new in our city, as previous to ray advertising their goods they bad seldom been .heard of. On both occasions the advertiser complained that there were positively vio results whatever, and charged me with having wasted the matter intrusted to me. I knew positively that the matter was -honestly distributed, as I personally conducted the distributing, and knew that not a piece was wasted. 1 was astonished and chagrined upon receipt of the complaint, and immediately went to work to investigate the matter. When I found on both occasions that the goods were only to be had at a very few drug stores, two or three dealers were the only ones who had the goods. The - jobbers here are not up-to-date, in fact, they do not carry a full line of goods, and are very slow in stocking new goods, and as the retail dealers had trouble getting the goods, the advertising only created a demand that could not be supplied. And. as one dealer informed me, be did not want to lose a sale, he sold other goods that were recommended to cure the same trouble. Thus you see one firm's ad- . vertising was selling another firm's goods. Whose fault was it? Was It mine or the advertiser in question? Much better results would be obtained it the goods were on sale at all or a majority of the dealers before the distribution is commenced. I do not guar- antee that my distributing will compel deal- ers, either wholesale or retail, to imme- diately stock the goods advertised. .1 can only guarantee my service, and do guarantee that all advertising matter placed with me will have my oersonal attention, and by keeping everlastingly at it it is bound to bring good results. But some advertisers are like some distributors, they advertise once and expect to get a car load of busi- ness. JAMES B. M'CONNON. Dayton, O. Newark, N. J., April 21. 189S. Editor of "Billboard," Cincinnati, O:: Dear Sir—We have purchased the entire interest of A. H. Simonds in Elizabeth and Elizabetbport and the surrounding towns, of which there are some twenty-five, with a population from 1500 to 16,000. making a total of some 100.000. We will remodel and add to this plant until it is second to none in size ot territory covered. Mr. Simonds goes to Trenton as manager of the Theater and City Bill Poster, so very soon advertis- ers will be able to get satisfactory service there. Our business seems to be gaining all tbe time in all three branches (posting, painting and distributing). We bave, I think, bad the largest posting contract from Hahne & Co. ever given out by any dry goods and department store, viz., 18.500 sheets, so arranged as to be made up from a three-sheet to a forty-sheet stand. This certainly gives a swell display. With the same firm we have a very exten- sive sign contract covering a large territory. Several of the signs are 128 feet long by 36 feet high, tkaing over 7.000 feet of lumber. They are cut out In the shape of a comet and painted to represent one. They are a great add and attract much attention. Glp.d to see the I. A. of D. coming to "the front so fast. This is a winner, as it de- serves to be. Trusting that all is well, and Spain will be whipped quick, beg to remain yours truly, E. M. SLOCOMB, Newark Bill Posting Company. Rochester. N. Y.. April 20. 1898. Editor "The Billboard," Cincinnati, O.: Dear Sir—This being tho first time I have ever sent a communication to your valuable paper, I hope it may not find Its way to tbe dreaded waste basket. Business seems to be picking up In this section of the country. The following firms have distributed adver- tising matter in this city during the past two weeks: Emerson Drug Company, book- lets; Dunham Manufacturing Company, samples of cocoanut; Lydia Pinkham Medl- clno Company, booklets, and Sterling Re- medy Company, sampleB ot cascareta. A short time ago I mode an agreement with the Sterling Remedy Company to do their work here, but they gave It to some one else, who, in turn, hired a man to throw them on stoops, and the children gathered' all they could find, at least this was dono on tbe street where I reside. Stilt another instance were the booklets of tbo Lydia Pnlkham Medicine Company, two on every stoop In most sections—tho children and don't seem to do any good, as very much harm to report such work, and everybody has troubles of their own. I have distri- buted 35,00 pamphlets for the Miles Medical Company, 20,000 almanacs for Lyman Brown and still more coming. With best, wishes, I am yours truly, J. EDW. STBOYER. THE BILLBOARD 11 A Large Assortment of Beer Posters. The ten cuts on this and the following pages are made from the sketches sub- mitted. The one marked Xo. io was finally selected, and the posters are now being put out. Up-To-Date Poster Talks. Poster advertising is a necessary feature of modern eouimerw. If your posters fail of their ptir|>ose. blame it on the iiostcr; don't blame it on tlie bill-iKkster. Yet, your |»oster may be a. commer- cial success in execution, and a total failure in adaptation. If it is. vmi have made the mistake. Had you" se- lected a professional poster, your suc- cess would have been complete, and the puritose of the poster carried out. Thorough i>oster advertising is both expensive and consequential. It's ad- vertising that should never be done bv -Vo. i. 16-Sheet. halves. Thousands of dollars have been paid to lithographing houses for IKvsters that, although frappant ex- amples of the pictorial ait of adver- tising, were as dodgers floating in the gutters. Why? The advertiser made the mistake of placing his trust with wildcat bill-posters, whose only privi- lege was their gall; whose claims to legitimate bill-postering were nil; whose only aim was to squeeze out a few dollars for work that had better been left undone. Therefore 1 say: Fight shy of the fakir in the bill-poster business. His only claim to existence is that the American people will be humbugged. He lives u|kiii the gullibility of "the American advertiser who has uot learned to be wise. In conversation with a whisky dis- tiller. 1 elicited the following facts: Since the bottllng-in-bond law went into effect, distillers have obtained a positive advantage over under-proof and other compounded or counterfeit bottlings. The Government stamp guarantees the distiller's l>ottliiigs to 1m> pure and up to the legal proof un- der all couditons. To acquaint the public with this package, the poster offers superior advantages. The most convincing newspaper ad. would not have so frappaat an effect upon the public eye: neither would any other form of advertising, save the package it.-elf. And every wide-awake distiller at ouce adopted the poster to protect his rights, and to proclaim the merits of his goods. I say. every icidc-awalce distiller. These may be numbered by the score. Yet there are a hundred or two of distillers who now bottle, or will bottle, in bond. Every one of those ought to resort to poster-adver- tising. The issue is too important io be dealt with in a niggardly fash- ion. The distillers have been lighting to obtain this Governmental protec- tion for years. Now, since securing it. they ought to adopt the most feas- ible means by which to convince the public that the whisky they bottle in bond is the only simon-pure artiele. To accomplish this within the shortest possible time, and to accomplish it wholly, the "speaking" poster is the most serviceable medium. The liquor trade, as a whole, is so prolific, of occult advertising features- No. 2. j-sheet. that mean business, that the advertis- ing philosopher often, wonders why the owners of these features are so blind to their opportunities. Here's an instance in point: A Sandusky (O.) manufacturer of a domestic cham- pagne vainly sought to popularize his product. True, he advertised in the newspaper press. But it was only a cold, somber ad. When putting out this wine, the manufacture adopted a package so original and artistic in idea, that all other champagne pack- ages, foreign and domestic, faded Into insignificance. On this package he would build his fortune, knowing its contents would stand on its own merit- But the public was mighty slow of ap- prewiation. One day the disconsolate manufacturer passed through the streets of a metropolis, and presently his attention was attracted to a poster exhibiting the intrinsic and extrinsic merits of Cook's Imperial. The sight fostered a thought, and the thought the action. Within a fortnight the manufacturer's product was postered in all the cities in which it was sold. 'Hie result was as magic. The demand for his product multiplied in an as- tonishing fashion, and much of it was The reproductions of sketch- es for beer posters that ap- pear in this issue are an object lesson to billposters who grumble over the agent's commission. They represent an enor- mous outlay not only in cash, hut in brain-sweat. Mr. $am W. Hoke, who evolved them, is entitled to much credit for his pluck ahd persistence. He made sketch after sketch and •rip after trip until he finallv pleased his clients and got them on the boards. The billposter who grumbles over allowing him a commis- sion under these circrm- stances is a very narrow, short-sighted and selfish per- son. Mr. Hoke has taken this firm out of publications and given its business to the bill- posters of the country* He deserves the thanks a"nd the undivided support of the bill- posters for that reason. I A'o. j. S-S/icet. jYo. 4. is-Sheet.