The billboard (July-Dec 1898)

10 f Thh Billboard. PtTBLISHED MONTHLY AT irj East Eighth Street, Cincinnat, O., U. S. A. Addreta all communications For the editorial or business departments to THE BILLBOARD PUBLISHING CO. Subscription, Ji.oo Per Year, In Advance. ADVERTISING RATES: Advertisements will be published at the uni- form rate of ten cents per agate line; copy for advertisements must reach us on or before the twenty-fifth of the month. Our terms arecash. THE BILLBOARD Billboard Advertising is sold in London at Lout's Exchange, ST Charing Cross, and at American * Advertising Newspaper Agency, Trafalgar Build- ings, Northumberland Are.. IV. C In Paris, at Bretano's, 17 Avenue del Of era. The trade sup- plied by the American Neil's Co. and its branches. I *» Remittance should'it made by cheque, post-office or * express money order, or registered letter addressed and made Payable to The Bil.board Pub. Co. The editor cannot undertake to return unsolicited . r manuscript: correspondents should keep copy. \ When it rs necrsrarr to mire us tkc instructions I and copy for advertisements, great saving in the j matter of telegraph tolls may be had by recourse to v the Donaldson Cipher Code. I Entered at S'cond-Class Matter at Post Office t at Cincinnati, Ohio. SEPTEMBER, J898. The event of the month in bill post- ing circles is H. G. Wilshire's colossal scheme for the formation of a bill I posting trust. Scarcely bad the echoes J of the Buffalo convention died away 3 when Mr. Wilshire announced his j plans. » j Two circulars, outlining .the general % plan, were mailed to all bill posters, \ and interest was immediately inani- 3 fested on all hands. |j| We have been bombarded with let- Si ters asking for advice. The chief ij question we are asked is, "-Will it go j through 2" To all such inquiries we I have made but one reply: It will go through, and very readily, if the bill I posters put it through. If they do I not, then, assuredly it will not. We «are decidedly of the opinion that the Lplan will prevail if the promoters do ?not try to mature it too quickly. .-♦*■.:'. '■■*■■■ A correspondent wishes to know if Jwe have abandoned the advocacy of • 1 ;jthe "open" association. We have abandoned the name. We have been "(aware, for many months, that any Ibope of instituting radical changes in a system so set and long established \ . "as bill posting must needs be long de- ferred: It has seemed expedient, therefore, to drop the word, and with |t many of the extreme features for which it stood. At the same time we shall continue to work for a better rssociation. , Were everybody content with exist- ing standards and conditions, there fvould be no progress—no advance—In iny department of human activity. 1 iVe believe the Associated Bill Post- ers is essentially an excellent organi- jjation. It can be improved, like all ivmian institutions, and must be {hanged from time to time to meet londitions which are ever changing, jjvhenever improvements are suggest- | jid that, in our estimation, are advisa- ble, or when changing conditions de- land reconstructions on special lines, J we shall advocate them. Further- more, it is quite likely that our ad- vocacy will be both urgent and insist- ent, for we do not believe in doing anything in a half-hearted way. But, above ail things, will we preach loyalty to the association. It has ac- complished so much, and is capable of doing such a great deal more, that we cannot abide the idea of its being hampered and hindered by internal dissension. .All its officers can count upon our hearty support in their efforts to widen its influence and extend its scope. On the other hand, should any one seek to prostitute it by perverting it to his own private and selfish ends, or bring discredit upon its members by any unscrupulous action, he may not hope to escape just censure at our hands. If there is anything that annoys us more than another, it is to be late. The stenographic report of the con- vention of the International Associa- tion of LMstributors, which we give this month in its entirety, is stale as a matter of news, but is rich in sug- gestion and inspiration. We fully ex- pected to present the report in our Au- gust issue, but the stenographer dis- appointed us, and we had to go to press with a hasty account written from memory. As we were not at fault in the matter, we offer no apolo- gies, but simply make this explana- • tion. in order that the members of the organization may know where to place the blame. The secretary and the manager of the fair association are very busy men just at this time; but, for all that, there is a movement on foot which should have their careful considera- tion. It is the measure proposing to enlarge the scope of the American Association of Fairs and Expositions. r lhis contemplated move is fraught with the utmost importance to every man who sincerely believes in the fair and its mission. It is conceded that the fairs of the country should be united in one or- ganization, with officers who could di- rect, govern and assist each individual fair, sanction all dates, arrange cir- cuits, prevent conflicts, and devise uniform methods and systems. Now that the American Association of Fairs and Bxpositions is to be thrown open to all minor organiza- tions, it is to be hoped that they will all avail themselves of the Invitation and send delegates to Omaha on Oc- tober 2G. seem, therefore, that, as the regular annual convention of the National As- sociation of Master Painters and Dec- orators is to be held in Cincinnati, February (>, nest, that date will be best for the initial meeting of the sign painters; and. by virtue of the author- ity vested in us by the proposers of the alliance, we herewith fix that date. The vote was as follows, viz.: Cincinnati 4:S St. I^ouis ;'.S Pittsburg as Chicago 31 Detroit 10 Cleveland' S Columbus 2 Peoria 2 Louisville l Evansville 1 Dayton l Total vote ISO If one half of those who voted at- • tend the uieetiug, the new association will start off with a boom. At the suggestion of various mem- bers, we will also appoint the follow- ing Committee on Arrangements: It. H. Forgrave. i'ickerington, O., Chairman. AV. F. Williamson, St. Louis, Mo. Fred D. Jones, Chicago, III. C. G. O'Brien. Pittsburg. Pa. A. E. Harbaugh, Mill Run, Pa., Sec- retary. Biking Through the South. S. S. Kelly runB the Norfolk Steam Laun- dry and the starch makes good paste for bill Z li — -«......_»,»»<;» B uuu paste tor Dill potting purposes. When not laundering ho LOUISVILLE. RAMSEY WINS OUT. The following brief but expressive tele- gram tells the story: Louisville, Kv., Aug. 25, '93. Editor ' The Billboar.l." The Heverin billposltng plant was this day entirely absorbed by the Falls Ci v Biflposting Co. The latter is now the only billposting concern in Louisville. [Signed,] L. H. Ramsey. The episode marks the end of a long and hot fight. Billposters, agents and advertisers all over the country will heave a sigh of relief over the termination of the struggle. Congratulations are due to Colonel Ramser. Reese & Long, of Scranton, Pa., wish it distinctly understood that Castner has no interest in Scranton. Ike Monk Again. Mr. Isaac M. Monk, who represented the billposters of America at the conven- tion of British billposters, writes under date of August 17 that he was most gra- ciously received at Dublin. He was ten- dered three different banquets, and, in fact, to use his own words. "Treated like a lord," "Out of sight," etc. Cincinnati got the most votes in the sign painters' voting contest, and the general opinion prevailed that the best time to hold the meeting would be during the coming winter. It would A very elaborate scrap-book has lately been compiled for Wm. B. Plunkctt, by the Now England Newspaper Bureau. 146 Franklin street- Boston, in commemoration of Presi- dent McKInley's tour of the Berkshlrcs last fall. The book is handsomely bound in full mo- • rocco, and contains some four or Ave- hundred clippings, with illustrations from all the newspapers of the country, mounted on heavy cardboard pages of a pale blue tint. The clippings are arranged in chronological order, the name of the publication from which each one is taken being done in gold. The title- page is an excellent piece of pen-and-ink ex- ecution, and reads: "The ViBit of William MrKinley, President of the United States, to William B. Plunkett, at Adams, Mass.. Sep- tember, 1897." This book, which could not be duplicated for any amount of money, is at once one of the most unique and valuable souvenirs of its kind, and suggests the many important ways in which a Press Clipping Bureau, when fully equipped, can render service to its patrons. ,—--..»,....amrco. .,.ucn nut launaerini pastes bills, and docs both well. NorfoW is paved with oyster shells, largely, and the uheelman wants to have his repair kit along un pes his tires arc of steel. Business In Nor- l.,.k has been veiy fair all year. PoiUmcuth is light across the liver or bay, from Norfolk, and the navy yards have mane it a very busy piace since April 21? ^, C -.£. ,aper J 8 tho b,u P° lter . and when he gets too much paper he builds more fioards w nen he hasn't time to build more boarC* he tells the advertiser honestly that he Is cicwded and can pest only a part of the paper. He is doing a good business, and dc- t-er\es all his good luck. c„ W /„, T ' ,S fonI ,s tne bnl P° st cr at Wlnston- halcm. (Pronounce it Phole, please: not Pea- owl ) It would be hard to And better bSi beards even in large cities than Uin.ton- ia.em possess, Mr. Pfohi Is ex-CMef of I'o ice and ex-Tax Assessor of Winston and has real eaate "to burn." Bill boa ds on his own property alone would make "very- re- tiTi"™? f. :ant - "S '■"«• bte * "1 died" fc r the Lost Cause under General Robert Hoke In the rebel.lon. and was on the secret serv- ice force at the Chicago World's Fair? Win- .VuTck ana &7V:? u IL* hoZ * P«" "r Greensboro. N. c. is a lively Junction noint on the Southern KaKroad. and claims KOO11 i , nS U .' a h G " i ' J - "• "est 'ts the bin poste? " butiD « s R<*s flack he charters a train and runs a "personally conducted" excursioii 'h No , r i folk ' Washington and Baltimore and adve " ft* It with Donaldson posters on his own bill boards. West also post* « number- cf near-by towns, and does it right. Tw- ■ jc.e trip over Greensboro reveals a larja Sr^afds.' 8 b '" b0a ' dS and '<"» °r\nVe 8 e! Burton, of Richmond, keeps his end ut> in geed shape His boards ar ' c w ™ 8 , ^V'^" wc.l located, and the large number of fac rJ'nH- a " Wor 5!2K to the limit make » RU*! lLcnd a splendid market for the advertiser to cu trvate. Mr. Burton ought to make I cos N ,?h» 0,,aI ad ">»^" among the nXfer- there. aUd c| 8"ette manufacturers \v Ch r a Ji! E I , ton ' S - ?- is hc:d down °r Charles \\. Hepgh. a good man who weighs less than three hundred. Business is good at Charles- ton, from all appearances. <-narics- Chattanooga and Harry Stoops! Fifty thou f?. nd Population and 200 bill boards! That". Chattanooga. The troops atChickamauLa "■"brought prosperity to Harry this ve^ ^incidentally to .11* his man? customers an°hm y ihi h h e , m . a u er is not a shoemaker at all. but the hustling manager of the Lloyd- T„". e ^ ^ d \tr tu J?8 Servicl at Washington. To A\e in Washington should be hanolnesa enough, but think of not only HvlSg there but also being the bill i^.er! Talk about getting all the good things! Shoemaker ^"o runs two big. rushing restauranUTon Penn- fylnnla awnw. I had dinner at onTof them, and wished 1 had known of its exls°- er.ee tix hours earlier. The man on a bike h';,. W . as . h '£ ston doesnt naT « to do » thin! l r '" her went." I noticed the follow nf paper en the boards, among a great d»ai £ 0re: ™P Iilan ,. Ru£Se » cigars. FSntellacl- ffJh't C . h h Ca .T^ Gr 5 ,t Wes tern Railroad (forty- R» S m «»v h ^r 1> i and an e '8ht-sheet made by Ramsey of Lexington. 1 didn't notice what n ^J°i- b „ U !. '^^'"ure showed "-a wlell m your head." and I thought it might be pe: sonai. so rode on. migni oe Balt!more en a Sunday afternoon, and not en acquaintance to be found, tuggests an lm- Tn^h'V" 6 ? for the "«' train. The m ?n on the hurricane deck of a raging, bucking J™.* 1 •« not in it with the inan who trlef i?..^" 8 h IO, ! B the cobb!c ^"nes and "nlgger- $Z?L bowlders of Baltimore. I havf no ?n the'cl.r f a ^ e , hUndred8 °' flne W« board, in the city, for I saw some of them before I E?LST ' an iv th , cy arc not responsible for the bowlders. Their work is all right The onlv suggestion I can offer 1„ "Sore railroad d»°r'', n / B - The traveling man has a g™l n^.'i^ 0 M *. nowadays about his Arm's bill \rT* e < a 1 d ttle traveling man sees the rail' por?s 6 a h e°co^ir d VCry "" ,e e,8e ' " d """ KiM h i! ,ad 5 :ph1 , a ,as aU klnas °f paper od the bill boards (I suipose). but all the casual ob- server can see Is George W. Child" clgare- t b "f »re Childs elght-sheeu: arid threl- - and m„r an v. ^"V"^ 8 : and slxteen-shieU. fuHt 2 r f fc klnds or all sizes, all of them con- ta'ning the mammoth portrait of the man well a 9,^ h r, ,ad f' Ph,a *"* and admired 'so jell. Sam Roblson says that the newspapers h a e h,?f en .hS"J5 to ory . down ,hlB advertl" taki kiJMil hBt A he "f op,e ot th e « rea t city l. r \u,I'!* ly t°. "• and stop and gaze lovingly a »v C ?hi 8 . k POr,raU ; ThK rnakers 8 of the cigar cfgar ° PC ° PlC alEO buy and amoke the Geo. Castncr has bought out the James- town (N. Y.) bill posting plant. George is reaching out He now owns three towns, vli" Syracuse. Blnghamton and Jamestown. A. Rennett & Co.. of Ottawa. 111., arc charged with unmercantllc conduct by Ber- nard & Anderson, of Savannah, who say they J!! n !i, a . n n 0 .I dcr .. ,or Bomc hand-painted posters Jl" c Ji^'iftt people, accompanied by tho cash. The Bennett people acknowledged the IhZlT^, ?L th 1. ,non *' v J* nd ordcr ' b «t "ever shipped the latter, nor have they returned tho money- Bernard says he has written them repeatedly to do cither ono or tho other, but latterly they refuse to answer his letters. A leading member of the association writes as follows: "Official Order No. 1 Is a darling. Embyronic thoughts as realties'—we thought something would happen when tho Boston man got on the board." "«=«■«■« THE BILLBOARD BILLPOSTERS DEPARTMENT ^ THE EXECUTIVE COM- MITTEE Met August 10th. at Hotel Bar- tholdi, New York. The lirst meeting of the Bxeeutive Comniit- l«e of the A. B .P. occurred Aug. 10 at the llolfl Harthuldi. New York City. There were present, Jas. K. O'Mealia. Prttidetif. J. Bal- lard Carroll; Secretary. E. C. Donnelly. Geo. M. Leonard. Al. Bryan. Samu< I Pratt, E. A. Slahlbrcdt and O. J. Gude. In addition to the regular routine business, rhe committee passed the following resolu- tion, viz.: "Krsclvcd. That it is the wish of the Exec- utive Committee that "The Billboard," pub- lithcd by 'The Billboard" Publishing Co.. or Ciminnatl, shall, from and after this date, refrain from publishing any opposition bill posters" or solicitors* advertisements, and de- list from mentioning the 111 in their columns in any manner whatever." H- G. Wilshire was summoned before them late In the evening, and spoke in favor of his scheme to combine the bill posting plants of the country. The committee, by a dose vote, eomludrd not to indorse the idea. Mr. Wilshire immediately formulated an en- tirely new plan, and is meeting with consid- erable encouragement. The following arc a few salient features of the new plan: To owners of bill posting plants: Hear Sirs.—The Executive Committee of the Associated Pill Posters has declined to in- dorse my original plan, notwithstanding the fact that 1 had conditional assents from the following cities: Chicago, St. Paul. Minneap- olis. Su Louis. San Francisco. Louisville. Lexington. Worcester. Providence, Brooklyn. Pittsburg. Cincinnati. Albany. Rochester, Newark. New Haven, Jersey City, Allegheny. Los Angeles and New York City. 1 admit there were poseibly objectionable features, which are all easily eliminated. 1 beg therefore herewith to submit the fol- lowing nrw plan for the unification of the ownership cf the bill posting plants in the larger cities of the United States: A company with an authorized capital of ten million dollars should be incorporated by us s*. once. Any designated owner (or owners) of a plant could be offered, until a certain fixed dale, stock in this company upon the follow- ing terms, viz.: The company will leaee bis plant for twenty years, with option of purchase after three years, at a rental equal to 13 per cent, of its gross earnings. ■ The company will also agree to employ the owner, if he so desires, as local manager dur- ing the lease, at a salary equal to 19 per cent, of the total gross earnings* of his plant, aug- mented by an additional amount equal to 10 per cent, of the gross earnings derived ex- clusively from his local commercial work. The minimum upon which salaries and rent- als will be based will be guaranteed by the company to be equal to his annual gross earnings for the year ending Aug. 1. 1£98. His plant, as hereafter defined, will be es- timated, in purchasing, to have a minimum 1 ash value equal to Its annual gross earnings for the year ending Aug. 1. 1898. Both mini- mum purchase price and rental arc guaran- teed in caeh. It.will be expressly understood and agreed, however, that this estimate shall be increased to a maximum valuation equal to the great- est amount of its annual gross earnings for any one year of the'.three years Immediately succeedlng the first day df operation by the company. in consideration of the assumed value of the lease Itself, the company will agree to Issue to the owner, or hlB rcprerentatlve, en- tirely free, and In addition to the cash pur- ■ hese price. Its full pcl< and unassessable common stock, equal In lace value to the es- timated value of the plant. The first stock will he Issued as soon as Irene is signed and will have a par value • qual to the amount of gross annual earn- ings of the plant for thw year immediately preceding Aug. 1, 1898: I. e.. Its first valua- tion. Whenever, during the three years after the lease, an Increase of the gross annual earnings of a plant establishes ror it—ns per ncreed method ot estimating Its value—a greater valuation, the company will at once jpttie to the owner additional stock, pro rat- ina- with such Increase. "Plant" shall be construed to mean and to I'xiudo only the billboards. All other proper- ties pertaining thereto, such as horses and wagons, paste machines, office fixtures, etc.. etc.. are arbitrarily to be classified under this plan as "personal property." and .will be pi'jrt for In cash by the company at present value, as estimated Jointly by owner and company, when the "plant" proper Is pur- chased. In the Interim the company will pay an annual cash rental of 20 per cent, upon the value of such "personal property." It Is admitted that there arc variations, not as great, however, as commonly thought. In lie physical condition of hill boards constitut- ing the various plants, but to attempt a com- parative Inspection throughout the country ■villi a view of adjusting relative values sat- isfactorily to the different owners is decided to be practically impossible. It would take twenty-five years to reach an agreement. At most. JuO.000, it is conservatively esti- mated, would bring up all existing boards to a uniform standard of excellence. The first six months' reductions in location rents alone would be equal to this amount. Mutual <-onccssions are-inevitably ncccsEary in the formation of all combinations. It Is also conceded that the ratio of net to gross earnings varies with different plants, hut it is justly contended that such variations are simply a necessary concomitant to com- petition and will disappear with its elimina- tion. Such variations must be the result of one or two causes: 1. A faulty syBtem of operation. 2. Excessive location rents. The operation of all plants with standard and uniform rules under a single management will immediately reform the first fault and simply the absence of comnctition will alone speedily regulate and equalize rents. Hence it is clearly seen that the gross earnings are the simplest as well as the truest index of the value of a plant. As soon as the company demonstrates, to the investing public, its actual earning ca- paiity, there will be no difficulty in selling sufficient of the preferred stock to provide the ncccseary funds to purchase Ihe original plarti*. as well as others which may later on be desired to oe included in the combination. The percentages allowed on gross earnings fer rentals and salaries may be thought too small. If fo. it is an error on the safe sido. The company can not pay more in rentals and erlaries than the sum of its net earnings. A'ter that, if a surplus remrins it will be dis- tributed in dividends on stock. The owner will cet his pro rata share exactly the same, but through another channel. As an inducement for early action, the owners firet Joining the combination will have their plants estimated at a double valuation and be given a bonus of 100 per cent, addi- tional caEh and stock. Upon the basis of the 3S citi-s having a gross income of Jl 37o.OOO and estimating the net income at orly 20 per cent, of the gross, cr S275.000. which is ascertained to be- ap- proximately correct, we have $1,100,000 ex- pended to-day for working expeDscs and rectals. The cash" reouired for Durchase of plants at a maximum is J2.750 000. This is upon the basis of a value equal to twice present earn- i^es. If tbis cash was suprlied by sale of preferred stock, the antipal int-rest st 7 per cet-t. would be $192.i*no. There would be re- al ired for salaries cf 38 local managers, sav an average of $2 000 each—*T6 000. Some would «---t i*i,ooo and some less, according to size of plant. The estimated reduction in location rents is Jt«Xi ono. and certainly a centralized manage- ment should reduce the werkine ox*>enses over 10 per cent. or, say. another $100,000. It mev be Fefelv estimated that both these economies could be effected, and yet. at the same time, the ero^s earnings b° increased 10 r-cr cent., or $137,500. I. myself, estimate it at ""0 per cent. Tfcrs the receipt" would be as now...$l.ST*.flon Add 10 per cent, increase 137.509 Tot«| rrcriets 1,512,509 Total expenditures: Interest on 7 per cent, preferred stock $192509 Salaries for 38 local managers 76.000 Working expensp<« and rentals, $1,100,000. less $200,000 900000 Total annual expenses... ....$1.16S,509 R«eeiots $1.51*>.F0O Expenses 1.16S.500 Net earnings '. $344,000 This shows net earnings enough to pay o--er I** per cent, dividends annually on the $2,760.- Ono of common stock. In other words. 1 es- tinn te that upon the oian as proposed, the owners will receive at least twice as much in c^sh for their plants as they are worth to- day, nnd thev will still own the company's common stock, issued as a boons over and above this cash price, which will pay them at least 10 per cent, annual dividends. A meeting was held at the Auditorium Hotel. Chicago. Aug. 22. Many owners at- tended, and the plans were discussed quite thoroughly and pretty generally indorsed. Tho preliminary organi»ation was formed, and altogether Mr. Wilshire has reason to feel very murh encouraged over the outlook. The Trust vs. The Executive Committee. By a MemSzr of the A. P. B. While the general argument that the solic- itor's interest Is tho same as that of the bill poster's, and that therefore he* should bo cli- rlhle to membership and hence a scat on the executive Committee. Is true in the main; still. It has exceptions. A case in point is this vote of the Executive Committee, throwing cold water on Mr. Wll- sMre's Plan for consolidation. Mr. Gude made the opening argument against the plan, basing his opposition upon the fact "that while It might do bill posters borne good, it might leave the solicitors out in the cold. That even if the advertiser thought that a solicitor 'was connected with an effort at a bill posters' combination, he might withdraw bis patronage, not from the bill posters, but lrom the solicitor." Now, this may, or may not be true. We think, certainly not; as the adveitiser has as much interest in cutting down location rents as the bill poster. But, true or not, it is not an argument that should weigh with bill tiosti is, no matter how much it appeals to a solicitor. 'J'ue Executive Committee should, first and foremost, decide as to how bill posters, the owners, are affected. That is what they arc elected to consider. We are not making an argument against giving the solicitors a full chance to air their views, as we admit that the positiou they necessarily occupy gives them a broader and more general view over the whole situation throughout the country than that bad by any single bill poster. However, the fact that they have a better view of things does not make them less con- siderate of their own interests as opposed to bill posters. A single ownership of bill posting plants in the country, properly managed, would un- questionably benefit the owners of bill post- ing plants, but the same certainly can not be expressed as to the benefit to any particular solicitor. At present, he can dictate to a cer- tain extent to the bill poster, and usually at present this dictation is a good thing for both, but-after the combination the bill posters will dictate to everybody—to the solicitor, the ad- vertiser, and the lot-owner. This position of power that the bill poster will find himself in has in itself the danger of making him overbearing to customers and the public generally. There will be no more licking of boots for him, but he must be care- ful net to try and make others lick his boots. We recognize that the Executive Committee was passing upon Air. WHshire's original plan of sale of plants, and that the second, or "new. rlan of lease," dated Aug. 13, is an entirely different proposition. Whatever ob- jections there may have been to the first plan are apparently obviated in the second plan. We would suggest that instead of the Exec- utive Committee voting in general terms on this plan that they intelligently criticise it. If it has weak points, let them be pointed out and amendments suggested. AU bill posters wiFh a combination, and all that is necessary to bring it about is the presentation of a plan fair and acceptable to all. If Mr. WHshire's plan is this, let it be adopted. The question of owners demanding money in advance before entering a combination is about as senseless as demanding being paid before joining the association. The great majority of the big industrial combinations were formed without a dollar of outside capital. This is true of the Sugar Trust, the American Tobacco Co., the "Leather Trust, etc., etc. After the combination proved successlul. then the public was offered stock, and all these stocks now meet ready sale, whereas at the beginning tbey could not have been sold at any price. The latest combination we note is that of the Chicago breweries. The owners all put in thrir plants, taking stock in exchange and net a dollar in cash. ANON. Solicitors. In his annual mes age to the members of the Associated Bill Posters at Buffalo, Pres- ident O'Mealia observed: "That we should have at least one solicitor in every large city is a fact that is evident to every one. It is very true that each mem- ber cf the association is a solicitor, and some cf them are of the opinion that an official so- licitor, appointed for the purpose of soliciting work, would interfere with our members do- ing the same. Such ts not the case; it brings more new business and better business to our members, and an intelligent and com- petent solicitor working in a big city or a small one is a great benefit to the local mem- bers, and also to the members at large, and should be ercouraged." The President voiced the unanimous senti- ment cf the members at large when he ut- tered those words. The proposition Is so p'ain and simple that it cannot be misunder- stood. The more solfcitors, the more wo:k the bill poster will obtain. "The Billboard" has tirelessly advocated this measure for the past three years, and views the adoption at Buffalo with consider- able satisfaction. The provision bonding solicitors In $5,000 was a wise move. It is in no sense either pro- hibitive nor a hardship. Any man of good standing can procure the bond of a trust company by the payment of a fee that is little more than merely nominal. The ability to procure the bond should, on the other hand, be evidence sufficient of tho applicant's worthiness to hold the position cf solicitor. Journeymen Billposters and Distributors. Pill Posters" and Distributors* Union No. 1 of New York, on Aug. 1 sent the following communication to all managers in Greater New York, viz.: We. the Bill Posters and Distributors of Greater New York, thinking it only just that we should have a uniform salary for our men employed in the advertising department of the theatres, do hereby submit to you the follow- ing: First. That the manager or advertising agent of theatres agree to employ no bill poster or distributor in Greater New York ex- cepting those being members of the Bill Post- ers* Union No. 1. or such others as will be rceognlred by them through affiliation. . Second. That from Au-rust 1. 1S98, two routes per day shall constitute a day's work at bill pasting or distributing. Work to com- II mence at 8 a. m. and end at 5 p. m., one hour at noon for dinner. Third. That the minimum rate of wages shall be ten dollars ($10) per week, and all labor performed in excess of a regular work day, in or out of theatre, shall be paid at the rate of 75 cents per route. Fourth. That any member employed as ticket taker or usher shall receive $12 per week. Hoping this will meet with your approval, we await your reply. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. T A. Shchan, walking delegate of the union, with offices at 8 Union Square, informs us that the demands have been "quite generally agreed to, an assertion which is borne out by the following clipping from the New York Journal of Aug. 3: BILL POSTERS GET WHAT THEY WANT. About one-half of the theatre managers yes- terday granted, the demands of the organized bill posters for a minimum wage of $10 a week. In some theatres the demands will be refused and the bill posters will strike. Out- side bill posting agencies report that their men are paid at least as much as the theatre employes demand. The New York Sun of the same date says: "The. managers of the Star and several other theatres granted yesterday the demands of the organized bill posters for a new wage schedule. It is thought that most of the the- atres will follow suit, but in one or two cases the bill posters may have to strike to galu their end. They will wait a few days before striking. Some of the theatres employ no bill posters, but have contracts with firms of bill posters that employ a number of men. These firms say they pay their men at least as much as what the bill posters employed by the the- atres demand. The demands are an eight- hour work-day, a minimum wage rate of $10 a week, extra pay for overtime and a salary of not less than $12 a week to those who act as ushers. DUES of the Associated Bill Posters, as adopted at the Buffalo convention, were as follows, viz.: Cities of 1.000 to 15.000. $2.50. Cities of $15,000 to $25,000, $5.00. Cities of 25,000 to 50,000. $10.00. Cities of 50,000 to 100.000. $15.00. Cities of 100.000 to 500.000. $25.00. Cities of 500.000 to 1.000.000. $50.00. Cities of over 1,000,000. $75.00. Colonel Burr Rbbbins. We have been exceptionally fortunate in securing a' portrait of Colonel Robbins that reproduces in cold Ink some measure of h : « forceful features and portrays partially his habitual expression. In an accident, which occurred some years back (and, by the way. it would have killed outright any man of less v itality), the lower portion of his forehead was frlfhtfully crushed. The injury Is still in evidence, although; strangely enough, when one comes to know him well, it is scarcely noticeable. Photographs, as a rule, however, magnify and distort the irregularity into a positive disfigurement. Any one who knows Colonel Robbins wilf, therefore, readily agree that the cut which occupies our first page is indeed remarkable in that it portrays Colonel Robbins .exact y as he is. Still, it is the man himself, and not his ap- pearance that appeals most strongly to the Interest. Keen, evenly balanced and wonderfully shrewd, it, of course, goes without saying that he halts from Ohio. When he was mus- tered out of the aimy, with the rank cf Colonel, at the close of the rebellion, he re- turned to his native state, and shortly there- after engaged in the ciicus business. He started with nothing. In fact, the story of his life reads like a romance. For- in- stance, during the panic of 1873. when busi- ness in all directions was utterly prostrated. Colonel Robbins' Circus cleared nearly $60,- 000. Its earnings increased every year thereafter as long as he operated it. We shall have more to say of his remi- niscences and achievements in future num- bers. They abourd In interest, and we com- n-and an almost inexhaustible supply of them. Though at an aee when most men are con- tent to take things easy. Colonel Robbins sti'l takes a lively and active Interest In business. He owns the controlling interest in the American Advertising and BK1 Post- ing Company and the Western Ad-Sign Syn- dicate, both of Chicago, and finances bout concerns personally. He possesses great tenacity of purpose. In the face of great difflcuties and adverse cir- cumstances, the American Advertising and Bill Posting Company has. under his guid- ance, grown to be quite the largest bill post- ing business in the world. We speak advisedlv on this point, and are not unmindful of Philadelphia and Boston, when we make the assertion. Both the latter are admirable—nay. wonderful plants, but the- Chicago plant surpasses the one in the superficial area of its holdings and the other in the net volume of busines". - The Western Ad-Sign Syndicate. thnu«h but recently launched, is a most premising vonngster. and bids fair to monopolize tho bulletin business of the Windy City at no distant date. Indications all point to the fact that Colonel Robbies has at least twentv or twen- ty-five years of active life ahead of him. and there is simoly no tell'ne what he will ac- iv>r"nlish before he retires to enjoy the fruits o f **is labors- He is a millionaire now. but his tempera- p-ent is such that he simplv cannot abide th* idea of going out of l>*-tn**ss. tr*^ friends ape manv. and they are all of the kind worth knowing-and worth having. We regret that we cannot at this time dilate a* greater length on the career, characteris- tics and attributes of this trulv remarkah'e "•an. Our space simply will not Permit it: hut. as we stated above, we will have more to say later on. I